An Analog Journey

A photo gallery extension of “Finding Light in the Darkroom,” featuring my journey as a film photographer.

Photo Essay by Tony Mueantonthian


How It Started

Tony Mueantonthian develops film in his darkroom on May 19, 2021.

After leaving my home country of Thailand, film photography became a newfound passion. The journey to improving my craft as a film photographer has been like a roller coaster — unexpected, with many twists and turns, but ultimately worth the ride.

Left: Tony’s film camera is photographed at Whatcom Falls in Bellingham, Wash. Right: Tony sits on a log at Whatcom Falls on May 16, 2021.

It all started with my trusty Canon 500D which my parents owned beforehand. The camera was never put to good use, and it collected dust over the many years it sat on their bookshelf.

Left: Tony stands at Princes Pier in Melbourne, Australia on Nov. 18, 2016. Right: Tony is photographed in Times Square in Manhattan, N.Y. on Aug. 21, 2018.

One day, I decided to take the camera off the shelf and started shooting. What began as a hobby unexpectedly turned into something I took more seriously.

Left: Tony stands in an abandoned parking lot in downtown Melbourne. Right: Tony gazes out from the edge of Prince Pier in Melbourne, Australia on Nov. 20, 2016.

Eventually, I became a photography student while studying abroad at Holmesglen Institute in Melbourne, Australia.


When My Life Changed

A box is filled with a developing tank and two rolls of film at Tony’s apartment on May 20, 2021.

On October 19, 2016, the institute brought my class to the Fox Darkroom, a photography studio in Melbourne. There was a workshop session where the studio demonstrated how to develop film. With curiosity, I attended the workshop, learning the basics of film photography. After that experience, I felt this medium could be a creative outlet that helps me escape the stress of everyday life. Additionally, I took notes of how film development and film cameras operated and applied that knowledge to my work ethic when I traveled back to Thailand after graduating from the institute.

Tony holds his first film camera in Chinatown, Bangkok, Thailand on Aug. 12, 2017.

Fully immersing myself in the process, my first film camera was the Konica SIII. It was a cheap camera that cost around $30, which I purchased from a black market in the Chinatown neighborhood of Bangkok, Thailand. At first, I honestly had no clue how to navigate the camera. Nevertheless, I impulsively bought it because I was somehow drawn to its worn-out, vintage look.

Left: A crowd of people wait for the opening of a new makeup store in Bangkok, Thailand on Aug. 25, 2017. Right: A high school couple tries to take cover from the rain in Bangkok, Thailand on Aug. 29, 2017.

Once I brought the camera back home, I knew I had a long journey ahead to pursue my dreams and strengthen my skills as a new film photographer.


Film Versus Digital

Left: The Bellingham Herald building is one of Tony’s favorite places to photograph. Right: A view of the Mount Baker Theatre’s tower typically appears in most of Tony’s film photographs.

Nowadays, it seems like more people gravitate toward digital photography rather than film. Digital photography has advantages in many ways. For example, you can see the photos you take in real time, whereas you have to wait several days or weeks to see how your film photos develop. Digital photography also enables the photographer to edit photos with more detail in post-processing. Although digital photography offers more benefits over film photography, I often find myself not fully connecting with my subject while peering through the lens of a digital camera. I tend to perceive the camera as a tool, and am not as emotionally invested in the process.

Left: A man sits on a post box in downtown Bellingham, Wash. on June 2019. Right: The Whatcom Museum photographed on May 16, 2021.

In stark contrast, film photography has offered a refreshing take. To me, it’s more timeless. I have learned to see the value in my photos every time I go out and shoot. The precision and care I implement while photographing is more rewarding. I truly believe that digital photography can’t replicate that.

Left: Tony’s makeshift darkroom in his apartment bathroom is illuminated in red light. Right: Tony develops film that he recently took in Bellingham, Wash. on May 20, 2021.

Taking photos through a film camera inevitably brightens my day. After spending endless hours in a darkroom, I view the world in a more positive light.


The Future

Tony stretches out film stock from a Bellingham-based shoot in his DIY darkroom on May 20, 2021.

Recently, I have seen how film photography has gained more momentum. Since the moment I picked up my Konica SIII, I have grown as a photographer.

Left: A secret view of Pike Place Market is seen from a coffee shop window in Seattle, Wash. on June 21, 2019. Right: Fireworks spark from the top of the Bellingham Herald Building during Western Washington University’s Paint Bellingham Blue event on Sept. 25, 2019.

Film has shaped me into the person I am today. Hopefully, my most extraordinary days are still ahead, but one thing is for certain: I know my trusty film camera can capture those moments.

Tony sits in reflection at Waypoint Park in Bellingham, Wash. on May 16, 2021.
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