Photography today has become an instant and convenient way of capturing life’s extraordinary and mundane moments. With our phones in our hands, we have the power to immortalize the moments that highlight our lives best. It’s as easy as 1,2,3, and all we need is one click to capture a breathtaking photo effortlessly.
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But even though digital photography has become the ultimate choice of many, some still value manual photography. In the last decade, film cameras have become popular because of their dreamy, hazy aesthetic. Many started posting scanned copies of their film photographs online, and since then, film photography has finally reentered its place in the market.
In a world where photography has become disposable, shooting moments, sceneries, and subjects manually exudes talent and creativity. When you shoot with film cameras, you showcase your photography mastery skills that do not come instantly. There also comes pride in mastering film photography and film processing that digital photography doesn’t have.
If you’re looking for a new hobby to try and learn, film photography is a great choice. Of course, we all have to start somewhere. If you’re a newbie in photography and want to learn to shoot in film, this post is for you. Here are five tips for film camera beginners.
If you’re still unsure about Film photography, try a Disposable Camera first
Since film cameras have become popular again, people buy disposable cameras to explore the film photography experience. Starting a hobby is sometimes a trial-and-error process. And to figure out whether you like to pursue something or not, you first have to try it.
Disposable cameras are affordable film cameras that you can throw away once you use all the film. In short, disposable cameras come as they are. There are no options for you to use other film types, customize the camera, or take more shots as you please.
If you like and enjoy how your photos turned out using disposable film cameras, it could be that you’re ready to start your film camera journey officially.
If you Enjoy your Photography experience with Disposable film cameras, It’s time to research the best 35mm Film cameras for you
If you find yourself enjoying the film photography process and are satisfied with the results of your shoot, it could be a sign that it’s time to take it seriously. With that, it’s time to research the best 35mm film camera that suits your budget.
Many professional film photographers recommend starting with a 35mm film camera. Most of them describe a 35mm film camera as less technical, yet, you can capture striking images when you know how to shoot accordingly. On top of that, 35mm cameras are also more budget-friendly than 120mm film cameras.
If you’re a student or a young professional looking into starting a photography hobby but have a tight budget, I suggest researching first. Big brands in the photography industry, such as Canon, Leica, Nikon, and more, have 35mm film cameras that starting photographers can choose from and buy.
Try Shooting the Same Subjects at different times of the day to Practice your Control in Shadow, Contrast, the Composition of the frame, and more
Film photographers say that your control of a photograph’s aspects will determine whether your shot will turn out great or not. In shooting with film cameras, it’s necessary to practice and master the skill of preserving the details in shadow.
When shooting using a digital camera, we often focus on exposing a photograph’s highlights. But with film cameras, overexposing could lead to losing a subject’s details in the shadows. If you notice this in your shots with the disposable camera, I suggest shooting one to three images at different times of the day to practice this.
This third tip will surely be a long, messy, and confusing process of trial and error. And that’s okay. Soon enough, you’ll master how to shoot without overexposing or underexposing the highlights.
Work on Shooting Moving subjects to Master your Shutter speed skill
According to professional film photographers, every shot you take is the perfect combination of shutter speed and exposure. After you master your control in shadow and exposure control with your film camera, it’s time to work on your shutter speed skill.
One of the best and most obvious ways to master that is by shooting moving subjects. If, for example, you want to practice freezing the action of your subject, you’ll have to be fast with your shutter speed. On the other hand, if you wish to blur the movement of your subject, the key is pressing the shutter speed slowly.
When you practice your shutter speed skills, you’ll be able to shoot various subjects as you wish. Whether a moving train or a person running, your photos will turn out great when you master your film camera’s shutter speed.
Keep all of your Films and have them processed so you can review your improvements
Film processing is one of the most exciting parts of film photography. Many film photographers spend hours processing their films in a dark room instead of bringing them into a photo printing lab. If there’s a photo printing laboratory near you that allows customers to process their films, I highly suggest you try it.
Even though this activity won’t help you improve your film shooting skills, it will help you appreciate the beauty of film photography. It could help you develop a deeper appreciation and meaning in what you do. By trying to process your films, you’ll realize how artistic and different manual photography is from digital.
In today’s digital and instantaneous world, give yourself the pleasure of experiencing and witnessing the craft and roots of photography through film processing.
These five tips should help you Navigate and Understand how your Film camera works
I hope you find my five simple tips helpful to your film photography journey. If you find it hard to practice one of the tips I shared, use the internet to your advantage. There’ll be thousands of resources that will help you hone your film photography skills. Soon enough, you’ll capture stunning film photographs effortlessly and naturally.
Bianca Banda is an ardent writer, aiming to share helpful information and ideas effectively and engagingly.
