So yeah, today I’m messing around with that "photog goldin" style everybody keeps talkin’ about. Saw some gritty, raw photos online last week and thought, "Heck, I can try that." Grabbed my old DSLR, dusted it off – thing hadn’t seen daylight since my nephew’s birthday party two years ago.
The Setup Was Stupid Simple
Didn’t wanna overthink it. Just aimed for that… real life look, you know? Ugly, beautiful, all mashed together. Here’s what I did step-by-step:
- Found the mess: Wandered into my cluttered basement. Laundry piles, rusty tools, half-empty paint cans – perfect goldin chaos.
- Cranked up the ISO: Twisted that knob till the camera screen screamed "NOISE!" Like, way past what the manual says. Grain? Bring it on.
- Pointed & shot: No fancy angles. Held the camera kinda crooked, like a drunk guy in a pub snapping pics of his mates. Flash? Yeah, blasted it full force, right in their faces – made the shadows look mean.
- Embraced the crap: If someone blinked? Cool. If the flash washed out half the frame? Even cooler. This ain't about perfect.
The "Oh, Right" Moment
Took like forty shots before it kinda clicked. Saw a photo of my brother squinting hard after the flash popped. Looked rough, tired… real. Exactly the vibe! Stopped tryin' to "make" moments and just let ’em happen. Slouched against the workbench, waited. Got a shot of him scratching his head, confused by the whole thing. Bingo. Pure goldin – awkward, unplanned, telling a tiny human story.
What I Learned (The Hard Way)
Thought this style was about fancy film or expired chemicals. Nope. It’s about guts. Forgetting every "rule" drilled into your head. The photos look dirty, maybe off-color? Good. Blurry parts? Fine. It’s about getting close and not giving a damn if things look weird. Takes effort to be that sloppy. And honestly? My basement never looked so… interestingly depressing. Gonna try the crowded bus stop downtown next week. Should be a disaster. Can't wait.
