My name is Alain Paras and I live in San Diego, CA USA.
I started my journey in film photography about 7 years ago.
It all started with finding a Nikon F3 camera at an estate sale.
From there it was love at first film advance.
There’s something so serene about going back to a time of analog, slowed down processes in this day and age of digital overstimulation. Nothing can replace the haptic feel of advancing a film lever, loading a roll of film, or the sound of a shutter slap.
Photo by Alain Matthew Paras
Photo by Alain Matthew Paras
Film has always acted as a bridge between science and artistic expression. Both of which are integral aspects of my own identity. I studied Biology and Chemistry in college - so understanding the chemical reactions behind film emulsions piqued my interest from the get go.
Likewise, I have always felt deeply rooted in capturing cinematic, nostalgic, core - memory type of scenes as I continue to travel and journey through my life.
My photos act as a vessel for me to share and eternalize my own favorite memories and emotions with whomever views them. Evoking nostalgia and a sense of longing truly breaks us down to our fundamental emotional selves.
It is humbling and in that lies what makes us human.
One of my mantras in life is the ability to be versatile, adaptable, and to thrive in the face of change - to be a Jack of all trades of sorts. And I believe Portra 800 embodies that exact ideology. No matter the lack of or abundance of light.
No matter what palette of color hues comes my way, I have the utmost confidence that this film stock will achieve results I couldn’t be happier with.
Photo by Alain Matthew Paras