Developed Film

Once upon a time, I owned a film camera. Well, I still do, but the shutter stopped working around two years ago after I installed another roll of film into it. It was a Canon AE-1; it belonged to my dad, who took up Fine Arts when he was in college. That was in the '80s, so it is quite an old camera. I still keep the camera on a shelf in my room, but my heart was broken when it stopped working. It was one of my favorite hobbies, and I had developed 12 rolls of film before then. I even have a Tumblr blog full of film photos (shameless plug).

I had learned of disposable cameras too when I got into film photography, but wasn't a big fan of the quality of its photos compared to the ones taken on an actual SLR camera. Last year, I found out that some of my friends were using disposable cameras. One of them only found disposables in the U.S. or in Japan, so when my mom planned a trip to Osaka, I was set on finding some disposables to soothe that ache to use film again. Luckily, I found them easily in Yodobashi, which is a well-known franchise around the country.

After two weeks of developing, here are the photos I took in Osaka on a disposable!

What do you guys think?

The colors aren't as bright, vibrant and focused compared to photos developed from an SLR, but that's probably because disposables only have one setting. It was really cloudy when I was there too, so the photos are a bit dark. I do like the fades and the grain, though. Not so bad for a first disposable, eh? That's the beauty of using film - you'll never know the outcome until everything gets developed.

A few things I learned while viewing the photos:

• For best results, use the disposable when it's sunny or if the place is really bright.
• If the place is dark - as in, any kind of dark - use flash.
• I need to work on my angling. If you'll notice, some of my photos are not centered. This is because the viewfinder of the disposable is not aligned with the actual lens, unlike a digital camera. I'll have to tip my photos a bit upwards or to the right.
• Take portraits in the dark! The best photos I've seen from disposable cameras are those that are taken with flash in dim places. The colors and grains look pretty cool.

The clock struck midnight, signaling that Easter was here and the Lenten season has ended. I ran to my fridge, grabbed the nearest open box of chocolate and started munching on its contents. I sacrificed it for Lent and now, here I am, four hours later, still as energized as a while ago. Along the way, I decided to start a blog again so I could dump my photos from my most recent trip (which I arrived from 12 hours ago). After an hour of coding and Photoshopping, I am finally typing my first post. Hooray.

Here are some photos I took from my 8-day trip to Osaka, Japan.

All pictures were shot on a Canon 5D with a 24mm lens (which I managed to drop in the middle of the trip... sorry dad).

Here are some of my favorite places that I visited (aside from the usual known touristy spots):

Ikinari Steak: I'm not much of a meat eater, but I really enjoyed the steak in this place (though I must admit, I couldn't differentiate the taste between a tenderloin and ribeye -- but they were still good!). My mom said that the unique part about it is that you eat standing up by a high table, but that didn't end up being our case since some of the tables with chairs were unoccupied. It's best to get there before everyone does -- we got there at around 5:00 before dinner time -- since the restaurant is quite known and can only accommodate a number of people.

Daiki Suisan Kaiten Zushi: This was the first time I've eaten in a conveyor belt sushi place even if it was my second time around in Japan and there are some restaurants that feature it in Manila. Although quite pricey, it's definitely an experience you shouldn't miss out on when you visit the country. Unfortunately for me, my favorite kind of sushi happens to be the one with salmon and tuna in it, which appeared to be the most expensive of all. :( It's also best to get there early since the restaurant can only accommodate so much people.

Don Quijote (Namba Sennichimae): Everyone goes to the Don Quijote in Dotonbori, but we discovered another branch on our last day at the Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street (which is also worth checking out). There are less people who go there and the place is definitely more spacious. The best part is that the flavored Kit Kat's -- which many Filipinos like to bring home as pasalubong -- are cheaper compared to the ones at Dotonbori. (Unfortunately, the disposable cameras are more expensive than the ones in Dotonbori, but are cheaper than the ones they sell in Yodobashi.)

I don't think I'll ever get tired of Osaka. Something about the hustle and bustle of the place is fascinating and worth going back to. The sights are beautiful, transportation is convenient, the weather is perfect and the food is so damn good. A place worth paying a visit to, if you ask me -- Cebu Pac might have a few piso fares.

Photos from my disposable camera to come soon!

P.S. Happy Easter, everyone! Let's not forget the sacrifice Jesus made for us so that we could be saved. ♡ Hope your day was filled with thankfulness and celebration!

P.P.S. Aren't my grandparents so cute?!