During our recent second-hand week we saw how buying both old film and more modern digital gear really makes a lot of sense in this troubled and economically uncertain times – particularly if you buy from a reputable dealer who offers a warranty. For our latest case study we chat to Kim Von Coels, a Somerset-based photographer who has uses both used film and digital gear to great effect, creating memorable double exposures; she is also a highly respected exponent of painting with light.
Why do you buy used?
Mainly affordability. Photography is not my main form of income – I am not really an amateur but not a full-time pro either, so I don’t need the very latest gadgets. I like to experiment with double exposures with film and also paint with light, so I buy used digital gear to save money, and used 35mm gear as you can’t get it new anymore!
What second-hand gear are you currently using?
I like Olympus OM-10 film SLRs, as they are so bulletproof, with great lenses. I will do multiple exposures by using a whole film and then putting it through again. For my light painting, I use a Nikon D610, which I bought second hand at Christmas. It’s a mid-range model, and is kind of equivalent to the Nikon F100 film camera I used to shoot with. I really like the Nikon 50mm lens. I also like to shoot with the Nikon FM2 for my multiple film exposures.
What are you currently working on?
I am working on a series of water portraits, which involves people in bathwater with interesting lighting. I also project patterns onto nude female models, using shadows to avoid it being voyeuristic. I also do stencil portraits. Light painting is a real passion though, so check out a recent interview with me on the lightpainting.com website – read it here.
