Go analog with film photography.

Capture the moment.

Before digital photography entered the scene, all photos were made with light-sensitive rolls of film. From there, film photographers would develop the rolls and print their photos in a darkroom; a physical process that lets artists get up close and personal with photography as a medium. Film photography gives you total control over image exposure and shutter speed, and the ability to print and enlarge images can help artists better understand how photos are made.

While film can be a great way to explore the ins and outs of photography, it comes with 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.

During film photography, a roll of light-sensitive film is placed within the camera. When the shutter of the camera is open, the film is exposed to light and an impression is captured. After the exposure is made, the photographer rolls the film forward so a fresh section of unexposed film is ready for the next photo. In some manual cameras, you can roll the film backward and shoot over the same piece of film multiple times to create a double exposure. When the roll has all been shot, it’s removed from the camera and developed.

“One important thing to realize about digital cameras is that the brand of camera, like Nikon or Canon, doesn’t really matter; your image will kind of look the same. And 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. The inner workings of 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 35mm cameras, medium format, and large format. These formats translate to the size of the physical film that fits in the camera. And the larger the film negative, the better the resolution of your final image. For smaller formats, like 35mm, 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. Digital cameras are more expensive upfront, but there’s no extra cost accumulated for every photo you take. But keep in mind, you can’t shoot 35mm film inside a medium format camera. So before purchasing film or a camera, consider the kind of photos you want to create before investing in the equipment.

Photographic film.

When it comes to film, there are a few options to consider. “These days, you can generally buy 35mm 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 in color. Black-and-white film is a little easier to develop yourself, but color film gives you room to experiment with tints and shades. Different brands of film, like Fujifilm and Kodak, can give you different color saturation or contrast as well. Try a few different brands and see which works best for your artistic needs.

Beyond the color of the film, you also have a choice between film positives and film negatives. Negatives capture an inverted image of your photo, which allows for easier photo printing in a darkroom. Positive film creates positive images on a transparent base. “One of the big differences between color negatives and color positives is exposure latitude, which is the dynamic range of the film itself,” explains Jenkins. Keep in mind that each type of film has different parameters and considerations.