Negative Supply Spotlight: Daniel McDonald
Welcome back to another Negative Supply Spotlight! We take the opportunity at least once a month to showcase the work and thoughts of photographers using Negative Supply film scanning tools, and this is something that brings us great joy. We exist as an organization that not only creates tools to improve the workflows of film photographers everywhere, but also as one that celebrates and amplifies the photographs and lens based art of photographers from around the world. This time we’re featuring Daniel McDonald from CineStill in Los Angeles, CA!
Introduce yourself to the Negative Supply community and give a brief biography!
“Hey there! My name is Daniel McDonald. I’m a South African Born, Australian raised, and Los Angeles based creative. I currently work at CineStill, doing a variety of things, but mostly handle 35mm production, social media, and office-plant caretaking.”
Hollywood Reservoir. Kodak E100. Processed with Cinestill CS6 kit, D9 first developer. Scanned with NS 35mm set up.
Glowing reeds. Kodak E100. Processed with Cinestill CS6 kit, D9 first developer. Scanned with NS 35mm set up.
Q: How did you first discover your passion for photography and when did you start making photos with film?
“I kind of fell into it by accident actually. I moved to LA to pursue acting, as most people that move to LA do. I ended up connecting with Brandon and Brian Wright, and eventually started to help them out with a little side project they were working on at the time. Eventually that little side project got a lot bigger and I found myself in a darkroom most days of the week, playing with film. I distinctly remember holding a piece of 35mm film in my hands, looking at it, and being absolutely amazed by what film actually is. It’s mind-blowing really, when you think about it. When you really look into how technologically advanced it is and how it does what it does. It’s basically magic, clearly. So, I bought a camera, a Nikon FG, and just went for it. I’ve always loved storytelling of all kinds, and photography is a facet of that for me - so it just grew from there.”
Motorcycle in the desert: Cinestill 800T (possibly expired). Processed at home with CineStill Cs41. Scanned with Negative Supply 35mm set up.
Q: What do you enjoy most about shooting film?
“There are a lot of reasons why I think film is an excellent creative tool. I most enjoy the confidence that eventually grows when you trust your own judgment about a shot, since you don’t have the instant feedback. It’s a great feeling when a shot turns out exactly how you imagined it. There’s also something to be said about getting totally humbled when it doesn’t turn out, and taking that opportunity to grow creatively. I enjoy that a roll of film is finite, so you tend to pause a little bit more and really take in the moment to find what you really want to capture. Also, I just think film looks rad.”
Phone boxes. Cinestill 50D, shot at 200ISO and push processed. Cinestill Cs41 kit. Scanned with NS 35mm set up. Reflective Cityscape DTLA. Cinestill 50D, shot at 200ISO and push processed.
Cinestill Cs41 kit. Scanned with NS 35mm set up.
Desert flowers. Cinestill 800T. Cinestill Cs41 kit. Scanned with NS 35mm set up.
Q: What are some of your favorite film stocks? Color or black and white, and why?
“I tend to shoot almost entirely CineStill film (go figure). I prefer color film because, to me, colors add a layer of story to an image - a bit of character and mood. That being said, there is something refreshingly straightforward, structural even, about black and white that I’m quite drawn to”
Silhouette by LA river. Cinestill 50D, shot at 200ISO and push processed. Cinestill Cs41 kit. Scanned with NS 35mm set up.
Plane over building DTLA. Cinestill 50D, shot at 200ISO and push processed. Cinestill Cs41 kit. Scanned with NS 35mm set up.
Rose. BWXX. Shot at 400ISO. Processed at home with DF96. Scanned with NS 35mm set up.
Q: Do you develop your own film?
“When I can, yes. I used to very intimidated by all of it, and used to think it was reserved for a very serious kind of photographer. But thankfully I’m surrounded by some great people who are patient and know a lot more than I do. And like everything, you get better with practice. I’ll also happily drop off film to the local lab sometimes too. But I definitely think that if you shoot film, you should really try to process some of your own work at some point. If anything, just to prove to yourself that you can do it. Because if I can do it, you totally can.”
Q: What Negative Supply tools do you use, and how have they changed your workflow?
“I’ve used the entire kit. All of the things. NS has been such a great addition to my workflow when it comes to ease of use, time saving, and space saving. I’ve found it difficult to have the energy, or find the time, to do anything creative for the past few months - so having the NS gear has been a big help. Also, while I love the Frontier, I can’t quite scan 2 rolls of 35mm in about 5 minutes flat and then pack it up in my backpack”