Film photography, once eclipsed by digital cameras in the early 2000s, is now back in the spotlight, especially among younger creators who crave its “grainy” aesthetic and the slower, more tactile rhythm it imposes. The trend dovetails with a broader cultural embrace of analog pastimes—vinyl records, knitting and handwritten letters—offering a respite from the instant gratification of smartphones.
George Walker IV, an AP photojournalist stationed in Nashville, says shooting on film “forces me to be patient and concentrate to make the pictures that matter.” After three decades at The Tennessean and joining the Associated Press in 2023, Walker uses film as a teaching tool, noting that the limited number of frames on a roll—typically 24 or 36—makes each shot count.
Choosing film and camera
The most common format for consumer photography is 35 mm film, sold in small canisters at photo shops and, occasionally, drugstores. When picking a roll, photographers watch the ISO rating, which indicates film speed; a higher number means greater sensitivity to light. For low‑light scenes such as a basketball gym, ISO 1600 or higher is advisable, while bright daylight calls for ISO 400 or lower. Beginners often start with black‑and‑white film because it is more forgiving than color and pushes the photographer to focus on composition and lighting.
Finding a camera can be as simple as browsing eBay for vintage models from the “big five” manufacturers—Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus and Minolta. Point‑and‑shoot cameras are compact, inexpensive and usually lack manual controls, making them ideal for casual snaps. In contrast, single‑lens reflex (SLR) cameras offer full manual operation, a suite of dials for adjusting shutter speed and aperture, and interchangeable lenses for creative flexibility. As Walker reminds newcomers, “The best camera is the one you have with you.”
Loading and shooting
Loading film varies by camera type. With a manual SLR, the photographer opens the back, threads the film leader onto the right‑hand spool, and uses the winding lever to advance the film until the rewind knob on the left turns, confirming a proper load. Point‑and‑shoot models automate this process, often displaying a label inside the camera to guide film placement.
Exposure requires balancing three variables: ISO (film speed), aperture (f‑stop) and shutter speed. Think of the aperture as a faucet; f/16 delivers a trickle of light, while f/2.8 opens a fire‑hose, letting in much more light and producing a shallower depth of field. Shutter speed—measured in fractions of a second—controls how long the “faucet” stays open, freezing motion at fast speeds (e.g., 1/500 s) or blurring movement at slower settings for artistic effect. Most manual cameras feature a built‑in light meter visible through the viewfinder, helping the shooter gauge the correct exposure.
Focusing is another skill that demands practice. For portraits, the eyes should be razor‑sharp; for landscapes, the photographer decides which element—flower petal, mountain peak, or distant horizon—deserves the sharpest focus. Mastery comes from repeatedly filling the frame with the subject you want to see and studying the work of masters such as Gordon Parks, Henri Cartier‑Bresson and Ansel Adams.
Developing and preserving images
After exposing a roll, the film can be processed at a local drugstore, a dedicated photo lab, or mailed to an online service. Processing time and cost depend on whether the film is color or black‑and‑white, the number of exposures, and any additional services like scanning. Some photographers keep the negatives for future printing; others opt for digital scans, which are now the norm.
Film photography’s resurgence illustrates how a hands‑on, analog medium can serve both creative and wellness purposes, inviting a generation raised on screens to slow down, experiment, and “make the pictures that matter.”