Shooting on Medium Format Film – Farmers Image of the Week

This Farmers Image Of The Week comes from Katie Rogers, and it stopped me the moment I saw it. Not just because of the image itself – which is extraordinary – but because of the decision-making behind it.

This was taken at Thrive, during a session led by the incredible Canadian photographer Jennifer Moher. Jennifer’s concept was beautifully considered: two models, a small studio, and the brief of an on-set romance. Simple on paper. Richly executed in reality.

Jennifer’s talk at Thrive focused on world-building, and this session was a living demonstration of exactly that. She directed emotion and movement, shaped the scene with precision, and built a complete world from almost nothing. Everything in frame was intentional. Every element earned its place.

For the photographers in the room, it was a masterclass. But it also presented a challenge. It was a busy session. The space was shared. In that environment, the instinct is to work fast – grab what you can, fire off frames, keep up with the pace.

Katie did the opposite.

Why This Image Works

Katie is already shooting 35mm film at weddings, but wants to push further. So she picked up a Pentax 645N – medium format film – for the first time in the styled shoot environment at Thrive. Sixteen frames to a roll. No chimping. No safety net of volume.

That restraint shows in this image. Every element in the frame has been considered. The studio light sits openly in the frame, not hidden away as equipment but used as a compositional anchor. The hanging dress to the left echoes her silhouette. The film border wraps the whole thing, and it is exactly right – it reinforces the cinematic world Jennifer built.

The tonal quality of 120 film does something digital simply cannot replicate. The scan has extraordinary depth and range.

What I find most impressive is that Katie was not just learning a new piece of kit. She was learning a new way of working. Medium format film forces you to slow down, to be truly present, to commit to a frame before you make it. In a busy room, surrounded by other photographers, that is genuinely difficult. It requires confidence. It requires trust in your own eye.

She got it exactly right.

Why This Approach Matters

Styled shoots and Thrive sessions are not just about getting images. They are about expanding what you are capable of. Katie used this session to try something technically challenging in a low-stakes environment – which is precisely what these opportunities are for. She was not chasing the same images as everyone else in the room. She was using the session to grow.

And she came away with this.

If you have been curious about medium format film – or about deliberately slowing down your process to make more considered frames – this image is a reminder of what that commitment can produce. It is not about the kit. It is about the intention behind it.