My name is Amryn Shae and I am a 22 year old film photographer from St. Catharines, Ontario. I’ve had a camera of my own for as long as I can remember, but my love for photography really started becoming stronger when, for my 20th birthday, I got a hand-me-down film camera that belonged to my dad in the 80s. Ever since I picked up that camera, I haven’t stopped taking photos.
This little hobby of mine allowed me to link up with Grandma’s Basement in 2020 to take photos for their website, their Instagram, etc., and some of the photos I’ve done for GB have even wound up in print magazines!
Photography and working on Library: Amryn Shae
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"A good picture to me is any picture that tells a clear story or conveys a sincere emotion to the person looking at it"
Did you go to school for photography, or is it something you fell into?
People always guess that I went to school for photography, but my actual education/career path is very different. I studied Early Childhood Education and am doing my post-grad in Autism and Behavioural Sciences. Not much overlap between that and photography haha!
What do you love about film photography? What makes a good picture stand out from the rest?
I love the tactile experience of film photography. I shot digital for most of my life, but something about the challenge of not knowing what exactly each photo will look like, not having a chance to delete and redo a lousy shot, having light-leaks and grain and dust and scratches appear randomly after development really made photography feel different for me; more special, more authentic. A good picture to me is any picture that tells a clear story or conveys a sincere emotion to the person looking at it. Technicalities, to me, are flexible in photography as long as what you’ve created serves its purpose to you.
What is the most difficult part about being a photographer for you? What about the most rewarding part?
The most difficult part is that photography, specifically film photography, can cause a lot of anxiety for me. The anxiety of, what if my client doesn’t like the photos? Or, what if my photos don’t turn out? What if I didn’t set the right ISO for my film? Did I forget to check my lightmeter first? What if it’s out of focus? However, once I get my film scans back and see that the photos (almost always) did turn out, and once I send them along to the models or the person I was shooting for, seeing their reaction, their “OH MY GOSH IS THAT ME?!”, all of the anxiety melts away and I feel SO rewarded and SO accomplished. I love that I can make my models feel like stars!
"I think of each shoot like a chapter or instalment of my life"
What tips can you recommend for anyone who wants to begin their journey in film photography?
I get asked for advice in starting out in film SO often! I always tell people, start off with a point and shoot camera! It’s all automatic, easy to use, mostly foolproof, and gets you started on the feel for shooting film. You’re fine to stick with a cheap film stock for this part of your film photography journey too (I started with Kodak Ultramax 400 and still use it in most of my point and shoots). When you eventually get an SLR, look up the manual for it online if yours didn’t come with one! I basically copied the settings on the camera in the diagram on my camera’s manual until I figured out how to set it up myself haha!
How do you stay inspired to continue working on your skills as a photographer?
I have about 400 “saved” folders on my Instagram account where I sort different vibes, colours, moods, styles, etc. to refer back to when I’m in the mood to shoot. I try to take inspiration from those images, from the music I’m listening to, movies I’ve seen, things I’m experiencing, words I’ve written or read, or whatever else is going on in my life at any given time, and run with those ideas when I decide to pick up my camera. I also push myself to try new things when I shoot too, so I try to bring in different props, go to new locations, or set up different backdrops each time I shoot. I think of each shoot as representing a different chapter or instalment of my life, so I do my best to represent what I’m feeling at any given time in any given shot.
Walk me through a perfect day where you could do anything you want. What does that look like?
A perfect day for me would start out on a hot summer day in Toronto visiting my favourite places with my closest friends. The AGO, Kensington Market, FIKA Cafe (my favourite cafe!), Allan Gardens… Then going to Elora Quarry with them; swimming, running back up near the woods to dry off, then back in the water. Maybe we’d have a little picnic as well-- I’m such a sucker for picnics haha! The food for the picnic would definitely consist of some tasty Rise Above vegan treats. Throughout all of this, we’d shoot at least 10 rolls of film of all our sweet, summery moments.
"It has been so cool to see how interconnected all of our local creatives and businesses are"
What is one weird or unique thing that people don’t know about you?
I’ve been a vegetarian nearly my whole life! And no one else in my family is except for me! No one really influenced me to do it, I just loved animals as a kid and wanted to try it out. My mom let me, probably thinking it was just a phase, and here we are over a decade later!
What’s your favourite part about working on LIBRARY?
I’ve loved the sense of community that our interviewees exhibit. Whenever I’d mention in passing another person I had shot with or was going to shoot with, everyone seemed to know everyone else! And not only that, they knew specific things about each of their crafts. It has been so cool to see how interconnected all of our local creatives and businesses are.
Talent: Amryn Shae
Photographer: Zara Moffett
Editor: Hondrea Hunt-Charbonneau
We'll always be looking for new and exciting talent to showcase in our community.
Do you or someone you know want to be interviewed? Send us an email at library@grandmasbasement.co and you could have a chance to be featured!
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