Thank you for taking the time to talk! Could you start out by telling us a little bit about yourself?
Hi. Thank you so much for having me. My names Eshen Moodley. I go by @GPCY pronounced “Gypsy” on all social media. Im a 21 year old portrait photographer based in Johannesburg and I am Currently in my third year of Electrical Engineering at Tuks
That’s awesome! And what originally got you into film photography?
I actually found out about film photography through a really big photographer Moises Arias or @490.tx. He use to post pictures on tumblr back in 2014 when I was still in high school. I then decided to pick up a digital camera in 2017 after seeing some of my friends work. As time went on I realised that I wanted to shoot film because of “Moi”. His portrait work was amazing and he captured candid moments on his film Camera. When I started varsity in 2019 my Friend Kyle urged me to pursue this dream of shooting film and I bought my first film camera.
Agreed, We absolutely love the style of Moises Arias and can see the similarities in your work! What got you into shooting portraits specifically?
Ever since I was small I loved taking pictures of my friends and family. It reminded me to really appreciate the people around me in life. Taking portraits on film forced me to slow down even more and really indulge myself in the emotions of that moment I share with the subject. There’s something so beautiful about taking pictures of people, whether it be taking a photo that encapsulates a moment in their time and having that image express many different thoughts and concepts for the audience to interoperate. I believe that everyone in this world is beautiful in their own way and taking portraits is one of those ways I can share that.
Would you be able to walk us through the steps of how you plan and execute a portrait photoshoot from start to finish on film?
So all my photoshoots I plan now, actually revolve around shooting film. The photoshoot usually starts off with an Idea or an experience which I go through. I try have a main theme to my photoshoot, i.e. anxiety, depression, love, ethereal concepts and more. I try stick to one main concept. I then spend a couple of days revisiting the idea and jotting down notes in my little notebook I have (I actually have 3 note books filled with ideas and concepts). I write down things such as location, time I want shoot depending on the ISO speed of the film, the camera I’m going to use, the lens, outfits and styling. I then create a simple mood board on Pinterest and then contact my friends or models and pitch the idea to them. Once we’ve agreed on details I then go out and shoot the concept. After that I take the film to get developed at the lab and wait for the negatives and scans. After that I share the images with the people involved and then start posting them. Most of my time is spent planning the photoshoot
Thanks for the informative breakdown on how you tackle the process and the subject! Its always interesting hearing how other photographers plan and execute their own ideas! which brings me to my next question. I see you often post Partial shot images with a caption on it. where did this idea come from?
So the idea to shoot and post partial shot images with a caption has actually stemmed from my own personal interpretation of classic art paintings and also of the concept I’m shooting. I guess I haven’t thought much about this but I guess it has become a style of my work. I like to get up close to the subject with a tight lens to create some form of intimacy for the audience to dive into. The captions I derive are from songs or quotes from movies that best express the concept or idea.. But all my captions have hidden messages within them. I don’t tell many people this. But I usually share the image I post, on my Instagram story with a specific song attached to it. They say a photo captures a 1000 words. The song aids to those 1000 words. I leave it up to the audience to interoperate the message for themselves and really think about the photo in hand.
“Dylan. Im just going to get in the car quick. Going to the film lab will be 15 minutes”
I really like the way those partial images are thought provoking! Where do you get most of your film developed? And which is your favorite film stock to shoot?
So i get most of my film developed at RGB pixel lab and cartel Film lab. On 35mm i shoot alot of Kodak Gold 200 and Portra 400 and on medium format I shoot alot of Portra 400 and 400 TriX
Portra 400 and Gold 200 are my absolute favorite stocks. I see on your page you make mention of shooting digital. Which do you prefer, digital or film? and why Film?
I started off shooting digital but I definetly prefer shooting film alot more. I love that with film im limited to what i capture. It really forces me to think and really compose my image. There is something about taking photos on film and hoping it will turn out alright. Shooting film has brought new joy to shooting portraits and its something special because not many models and people will get the experience of shooting film and I always involve my models and the people i shoot with in loading the film. I tall them through it all and i know many of them appreciate that.
I completely agree. It always feels like the excitement of opening presents. You’re not exactly sure what you’re gonna get but can’t wait to see what it is! My last question to you is, is Film here to stay?
Exactly. Shooting film is like a lucky packet.
For sure!!! Film is here to stay and it will never die as long as I’m around. I think the film community is gaining interest very quickly here in South Africa thanks to many photographers and youtubers shooting it. South Africans like William Sheepskin, Harmonix (Tshego Mahlatji) and Brendon O’Neill are promoting the film community and making it a staple. I guess people like Willem Verbeek and Grainy days also have a huge impact to the growth of the community here.. People call it a trend, but I really don’t mind. Because Lomography and other brands are now bringing back some of their older film stocks. This is giving people more reasons to shoot film. There’s nothing like shooting film and all the ups and downs it has. Thank you So much for having me once again. Hopefully when I’m in East London or you are up in Joburg we can shoot a roll of film together. <3
If you are interested in shooting film go give Eshen a follow on Youtube and Instagram!
Written by : Dylan Greyvenstein