I’m thrilled to introduce you to today’s guest muse, Cindy Loughridge. It’s likely that some of you are already familiar with Cindy’s luminous portraits and still lifes. As a San Francisco Bay Area lifestyle, portrait, and wedding photographer, her images capture everyday moments filled with light, minimalism, and intimate details.

The moment I discovered Cindy’s work at Amanda’s Mocking Bird site a few years ago, I knew I wanted to sit down to coffee with her and talk photography. We had the chance to chat through email and she agreed to shoot a 4 in 24 on film (4 images shot on film within 24 hours) for us.

My 4 in 24 consists of a typical day at my home. Nothing special in the little moments, until you add them up. All four photos were shot on the Mamiya RZ 67 Pro II.

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Early morning breakfast prep by Cindy Loughridge

What film cameras do you shoot with? Do you have a favorite?

I have many and I love them all like they are my children.

Contax 645 AF
Hasselblad 500CM
Mamiya RZ 67 Pro II
Nikon F100
Nikon FM2
Contax Aria
Polaroid 110B
Holga
Leica AF – C1
Pentacon 6 TL
Yashica Electro 35 GL
Minolta Instant Pro

And many more….

As for a favorite, the Hasselbald 500CM has my heart. I don’t think I can live without my Hasselblad, as it was my first medium format camera. Plus, I love that I can slap on a Polaroid Back and have my images instantly.

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The view outside my kitchen window, early morning with overcast skies by Cindy Loughridge

What do you love most about film photography?

I love everything about film photography. Especially, how film photography is very manual, there is no playback LCD screen. You load your film, meter, adjust your settings and shoot. Then, it’s the anticipation of waiting for your photos to come back from the lab. And seeing that I’ve mostly nailed the exposure, it’s the most satisfying feeling. Luckily, film is forgiving, especially if one is off by a stop.

I’m inspired by daily life and my surroundings; it could be watching someone at a café, the way they sit, how their table setting is arranged, and the light.

What/Who inspires you?

As for who’s an inspiration, as of late, it is portrait photographer Magda Andrzejewska. Her work is stunning and mostly on medium format.

Ben Parks, his double exposures are dreamy.

I would be remiss not to mention my better half, Seth Restaino. He has patiently taught me much about film and he is quite the photographer and father.

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There’s nothing more fun than chilling under the table by Cindy Loughridge

What was your happiest/worst photographic moment & why?

Just recently, on a trip to NYC, I decided to travel with just one camera (I normally, pack 3). After loading a new roll into my Contax Aria, I took the first shot and the camera jammed. Panic. I frantically googled camera shops in the area and only a couple were open due to the Jewish holiday, we ended up at K&M on Broadway. Luckily, they had a used Nikon FM2 available. All was well.

As for happiest moment, I’m always happy with a camera in front of me.

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The dining/work table by Cindy Loughridge

Any advice you’d like to share?

Shoot everyday and often.

Set your camera on manual mode, you will learn quickly and never go back to the auto setting.

Be inspired by others but don’t copy.

Always bring a camera with you when heading out the door.

Thanks for sharing your 4 in 24 with us Cindy and for being a constant source of inspiration! It was a pleasure to have you here. You can find more of Cindy’s work on her website, flickr, and tumblr pages.