Analogue was king at Montreal beer and images competition

The competition was organized by Bières et caméras, a neighborhood of photographers in Montreal.

If one phrase might be used to explain the night, it will be conviviality. Participants swapped digicam ideas, in contrast gear and captured spontaneous portraits. This openness and welcoming ambiance is exactly what Francis Belmont, organizer and founding father of Bières et caméras, strives for.

“You might think everyone who comes is a professional photographer, but that’s not the case,” he mentioned. “If you’re at all interested in photography, even if you only take pictures with your phone, you can take beautiful photos.”

Among longtime members and newcomers, connections shaped naturally. Within minutes, individuals have been chatting, laughing and sharing pictures. Music performed softly within the background as conversations and digicam shutters stuffed the house. 

On the primary day of the competition, a photograph swap inspired contributors to attach by their work. Each particular person introduced two prints to commerce at random, then tried to search out the photographer behind every picture. 

These exchanges shortly sparked discussions: “Where did this photo come from?” and “Which camera did you use?” A easy method to forge connections, whether or not you’re skilled or a newbie.

Beyond method, contributors shared a standard imaginative and prescient of images bringing everybody collectively. 

“For me, photography is like a diary,” mentioned Rithy Lord-Nhes, a member of Bières et caméras. 

On a technical degree, he defined, movie forces you to decelerate.

“You control every detail,” Lord-Nhes mentioned. “You take your time.”

François Sibold, a long-time Studio Argentique shopper and member of images membership Le 3e Œil, agreed, noting his attraction to analogue.

“With film, you move away from the hyper-perfection of digital,” Sibold mentioned. “Being able to retake a photo endlessly makes you lose the sense of the image.” 

When Belmont launched Bière et caméras in September 2023, he needed to convey collectively two passions: beer and images.The concept was impressed by a development from the United States, however was new to Montreal. Belmont needed to convey individuals again into social areas and to create an atmosphere the place conversations might circulation as simply because the beer. 

A brewer by commerce, Belmont envisioned an informal, offline neighborhood the place photographers might trade ideas and join past on-line areas. And regardless of the title, you don’t have to be a beer drinker to hitch; it’s about sharing a ardour for images in a relaxed, welcoming setting.

His philosophy is straightforward: hold issues accessible and native.

“We want to make events as free as possible, so everyone can join,” Belmont mentioned.

True to his native strategy, Belmont ensures each occasion takes place in a microbrewery, aligning along with his local-first mindset. 

“I want to keep it Québécois,” he mentioned.

On day two of the competition on Oct. 4, over bánh mì sandwiches and native beer at WILLS brewery—a typical Mile End spot with an open-garage vibe and a small terrace—conversations picked up steam. Even those that got here alone shortly discovered themselves drawn into discussions.

The afternoon lectures highlighted a variety of approaches and views. Jean-François Lamoureux opened with a presentation on pinhole images, a method that returns to the essence of the craft through the use of a tiny gap as a substitute of a lens to seize a picture.

Then, photographer Gaëlle Leroyer provided a behind-the-scenes take a look at her creative course of. Roland Clairvoyant demonstrated his strategy to photograph retouching, revealing how he performs with color and lightweight.

To shut, photographer Elizabeth Landry mentioned the connection between movie images and her creative work, providing a broad perspective on the various methods photographers work together with the medium. 

“People often say that film forces you to slow down compared to digital,” Clairvoyant mentioned. “Sometimes, we forget to enjoy the moment.”

For Clairvoyant, slowing down provides every {photograph} extra weight, with movie’s grain and texture including a depth that’s onerous to duplicate digitally. 

At 5 p.m., the photowalk started in collaboration with Photowalk Montréal and Lumina Photo MTL. Around 40 lovers wandered the streets of Mile End with cameras in hand.

Between serving to each other, sharing recommendation and swapping gear, everybody noticed one thing completely different and captured a novel photograph. It turned a shared and welcoming second between individuals from all walks of life—from locals to members of the Argentique Mauricie photograph neighborhood from Trois-Rivières, and even some from Quebec City.

Above all, Bière et caméras is an open, welcoming house for studying, sharing and having fun with images—whether or not you shoot analogue or digital. The similar spirit formed the F/ilm Festival, the place contributors have been united by one concept: slowing down.

“When you develop a roll of film,” Clairvoyant mentioned, “you have time to forget the shot before rediscovering it.”

The neighborhood continues past the competition by month-to-month photowalks and an annual digicam flea market, the place images lovers purchase and promote analogue gear and movie tools. 

“You don’t need to be an expert to join,” Belmont mentioned. “In three weeks, you can learn to use a film camera and fall in love with it.”