Patrick Poole

Location: Colorado

Favorite Camera: Mamiya7ii

What inspired you to become a photographer?

I don't think there was a specific moment but I remember being a young kid and exploring my neighborhood with one of those old point and shoot cameras. I really liked taking photos of nature, whether it be plants, birds or other different animals. I loved playing this game called Pokemon Snap where you take pictures of different Pokemon in the wild and I think having a camera allowed me to experience it in real life.

When did you start film and why did you stick with film photography?

I always thought I would grow up to be a wildlife photographer submitting photos to National Geographic and stuff like that. Then one day one of my friends in college was showing me his film cameras. At first I didn't understand them. Why would I use this old unreliable camera when I had my digital camera? He encouraged me to borrow his CanonA1 and the rest is history. Film has inspired me to find magic in the mundane and keeps me inspired no matter where I am or what I'm doing. Before film, I would only take pictures if I saw some grand landscape or found some super cool animal to photograph. I still take pictures of those things but film has allowed me to focus on the day to day and be inspired by the beauty that is everyday life.

Whats your day to day setup look like? Or what is your go to camera?

I honestly have too many cameras. I'm always trying different ones to see which one fits my style best but I always come back to my Mamiya7. Its the most lightweight and compact medium format camera I've used and the image quality is second to none. I like to travel and this camera makes it easy to shoot in medium format while constantly on the move.