In Focus - Jason Kummerfeldt Posted On 15th July 2025 To Magazine, Lockdown Sessions & In Focus

Best known as grainydays on YouTube, our next In Focus interview features Jason Kummerfeldt, who has been shooting film for seven years and shares his journey through photography, from the bad to the good.

SECTION 1 - BACKGROUND

SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE / PRINT SHOT ON ILFORD FILM AND TELL US WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU?

This image is one of my all time favorites and one of my own few pieces I have hanging up in my cramped no-wall-space apartment:

I shot it on my Mamiya 7 on ILFORD XP2 if I remember correctly - this was taken in 2020 during the start of the pandemic, the following week they closed everything down here in California. My photography brother, Caleb Knueven, and I were supposed to travel to Oregon for a project but it was cancelled, so we hit the road to the Eastern Sierra instead. As we were driving through this pass in the photo - that was about to close because of the snowstorm - we stopped and I snapped this. It’s just kind of a nice moment between a parent and a child learning to sled. I like that it’s so simple, you can see depth towards infinity and the active snowfall lends an incredible texture - I definitely just got super lucky with this one, and froze my chops off at the same time but it was worth it.

JUST IN CASE ANYONE DOESN’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU DO, CAN YOU GIVE US THE OVERVIEW?

I’m a 33 year old photographer living in Los Angeles, aka the windy city. I’ve been shooting film for about 7 or so years now and it’s actually my full time job to make content on Youtube about photography, which includes all the good drama and bad drama that ensues on my journey. My most famous photograph is a picture of a toilet and I’m constantly trying to outdo it but fear I never will.

HOW AND WHY DID YOU GET STARTED SHOOTING FILM?

My photography brother, Caleb Knueven, who I mentioned earlier, actually got me into it. I had started a new job and they sat me next to him for training like those Anakin and Obi Wan documentaries. We hit it off but he, and our friend Greg, kept pushing something called film photography on me.

At first, I thought it was just one of those fads of old stuff becoming popular again, like vinyl, but I had a trip to Iceland coming up that year and they convinced me to to bring along some disposables. I got my shots back and instantly fell in love with the magic of film photography, and by “fell in love,” ultimately I mean I went straight to ebay and became addicted to vintage camera surfing.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST PHOTOGRAPHIC INSPIRATION TO DATE?

Oddly enough, the painter Edward Hopper has by far been my biggest inspiration ever. Whenever I’m in a rut and don’t know what to shoot, I pop open this huge comprehensive collection of Hopper’s work that I have sitting around in my apartment, and typically find the motivation I need to get back on track. It’s difficult to transfer the concepts of a painting to a photo but it’s been a fun ride.

If we’re being photographer specific - I find that I really enjoy the work of Slim Aarons and Fred Herzog.

Contax T2 (Kentmere 400 @1600 pushed +2 stops)

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF PHOTOGRAPHY TIP OR ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED?

A project is never finished, only abandoned.

WHAT FILM PHOTOGRAPHY RELATED PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON (OR ARE IN THE PIPELINE)?

As I write this I’m about to head out the door to Arizona on a strictly Large-Format-only shoot which sounds like a TON of work - because it is, and it’ll probably kill me. I’ll be shooting 4x5 and 8x10. Lots of ILFORD Hp5+, which I can only assume stands for “Hell-yea Push-it 5-stops,” but maybe I should read the datasheet.

Nikon F2 (ilford Hp5 @1600 pushed +2 stops)

WHAT / WHERE IS YOUR NEXT SHOOT AND HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT FILM / KIT YOU WILL USE?

After Arizona I’m heading out to Joshua Tree National Park for a very short motorcycle-camping trip. For something like that, the size of the camera is a huge consideration as there isn’t much packing space on two wheels - though you don’t necessarily want to trade in any quality because you’re out there exploring the wilderness - who knows what you’ll find?

I’ve boiled it down to my Twin-Lens Reflex Rolleiflex T from the 1950s as it provides a 645 image in a relatively compact package. Typically I’ll shoot ILFORD Hp5+ or Kentmere 400 pushed two stops with this sort of setup. Throw in an orange filter and those black and white skies will go dramatically dark.

WHAT ARE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC GOALS GOING FORWARD?

My goals change every day it seems like, I suppose for now, it’s to hone my craft more than anything. I still feel like I’m learning and being inspired everyday and it always takes me down a new rabbit hole that usually improves something technical or creative about my workflow. As an overall goal I’d like to build a body of work, or portfolio, that fits together nicely and doesn’t feel like a random amalgamation of different stuff next to each other.

Gibellini ACN810 (8x10 Sheet) (ILFORD Hp5+)

SECTION 2 - SHOUT OUTS

We all need a bit of inspiration and love so this is your chance to tell the community about yours – from the film photographers whose work inspires you, the labs you trust with your film, your ‘go to’ film photography stockists, your favourite community darkrooms or just anyone in the community who you feel deserves a special mention.

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILM PHOTOGRAPHERS.

a. Bryan Birks - @bryanbirks - He’s a very talented contemporary photographer that enjoys shooting large format and is often put on assignment for large publications. His work feels very significant to me.

b. Trevor Wisecup - @trevorwisecup - You probably already follow this guy, but I’ll tell ya, it’s consistently some of the best street photography I’ve ever seen in my life.

c. Beatriz Valim - @beacasso - She’s an insanely talented portrait and studio photographer who uses vibrant color to not only grab but hold your attention through and through. She’s also a very cool person if you ever get to meet her!

Gibellini ACN810 (8x10) (ILFORD Hp5+)

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE YOUTUBE CHANNELS

@badflashes - duh!

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHIC RETAILERS.

Glasskeyphoto in San Francisco is one of my favorites. https://www.glasskeyphoto.com/

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE LAB SERVICE.

Big fan of The Darkroom down in San Clemente. https://thedarkroom.com/

SECTION 3 - FAVOURITE KIT

WHAT FILM CAMERAS DO YOU OWN AND WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE?

Gotta go with the classic Mamiya 7. 6x7 format on 120 is massive and feels like I’m staring at an image taken with an IMAX camera. There’s a good reason those cameras are so popular nowadays.

ASIDE FROM YOUR CAMERA, LENSES AND FILM, WHAT ACCESSORIES MAKE IT INTO YOUR CAMERA BAG?

Definitely need gaff tape, pens, diet coke, tums, painkillers, a shutter release cable, and a rocket blower for dust. I typically forget to bring most of these things.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF PHOTOGRAPHY KIT YOU HAVE FOUND OR BEEN GIFTED?

Probably shouldn’t say this - BUT I have been gifted a certain infrared-sensitive color positive film stock that is no longer made a few times. Can’t complain about that.

Leica M6 (Ilford Hp5 @1600 pushed +2 stops)

AS THIS IS AN ILFORD INTERVIEW IT WOULD BE REMISS OF US NOT TO ASK ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE ILFORD PRODUCTS. TELL US YOUR FAVOURITE ILFORD FILM, PAPER OR CHEMS AND WHY?

I gotta say I love Kentmere 400. It’s just such a versatile film stock and gives me a look that I love for black and white. Literally 90% of the photos I take on Kentmere end up being keepers, something about it just works. I hope to see it in 4x5 and 8x10 one day but I’m very happy to have it in 35mm and 120 for the time being. It’s pretty much THE black and white film stock I carry with me out into the field 95% of the time.

AND FINALLY…

NOMINATE ONE OTHER PERSON YOU THINK SHOULD FILL IN THIS FORM AND WE WILL REACH OUT TO THEM.

@yourpalmarcus Marcus Ubungen - incredibly talented photographer. He shoots a lot of portraiture on 8x10, I’d love to see him interviewed for this!

Images ©Jason Kummerfeldt