Film Photography

For the longest time, digitizing film was both the best and worst part of being a film photographer. In walks pixl-latr, and the world of digitization is forever different.  

Polaroid has announced the Now+, an instant camera that gives users a new level of control through its Bluetooth connection to an app on your smartphone. 

Very often in photography, things go very wrong. In this video, Nicole Small shares her successes and failures in developing cyanotypes. 

The story of Polaroid offers a fascinating insight into the evolution of camera technology. Once a titan of the photographic industry, Polaroid failure to innovate and anticipate the shift to digital led to its bankruptcy, but a return to analog processes has breathed new life into this former giant. 

Photography as a job and as a hobby are two very different things. For professional photographers, this distinction means consistently working at their practice, rather than at certain points or only if inspiration strikes.  

Street photography is perhaps one of the most celebrated and ubiquitous forms of the art of photography. Names like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Vivian Maier, and William Eggleston pervade any list of "greatest photographers of all time," so if you also want to try your hand at it, what is the best way way to approach it?

With film photography becoming more popular by the month, what accessories might you need to complement your gear, make life easier, and keep your equipment ticking over? Here are ten refreshingly affordable items to add to your setup. 

Imagine unwittingly spending $15 at a garage sale on an old camera body and a couple of lenses and later discovering that you’ve bought some Leica gear that’s worth more than seven thousand dollars. 

I was super excited to see a new YouTube channel launch recently that is not only dedicated to film photography, but is produced just down the road from me on Australia’s stunning Gold Coast. I was even more excited when I saw there was a video about shooting Polaroids. 

One photographer, while on a road trip across part of the U.S, had the chance to try a pinhole camera currently in development. The results are beautiful, and if you enjoy film and large format photography, this is well worth your time. 

I love everything about shooting film. I love the feel of it, I love the cameras, I love the surprise of seeing the images, I love the community. I love it so much I set up my own film photography podcast called Matt Loves Cameras. 

Film photography has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, and there are literally hundreds of used film camera models available to choose from, which can lead to a bit of decision paralysis. So, what kind of film camera is right for you? This great video discusses three different kinds of film cameras, their pros and cons, and which is the right kind for you.  

The film community is a pretty friendly place. I've made a lot of good mates all over the world since launching my film photography podcast, "Matt Loves Cameras," three years ago.  

If you're like most photographers, you think there are three factors affecting depth of field. In that case, you would be incorrect - there are indeed four factors affecting depth of field. Do you know what they are? 

Is this the coolest film packaging ever? Kosmo Foto’s new “Agent Shadow” film has been fully funded on Kickstarter with four days to go. The film is scheduled to be shipped from September 2021.   

Fujifilm Instax cameras are some of the most popular instant cameras on the market. In some sense, Fujifilm Instax cameras have revived instant photography. With all the different-sized film and types of cameras available, it can be difficult choosing the right one for you. Here is a comparison that might be of help.  

Film photographers revere only one thing as much as the camera they're shooting with, and that's film stocks. Every film photographer has some favorites, but here are one photographer's picks that won't cost you the earth. 

For the past several years, the film community has seen a surprisingly strong revival that has brought with it some new film stocks, the return of old favorites, and unsustainable high prices. 

One of the best parts of photography, speaking from my own experience, is all the amazing creative people I have had the opportunity to collaborate with and all the great places I’ve been able to experience. In this video, Mike Gray really pushes the envelope by creating fashion images under harsh sunlight on a helipad.

Most photographers are familiar with three types of cameras: the DSLR, mirrorless, and rangefinder. However, a fourth type, the TLR, offers a completely different and rather fun medium format film shooting experience.

Few camera brands have ever been able to achieve the same reputation that Contax film cameras managed to achieve during the height of film. A large part of that reputation came from the Contax G1.  

Given the growing interest in film photography, should Canon and Nikon consider making brand new versions of the AE1 or FM2 for today’s retro enthusiasts? 

There's one thing in particular that I'm really looking forward to when I next visit the United States: hunting through thrift stores for bargains. I love all sorts of vintage and retro items, but top of my list is film cameras. 

There are literally thousands and thousands of 35mm film cameras that have been produced over the last 100 years or so, and more are being manufactured even now. However, there's one camera that sits at the top of the tree, at least for me. 

I went back to shooting film recently, and I couldn't believe how different the process was. It isn't just taking a photo without the live view screen, it really is a different world. A world that you should experience if you want to improve as a photographer. 

Ever wonder how film works? A recent video from SmarterEveryDay covers this topic in great detail describing how film works. 

Unlike digital photography, where pretty much all the style is added in the editing process, in film photography, you are making a significant creative decision the moment you choose which film to put in your camera. So, how do you know which to choose?

In the film world, it doesn’t take long before you start to get hooked on the idea of shooting medium format. Why, you ask? By this time, no reason whatsoever.  

We are lucky to live in an era where we have vastly powerful cameras that can tackle extreme situations with ease, but of course, that was not always the case. This neat video follows a pair of photographers shooting long-exposure landscape images, one with a modern camera setup and one with a few older film cameras, one almost a century in age.  

There are more and more people by the day looking to get into film. And why not, right? Depending on what you’re looking for, it may be too late. 

Don’t you just love a good old-fashioned photographic shootout? Giving yourself a new challenge is not only fun, but it’s a fantastic way to unleash your creativity: you either sink or swim.  

Film photography has seen a real resurgence in the last few years, but after a few decades firmly in the digital age, many photographers have never even picked up a film camera and might not be sure how to get started. If you are interested in shooting film and ready to begin your journey, this excellent video tutorial will help you get up and running in no time.  

The popularity of film is still on an upward trajectory with no signs of slowing down. With the film world changing constantly, it’s time to update the list of underrated and overrated film cameras. 

Photography, like anything, has its trends that rise and fall, seemingly at random. Except it never is at random, and the latest trend of film point-and-shoot cameras has seen a surge in the last few years. 

If you enjoy adapting vintage lenses to modern cameras, this review of a lens from the 1950s and 1960s, might be for you. 

The Nikon FA is the arguably the best valued, vintage, manual focusing 35mm film camera you can buy today. It’s light weight, wonderfully modern for a vintage camera, and the built-in aperture priority mode makes use of the most modern metering of its day which is still unrivaled.  

What’s the longest exposure you’ve ever taken? Thirty seconds? A few minutes? Check out this camera that shoots a ten million-second exposure of the Sun — depending on how long you leave it tied to your roof. 

The different experiences felt when shooting analog compared to digital is well known to photographers, but what is it about film photography that makes it so appealing to the point that ever more of us are picking up second-hand cameras from more than 25 years ago? 

Few cameras have been able to reach the same level of cult following that the Olympus XA has built up in recent years. Does the camera deserve the hype? 

Occasionally, I'll come across a camera that really excites me as a photographer. This offering by Fujifilm may be the weirdest camera I've ever seen, and I love it! 

Film photography has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, and it is a fun way to explore your creativity and experience a different way of making images. If you are new to film photography, this excellent video tutorial will provide you with a variety of helpful tips to get you up and running in no time.  

Wet plate photography is an old technique that still has a number of fans today. But is the process dangerous to the photographer? 

Film photography has seen a bit of a resurgence in the last few years, and if you are just getting into it, the vast array of cameras out there can be a bit overwhelming at first. This great video review takes a look at a classic camera and a great choice for trying out film, the Canon A-1.  

Thrift stores aside, this is probably the cheapest way to dip a toe into the world of film photography: a build-your-own camera for $35. What could possibly go wrong? 

Fujifilm's INSTAX line of cameras have been wildly popular for the company, providing photographers and casual users alike an easy and fun way to take photos that harken back to the days of instant film in the 1970s and 1980s. The Mini 40 is the latest model in the lineup, and this great video review takes a look at how it holds up in practice.  

Bit rot, or the slow deterioration in the performance and integrity of data stored on various forms of digital storage media, is a real concern for photographers. Over time, digital photos degrade and some even become totally defective. The best insurance against this problem may actually be analog film.  

Many argue for their own approach to making photographs. Some people are analog shooters, some are digital, all have their opinion as to which approach is best or superior. I say try them all. 

For many people who are into film, medium format is seen as being a natural next step moving on from 35mm. The issue is, of course, that medium format cameras have become very expensive in the last couple years.  

For the overwhelming majority of people, shooting on color film means dropping it off at a lab and waiting for it to be developed. But what if the film came with a weird box and some awful smelling chemicals so that you could develop it at home? 

Shooting film might be a dying industry, but don’t let that hold you back from the joy of this lost art. I would also argue that occasionally shooting a film will make you a better photographer! The same things we love about our digital cameras are the things that make us lazy.