Recent Film Photography Articles

A Fascinating Look at How Film Cameras Superimposed Dates on Photos

If you have ever shot with certain film cameras of the past, you have probably noticed that the prints came back to you with the date of capture superimposed on them in the bottom corner. It is a neat and very useful function, and this fun video will show you how cameras of the past made it happen.

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."

Large Format Is Still Completely Unrivaled: Canon 5DS R Versus 4x5 Large Format Film

Over the last couple of months, I've been getting to know a photographer called Adam French who lives in the same city as me. French is a photographer who primarily shoots with a large format film camera. I was utterly blown away by some of the work he produced, and I asked him if he'd be interested in working with us on a YouTube video.

Shooting Portraits With Vintage Land Polaroid Cameras and Peel-Apart Film

A photographer visited the factory of analog concept store Supersense in Austria to document the team who is creating a new way to use vintage Land Polaroid cameras and shoot Peel-Apart instant film. In his two-part video blogs, Mathieu Stern revealed how the collective of photographers is creating the FP-100C film that is no longer produced by Fuji.

Why You Shouldn't Learn Photography on Film

We often hear that learning on film is a quick way to learn all of the basics, because every mistake will cost you money, but I recently heard a differing opinion that opened my eyes.

Could You Take the Disposable Camera Challenge?

Us photographers love our expensive gear that features the best quality in optics, autofocus, sensor design, and more and offers us the utmost control of every last setting. So, could you take a shooting challenge with the lowest quality camera and absolutely no control over any settings? Check out this fun disposable camera challenge.

A Fully Automatic Film Lab For Your Home

Film use is definitely on the rise. However, when you start to play around with this admittedly archaic technology, one fact of life rears its head very quickly: the film needs to be processed. Although you can go the lab route, I've always found a certain satisfaction in processing my film myself. For those of us with means, however, there may be another option: The Filmomat!

Photographing a Laundromat for Six Months

In the modern world, very few of us take the time to slow down and really explore the best possible expression of a subject. With much of the photography industry being results focused in the fast-moving market we live in and even personal work being shared directly to social media for instant gratification, very few of us take the time to photograph a laundromat for six months.

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.

You’re Making a Mistake if You’re Not Telling Your Friends to Start With Film

Photography is a dream job for many, and everyone thinks we’re so lucky to do it. To that extent, they also all “would love to get more into photography.” While we get pretty good at sifting out which of our friends are actually serious about that goal, here are a few suggestions for how to get over the biggest barrier to entry by starting with film.

Behind the Scenes at Ilford Photo's Factory

Far from dying out, film photography still has a place in many people's hearts. One of the companies which has warmly occupied this space is Harman technology Limited, which has been trading as Ilford Photo since 2005. This lovely short film documents what still goes on in their factory today.

The Fun of Shooting With a 150-Year-Old Camera

Modern cameras are rather remarkable pieces of technology that make capturing stunning images even in the most difficult shooting scenarios easier than ever. But there is still a lot of magic in the early processes of yesteryear. This awesome video goes behind the scenes of shooting with a camera that's a century and a half old.

A Behind the Scenes Look at How Instant Film is Made

Old school instant cameras have long been a popular alternative to traditional film or digital photography. The film they use and images they produce have a quality unlike any other medium.

The 22 Year Old Repairing Old Film Cameras

Old film cameras captivate so many people in the photography industry, but they are a depletable resource that will naturally dwindle. This 22 year old is working on countering that trend.

Alternative Processing Film: A Third Approach

In part of three of making prints of my shoot with Cognito, I made a kallitype from a film scan. A kallitype is an iron-based contact printing solution that yields a wonderful tonality that, in my opinion, can only be found in analogue printing. Here's a quick overview of the process and some thoughts on why you should venture out and try something different!

Jumping Back in to the Darkroom

As a sort of part 2 to my last video, I'm taking the black and white film from that same shoot and jumping into the darkroom. It's been a while since I've ventured in, so I thought it would be fun to take you along with me while I kicked off the cobwebs.

Shoot With Less to Create More Effectively

Let's be honest. While we as photographers have a troublesome relationship with gear at times, we could mostly do with a lot less of it. In yet another wonderful discussion, Nick Carver gives us his thoughts on hiring a wedding photographer, using less gear, choosing a rum as a digestif, and what it means to be a photographer.

Between the Lines: A Beautiful Short Film

Once in awhile, a story teller is able to capture something of what it means to be a photographer. Between the Lines is a short film showcasing beautiful cinematography and scenery. It is artfully and masterfully crafted and is possibly the most inspirational 13 minutes you will watch this year.

Negative Lab Pro 2.0: C41 Scanning Heaven!

Scanning film has always been a bit of a pain. However, with time comes progress, and Nate over at Negative Lab Pro has been doing some awesome work, making scanning C-41 film using a DSLR or mirrorless easier than ever. However, using Negative Lab Pro with a flatbed scanner has always been a bit lacking. That just changed with Negative Lab Pro 2.0 and an unlikely partner: Vuescan.

Developing Color Film Is a Lot Easier Than You Think

I enjoy shooting film from time to time. I like the process, the feel, and the whole "specialness" of it. Up until somewhat recently, I was afraid to develop myself, but this video from fantastic channel Eduardo Pavez Goye shows that developing film is a lot less scary than you may think.

Shooting Large Format Portraits for the First Time

Have you ever wondered about what goes into producing images with a large format film camera? Take a look behind the scenes as photographer Willem Verbeeck tries out large format portraiture for the first time.

Why Every Digital Photographer Should Also Shoot on Film

The disposability of digital imagery created a significant shift in the world of photography. As film stock gave way to megapixels, we changed the way that we shoot, and this insightful video from Jamie Windsor offers a few suggestions as to why it’s nice to go back in time every now and then.

A Review of One of the Weirdest Cameras of Yesteryear

Fujifilm has a storied history with film cameras, having created some bodies that are still beloved by photographers even to this day. This great review takes a look at one of the most unique of those cameras: the GA645.

Shooting a Challenging Large Format Photo

Large format photography is already a highly challenging genre, as it requires a lot of technical considerations other formats don't. This great video follows a photographer as he shoots a difficult scene with an 8x10 camera while walking you through his methods and creative decisions.

How to Organize and Digitize Old Photos

We live in a digital photo era but that doesn't mean that your old photos and negatives boxed up in the attic should be forgotten. The first step in preserving these is to get them organized. Next, you need to digitize old photos so they can be easily viewed and shared with others.

How I Shot This Fashion Editorial on 6x7 Film With Speedlights

I love shooting film, it's not always the best choice, but the idea that I am forced to slow down and really be sure I like my frame before I hit the shutter overall makes me shoot more efficiently, reduce the amount of culling at the end of the shoot (which is my least favorite part of any photoshoot to be honest), and with shooting with 6x7 I can get a very specific look that is hard to replicate with smaller sensors, for better and worse.

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.

The Joy of Shooting Medium Format Film on a Photo Walk

When was the last time you went on a photo walk, with no intentions other than simply photographing anything interesting you came across and enjoying some time doing what you love? This great video explores the idea of grabbing a film camera and heading on a casual photo walk.

Is This the Fastest and Easiest Way to Scan Films at Home?

If you’re a film aficionado, you’re probably used to trying to make the process of converting your negatives into print-ready digital files as painless as possible. One photographer has ditched his scanner in favor of an incredibly simple setup using his Fujifilm X-T3 and a rather unique Lightroom plugin.

The Truth Behind One of America’s Most Famous Photos

Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother” is an iconic representation of the Great Depression, and one of the most famous photos of all time. There’s more to the story than just the one famous image, however.

A Quiet Exploration of Early Morning Film Shooting

Cinestill, creators of the fabulous CineStill films and chemicals, have come out wth the first episode of their new "CineStill Frames" series, showcasing different photographers and their work. This first episode featuring Ben Parks is a dreamy, quiet exploration of the early morning.