Tips and Tricks to Mix and Match to Get the Film Look

Who doesn't love film photography? Who doesn't love the convenience of digital? Why not have both?

Brought to you by Kyle McDougall, this video runs through five tips, tricks, and techniques for emulating the "film look" through your digital work. Kyle has really been leading the charge on blending the use of both film and digital when most of the photography world has stuck to one or other, occasionally bouncing between the two. As such, it was really nice to hear about his approach to making one cohesive portfolio of work, regardless of the medium. 

In all honesty, I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with emulating film in my digital work. I've largely come to love the look of different film stocks (particularly Kodak Portra 800) and even as I move towards shooting more digital, I still want my photographs to look the same. Conversely, if I really wanted my photograph to look like it was taken on film, I would/should just shoot it on film. That being said, film is expensive and not always a practical thing to shoot, so knowing how to emulate it is a worthwhile thing if you enjoy the look. 

James Madison's picture

Madison is a mathematician turned statistician based out of Columbus, OH. He fell back in love with film years ago while living in Charleston, SC and hasn't looked back since. In early 2019 he started a website about film photography.

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15 Comments

A 15 minute video.. ok maybe it's great, but first, just give me that list...

I have read too many of these articles. For God's sake.....if you want that film "look".....just SHOOT FILM. You have options after that as well.

I can't use "just" and "shoot film" in the same sentence :-)

Yeah...I get it. Same with me lol. But maybe I should have said....shoot film. There...is that better???😅😀

I have a turntable.

You still have one of those things?? What are you thinking? Hey wait....keep it. Later on it could be worth a LOT!! But no, that could happen. What brand is it?

Technics, from 70s or 80s. Works well. At least with the turntable I can imagine actually impressing someone. It's much harder to get anyone to look at film photos :-)

If you know the model and year it was made I will look it up for its current value and projected future value. I was in Vietnam in the 70's. And psych hospital after that. Lovely years.

SL-L24 but don't know the year. Quality gear but not top of the line. Works perfectly and sounds great.

Good. I can find out the year via the model but it should be on the manufactures tag. Or just give the serial number.

Sticker on back...

So far the price ranges in the low to mid hundred dollars. But Technics is a very good company for turntables. I would just keep it. I bought a Hasselblad in 2007 for just $115 (body). Look what they're going for now. So hang in to it.

It belonged to my uncle, who's gone now. No plan to ever sell it :-)

It's fun to go to a used vinyl shop once in a while, buy some crazy thing and spin it at home.

Well, if you, personally, enjoy shooting film, how do such articles interfere with that or prevent you from doing so? I shoot film too, but don't mind using film profiles in digital either.

Oh, it doesn't. I'm just ranting. Most of what i do is on film and then digitize it, but i do digital work also. I just like the feel of film...and using those great, old cameras. I guess I'm showing my age.