Before digital screens offered instant previews, taking photographs was an exercise in patient precision. Miscalculating exposure or framing – or later in the process, mishandling rolls of film – could ruin a cherished memory.Through the 1960s and 70s, residents and visiting tourists alike rationed every shutter click, gradually shifting from classic black-and-white to vivid colour stock as film remained a costly luxury.In the 90s, compact cameras – both still and video – became the norm, while shops across Tsim Sha Tsui did a roaring trade, with travellers seeking equipment that was often cheaper than at home.Today, high-resolution smartphones deliver high-definition shots for effortless global sharing, yet many still cherish the warmth and surprise of film photography.Here’s a look at how South China Morning Post photographers used their own cameras to capture the evolving ways in which we have documented our lives and trips.Say, “Cheese”: a young photographer puts her father in the frame, in 1984. Photo: SCMP ArchivesLike father, like son: while dad Ng Shu-chuan focuses on the action of the 1985 Navy Day at HMS Tamar, in Admiralty, son Kwok-ping checks the viewfinder of his plastic device. Photo: SCMP Archives