Thomas Hobbs - Photographer
Briefly say hi and tell us a little about yourself.
Hey my name is Thomas Hobbs, I’m a photographer from Australia now living in Quebec Canada. I moved here about six months ago with my fiancé. I predominantly shoot portrait photography on film, mainly with 35mm. Recently I have been experimenting with medium format which I’m excited about.
How did you get into photography?
When I was younger, maybe 15 or 16, I had a bunch of friends that were into photography and often shot film. They sparked my interest early on, but I hadn’t picked up a camera in a while, until a few years ago when I swapped a guitar for an Olympus OM-D. This got me back into shooting digital and naturally I fell back into shooting film. Now, it has become a daily occurrence for me to shoot film, wether it is for a project or just to capture a nice moment or place.
What type of photography do you prefer to shoot?
I prefer shooting portraits and have really enjoyed being able to work with local musicians. Capturing portraits for artists seems to have a different feel than when I do a general shoot.
I bounce much of my work off my partner. We often work together on shoots and work on small projects together. It’s always nice having someone that you can trust to create with.
Lately, due to Covid and living in a new place where I don’t know too many people, I have enjoyed shooting a lot of the surrounding areas where we live.
I see you shoot mainly with film. What got you into film specifically? What film cameras and film do you use?
Like I mentioned earlier, when I was younger a lot of my friends were into film, so it seemed only natural to go back to shooting film when I picked up photography again. It’s hard to put it into words, but there is just something nice about shooting film. I find it calming and less stressful compared to shooting digital. Rather than getting frustrated by trying to capture the shot that I have in my head over and over with a digital camera, I have to accept what I capture on film.
At the moment I have been shooting mainly with a Canon A1 I bought off my mate before moving to Quebec. Prior to that I was constantly borrowing cameras from friends. Recently I acquired a Mamiya RB67 which I am really excited about putting to work once I fix a leak issue.
As for film stock, I stick to shooting Lomography 800 or 400, or just some cheap Kodak gold when I can’t get a hold of it. In the future I would love to experiment more with Cinestill, but as prices have been sky rocketing for it lately I want to wait to find a project that I can use it to its full potential.
What are a couple pieces of advice you would tell someone who is looking to get into film photography?
Just gotta give it a go really! At first expect to have a few rolls not turn out how you hope, and just keep experimenting till you find what you like.
For me, it has been helpful and inspiring being around my friends that are also into shooting. It has helped me appreciate photography more and adds a different aspect rather than scrolling Insta for inspiration. Watching friends in their element, working on projects, has made me want to continue shooting more.
