In the old days—well, actually not that long ago—photographers had no choice but to use film. There was simply no other way to make a photograph. This was cool, and we didn't know any better anyway. However, these days, shooting film is a creative choice that is growing in popularity. Perhaps, like vinyl, it’s the allure of the analogue vibe, the physicality of handling an actual material, or the alchemic magic inherent in the old-school methods which inspire this revived interest.
Regardless of motivation, using film requires a little more consideration than simply selecting a film emulation preset on your camera’s menu. In the first instance, you will have to purchase film, and that means making a bunch of creative decisions in advance. The type and size of film you buy depends on a whole lot of parameters, which we’ll discuss here. Aside from the size of the film, which is determined by the camera you use, you’ll also have to commit to the film’s ISO rating and decide whether you want to make black and white or colour photographs and if you decide on using colour, do you want to use transparency (slide) film colour negative and whether it’s been ‘balanced’ for daylight or tungsten light.
Shooting with film can be great fun. It’s a slow, magical process and offers something that digital photography lacks. If you have time, creative curiosity and a spot of spare cash, it can be rewarding. But be warned, it can be a rabbit hole of expense as the costs of film and processing increase, but it’s worth it!
