The Basics of Film Photography
This week, the number one question I was getting was whether I could go over some of the basics of film photography. I guess because I’ve been shooting a lot more 35mm recently, people want to learn how to do it themselves.
So here are some basics of film photography for you:
Over the years, I’ve shot film, and then stopped. For various reasons: it’s expensive, it’s not as instant, clients need images fast, etc. But recently, I’m finding that it really suits my style, I like the way it makes me slow down, and I really like the almost “accidental” qualities it brings out in my work.
I’ve actually been shooting film for a really long time. It was all we had when I was a kid, but when I began photography myself (I was about 15) I learnt entirely on digital. It wasn’t until I turned 18 that I got given a Nikon F3 for my birthday from my godfather that my interest in film photography took off.
1. Buy Any SLR Film Camera On eBay, And You’ll Be Good
One of the main questions I got asked was where to buy a decent film camera. To be honest, I really think that pretty much any SLR you buy these days will work fine. The main things you need to look out for are if it’s been refurbished or not. I’d try and make sure to buy one that you know has been checked over. These cameras are old, and if they’ve not been looked after, they can be damaged. But honestly, because a lot of them are very manual, they don’t have bits of electronics which die so fast.
I’ve bought cameras in charity shops, eBay, London Camera Exchange, and they’ve all worked absolutely fine. Don’t get hung up on which brand you get - if its got the ability to change lenses, takes 35mm film, give you the option of manual shooting and has an inbuilt light meter, you’ll be golden.
Best models to lookout for: Nikon F3, Canon AE-1, Olympus OM-D
2. Buy Your Film on Amazon
A lot of people asked me where they could buy film. I genuinely just order mine from Amazon. There are other places you can get it, and a lot of people recommended a shop called 7dayshop.com. I haven’t used that shop myself yet, so I can’t vouch for it. But if I do, and its a good one, I’ll let you know.
3. Take Your Time When Shooting
One of the great things about shooting on film is that you only get 36 images per roll (if you’re shooting on 35mm with 36 images, that is). That means that you really can’t just burst through your shots without thinking, in the way that you might do on digital. I know that when I’m shooting digital, I don’t work half as hard to plan each shot I take, because I’ve got the luxury of being able to burst away!
If you do that with film, it’s going to get expensive VERY quickly. Film makes you slow down, think about each shot, and really take the time to get the images you want from your shoot.
4. All Films Are Different
Each film stock will give you different results. I love to shoot on Kodak Portra films because they were designed with human skin tones in mind (Porta = Portrait). But definitely feel free to experiment with different stocks and see what you like. Get on amazon and order a few different rolls, shoot them and compare the results. That’s the best way to know what you want to order more of in future.
5. You Can Scan Yourself, Or Send Your Film Away
At Christmas, my parents very kindly bought me an Epson V600 scanner, which has the ability to scan film negatives (medium format and 35mm). That means that from now on (well, most of the time), I’ll be getting my films developed and then scanning them in myself. I like scanning myself, because it gives me the most control over how my images look. While scanning, I can adjust things in the image like brightness, contrast, colour tones, etc.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a scanner, or don’t really have the time to scan yourself (it takes a long time!), you can send your rolls in to be developed by a lab. There are still loads of labs all around the world that do an amazing job. I’ve never used them yet, but Bayeux in London are meant to be the best. I don’t really know much about USA labs, or European labs, but honestly a quick Google search, and you’ll find one.
6. Don’t be Afraid To Try!
I think a lot of people shy away from shooting film because it’s unknown and a bit scary. But honestly, give it a go! Next time you do a test shoot, load up a roll of film and tell the team around you that you’re trying something new. They’ll understand, and probably be quite excited to see what you come back with.
If the roll doesn’t work out, don’t worry. That’s honestly part of learning.
Here are a few great Youtube channels you can learn more about film on:
- Matt Day
