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Go analog with film photography.
Dive into the roots of analog photography and uncover the rewarding process of shooting with film, developing your exposures, and printing your photos.
Capture the moment.
Film photography is making a comeback among Aussie photographers. Its tangible nature and unique charm set it apart from digital photography, encouraging a slower pace, a keen focus on composition, and the delightful anticipation of waiting for your developed photos.
Before digital photography took over, all photos were crafted using light-sensitive rolls of film. Film photographers would then develop these rolls and print their photos in a darkroom—a hands-on process that lets artists truly connect with the medium. Film photography offers total control over image exposure and shutter speed, and the ability to print and enlarge images can help you better understand the art of photography.
While film is a fantastic way to delve into the depths of photography, it involves a lot of trial and error. “With digital photography, you can learn really fast. But with film, you can take a photograph and not know what settings you used. You could get the perfect photograph, but you wouldn’t know why. With digital, you can go back to the metadata and see what f-stop and shutter speed you used,” explains photographer Ryan Mills.
Master your photography tools.
Film cameras.
In film photography, a roll of light-sensitive film is placed within the camera. When the shutter opens, the film is exposed to light, capturing an impression. After each exposure, the photographer advances the film so a fresh section is ready for the next shot. Some manual cameras allow you to roll the film back and create double exposures by shooting over the same piece of film multiple times. Once the roll is fully exposed, it's removed and developed.
“One important thing to realise about digital cameras is that the brand, like Nikon or Canon, doesn’t really matter; your image will kind of look the same. By the time people start editing photos, it’s difficult to tell what kind of camera that came from,” explains Mills. “With film, however, the cameras and the film all give different looks. And they all function a little bit differently.”
Many photographers use a Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera for their film photography, which uses a mirror and prism to create an exposure. These cameras allow photographers to look through the viewfinder and lens to see what will be captured within the frame. SLR cameras come in different formats, including 35 mm, medium format, and large format. The larger the film negative, the better the resolution of your final image. For smaller formats like 35 mm, the film grain will be more noticeable on the printed image.
“You can get analog cameras pretty cheaply, but it’s more expensive to shoot the film,” explains photographer Dillon Jenkins. While digital cameras have higher upfront costs, they don’t incur extra expenses for each photo taken.
Before purchasing film or a camera, consider the type of photos you want to create. Iconic Australian photographers like Max Dupain and Olive Cotton used medium format cameras to capture timeless images, and their legacy continues to inspire today. Mastering the manual controls on film cameras, especially exposure settings, is crucial for capturing Australia’s diverse lighting conditions, from harsh sunlight to vibrant sunsets. By carefully selecting your equipment and understanding these settings, you can bring your unique vision to life.
Photographic film.
When it comes to film, there are a few options to consider. “These days, you can generally buy 35 mm film and 120 medium format film. You may have heard the terms 120 and 220 format. They’re essentially the same medium format size film, but at different lengths,” explains Mills. With a longer roll of film, you can take more photos before replacing the roll. “You can get 10 to 12 shots out of 120 film and 22 to 24 shots out of 220 film,” notes Mills.
Film cameras can shoot in either black and white or colour. Black-and-white film is easier to develop yourself, but colour film allows you to experiment with different tints and shades. Different brands of film, like Fujifilm and Kodak, offer varying levels of colour saturation and contrast. Try a few different brands to see which works best for your artistic needs.
Beyond the colour of the film, you also have a choice between film positives and film negatives. Negatives capture an inverted image of your photo, making printing in a darkroom easier. Positive film creates positive images on a transparent base. “One of the big differences between colour negatives and colour positives is exposure latitude, which is the dynamic range of the film itself,” explains Jenkins. Each type of film has different parameters and considerations.
- Colour positive film has more colour and saturation and is often used in analog video cameras because it's easier to project.
- Colour negative film is flexible, but the colours can unintentionally shift if your camera settings are off.
- Black-and-white film is less expensive and more forgiving, making it ideal for home development.
Handling undeveloped film carefully is crucial to avoid light leaks or overexposure, especially during summer or in warmer parts of Australia.
How to shoot with film.
Understand your camera settings.
The exposure triangle is crucial in film photography. “I would start with digital photography, so you have a solid understanding of the fundamentals. With film, you’re going to be shooting everything manually,” says Mills. Since everything is manual, you need to understand how shutter speed, aperture, and ISO affect your photo. In film cameras, ISO is determined by the physical film.
Plan ahead for the shoot.
With film photography, you have a limited number of exposures. If you're planning to capture landscape photos, bring a few extra rolls of film to avoid running out before you reach the perfect viewpoint. Keeping a journal or log of your camera settings while shooting can be helpful. This way, you can learn from your successes and mistakes when reviewing developed images.
Trial and error happens.
“When it comes to analog photography, expect to make a lot of mistakes. And sometimes, you’ll like your mistakes. I think understanding how you made the mistake helps you to appreciate it,” explains Jenkins. “For example, one time my camera had broken, but it was still working. So I shot a roll of film with it. But the camera kept shooting for about 40 exposures, which was very weird. But what had happened was the spool had broken, so I had been taking photos over the same piece of film for two months, so it had about 30 photos on one frame.” Weird mistakes will happen with film photography, but those moments can help you to create something truly unique and unexpected.
How to process your film.
Developing your film.
After shooting a roll of film, it needs to be developed. One option is to mail the film to a developer. While film processing used to be common, it's now more of a specialty due to the rise of digital photography. Mail-in developers often offer various formats for your images, including processed film, prints, or digital images. Some well-known Australian film processing labs include Ikigai Film Lab and Rewind Photo Lab.
Build a darkroom.
Another option is at-home developing. For some film, you can order a developing kit with the necessary chemicals. If you have a dark basement or a windowless room, you could create a home darkroom. This gives you the flexibility to develop film camera photos and create your own prints. Black-and-white film is the easiest to develop at home and requires fewer chemicals.
To build a darkroom at home, you’ll need a dark space, a safelight, the right chemicals, distilled water, developer, fixer, trays, and gloves. You can purchase these at a specialty photography store or online. Load the film into the developing tube, mix your chemicals, pour in the developer, wash it, and then dry the negatives.
Print your photos.
Once the negatives are dry, you can print the photos. Use an enlarger to project your film negative onto photo-sensitive paper, creating test strips and prints by exposing the paper to light for varying durations.
Set up four trays with developer, fixer, stopper, and water. After exposing the photo paper to light, place it in the developer tray and watch the contrast and shadows emerge. Then move it to the fixer, stop bath, and finally rinse it in the water bath. The brand of paper and chemicals will affect the time your print stays in each solution. After that, hang your photo to dry, then frame it and enjoy.
Give your photos a digital touch.
While physically developing film is rewarding, achieving a specific artistic look can take a lot of experimentation. Another way to perfect your photos is by transforming them into digital images. Use a DSLR camera, photo scanner, or smartphone to capture high-quality shots of your film negatives or prints. Then, use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom to edit and enhance the images. If you’re not sure how to get started, check out these tutorials:
- Use the Adjustment Brush to dodge and burn an image, adjusting exposure and contrast in specific areas.
- Remove distracting objects in the background of your shot.
- Use selective editing tools in Lightroom, like the Brush tool or Radial Gradients, to edit specific parts of your photo.
- Learn how to edit out dust and scratches from images in Adobe Photoshop.
The journey of film photography.
Film photography fosters a deeper connection with the art form, offering a unique way to capture the essence of Australia. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, mastering the exposure triangle, camera settings, and your creative vision is essential. If you’re not ready to invest in a darkroom or an SLR camera, starting with a Polaroid or instant film camera can be a great option. This way, you’ll still experience the hands-on nature of film photography, but with a more accessible approach.
Do more with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
Enhance your film photography journey with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. This powerful tool makes it easy to edit photos, apply presets, and manage your projects with cloud storage. Share your film photography creations on Adobe's community forums to connect with a vibrant community of Australian photographers. Foster creativity, exchange tips, and find inspiration together. Start your analog adventure with Adobe today and elevate your film photography to the next level.