Rediscovering Film Photography
The Analog Renaissance
In a world where we can snap 1,000 photos in a minute and delete them just as fast, film photography offers a refreshing antidote: Slowness.
With a roll of film, you only have 24 or 36 shots. Each click costs money. This limitation changes your psychology. You stop "spray and praying" and start truly looking. You check the corners of the frame. You wait for the perfect moment. You become a more deliberate photographer.
The Aesthetic of Imperfection
Digital sensors strive for perfection—zero noise, perfect sharpness. Film embraces character. The grain, the slight color shifts, and the "light leaks" add an emotional layer to the image that digital filters try (and often fail) to replicate.
Grain: Adds texture and feels "alive" compared to digital noise.
Dynamic Range: Film (especially negative film) is incredible at retaining highlight details. You can overexpose it and still get creamy skies.
Choosing Your Film Stock
Think of film stock like your sensor and your preset combined.
Kodak Portra 400: The gold standard for portraits. Incredible skin tones and warm, natural colors.
Fujifilm Superia: Tends towards greens and magentas. Great for street and travel photography with a moody vibe.
Ilford HP5 (B&W): A classic, versatile black and white film with beautiful contrast and grain structure.
The Delayed Gratification
The best part of film is the wait. You send your rolls to the lab and wait a few days. When you finally get the scans back, it’s like Christmas morning. You relive the memories you captured, often finding gems you forgot you took.
Conclusion
You don't need to abandon digital. But picking up an old SLR and shooting a few rolls of film will train your eye and teach you the fundamentals of exposure in a way that no digital screen can. It brings the magic back to photography.