IS IT WORTH SHOOTING FILM?
THE ANSWER IS YES
I have been shooting in digital for about ten years, but last year I got an odd urge to switch things up and learn the art of film photography. I did a lot of research and watched endless amounts of youtube videos and began to follow film only accounts on Instagram. I was captivated by the emotions each picture provoked, so it was there my journey into film started. I was lucky years ago a good friend of mine gave me a Canon AE-1 that I had as a trophy on the shelf. I wiped off the dust and bought a battery and film and was amazed that it still worked. The first-ever roll of film I shot was in Half-Moon Bay California; since then, I have traveled to Colorado and the southern California Desert. I have dedicated time to create film only galleries which have been a ton of fun.
CREATIVE BOOST
When I shot in digital, I can take hundreds and thousands of photos with absolutely no regrets. I can aim my camera at anything and everything and never miss a moment. This sounds like a dream, but in reality, it stunned my creativity. When I started shooting in film, it created a bit of discipline with only 24-36 exposures; I took pictures only when something truly caught my eye. It sounds crazy, but with this mindset, it makes it difficult to go through a roll of 36 exposures. Also, I take into account the cost of the roll plus developing on average a roll of film is around $5 do the math, and each time I release the shutter, it costs me roughly 16 cents a picture for a roll of 36 exposures.
SIMPLICITY
A film camera is a bare-bone fundamental piece of equipment; there are no fancy buttons, complicated settings, or a screen to see the images. Some film cameras don’t even require batteries to function. The best thing about shooting film is how connected I feel to my surroundings since it’s basic to use; it means less time struggling with buttons. I am more engaged with people and more focused on taking the next picture. I spend all day on the computer, so being able to go out not behind another little screen is nice sometimes. The only semi-hard thing to do is to choose a film.
CHEAPER TO START
When starting 35mm film, the investment to very minimal vs. digital. There are so many avenues when it comes to finding and buying a film camera. The first place to check is eBay; there is a large number of used cameras that tend to be in great shape for a good price. A Canon AE-1 can start at around 100-127 dollars; the same goes for a Pentax K-1000. I wound strongly advise getting a film camera that is tested; the last thing is to get a camera that is trash. The cost of the film is reasonably cheap; it usually starts at five rolls for $20. This is for the cheaper stocks like Kodak Color Plus 200. The one thing about the film, although it’s reasonable to start, it starts getting expensive. The best way to save is to buy a scanner and develop the rolls of film at home. The process of developing color film is straightforward check out my Youtube (How to develop color film). Color film uses a chemical cocktail known as C-41 these chemicals are highly toxic so be careful.
THE FILM STOCK!
The best thing about film is DUH THE FILM!!!! There are so many options from color to black and white; there is even Lomography film. This is a great way to out more and photograph things. Each film offers something a little different, looking for a clean and fine grain the Kodak Portra Series the route to check out. What about bright and contrasty? Then the best would be the Ektar series. There is even one company CineStill that creates 35mm film that is made from an actual motion picture film, which is unusual. There is also a wide range of film that comes in different ISOs from 100-800 each can shot in different light settings—heading to the beach load in Kodak Ektar 100. Maybe a night shoot? I would for the Portra 800. The possibilities are endless; just be sure to start with the cheaper films getting into 35mm film requires some practice and patience. The last worst thing to do is to get a bunch of expensive films and later realize all the pictures look awful. There is also a market for expired film, which depending on how it was stored, can create a Lomography look, but discretion advised I do this when I am feeling lucky. Check out my how-to shot expired film.