Night walk

Walking through my local town with a roll of film and a mirrorless eye

Today I wandered through familiar streets with two cameras slung over my shoulder—my Nikon FA loaded with its second roll of film, and my Nikon Z6ii set to mirror its settings. Same focal length, same exposure, but two very different tools. I wanted to see how each medium interprets the same scene: the softness and grain of film versus the clarity and immediacy of digital. Shooting side by side, I found myself more aware of the subtle differences—not just in the images, but in the way each camera makes me feel as I work. One slows me down. The other speeds me up. And somewhere in between, the town reveals itself in layers

I found the experience interesting, but also unexpectedly time consuming. Constantly switching between cameras matching settings, framing the same shot twice started to pull me out of the flow. Instead of walking and responding instinctively, I felt a bit like I was ticking boxes. It made me realise how much the “walk and shoot” concept relies on presence and rhythm. This exercise reminded me that while comparison can be valuable, it can also interrupt the very connection I’m trying to build with the environment, and with myself.