A blog post by Darkroom 8 Team
In an age where everything is digitized and instant, film photography is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Does that make digital photography any better than film? Yes and no. Short answer is that neither is superior than the other. Comparing both is like comparing apples to oranges, it all comes down to preference. For those that are new and hoping to give it a try, I will be sharing why I chose film instead in this digital era. Hopefully this quick blog post will help you in starting your film journey!
SLOW & STEADY
When I shoot with film, I tend to take my time and slow down the process. I find myself observing and appreciating my surroundings more. For each shot I’ll take my time to frame it then only I’ll press the shutter button. Without a digital preview, film photography forces you to rethink your approach. For newcomers, it may sound daunting but don’t let that stop you from giving it a try. Afterall, practice makes perfect. Just keep trying and experimenting around until you’re familiar with your gear. Personally I also believe that good results require time. It may not be instant gratification but the final outcome is well worth the wait.
THE GRAIN
Grain is a film photography term, and its digital counterpart is ‘noise’. Grain makes an image feel ‘real’ and nostalgic, it is undeniable one of the reasons why I first started falling in love with film photography. The oh-so-smooth texture feels like a reminiscence of a distant past or a faded memory that a sharp digital image simply cannot replicate. For me, I prefer my grain fine hence I usually shoot with film rolls rated at ISO 400 or below.
FINDING A FAVOURITE ROLL
Another fun thing about film photography is that you’re able to achieve a different look and feel with various film rolls. There are so many choices to choose from based on your personal liking and budget. When I’m travelling around, I tend to shoot with Kodak Portra 400 on 35mm because of the soft and pastel look. It’s also very forgiving in metering your shots because it usually holds up pretty well even when overexposed by 2 stops or more. If you’re looking for something accessible to start off with, Kodak Colorplus 200 is a good choice. It’s widely available and has the yellow/warm cast to it which gives a nice vintage feel.
Most importantly, just have fun! Learning is a never ending process so experiment around and eventually your confidence will slowly grow as well. All the best! :^)
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