Name: Celeste Fontein 
Instagram handle: celeste_fontein
Other Social Media: celestefontein__creative

How did you get into film photography? 
When I was at primary school, I was given a National Geographic 35mm Binocular Camera for Christmas. I still have a photo album filled with sneaky telephoto shots of neighbourhood cats and my sister at the beach. I wish I knew what happened to that camera! I later won a student photography competition organised by Splendid while I was studying for my MFA in Film. I used the voucher to buy my first few rolls of 35mm, which I shot in my Grandad’s Pentax MZ50. Stoked with how the first roll turned out, I continued taking photos on adventures with friends during that pivotal time in my life. I haven’t stopped shooting on film since! 

Do you shoot much digital?
Yes, heaps actually - I’ve been lucky to work mostly as a freelance photographer since finishing my studies. I’ve photographed politicians, musicians, mayors, babies, events, movie publicity stills, restaurants, festivals, weddings, proposals - anything and everything. I adore my digital cameras. But they’re heavy, obvious and a bit annoying, I barely ever use them for personal work these days. I love that my analogue cameras are lighter and more practical to carry around. 

For you, what does analogue photography do for your photo taking vs when you shoot on digital?
Film offers so much creative freedom and opportunity for experimentation. I’m not usually concerned with making something feel polished - I almost exclusively shoot on auto with film, which is a nice break from work, where it’s really important to get the settings exactly right! It feels artful, unlike the way I relentlessly document things on my phone to remember. Analogue allows me to be more concise with what I’m photographing. I don’t have to edit anywhere near as much, which makes the whole process feel much less like work too. The element of surprise makes me notice the world around me in unexpected ways. And of course, I love the colours and the textural, dreamy, evocative qualities of film. 

What is your favourite thing to photograph? 
Probably behind the scenes on film sets. I love documenting the crew in their element, working with actors and taking advantage of beautiful lighting setups.  The South Coast has been a favourite of mine for a long time. I’m also drawn to unique moments or scenes that hint at a story, like someone getting a haircut outside their Newtown flat, or a whale emerging from the harbour! 

What gets you excited to pick up your camera?
I get excited by new environments, varied weather (always the case living in Pōneke, haha) and new film stocks, like the Harman Azure I shot recently. There’s still so much for me to learn technically and plenty of experimental processes I want to try, like hand painting or souping. I’m drawn to the urgency of unfolding moments, when you only have a second to capture something before it’s gone. Getting my scans back and sharing them with friends and family has been a big motivator too, as it’s always fun to look through them together. 

You’ve been playing around with double exposure lately, what has this process taught you? 
I haven’t really planned my double exposures, I just pop the roll through again and hope for the best! This process has encouraged me to let go in my image making, again helping it feel separate from the commercial photography I’ve done for work. In the wise words of Bob Ross, ’we don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents’ haha. I like the idea of celebrating surprising, silly and successful compositions when they happen. I also learned how to pull a film leader back out of its canister, so I guess that’s another new skill!

We keep bumping into each other at local photography events! What events have stood out to you? What do you like about them?
The creative community in Pōneke is small, but it’s a constant source of inspiration for me. People are so generous with sharing knowledge and resources. Whether it’s a studio opening, photo walk, or potluck slideshow, I’m always grateful for the time and energy organisers and sponsors (like Splendid) put into bringing people together. Not only through photos, but through kai and friendship too. It sounds cheesy, but I really do think people feel safe to contribute their own magic and passion here. We’re so lucky! 

Quick fire ten questions

1. 35mm or 120?  
   35mm. I’d love to try 120 one day!
   
   
2. Colour or B&W?  
   Colour.
   
   
3. Zoom Lenses or Fixed?  
   Fixed mostly.
   
   
4. Portrait or Landscape (Orientation)?  
   Probably landscape.
   
   
5. Flash or Natural Light?  
   Natural.
   
   
6. SLR (or TLR) or Rangefinder or Point and Shoot?  
   SLR.
   
   
7. Must be razor sharp or more about the aesthetic?  
   Aesthetic all the way! As long as it evokes a sort of feeling. I think film is generous like that.
   
   
8. Favourite Camera?  
   My great-grandfather’s Yashica Flash-O-Set. There’s a cool family legend about how it came into his possession. I’m not sure if it works anymore and I haven’t tried using it yet though.
   
   
9. Favourite Photographer?
   Currently Paul Clipson, Eve Arnold (her film stills on The Misfits film set), Ans Westra, Ashley Brown, Belinda Whitta etc etc. 
   
   
10. Favourite Photo Book?  
    The Virgin Suicides (Corrine Day), A Photographer Found (Vivian Maier), Māori Moving Image (Oliver Melanie), The Misfits: Story of a Shoot (Magnum). I came across Big Bug (Jake Nemirovsky) the other day and loved it too!