Recent Film Photography Articles

I Lined Beer Cans with Photographic Paper and Here's What I Found 6 Months Later

This low-tech alternative to digital photography can produce stunning art. Last year, I've recovered five out of ten “cameras." Some are found by others and stolen, others are simply blown off by a passing storm. Yet others are removed by bomb squads... I'm sharing these pictures with you, which are scanned negatives of black and white photographic paper. The brightest parts are the sun's streaks, burnt and etched in the paper - along with bubbles, rips and sand that texturize the images in bizarre ways.

Photographer Beth Moon Spends 14 Years Photographing the World's Oldest Trees

Beth Moon is a photographer who specializes in classic black and white imagery. Over the last 14 years she has been traveling the world documenting the oldest and largest trees on the planet. To promote her new book "Ancient Trees: Portraits in Time," Moon has shared this behind-the-scenes video of her platinum printing darkroom process which is pretty interesting to watch. Platinum printing is viewed by many to be the absolute best form of archival printing, and Moon's results are absolutely gorgeous.

Searching for the Perfect Panoramic Camera

A few years back, I managed to find a beater of a Hasselblad XPan for a song. I've tried to find a shooting style that would help me stand out from the crowd, and the panoramic format appealed to me. I didn't realize it at the time, but this purchase sent me down a rather obsessive path, trying to find the best panoramic cameras for news and editorial work.

How to Get the Film Photography Experience With Digital Cameras

Oftentimes, film photographers cite the slower, more considered pace and style of shooting film as one of the biggest reasons to shoot it. While that may be the case, it's a limitation that you can bring to the digital world with little lost in the process.

Why I Still Shoot Film

Some say film is dead. And while I have to concede that at times, it can seem like it's certainly on a few crutches, I can't say it's dead... Because in reality, it's the most live photography medium I know. And so, I still shoot film. If it's something you've been curious about or if you've been wanting to try it out but don't know how to get started, this is for you.

Paris Through Pentax | Behind the Scenes

Mathieu Maury and Antoine Pai are two photography and filmmaking enthusiast who decided to launch a production and advertising company called Maison Carnot. They are passionate about finding new subjects and ways to explore what surrounds them. Based on this philosophy, they came up with the short film "Paris through Pentax".

Getting Into Medium Format on a Budget: Fstoppers Reviews the Mamiya RB67

Getting into medium format is quite costly. It’s difficult to know if the investment is going to be worth it and if it’s going to match your current workflow. Medium format has a tendency to slow you down, kind of like film. When I tried my first Phase One, I couldn’t afford one. So I went with the cheapest alternative I could find, the Mamiya RB67 Pro-S. Here’s why I’m glad I made that move but also why it doesn’t replace a digital medium-format system.

It’s About Time You Started Shooting Film

Film photography has been enjoying a strong revival in the last few years. If you’ve yet to try it, it’s about time you jump on the film photography bandwagon.

The Contax T2: The Best, Most Expensive Point-and-Shoot Film Camera Ever Made?

The Contax T2 was a luxury compact rangefinder released in 1991, combing excellent image quality and controls that have since made it a desirable option for film aficionados. Contax no longer exists and T2s now sell for thousands of dollars. Why do they cost so much and are they worth the investment?

The Pain of Shooting Film and Why It's Worth It

When you're shooting film, especially large format film, you have a lot of time to think. When your hands are in a bag and you're loading or unloading many sheets of film, the mind tends to wander and probably the subject that crosses my mind the most is "why?" Shooting digitally would be so much faster. I could be out having a beer somewhere! I could be editing some images in Photoshop from an editorial gig that I've been putting off. Hell, I could be practicing my juggling skills (or learning to juggle). So, why am I instead up to my elbows in this bag, enduring the necessary tedium of film life? Here are some common doubts I have and the reasons I push past them!

Adapt or Perish: AI Is to Digital What Digital Was to Analog

AI this, AI that. I know, we're all getting a bit fatigued with the conversation. But, the truth is, it is looking as if it will be the next major evolution in many industries, photography included. And so, it's worth reminding ourselves that we must adapt or perish.
Developing Medium Format Film With Coffee

Developing your own rolls of film has been popular ever since it was necessary and is something all photographers should try at least once. In this video, that's exactly what happens, but using coffee to do so!

'Planet Earth II' Is BBC's Most Cinematic Series Yet, Here's How

How did technology make "Planet Earth" so much more cinematic? If we go back to how it was done back in the day and compare it to the technology we have today, it's quite a leap. Back in the day 35mm was the broadcast standard. The 35mm cameras were bulky and heavy, they were perfect for studio and not for the shots that they needed. In the filming circles and the BBC insiders saw 16mm film as being for amateurs. But, thanks to David Attenborough first taking his 16mm camera out to shoot abroad and coming back with footage of animals never filmed before, it changed opinions. This made the program that later became one of the best wildlife documentaries of all time.

These Are the Best Film Cameras to Buy in 2022

Film has seen quite a resurgence in the last few years, and after over a century of production, the number of used cameras available can be a bit overwhelming. If you are interested in getting into film but are not sure which camera is right for you, this helpful video will show you a variety of different styles at various price points to help you choose the right one for you.

Inspirational Words From Photography Legend Henri Cartier-Bresson

I believe one of the best ways we can stay motivated as artists is to study the art and words of some of the legends of our craft. Inspired by the words of Henri Cartier-Bresson, film maker Eli Sinkus of 522Productions.com put together this short 2-minute film which I loved. While it is important to take lots of photos, as photographers we need to remember that sometimes we should put the camera down and enjoy moments as well. Read on to learn about one that I experienced this past week while on vacation.

The Contax 645 AF: A Very Longterm Review

The Contax 645 AF is a relatively small and lightweight medium format film camera dating from the late 1990s. It’s a camera that will largely appeal to analog photographers looking to benefit from the greater resolution of 120 film, while still retaining many of the advantages of a 35mm SLR in terms of speed and mobility.

The Camera That Follows Me Everywhere

Early on as photographers, advice you often receive is to take your camera everywhere. I did this as a beginner and have advised others to do the same. That said, this camera is one I carry for a different reason, and here’s why.

Rack Focusing Made Easy With FocusMaker

Anyone getting started out in DSLR video production can tell you that one of the biggest frustrations for them is changing focus during a shot. This is where FocusMaker comes in. It attaches to any lens and in just a few minutes you can have focus points marked on the big ruler, and easily jump back and forth from focus point to focus point.

Behind The Scenes – Up The Ante With A GoPro

I’ve always been enthralled with first person movie scenes, games and music videos. Clocking countless hours with Duke Nukem 3D in my parent’s basement on an old Packard Bell PC planted a seed that forever changed me. To this day I think The Prodigy's breakbeat electronic hit “Smack My Bitch Up” is one of the greatest first person videos of all time.

Instant Film Is More Meaningful Than Digital Photography

I recently picked up a Mint RF70, a fully manual camera designed to accept Fuji’s Instax Wide film. After capturing a few images with it over the past few days, I’m reminded of why I love instant film so much. Yes, it’s magical watching a print develop right in front of you, but that has nothing to do with why instant film is so exceptional.

Is The Future Of Mobile Filmmaking Closer Than We Think?

While there’s never been a sure fire way to win work and sustain a living as a photographer or film maker, and particularly not today given how much change we are seeing, having your own unique vision can help set you apart from the crowd. Young film maker Paul Trillo has shown time and again how an interesting perspective can separate him and his work from the pack. After watching his recent innovative short, you'll likely never be able to look at your phone in the same way again.

Kodak to Bring Back T-Max P3200 High-Speed Film, Can Push to ISO 25,000

If you've ever wanted a film that you can shoot the way you can shoot with your digital camera in the dark, you'd normally be looking for the discontinued Kodak T-Max P3200. But now, thanks to a few coy teasers on Instagram, Kodak is telling us we're getting it very, very soon.

From the Archives: Stories From Life Magazine's Greatest Photographers

Life magazine was known for its large format photojournalism. In 1984, filmmaker David Hoffman made this not-to-be-missed television documentary about the history of Life, which included interviews with some of their greatest photojournalists. It's just as interesting today, if not more, than it would have been back then.
A Review of a Classic Medium Format Film Camera

Though film has long since fallen to digital, it is still a passion for many photographers, and medium format film still offers the beauty of large negatives that are not matched in size even by the most expensive of digital options. This awesome video review takes a look at one of the best options from yesteryear, the Mamiya 645.

5 Compact Film Cameras Ricoh Pentax Should Bring Back

On December 20, 2022, Ricoh Imaging made an announcement that few in the photography community saw coming. The owners of the Ricoh and Pentax lines of cameras announced that they are looking at making film cameras again.

Lessons Learned from Shooting Large Format Photography

Sometimes you just need to slow down. Last year, I shot just north of 95,000 digital photographs. That may not seem like a lot to some of you wedding photographers out there, but it was enough to make me take a step back and want something else. How many did I throw away? How many were made without thought or conviction? This was enough to trigger the impulse to try something new, and that something new was large format photography.

Adventures in Large Format Photography: A Beginner's Perspective

It happened. After years upon years of drooling over large format photographs in books and on the internet, I finally pulled the trigger. I got a 4x5 camera. Many of the masters I've looked up to used large format for their portraits and I've always wanted to try my hand. Here are my first observations of trying to tame the beast. First thing I noticed: this isn't easy.

Be Inspired In 20 Minutes Or Less – Watch ‘Light and Shadow’ by Zacuto

Sometimes it's useful to stop, take stock and just remember why it is we shoot what we do, and what we are trying to do with our work. With this in mind, and to stoke the fires of your inspiration, the filmmaking accessories manufacturer, Zacuto, recently released ‘Light & Shadow’, a wonderful 20 minute film by Steve Weiss which asks searching questions from some legendary American cinematographers.

Bazaar Magazine Fashion Editorial Shot Entirely On Film

These days it's hard to come by a fashion shoot that's not shot with a digital camera. That's why when Fstoppers discovered on a Facebook Film Shooters group that Indonesian based photographers Wirawan Sanjaya and partner Gaillard Mathieu had convinced the editors at Bazaar Magazine to allow him to shoot the entire editorial on film, we just had to reach out! The stakes were high, but his results were stunning.

What Makes Steve McCurry Tick?

I'm always fascinated by what makes the best photographers think they way they do. What shapes their ways of seeing? In the current climate of photography, it's easy to get lost in everything technical. We can often lose sight of the most important thing about photography...why we photograph. In this video from Steve McCurry's Youtube channel, we get a glimpse at what goes on in the master mind of perhaps the world's greatest living photographer.

Is Macro Photography for You?

Photography authorship has historically been very one-sided. In this video, Vuhlandes is quick to confess that making photographs has historically been a medium for those few people who had the resources by way of money and time to make images.

How to Set up Your Camera for Night Time Street Photography

Heading out into the night with your camera can be an adventure, especially in a city full of people and bright lights. In this short video, street photographer Robin Schimko gives you quick run through of how to pick the best settings for your camera when photographing in low light, including some particularly good tips if you’re shooting film.

Canon Finally Closes the Door on Film Cameras

A few days after Leica announced the end of production of the M7, Canon has announced the discontinuation of the 1V, its last remaining film camera, after the last remaining stock was sold, bringing an end to the storied history of film cameras made by the industry giant.

Get a Glimpse of How They Made the Most Ambitious Single Shot Film Ever Made

The long take has been a staple of film for decades, showing off a director's capability at managing a set and camera movement. Some directors have been ambitious enough to create entire films using a "single shot," which are really many shots cleverly stitched together to appear as one long, continuous take. But none have been as ambitious as Sam Mendes with his upcoming film, "1917."

The Unique and Powerful Capabilities of a Large Format Camera

Large format photography is probably the most technical and methodical process of all methods of shooting, but you're rewarded with prints that have mind-blowing renderings and resolution. Along with that technical process come some pretty unique powers, however. This video shows off one such capability and how it helped the photographer realize his creative vision.

Sven Dreesbach's Short Film 'Willow Creek' Is a Haunting Cinematic Surf Video - Shot on an iPhone 5s

Willow Creek is what Sven Dreesbach calls a “proof of concept and workflow” for an eventual surf film he’d like to make – but, as it stands, it’s a short film that achieves a lot in its own right. Shot with an iPhone 5s and color-graded using Davinci Resolve, Dreesbach produced a very moving piece of cinema that has an erie but mystical vibe to it - thanks in part to the Ry X track Shortline accompanying the film. Sven was gracious enough to talk with Fstoppers a bit about the hows and whys behind crafting this stunning short film.