Photography 101: A Beginner's Guide to Film Photography
With a contribution by Miles Mullen
We’re at an interesting point in the history of photography. Camera manufacturers are increasingly rolling out technology that even a few years ago would have only been a pipe dream. Megapixel counts have gone through the roof, as have marketing efforts geared towards persuading consumers to think they always need the newest and best camera on the market.
In the midst of the digital revolution you have a resurgence of film photography. The technology that film cameras use is quite similar to the very first cameras that were ever invented, and though it experienced a decline with the introduction of digital photography, it has persisted and even become the primary medium for many modern photographers.
I believe that it’s important for all photographers to at least experience shooting film. Understanding the history of photography as well as the concepts that go into shooting with a film camera will make you a better photographer and motivate you to get out and shoot in different ways.
When I first got into film photography I had a million questions. I also made a few mistakes. The intention of this guide is to help you get a jump start with your film photography. We will do this by introducing a few key concepts of film photography, providing you with handy tools and tips, and warning you of a few beginner mistakes that you can easily avoid.
This guide isn’t meant to make you an expert on shooting film. We won’t get into the specific technical knowledge of film photography - although we encourage you to delve in if you do want to enhance your understanding of shooting with film. This article contain information that I wished I had known before I started shooting film. By the end of our time together you will have a good understanding of how to get out and start filling up your first rolls with snapshots!
Why Shoot Film?
I had already been working on my photography practice for almost four years with my digital camera before I snapped the first reel on my Nikon F100. Not getting started with film photography earlier is one of my biggest regrets - in fact, I wish I would have started shooting film and then transitioned to digital photography. There are so many things that film photography can teach you that will help you become a better photographer all around.
Here were some of the biggest benefits that I have discovered from my film photography practice:
Canon TL, Expired Fujifilm Superia 800, developed at home.
It teaches you to “feel” your exposure. Modern cameras have lots of advanced technology built in that is meant to help photographers expose their photographs correctly, and this technology is incredibly helpful. Film cameras are archaic compared to these high tech devices. They require much more understanding of how light works and how a camera should be set to capture a specific scene in the way that you want it depicted. Shooting with a film camera forces you to build this understanding and feeling of light and create your own methodology and style on how you want to shoot a scene. This skill is directly transferable to shooting with a digital camera.
Less flexibility in post-processing builds the skill of exposing correctly during shooting and reduces reliance on software. Oftentimes when I shoot with my digital camera I might capture an image that is under/overexposed. It’s too easy for me to casually comment that “I’ll take care of that in post”. Not only can you not review your film images until much later, you don’t have nearly the same amount of flexibility in post processing as you do with film. The exposure of a RAW digital file can be manipulated by around 14 stops in either direction; a film image can only be manipulated around 2 stops in either direction. It’s much more important to get your shot right the first time when shooting film.
It introduces intention into your shots. An average roll of film costs about $5. To get that developed costs additional time and money, then you have to digitize it and organize it after the fact, which requires more time and supplies. Clicking the shutter button is what most people think about when it comes to photography, but that action is quite literally the smallest part of the photographic process! It’s hard not to think about the time and money that goes into it before and after you click that button. When you shoot film you’ll be more conscious of this, and will frame your shots more intentionally, taking fewer pictures but capturing more meaning with each shot as opposed to mashing the shutter button on a digital camera. (Mashing that shutter button can still be fun, don’t get me wrong!
Shooting with older tech helps you to learn about the history of photography. When you purchase your first film camera you will inevitably want to delve into the history of the camera, which will lead you into the history of photography in general. Integrating film photography into your practice will lead you down the path of researching famous photographers, old photography methods and equipment, and in general the history of photography. Learning about the techniques of the legends will make you a better photographer, as will understanding the similarities and differences between analog and digital photography.
Professional quality at discount prices. For an “obsolete” technology, film photographs are incredibly high quality. The level of detail and image sharpness that you can obtain with a film camera is on par with digital cameras today and is a major improvement over most cell phones and point and shoot cameras. Because of this perceived obsolescence, high quality film cameras can go for incredibly cheap. My F100 was $1500 when it came out in 1999; I was able to get one for about $150. Comparing digital photo quality to film photo quality is a bit like comparing apples and oranges, but generally film photographs keep right up with high quality digital photographs.
Nikon F100, Fujifilm Superia 400.
Purchasing Your First Film Camera - Written by Miles Mullen
Film cameras can be broken down into a few main categories, such as Single Lens Reflex (SLR) and rangefinder. SLRs use a mirror reflecting into the viewfinder to give an exact view of your subject, while rangefinders show you the scene through an alternate viewfinder than the actual mechanism that captures the picture, so you only see an approximation of your subject. Because of this, the SLR is the most common choice for consumers, while many professionals lean towards rangefinder.
Camera Film Formats
Not sure what the difference between small format / medium format / large format is? This diagram shows a relative size difference between several formats. This is another topic that could cover an entire article by itself! Don’t worry too much about the specifics - in general, 35mm film is referred to as small format, 120 film is referred to as medium format, and anything bigger is referred to as large format.
There are several different film formats, such as 35mm (the most popular), medium format, and large format. Each format produces a different size negative, meaning a different size of camera. Each size produces a different level of detail, the least detailed negative being 35mm, and large format having the most detail. Because of its small and portable size, coupled with decent sharpness and overall affordability, 35mm SLRs are the most common film cameras of choice. Medium format had its uprise in the 1970’s as a way to achieve higher quality and a shallower depth of field for professional portrait photographers while maintaining relative portability. Today it is used mostly for higher-end consumers and magazine editorial shoots. Large format photography, due to its ability to capture an incredible amount of detail, was popularized through portrait and landscape photography. It was most notably used by Ansel Adams to take some of the most widely recognized landscape photographs of all time. Large format is still used today for portrait and landscape photography.
For many reasons, 35mm SLR film cameras are recommended for beginners. First and foremost, they are the most economical, giving you 36 photos on a roll of film. They are also the most portable, easily carried or fit into backpacks, they are the perfect film camera to carry with you anywhere you go. And most importantly, having the most simple designs, they are the easiest to learn and use. They also have the most space for growth. While the larger formats are made only for high-end consumers and professionals, there are 35mm cameras that range all the way from beginner level to professional.
The Tetons and the Snake River by Ansel Adams, shot using a Large Format (8x10) Camera.
Where do I start?
Some of the more commonly accessible 35mm cameras include the Canon AE-1, Pentax K1000, and the Nikon FE2. While there are other cameras that would also do the trick, these are just my recommendations.
The Canon AE-1 is one of the most popular cameras of all time, selling over one million units world-wide. Because of its previous popularity it is now one of the choice cameras of new film enthusiasts, partially due to its relatively common availability. I was able to pick one up from my neighborhood camera store, having to only wait a single week for one to become available, and I surely could have found one even faster on eBay for around the same price (approximately $140).
The Pentax K1000, while downplayed, is certainly a classic. It is known for its incredibly straight-forward nature, making it possibly the easiest manual film camera to use, with a single dial that controls both shutter speed and film speed, while also having a built-in light meter. It is a camera that can be picked up and learned by people of all degrees of film-photography knowledge. Unfortunately, due to its lower price tag, camera stores rarely pick them up, however, a Pentax K1000 in good condition could be easily found on eBay for approximately $50-$80.
Created by Nikon to compete with the Canon AE-1, the Nikon FE2 is of similar quality and reliability. While undermined by AE-1, it certainly did more than hold its own in terms of quality. It was created as the first camera to have a flash-sync speed as high as 1/250 of a second, compared to the abysmal 1/60 of a second by the Canon AE-1. The FE2 also had a much larger range of shutter speeds, exceeding those of the AE-1 by two stops either way. The FE2 was a great camera when it launched and still holds its own to this day. A nice FE2 can be found on eBay for approximately $100-$140.
One thing to consider is that while many older cameras do have a built in light meter, these are often the only electronic part on the camera and therefore are often broken. Don’t worry too much about this - there are lots of apps like Lghtmtr that you can get on your phone, and you can also buy external light meters to replace the built in ones. I recommend that you don’t rely too heavily on the older light meters even if they do seem to work - as they age they can show incredible inaccuracy.
All of these cameras are well suited for a beginning photographer, so long as you know what you need/want when you’re buying, but considering the fact that you’re looking into film photography, you’re on the right path.
Selecting a Film
You’ve purchased a camera and are itching to get out and take your first shots with it. The next step is to head to your local photography shop and buy a roll of film. Just like with cameras, there are countless film options out on the market. With the demand in film surging, camera companies like Kodak are increasing their film production and even bringing back old films like Kodachrome.
When purchasing a new roll of film, there are three primary factors to consider - cost, ISO, and the color profile of the film.
As a beginner I highly recommend you start with the cheapest film you can find. The first few rolls will be spent getting to know your camera, learning which color profiles you like, and understanding how film differs from digital photography.
ISO (Film Speed)
If you already shoot with a digital camera, you might be familiar with ISO. ISO is basically the film’s sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO, the faster the image gets recorded to the film.
With a higher ISO you also introduce grain (noise) to the photograph. When shooting film, this isn’t as much of a concern as when shooting digital. It’s still something to consider, but film grain has a much more pleasing look than digital noise. That’s why they built in a grain setting to photo editing software!
If you’ll be shooting outdoors, you can go with a lower ISO like 100 or 200. ISO 400 is a nice middle ground for indoor and outdoor shooting, as is 800. Anything above that would generally only be used indoors or other poorly lit situations.
Color Differences
Another difference that could influence the film you shoot with is its color profile. Some films like the Fujifilm Superia have a sort of green tint to them and are a little faded; others like Kodak Ektachrome produce bright, vivid photos. If you’re curious about a profile, you can do a quick Google search of example images taken with that film.
Expired Superia 800. Notice the grain and gloomy color tones.
Expired Film
I love shooting with expired film. Not only is it insanely cheap (and sometimes free), but the aging process can add some cool effects that are completely unique to film. Extra grain (the good kind), unique coloration, and distortion of light are all fun side effects of expired film.
It’s can also be a complete crapshoot as to whether the photos turn out, so use caution when shooting expired film. Don’t take it out to an important shoot or to capture once in a lifetime scenery. I love using it for outings with friends, random explorations, or alongside my digital camera.
The general rule of thumb with expired film is that for every decade past the expiration date of the film, increase your exposure (also called pushing film) by one stop of light. One stop on most film cameras is easily done by opening up the aperture by one level or by decreasing your shutter speed by one level.
Common Beginner Mistakes
While it’s not the end of the world, it’s quite easy to make a mistake while shooting film that can cause your whole day or several days of shooting to be for naught. It’s an awful feeling to shoot through a roll, especially if that roll had some shots you were excited about, only to make an easily preventible mistake! I know I had a few of those moments, and I want to help you avoid making those some mistakes.
Making Sure Your Film is Correctly Loaded
There’s hardly a worse feeling than loading up a new roll of film, getting some amazing shots, then realizing that your film wasn’t loaded correctly. Realization creeps over you as you realize that you were shooting imaginary pictures that whole time.
Luckily there is a foolproof way to make sure this does not happen. The first time you load up film into your camera, do a quick Google search and find a tutorial video that goes over loading your camera up. Once you have the film loaded, crank your shot advance lever to load in the first frame and pay special attention to the knob on the left hand side. If your roll is loaded correctly, this knob will twist. This means that the film has caught and the canister is rotating in the camera, advancing the film strip with each frame advance. It may not happen the first time you advance the shot, so repeat two or three times to confirm. If it doesn’t twist after several shots, pop your camera back open and try again.
Not Setting Your Film Speed (Only Applicable if Built In Light Meter Works)
Some film cameras will have light meters that still work. My F100, shown on the left, is a new camera with a well functioning light meter. It’s modern enough to automatically detect the ISO of the film (displayed as DX), but I still double check every time just to be sure. You should do the same on your film camera.
The image on the right shows the ISO setting on a Canon TL. It’s displayed in bright orange and reads 800. Many older film cameras use this same design; to change the speed you just lift up the dial and twist. However, the light meter on this camera does not work, so it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I didn’t change it - there would be no negative side effect as that only influence how the light meter functions. I do still like to set the dial to the correct ISO though - it’s a helpful reminder if you haven’t shot with that camera in a while and pick it up mid-roll, and it’s nice to be able to reference it when calculating the other settings.
Metering Incorrectly
Whether you’re using a built in light meter or an external one, setting and using your meter correctly is an essential skill. Practice with your light meter often, and always have it available whether you think you’ll need it or not.
Rewinding Your Finished Rolls Correctly
Rewinding a roll of film is a relatively easy task, but it can go wrong. Just like you did when you learned to load the film, watch a quick YouTube video that goes over how to rewind and unload your specific camera. It’s as simple as that - just making sure you practice once or twice before doing it.
The most detrimental thing that can happen is you turn the rewind knob the wrong way or advance the frames too aggressively and you yank the film strip from the canister. You’ll know this is happening when you’re rewinding if you feel a snap right when you start and the rewinding instantly becomes effortless. If this happens, do not open the back of the camera. That will expose the film to light and potentially ruin your full roll. Go into a pitch dark (ZERO light) room or use a darkroom bag. Bring a pair of latex gloves, a dark coated film canister, and a roll of tinfoil. Put on your gloves, shut off the lights, and open the camera. Remove the film from the camera, roll it into the film canister, and wrap it in tinfoil. Now your film is saved! If you’re bringing your film to a development service or local photography store put a note on it so they know it’s loose film.
Film Developing
There are a few options to get your film developed. To start, I recommend going to your local photography store and having them do it if they offer the service. Not only will you keep money in your community, but the employees that work at the store can be an awesome resource for questions, tips, and discussion.
If you don’t have a local store that develops film, Fast Foto Film in Minneapolis is a great option. They do a phenomenal job and have insanely quick turnaround times.
Whatever you do, DON’T TAKE YOUR FILM TO CVS OR WALGREENS! I’ve seen development results from one of these chains compared with the results from a local photography shop, and the differences are easily recognizable. You only get to develop your film once; take it to someone who is going to do it right.
Another option is to develop your film at home. I wouldn’t recommend trying this until you’ve shot through several rolls of film and know you want to stick with it. If you know you’re hooked on film and want to keep shooting it for years to come, I would highly recommend going down this route for several reasons:
It saves money in the long run. It costs between $100 and $200 to get everything you need to develop for your first time, but you’ll break even after about 20 rolls - which is also about how many rolls you can develop with a batch of developing chemicals (C-41).
You get complete control over the development process. Remember how we talked about expired film needing to be exposed longer? This is called pushing film, and it can also be done in the development process. If you keep your film in the development tank for a longer period of time, the more you’ll push the exposure. It’s sort of like increasing the exposure dial in Lightroom. You can also pull the film (decreasing exposure, i.e. leave the film in the tank for a shorter period of time) if you know your photos were overexposed.
Developing film at home is fun as hell. The first time you develop film you’ll feel pretty good about yourself. It’s a semi-complicated process that is lots of fun to master. Telling people you develop your own film is a great talking point, and it’s a fun project to work on.
If you want to get started on developing your film at home, Willem Verbeek has a great video that goes over the supplies you’ll need as well as the process. B&H photo has a guide that goes over all of the supplies you’ll need as well as the process - use their guide as a reference, but try to buy the supplies locally if you can!
Digitizing & Protecting Your Images
Your film is developed…what now?
The next step is to scan your images and transfer them into a digital format. To do this you have several options.
If you’re taking your film to a local shop or sending it out for development, request that they scan the film and upload the digital files to a thumbdrive. This should be a standard service offering.
Purchase a film scanner. I use the Epson V550 and have been very impressed with its results. If you’ll be shooting film for the long term, a scanner will pay for itself.
You can use a digital camera to take photos of the negatives, then you can use a software to convert the negative image into a color image. This process requires some specialized equipment and a specific lens type. Not recommended unless there are no other options.
Once you have your images in digital format, make sure you back them up to an external hard drive as well as a cloud based service like Google Photos, Google Drive, iCloud, or DropBox.
You’ll also want to preserve the negatives. Grab some 35mm film sleeves and an archival film binder. With these you can keep your negatives for future scanning in case anything happens to the digital files. The sleeves and binder will protect the film from dust, scratches, and getting bent.
Additional Resources
Congratulations! You’ve gone through the process of shooting film from start to finish. It requires much more attention to detail than shooting digitally, but that’s the whole point. For me, photography is not only a hobby and a form of art, but also an exercise in mental health. When I’m working on my photography my daily worries seem to melt away - I’m totally focused on what I’m doing in that moment. That’s all I need from photography, which is part of why it is such a release.
Film amplifies this experience. From start to finish you are absorbed in a creative process that you have complete control over. Not only that, but film photos just have a certain feel to them that can’t be replicated with digital images.
There are TONS of resources online for the aspiring film photographer. Google will take you where you need to go, but here are a couple I use regularly:
Lghtmtr - I use this app for metering on my film cameras that do not have a functioning built in light meter.
Ken Rockwell - Ken is an awesome photographer with lots of information on his site. He’s reviewed basically every film camera and film invented, and is an awesome resource for those looking to purchase a camera, learn about films, or get tips on shooting.
Youtube - Film Resources
