Analogue Adventures: Nic in India

You might remember one of our 2026 commitments is to dedicate more content to community photographers - showing analogue adventures and inspiration from a range of different perspectives. So I'm thrilled to kick off a brand new series of articles where we ask YOU to show off recent photos and reflections. First up is Nic who kindly agreed to share her first experiences of the Pentax 17 camera which accompanied her on a holiday to India...

Nic - thank you so much for sharing your experiences with the rest of the analogue community! First question nice and easy - what was your journey into film photography and what's your favourite camera?

Hey Paul, So … My favourite camera to shoot with still remains the Canon AE-1. It wasn’t my first camera, as I'd originally tried naively to get into analogue photography 10 years prior. Buying my first camera from eBay, a Yashica J, and running off to the highlands shooting aimlessly at beautiful mountains and lakes. Of course I had no talent - debatable if I do today! - and no clue about the ISO, aperture or shutter speeds (what I now know as the Exposure Triangle). Sadly my Yashica still sits on my shelf looking stunning, as I’d discovered that it tore all my films and I never got round to fixing it to try again. [Ed: we can help with camera repairs!]

The Canon AE-1 was gifted to me by a special relative who had it brand new, so it felt so wonderful to take pictures with it, not to mention it is a great starting camera, and I had enough guidance to help me shoot some wonderful pics using it.

The AE-1 is an absolute stunner of a camera! However this is your first experience with the Pentax 17. I know you like to research your cameras and read the manuals to really understand the settings. What was your first impression of this camera?

Ha ha … well I didn’t need to read the manual on this one, as your blog and vlog were so useful, I found them really easy to follow, especially then when your photos were also great examples of how / what to use when. [Ed: 😇]

My first impression of the camera was how light it was - it sure makes it easy to carry around more than some of my other cameras. However I was alienated by the lack of manual control over the camera... it was very preset, which took me time to accept. Although once I’d read your blog a few times, and went back to the shots, I did find it really easy to use.

I really liked the half frame design of the camera, for me the ability to double up the number of exposures per film is such a bonus, and I definitely had to adjust to being able to take so many on a film. Very cost effective for sure.

I was excited to use the flash, as I’ve not had a camera with flash in my other models, so I felt it opened up a lot more opportunities in my novice experience of analogue photography.

Something that really excited me was the macro feature. As a macro underwater photography fan 🤿 I love the idea of getting closer to objects. So I found myself constantly looking out for things I could take close range.

Macro mode is always fun! Shot on Kodak Pro Image 100

After using the Pentax 17 during your trip and now seeing the photos, have you now changed your initial impression?

So seeing the photos - when they worked they really worked, and I was pleasantly surprised with some of the pictures for a first time using a pre-set group of settings. I did however find myself still messing around with the exposure wheel a fair amount. I love a bit of contrast for a moodier shot. I found the wheel quite easy to rotate so there were time when I’d take a pic and realise I'd knocked the wheel with clumsy fingers.

Some nice contrast - and lovely halation from Cinestill 400D!

Also something that I hadn’t done was check my ISO setting was correct on the camera... My other camera does it automatically so this was a thing I forgot to pre-check. I suspect my latest bunch of films might have a problem considering I hadn’t changed from 400 to 200 (uh oh) but thats hardly the camera's fault, its definitely a user error.

And a very common one too! No worries, most colour films will happily take one stop exposure difference in their stride 💪🏼 Let’s talk about India - was there a specific element of the trip that made you particularly excited about the photographic opportunities?

Last time I went to India, I decided to focus on the colourful chaos that is everyday life there. I was hoping to get some great close-ups for street photography. People-watching through a lens is way less awkward than staring directly, right? There are also so many stray dogs, all of them gorgeous furry friends, so obviously capturing a few of those was a must.

And then there’s the food—spicy, vibrant, Instagram-ready chaos on a plate. I thought, why not? Let’s document some of this culinary madness. Traffic is another story entirely. Rickshaws whizzing past like caffeinated squirrels? Absolutely had to get that.

And, of course it’s Goa, which means sunsets that could make even the most cynical photographer weep. So yes, I obviously spent some time pretending to be profound while pointing my camera at the sky.

I LOVE the silhouette here!

Haha there's a fine line between pretending to be profound and accidentally becoming profound: sunset photos is a great way in! Did the photo opportunities across the trip arise as you expected?

Yes, very much so! Take a look and tell me what you think, but honestly for a first-time run I think there are some pretty good shots on the rolls. I captured some really lovely moments, and as always, analogue lives up to everything I adore about it. There is something thrilling about not knowing if the shot worked, then realising it did, and equally heartbreaking when it doesn’t.

But with 72 frames per roll, there are plenty of chances to get a few gems, so it’s not all heartbreak… just mostly suspense with a side of hope.

'Suspense with a side of hope' is going to be my next tattoo 😅 What is your favourite photo from the trip and why?

I couldn’t really choose between two of my favourite pictures, so I’m going to break your question rules and give you reasons for both.

The first is the guys walking along the sand together. They were really far away, so I was pretty impressed with myself for capturing this beautiful shot of a bunch of young lads strolling along a Goa beach. I love how comfortable Indian men are in their own space, and I couldn’t help but marvel at this scene I managed to capture so subtly at waist height, so they didn’t even notice me snapping away like a sneaky paparazzo.

The other one is of a man on the street, reading his paper. I was really nervous about taking a photo of him, because I didn’t want to offend him by offering money, and equally didn’t want to make a fuss.

But this picture is definitely a keeper for me, because it captured exactly what I saw: an old man with a rich history, just sitting there absorbed in his paper. For a moment, I reflected on how different his stresses might be from mine.

What is your most unexpected photo from the trip and why?

My most unexpected photo has to be the black doggie walking straight towards me. I somehow managed to catch it in motion, and honestly, I didn’t think it would work at all, I fully expected a blurry mess.

But somehow, the movement in that shot really makes it! There’s something about the way he’s striding that just brings it to life. What do you think?

Yes I absolutely love it! And with animals you have to be so reactive to their movement and positioning, there's no real way to plan it, which makes photos like this even more special!

Is there anything you’d do differently - from a photography point of view - if you were to have the trip again?

I think… I didn’t shoot enough film! [Ed: this is the correct answer 🤣] I would definitely have risked taking more shots knowing how many I had to play with.

I’d also try to keep the camera still for a bit longer. That soft little click is so sneaky—it doesn’t exactly make you realise you need to hold the camera a tad longer. As a result, quite a few shots ended up blurrier than I had hoped, but hey, that’s part of the analogue charm, right?

What is your next planned adventure, and which camera/film will you be taking to capture it?

Next trip… I’ve got a few lined up, but first I’m off to Butlins with the girls next week. We’re dressing up as Minions - yes, really - and I’m definitely tempted to see what shots I can get with this camera while we’re there.

Fancy a Minion-themed photo session?

I also have Madrid and the Alps on the horizon if you’d prefer something a bit less… quirky. Although, let’s be honest, where’s the fun in that? 😂

Thank you so much Nic! And yes we all absolutely need to see a minion-themed film photo shoot - that sounds like essential viewing. Until next time!

I hope you enjoyed reading this first article in the new 'Analogue Adventures' series! If you have had a recent adventure - whether a trip, a photo shoot, a photowalk or meaningful experience captured on film - then please head here to let us know.

I'm really excited to see where this takes us all!

All film rolls developed and scanned by Analogue Wonderland.