Back to where it all began—my love for photography

Shot by:
Me, Myself, and I

Camer Models:
Olympus mju xiii, Olympus mju xii 7

Film Used:
Kodak Gold 100, Kodak Portra 400, Kodak Ektar 500, Ilford HP-5 Plus 400

Locations:
Mont Blanc, Chamonix, Paris, Maastricht, Brussels, Zermatt, Geneva, Venice, Genoa, Santorini, Milos, NYC

 

My eye for the smallest details in life wasn’t something I learned in a classroom—it started with my grandma’s camera, and a shared love for capturing what matters

My artistic journey began with photography. As a child, I spent hours playing with my grandmother’s Olympus film camera, and it was clear that I had a natural eye for composition. In high school, my first DSLR opened up a new world of creative possibilities, allowing me to capture the world in a way that felt uniquely mine. Over time, I realized that the foundational principles of photography—composition, light, and perspective—were key to so many other artistic endeavors, which led me to pursue art direction and expand my creative horizons.

Years later, after my grandmother passed, I rediscovered her old Olympus camera. Holding it again felt like reconnecting with a part of my past, and stepping back into the world of film photography was deeply moving. The process of waiting for the film to develop, and finally seeing those captured moments, fills me with a sense of nostalgia and excitement. Film photography allows me to slow down and reconnect with my past and also embrace the present. Through film, I’ve found a way to capture life’s fleeting moments with purpose and meaning.

All photos are shown exactly as they have been taken and developed with no digital editing or manipulating.

Sarah Whaley art director

Here are some of my favorite moments captured on film: