Kari is a Utah-based film photographer

When I was in college, I spent two summers working as a camp counselor. My first year, our camp needed someone to teach black and white film photography. I’d only taken a single class in high school and barely knew my way around a darkroom, but I was the only one there with any experience, so the job was mine. At first, I was a little annoyed. I was a lifeguard and had expected to spend my summer on the lake–and I did, except for those few hours a week when I would teach film photography (as I was simultaneously re-learning it myself). My campers and I had no shortage of ruined rolls (sometimes my fault) but, as I rediscovered alongside them, there’s really nothing like the joy of seeing your photo appear in a tray of developer. Those summers very unexpectedly rekindled my love for film photography.