During summer of 2021, I fell completely in love with using disposable cameras. I never felt that iPhone pictures captured the essence of the moment. Additionally, I never felt I had physical memories of my youth that I could share with my future kids.
All my photos were just trapped in my phone, and would most likely never be printed. Because of these feelings, my best friend and I tried out disposable cameras, and it completely changed our lives.
We were first introduced to disposable cameras through social media. Influencers like David Dobrik and Kendall Jenner created “dispo” accounts, where they shared film images. These images showed candid photos from events, and the photos were surprisingly high quality. With this, we wanted to document our summer with film photos.
We first bought our cameras at Urban Outfitters, who picked up on the celebrity trend. We used our allotted 27 photos on the camera all summer, unsure of how the photos would turn out. Then, we searched for a place to develop the pictures. Next, we drove to our local camera shop, Jack’s Camera of Exton, Pennsylvania. They took care of developing the photos, and they give us the digital copies of the photo on a flash drive.
Once I saw both the printed and digital photos, I knew an addiction had started. Now, I go through at least one disposable camera every two weeks.
There are some important tricks and tips to know when using disposable cameras. First, I would start with knowing the two ideal types of cameras: Fuji Film or Kodak. I really do not have a preference between the two, but I find that Fuji cameras are easier to find. They sell them at Urban Outfitters, Target and Walmart in State College.
Next, you need to know where to find reliable cameras. I usually purchase a camera when I drop off my film to be developed. However, if I need one before I go home to Exton, I would buy one at the State College Urban Outfitters. I would, however, be wary of the Urban Outfitters brand disposable camera. In my experience, the flash is not as powerful, and the photos are not as high quality as Fuji or Kodak.
The next tip is making sure you have the proper technology to accommodate for the digital versions of the film. Many shops may give you a CD with the pictures on it, but I tend to opt for the flash drive. Ultimately, you have to prepare for these options before going to get them developed.
The two hindrances of a disposable camera are the impacts on our environment and the price of getting film developed. Because you cannot reuse the disposable cameras, they potentially go right to the dump. However, there are some programs where you can send the used cameras to recycling plants, so they can be properly up-cycled into new materials.
The prices of getting the film developed varies. I would say the average price of getting one camera developed and buying a new camera tends to be around forty dollars. I find this to be very expensive, but I think that the physical results of the pictures are so worth it.
With all these tips and tricks for using disposable cameras, I hope you can start your brand new hobby. Disposable cameras perfectly capture the highs and lows of your college experience. Additionally, they make very cute decorations. Now, go get picture-ready and smile for the camera!