Ah, Ireland. Land of Guinness, leprechauns, and that soul-crushing existential dread that comes with knowing the next sunny day might be six months away.

Forget Cannes' red carpet, folks. This trip to the French Riviera was all about celluloid dreams, not reality TV. I packed my trusty Minolta x-700 film camera, a vintage beauty that feels more Sophia Loren than selfie stick, and a stash of emulsions that promised a vacation through a retro lens. Think Cinestill 400D for that sun-drenched Kodachrome vibe, Kodak Portra for those creamy, dreamy tones, and a roll of Kodak 200 to keep things classic (plus, who doesn't love the surprise of pushing a roll?).

For the longest time, I’d yearned to venture into the realm of film photography, yet courage and time always seemed to elude me. But one serendipitous day, akin to Forrest Gump’s impromptu run, I stumbled upon a video by @petermckinnon. And just like that, inspired by his passion, I purchased my first film camera, with the ever-helpful @johngunncameras guiding me through loading my inaugural roll of Kodak 200.

In the world of photography and videography, the terms 'noise' and 'grain' are often used interchangeably. However, they refer to two distinct phenomena. Understanding the difference between noise and grain, and why photographers and videographers prefer one over the other, is crucial for anyone interested in the field.

Hey, check out this amazing thing I discovered! Photoshop, you know, that OG image-editing app we all use?