Nora Lalle’s Passion for Film Photography is Inspiring
“I got my hands a little dirty and I was hooked,” says the photographer Nora Lalle as she talks about her early relationship with film photography. Born and raised in San Francisco, Lalle has been combining her passion for film with her love for her home city pretty much her whole life – the fruits of her labor are tremendously delightful photographs.
Speaking with Lalle, she explained it’s the full process of shooting film that got her hooked on the practice, a love affair that began because of her mother. She told Them Frames, “I started out using one of my mom’s old film cameras and I loved having a camera that she had also used to create images.”
Lalle continued, “my parents signed me up for a black and white darkroom photography summer camp and something about learning the basics and process from start to finish was really inspiring. The required slowness as you wait for things to develop, the control of the process of creating enlarged images from negatives.”
That attraction to a methodical approach reflects in the images she creates. Nothing about Lalle’s photography feels rushed or made without thought, rather her frames seem very well analyzed and created with intention.
That’s likely because she has had film photography at the foundation of her artistic process for nearly two decades. With that, she’s learned that one cannot be wasteful with their frames, there’s no luxury of spray and pray that’s afforded to those who shoot digital. This is especially true today when the cost of film stock seems more and more out of control as the months go by.
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Being a San Franciscan, Lalle knows the city like the back of her hand. This means she’s able to show us all of the city’s nooks and crannies, something the traveling photographer is seldom able to do.
I encourage you to enjoy a local perspective of one of the world’s most photographed cities, and I have total confidence that Lalle is one of the best photographers to take you on this journey.
Them Frames: I don’t know how old you are, but I guess you’re young enough to have skipped analog and used digital, why didn’t you?
Nora Lalle: I’m 32. I grew up in the 90s and we only had film on all of my family vacations. I vividly remember the process of dropping off film at Walgreens or Costco and then going back to collect the envelope of photos.
Digital cameras were out there but my parents didn’t get one until the early 2000s. Analog was my childhood and always seemed like a better option. More creativity is involved in the whole process. Digital felt like a shortcut. It requires a lot of work in post-production and I have very little interest in that. If I have the right film and nail the exposure, I shouldn’t have to do much else. It’s the process before the film is developed that inspires me.
Them Frames: One of your goals for 2023 is to shoot more portraits. Why haven’t you done much portraiture in the past, and what is currently inspiring you want to create more?
Nora Lalle: I’ve never liked taking pictures of people. Not in a street photography context or portraits. I’m not really drawn to people as subjects. I prefer to explore my environment and capture traces of people. It’s important to grow as an artist and portraits are out of my comfort zone. I want to push myself a little. Also, I’ve had a Hasselblad 500c for about a year now and it’s a great camera for portraits.
Them Frames: Born, raised, and living in San Francisco; as someone who has been hyper-focused on the city through the practice of photography, how has the city changed through your lifetime and how do you feel about the current state of the city?
Nora Lalle: In many ways, San Francisco has changed a lot. The way it looks and feels, the energy and culture. There are neighborhoods that I barely recognize and landmarks that haven’t changed a bit. I’ve always been very proud to be from SF and grateful to be able to settle here as it has continued to get more expensive.
I’ve always been connected to the arts community and I’ve found that the people who are the most active and engaged in creating art and spaces for art to flourish either grew up in the Bay or have lived here for a very long time. People who have a deep connection to the city and are invested in contributing to the community in meaningful ways.
That’s not to say that transplants don’t have a place in the art world here. More to say it makes me feel good about the current state of the city and specifically the art community. It’s going strong and nurturing the spirit of the SF that I’ve known and loved throughout my upbringing.
Them Frames: A lot of your images are very peaceful, yet filled with isolation; how do you think that relates to your personality type?
Nora Lalle: That’s a great observation. I’m an only child and I’d say I thrive in solitude. My photography practice has always been very individual and I prefer to shoot alone. Walking or driving around to see what catches my eye is a way to spend some quality time with myself and get out of my head. I’m an extroverted introvert. I love talking to people and making connections, but I need a lot of alone time to recharge.
Them Frames: What are some of your favorite film rolls and how do they change depending on the type of environment and subject you're photographing?
Nora Lalle: My current favorite film stock is Kodak Ektar 100. I love the fine grain and saturated colors. It tends to lean red and I feel like that brings the aesthetic I want to my work. I’m also trying to shoot more black and white and I’ve been loving the CineStill XX black and white film for bright days and shadows. It’s very contrasty. I usually choose my film based on the time of day and light. I’ve been focusing on shooting during sunrise and sunset (plus some blue hour) and playing around with what film stocks do best in that very short window of time as the light changes quickly. I’ve found that the new CineStill 400D performs great at dusk especially if it’s overcast.
Recently, I’ve begun shooting color-positive slide film (E6) which is a whole different adventure. It requires a lot more precision with exposure. I’m fond of the Fujichrome stocks (Provia and Velvia) as well as some of their discontinued expired ones.
Them Frames: You’re also a publisher. Are you able to give us an overview of what life is like curating, creating and sharing photo books, zines and magazines?
Nora Lalle: I’ve been interested in photo books and print media for a long time. I even started curating at a young age when I had a Tumblr and would spend hours on Flickr looking for photos to repost (I bet that Tumblr is still out there somewhere ha!). There’s a natural connection between analog photography and print.
I love finding images that inspire me and then figuring out the puzzle of how to present them along with others. It’s a lot of work to create print projects and I’ve had to figure out a lot as I go. Every time I make something I learn something new about the process. I also love building a community around print media and offering a platform for other artists.
A lot of people are interested in making books and zines of their photos but may not have the skills, time or budget for it. I love being able to help others make that dream a reality.
Them Frames: I really like the name Pamplemousse - what’s the story behind it?
Nora Lalle: Pamplemousse means grapefruit in French. I was lucky to have the opportunity to live in Paris, France and study photography after college in the US. I learned French and found myself attracted to the word pamplemousse. It’s whimsical and a little silly and I like the way it looks and sounds. I’ve always been a fan of grapefruits.
Them Frames: What song or musical artist do you think best vibes with the photos you make?
Nora Lalle: This may be controversial but I’m not really a music person. I prefer to listen to podcasts and I’m often listening to one when I’m out shooting. I’ve truly never thought about music in relation to my photos. Would love to hear some answers to this one!
Them Frames: Finally, please finish this sentence: I need photography in my life because…
Nora Lalle: It keeps me grounded. I’m a visual person and photography allows me to save, sort through, and remember the special and mundane moments that I see and experience.
You can enjoy more photography made and curated by Nora Lalle by visiting her website and Instagram.
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