What made you want to try half-frame, and what was your first half-frame camera?

What drew me to half-frame was the chance to shoot a different format. It’s fun to try new things, and I do my best work when I have some kind of limitation.

My first half-frame camera was a Diana Mini, and honestly, it was junk. It chewed through three rolls of film before I gave up on it. Looking back, I went through a string of faulty half-frame cameras—like a Canon SureShot Multi-Tele that broke, and a Konica Autorex that was dead on arrival. Working with and around faulty cameras is just part of the modern film photographer’s journey.

The first consistently working half-frame camera I had was a Canon Demi S. Sweet camera. It had a fast 1.7 lens and was fully manual, so you weren’t relying on an aging meter. Some of my favorite photos were taken with that camera.

Recently, I picked up a Pentax 17, and I can’t say enough good things about it. Having a modern camera with a working meter and a beautiful new lens is fantastic. I shot around 60 nighttime long exposures using bulb mode in the first week. It’s got just the right amount of manual control for a quick, runaround camera.

What is it you like most about Half-frame?

Diptychs, for sure. I love the idea of telling a little story across two frames. I recently got my hands on a Superheadz Babylon.4, which is a quarter-frame camera. The prospect of telling a story in four parts over a single frame of film is exciting to me.

I tend to lean towards lo-fi photography as well. Every time you split a 35mm frame, it inherently becomes more lo-fi. Lower resolution? Grain? Bring it on.

Favourite subject and/or Half-frame photo?

Tough one. I shoot all the time and always have a camera in hand, so I end up photographing whatever’s going on around me. Whether it’s landscapes, street style, or just documenting whatever adventure I’m on, I try not to box myself into any one style.

Your top tip/s for shooting half frame photos?

The main advantage of half-frame is economy. Just shoot. Take pictures of everything. You’ll only regret the photos you didn’t take. For me, the ability to take twice as many photos has helped me grow as a photographer faster. We’re all running out of time, so why not have fun with it?