Chromatic

In recent years, film photography has become more prominent in my work, evolving from a medium I used solely for personal projects to one I now incorporate into commercial work. However, with the constant rising costs of shooting on film, I maintain a hybrid workflow—blending the quality of analog with the flexibility of digital.

There’s a particular aesthetic to colour film that I love, one that extends beyond the common stereotypes of grain, light leaks, and exaggerated colour shifts. While those characteristics can be part of its charm, modern professional film stocks are actually designed to produce natural, balanced colours with minimal grain. Some stocks emphasize warmer or cooler tones, stronger contrast, or softer highlights, each suited for different subjects. They’re almost like different paintbrushes.

For example, one of my favourite stocks, Kodak Ektachrome 100, perfectly balances digital precision and analog warmth. It produces neutral colours while maintaining vibrancy and clarity, making it an ideal bridge between the two mediums.

But in the end, the camera rarely matters. I enjoy shooting with my film cameras, but I also capture many images simply with my iPhone. Composition, light, and subject always outweigh gear. No matter the medium, what matters most is the story an image tells.

Favourite way of shooting colour:

A 35mm camera • A roll of Kodak Ektachrome 100 or Kodak Portra 160 • A polarizer filter

Elk with antlers standing in a forest clearing. Banff National Park. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Humpack Whale tail emerging from ocean with mountains in background. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Moose walking in a snowy forest with snow-covered trees. Banff National Park. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Red boat docked at pier on foggy lake with forested background. Deep Cove, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Orca swimming in the ocean with its dorsal fin visible above water. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Jocelyn Pettit smiling outdoors while playing an acoustic guitar, wearing a purple knit hat and scarf. Ucluelet, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 160.

A lone surfer with a surfboard walking along a misty beach bordered by a dense forest. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Bald eagle perched on a pine tree branch against a clear blue sky. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 400.

A floatplane docked at a pier in a scenic bay with mountains and red buildings in the background. Tofino Harbour. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Ektachrome 100.

Orca swimming in an ocean with mountains and pink sky in the background. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Rowboats docked by a lakeside with autumn trees and a large building in the background; mountains under a cloudy sky. Annecy Lake, 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Gold 200.

Flock of birds flying over a lake with snowy mountains in the background. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Snow-capped mountain peaks with rocky terrain and grassy foreground. Balcon Nord, Chamonix 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 160.

Stone cabin in an autumnal mountain landscape with snow-capped peaks and colorful trees. Balcon Nord, Chamonix 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Fujifilm Provia 100F.

Alexandre Bourdonnais playing guitar in a workshop with guitars on the wall. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Gold 200.

Yellow car with pop-up headlight. Ferrari Mondial-T. Yvelines, 78. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 400.

Yellow sports car parked in front of a house with green shutters and a large tree. Ferrari Mondial-T. Yvelines, 78. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 400.

Mountain landscape with pine trees and clouds. Col des Aravis, Haute-Savoie 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Gold 200.

Snow-covered mountain peak with rocky face, surrounded by orange autumn trees and clear blue sky. Balcon Nord, Chamonix 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Fujifilm Provia 100F.

Car with headlights on in front of a rustic house and foggy background. Audi A6 Competition. Haute-Savoie 74. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Silhouette of birds flying over the sea during sunset with an island in the distance. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 400.

Row of colorful canoes on a dock by a turquoise lake with mountain and forest scenery in the background. Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park. Shot by Robin Ferand on Fujifilm Superia 200.

Lightning bolt in a dark stormy sky over a mountainous landscape at dusk. Haute-Savoie 74. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Wooden cabin illuminated at night with star trails in the sky and trees in the foreground. Haute-Savoie 74. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Snow-covered mountain peaks with a forest below, partly obscured by fog, under a clear sky. Yoho National Park. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Serene mountain lake with colorful rocks, clear water, and foggy mountains. Waterton Lakes, National Park. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Yellow sailboat on lake with forested hills in background. Galiano Island. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Silhouette of trees against a colorful sunset at the beach with waves and distant islands. Tofino, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Black Audi Q5 driving on a snow-covered road lined with pine trees. Banff National Park, AB. Shot by Robin Ferand.

A scenic view of a flowing river surrounded by evergreen trees with mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky. Maligne River, Jasper National Park. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Panoramic view of mountains reflecting in a calm body of water, with partly cloudy skies. Annecy Lake, 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 400.

Snow-covered forest with stream, tall trees, and mountain. Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Sailboats on a calm blue lake surrounded by trees, viewed through branches. Sunshine Coast, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Wooden cabin covered in snow nestled in a snowy forest landscape with fog and trees. Haute-Savoie 74. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Two cows standing on a grassy hillside with mountains in the background. Haute-Savoie 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 400.

Person walking on snowy field towards forest with mountains in background. Joffre Lakes, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Person in a red jacket standing on a rock by a river in a forest. Lynn River, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Scenic waterfront with palm trees, yellow kayaks, and people walking near shops and cafes in front of a hillside. Port-Cros, Var 83. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 160.

Forest waterfall with autumn foliage and moss-covered rocks. Annecy, 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Fujifilm Velvia Provia 100F.

Mountain landscape with grassy hills and autumn foliage, partially covered by mist. Col Des Aravis, 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Fujifilm Velvia 50.

People sitting on a pier by the sea with a scenic coastline view. Port-Cros, Var 83. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Ektar 100.

A path lined with trees with autumn foliage, featuring orange and red leaves, blue lampposts, and a river on the right. Mountains are visible in the background. Nanaimo Waterfront, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand on Fujifilm 35mm film.

Sunrise over a body of water with silhouetted islands and mountains. Ucluelet, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand with Kodak Portra 160.

Two people sitting on a pebbled beach by a lake, with mountains in the background and a clear sky. Annecy Lake, 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Ektachrome 100.

Scenic lakeside view with covered boats, trees, and people walking on a dock; mountains in the background. Annecy Lake 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Ektar 100.

View from a bridge showing a river lined with trees in autumn colors and a dock with people sitting on it. Cowichan River, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Gold 200.

Coastal scene with a waterfall cascading down a cliff into the ocean, surrounded by rocky shoreline and evergreen trees. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand on Fujifilm 35mm Film.

A small church with a clock tower surrounded by trees and buildings. A red van is parked in front, and people are walking nearby. Porquerolles, Var 83. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak ColorPlus 200.

Turquoise glacial lake surrounded by pine trees and rocky hills. Peyto Lake, AB. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 800.

Hiker with red backpack on a mountain trail overlooking a blue lake and forested mountains under a partly cloudy sky. Kananaskis Country, AB. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Ektar 100.

Small waterfall in a forest with moss-covered rocks and fallen logs. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Gold 200.

Scenic view of a canal with bordering buildings in the old town of Annecy, mountains in the background. Haute-Savoie 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak Portra 160.

Rocky shoreline with evergreen trees and ocean waves. Ucluelet, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand on Fujifilm Superia 200.

Sunlight streaming through dense forest trees with visible beams. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Hoodoo rock formations against a clear blue sky in a desert landscape. Alberta. Shot by Robin Ferand on Kodak ColorPlus 200.

Mountain peak with snow and sunlight, surrounded by trees and hills. Manigod, Haute-Savoie 74. Shot by Robin Ferand.

A scenic view of a waterfall flowing through rocky terrain surrounded by lush green trees. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Mountain chalet and pine trees with snow-capped peaks in the background. Manigod, Haute-Savoie 74. Shot by Robin Ferand on Fujifilm Superia 200.

A majestic tall ship sailing on the ocean with full sails and a clear blue sky in the background. The Trois Mats Belem. Shot by Robin Ferand.

Northern Flicker woodpecker perched on a tree branch with green and yellow leaves in the background. Vancouver Island, BC. Shot by Robin Ferand.

COLLECTIONS

ALPES

STOECHADES

PACIFIC MIST

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

SUN-KISSED SALISH SEA

PORTSIDE TALES

PASTORAL FRANCE

LAND OF OPEN SKIES

SLEEPING GIANT OF SUPERIOR

ECHOS NORMANDS

@robinferand