The summer of 2025 was a mix of challenges and small joys. After being laid off, most of my days were spent preparing for technical tests, updating my portfolio, and going through interviews. Photography had to take a step back – but I still wanted to keep it alive. That’s when I picked up two rolls of Kodak Color Plus 200 for my Pentax 17, a compact little camera I’ve been enjoying lately.
Shooting film during such a hectic period felt grounding. With digital, I tend to overshoot, but film slows me down. Every frame becomes more intentional. Even though I didn’t have much time to dedicate to photography, the act of loading a roll of Kodak Color Plus 200 and taking the Pentax 17 out for a walk felt like a small ritual – a reminder that life isn’t only about work and stress.
Color Plus 200 is a budget-friendly film stock, but I’ve always loved the warmth it brings to summer light. The tones are soft, forgiving, and nostalgic, which matched my mood perfectly. On gray days, the colors leaned a little muted, while under bright sun, the film really came alive.
Out of the two rolls, not every frame was a keeper, but that’s part of the process. Film is never about perfection – it’s about moments. Some shots came out exactly how I envisioned, while others surprised me. That unpredictability is what keeps me coming back to film, even when life gets busy.
Here are some of the photographs from those two rolls of Kodak Color Plus 200 on my Pentax 17 – small fragments of a complicated summer, but also reminders of why I keep shooting.
