April 2024 Lab Customer Highlight: Haley Shea Miller
Hi I’m Haley Shea Miller and I am a film photographer in Portland, Oregon.
I started my film journey in 2017 when I took black and white film photography because that was the only photography class that would fit in my schedule. I’m not going to lie, film was not my first choice. Now I reach for my film camera more often than I reach for my digital. I got my first film SLR shortly after highschool ended and I have been traveling and making photos with it ever since. That camera and I have traveled internationally and to the east coast three times now together. It’s a rare occasion when I leave the house without it.
I’ve grown to love many film stocks, with Ektar 100 making the top of my list. The warm tones with the pop of blue shades will always look good to me. Cinestill BW XX is my favorite black and white film, the halation effect on the lights looks angelic contrasted with the deep blacks. Regardless of color or the lack of it, I just love high contrast film! Over the last summer, Ultramax 400 - as well as the Color Plus 200 - really impressed me. I wish I had tried those stocks sooner!
I find so much joy in delivering a freshly shot roll of film to Pro Photo Supply’s Lab each week, it’s become a fun part of my routine.
More recently I have been renting the Hasselblad 503CW from Pro Photo Supply’s Rental Dept which threw me headfirst into the deep end with 120mm film. Kodak Gold looks so beautiful on 120, whereas on 35mm it can get very muddy. Working with 120 is a much slower process that I have enjoyed learning and failing at. That failure is such an important and painful part of the learning process that has made me a stronger artist within the medium.
Being able to use an analog camera with no battery eliminates my fear of the camera dying and has helped me become better at guessing the correct exposure. Developing black and white at home has been extremely rewarding as well. Carrying the film from the fridge at the store all the way to drying the negatives on the shower rod in my bathroom, knowing that I am the only person who has seen them is both so personal and fulfilling.
I am forever grateful for 17 year old Haley for taking black and white photography, and everyone who has helped me along the way. And trust me I’ve needed a lot of help. Film photography is something I hope lives forever in our physical world and always in our hearts.
Visit Haley's Website Here
Follow her Instagram Here