We are really really happy to finally be able to bring back photographers’ work along with their words and insides on why it makes sense for them to shoot film. With a small curated selection of some of their work. There is many reasons why we shoot film, and the ones we love the most are those that are intangible, come from the heart and transpire an honest feeling.

Today, opening the chocolate box, we have Nadia Meli. A long time friend which, for some reason we happen to meet in the most random places of the earth every now and then. She is not a film-only photographer neither she needs to be, whenever we chat with her we see that her approach to photography is very similar to the one we have and she kept surprising us with film work every now and then.

She was cool enough to say yes to our proposal and kickstart the whole thing. We asked her to write a few lines to tell us what’s her story behind this trip, and boy she exceeded our expectations.

In her words:

“Japan caught me completely by surprise.
I was invited to go there for work in my role as a Nikon ambassador and it was the first time I travelled to Asia. I didn’t have many expectations. My knowledge of Japan was limited to what I had heard about it in school a million years ago and what is portrayed in the media.

When I travel I love to feel connected, that’s why I hate staying in big hotels and feeling like a tourist. If I can, I prefer staying with locals and get lost in the streets.
To be honest, I expected not to find that connection in Japan. From what I “knew”, it would be hard to read Japan’s people, the culture being more distant and polite.

In retrospect I can only laugh at myself. That’s why they say traveling is so life changing and educating: It takes all your preconceptions and throws them upside down and over board.

I found connections in Japan, in moments and places I didn’t expect it. I found that people desired it, seeked it out and gave it freely.
I found so much warmth and love in Japan. It was a delicious surprise to and great honour to get a glimpse of who these beautiful people are.

From the 4 days I spent camping at Mount Fuji to the week I spent in Tokyo – I loved it all and I was not ready to leave when my plane took off. Japan will definitely see me again.

When I travel I love to shoot film and I don’t even take digital cameras with me. For work I want to be quick and not think about what I am doing, I need things to run without giving it a second thought.
But for my private photos, just for myself, I prefer shooting film because it does the opposite: It slows me down, it makes me think more than twice about the shots I am taking. Film photography reminds me to see beyond and look at the details. Seek the little joys.”

– Nadia Meli

LAB NOTE

With Nadia we worked on a color profile that was close to her usual body of work while maintaining that film flavour. It was scanned on the Frontier adding some warmth to the color palette to create an earthy-cozy vibe. We understand each photographer is different and we love to work with them to develop the colors that represent how their mood.