Visiting my brother in Melbourne is one of my favourite things to do. We used to spend a lot of time together, almost every weekend and day after school we would hang out at home watching some tv series whether it was Friends, How I Met Your Mother or Charmed, and just bond and hang out. We were born 22 months apart and have always been close, both in age and as siblings. Tom is one of the only people who understands me on a cultural and intellectual level and I value him so much and am so grateful we got to the privilege of being brother & sister in this lifetime.

The one thing he hates is when I make him pose for photos, but I’m glad that he does it, even if it’s begrudgingly and to be honest he is glad too months later when I get the film developed! 

We didn’t get a lot of time to spend together on the trip as he was working, but we did get one day where we got to sleep in, go swimming in the pool, and walk around his town of Richmond. It’s still wild to me that he is almost 26 living on his own, working, studying, with a long term partner. He is so successful and I’m so proud of him for all he is doing and achieving for himself.

Until 2018 I thought my favourite 35mm film was Kodak Portra 400, but Portra 160 has definitely overtaken my love for Portra 400 and I think it’s because I live in a very sunny, well-lit country that doesn’t need a film with 400 ISO. Portra 400 also has a slightly yellow tone that disappears with Portra 160 which is more pink/neutral which tones down the bright yellow Australian sun. Portra 160 hits the sweet spot for me and the colours are more to my taste. I don’t think I’ll buy Portra 400 again anytime soon.

All photos taken on Canon AE-1 Program using Kodak Portra 400 and Kodak Portra 160 35mm film.

On New Year’s Day I ventured up to Brisbane to spend the day with my friend Chynna! We went to the Botanical Gardens and lookout at Mt Coot-tha and got a lot of Vitamin D. Going to the Botanical Gardens and in particular the Tropical Dome was a great start to the year as I’ve wanted to go for awhile now.

Late last year I picked up some Kodak Portra 160 35mm film and couldn’t wait to use it! Although I’d had a great experience with Portra 400, I found that some of my photos were overexposed and maybe I should step down to a less light sensitive film. Fortunately, that was a brilliant decision! The lower ISO works perfectly for Australian weather, and I couldn’t be happier with how the photos came out. The roll started on my last day in Melbourne and ended with Mt Coot-tha and I love every single frame of the roll.

The photos came out so clear, and amazing quality. I did some minor brightness adjustments to make sure the blacks weren’t too black and the whites weren’t too white but these photos were pretty perfect straight out of the camera.

I found that Portra 160 has more natural and neutral colour tones, and has less yellow than Portra 400. Portra 160 think it is the most accurate colour film I’ve ever used and I’ve tried quite a few!

I have a stack of 35mm film I want to get through before buying any more, however Portra 160 is the next film I will be buying and I think will be my new go-to.

All photos taken with Canon AE-1 Program and Kodak Portra 160 film (new fave).