While she acknowledges that some people see film photography as old fashioned, sophomore and Film Photography Club president Grace Tayag views the medium as a fun way to help young people notice the little joys in their lives. Through encouraging an appreciation for film, Tayag aims to show her peers the value of taking photos that will one day become mementos of their unique high school experiences

“I want to foster a greater sense of admiration for not just film photography, but also a student’s ability to appreciate their own lives and what they have around them. Through taking photos and noticing the little things they can take pictures of, kids can hopefully foster memories that they can look back on and that nobody else really gets to capture,” Tayag said.

Inspired by her own father’s work with large format film photography, Tayag created the club this past fall in the hopes of helping make film more accessible to kids her age.

“People usually think of film as such an older form of art that’s outdated and hard to approach. I wanted to show students that they can access film, and it can be applied in their lives in a way that’s not old fashioned,” Tayag said. Whether this club gets continued on or not, I really want people here to have an experience with film or to at least become familiar with it.”

Although sophomore Tamara Botwin-Lazarow had already been interested in photography prior to Film Photography club, once she saw how much love Tayag had for the art form, she was motivated to act on her curiosity.

“I didn’t realize how passionate she was at the beginning of the year, and when we started talking about it more, she was talking about how she loves taking pictures because they represent a time in history, memories and they can tell a story. The way that she described it was so inspiring to me. I realized I felt the exact same way,” Lazarow said. 

Regardless of students’ prior history with photography, Tayag urges people of all experience levels to join. Through sharing her equipment and advice when needed, Tayag has observed improvement across all her club members, newbies and pros alike.

“In the beginning of the year I split everyone up into groups. I give them each a camera every month and they rotate that camera throughout every group member. Then either on their own time or during the club, they’ll hand off the camera and shoot whatever they’re up to that they find interesting,” Tayag said. “There is no prerequisite to shooting film. I teach everything in the club and I let everyone experiment with their own styles.” 

Lazarow notes that despite lacking a background in photography, she has felt extremely welcome and supported by her fellow club members. 

“We connect over a common interest and hobby. It’s not like a culture club, where you connect through where you come from. It’s a hobby that you can connect with in the sense that we can have fun together and experiment and try new things together,” Lazarow said.

Along with rotating the cameras each month, the club plans to do a series of photo walks later in the year where members can spend the day taking pictures together. In this judgement free environment, students will have the chance to experiment with new angles, filters and lighting.

“We’re planning to go to the pier and find interesting stuff that we want to take pictures of. It’s just a way to try out new settings and get input from one another on ways that we can all improve. It will also be fun to hangout with friends and spend a day chilling together,” Lazarow said.

Through Tayag’s own experience taking photos with her dad, her involvement in photography for ‘The RUHS Pilot,’ and her new club leadership position, she believes in film’s power to not only act as a creative outlet that brings people together, but also in its ability to help individuals set new goals for themselves.

“My dad is a very adamant digital and film photographer, and he started getting me into film through instant cameras and Polaroids two to three years ago,” Tayag said. “I usually shoot digital photos on a Nikon Coolscan I got in fifth grade, and I try to take a photo every day, just to keep the photography roll going and keep my brain creatively active. I also shoot sports and school events for ‘The Pilot’, and I’ve been working really hard to get better at photographing all the different sports we have here.”

In addition to the many ways photography has impacted her work ethic and artistic eye, since becoming the founder of Film Photography Club, Tayag has learned more about the value of teaching others.

“It’s been a tool for me to learn more about film through teaching others about new photographers, old photographers and the different nuances of the film industry. It’s also a way for me to spread my influence and leave a part of me at RUHS,” Tayag said. 

Moreover, as Tayag continues to experiment with her growing passion, she has begun thinking about pursuing this medium for a living. 

“It’s a career that I would definitely love to pursue. Not only film, but also photography in general, because it’s super fun to be out there taking photos and getting to see my work publicized,” Tayag said. “It’s a rewarding experience to get to see my impact on other people.”