Nowadays, everything is digital, therefore some people may not even feel the need to experiment with using a film camera. What's the point if all you're going to do is upload the photo file later to your computer? Some even go so far as to say that film has already died a long time ago. Nowadays, nobody looks at real photo albums and practically everyone relies on their cellphones to store their memories.
The issue of waste accumulation and the world's expanding waste due to paper and film rolls should also be considered. Use your digital gadget to preserve your memories even without having any extra paper and film roll.
You know, you can never win everyone over. The aforementioned situations might, in some cases, and for some individuals, be true, but that doesn't change the reality that film is returning. Young people adore the aesthetic and finished appearance that only real film could provide and that Photoshop processing is unable to duplicate. It has a sizable market, despite being niche and geared toward particular demographics. Therefore, film is coming from the dead and we are seeing it rise from the grave and even become fashionable in our current technological age. Additionally, there are strategies to reduce it even though it may contribute to global trash.
For instance, to achieve that wonderful double or multi exposure effect, you might utilize film rolls many times. Additionally, you might recycle them and use film rolls to adorn your space. Most film aficionados don't even print their developed film rolls anymore, which saves paper. They have only scanned and saved the images on their hard drives and USBs.
After all of that, why even bother going on film if you're just going to save a digital copy of it? In addition to the fact that the final product is different, we've provided some arguments below to persuade you that a film camera is still worthwhile to keep.
Film cameras offer insight into the process of taking pictures.
Maybe you're a fan of photography and wish to improve your abilities. Film cameras can demonstrate the very fundamentals of photography to you in the most visual way possible. By pulling apart your film camera and noting the mechanical components, you can learn the fundamentals of photography, such as shutter speed and aperture. Each component and function's manual operation could be observed. It operates on the same principle as a digital camera.
In the middle of the film chamber is where the aperture is situated. A digital camera's shutter speed setting determines exactly when the shutter window opens and closes.
You may observe how much light the aperture ring lets into the camera and absorbs by turning it on. You will value snapping pictures even more after you understand how these factors function behind each shutter release of your camera. Additionally, you will develop a clearer knowledge of how everything operates.
Your attention to detail will improve as you take more images.
With a film camera, you have a limited number of photos to choose from in contrast to digital cameras. The quantity of shots is determined by the roll you purchased. Naturally, when resources are scarce, we make the most of what we have and ensure that every camera click is ideally aimed. Each shot counts. You'll take more proactive actions, such as choosing the ideal composition and angle before pressing the shutter. Since there is no turning back, you are compelled to comprehend every component of your film camera.
Sadly, digital cameras have turned many people into sluggish photographers. Both novices and experts can rely on automatic features, so they don't even need to consider settings before clicking. Buy a film camera if you wish to consider your photographs more carefully.
Film photography will teach you more about lights and colors.
Purchase a film camera if you wish to master lighting and color as a photographer. It's a useful tool for a manual level of understanding of the topics. You would need to experiment with various film stocks and get intimately familiar with their variances because you would know that chemicals in the film alter how light and color are rendered. This can provide you a competitive edge if you eventually wish to work as a professional photographer.
Be aware that the sensitivity of various film types varies. While some will create shots that are clear and virtually match the sharpness of digital images, others will be more muted. The developing process also affects exposure intensity and color, outside from that. To achieve the color or photo treatment you want, try. Purchase more film rolls and the better acquainted you will be with their variations and what appeals to your sense of aesthetics. You'll be aware of how to act in a variety of circumstances, such as dimly lit rooms or sunny days.
Every time a roll of film is developed, something unexpected unravels.
Even though you are aware of the fundamentals and have given it some thought, you will still be taken aback by the results of the developing process. Every time it is developed, you'll be happy. To create interesting photographs with soft focus, poor exposure, light leaks, vignettes, and numerous exposures, experiment with vintage cameras or used film rolls. Rolls of expired film decay differently and yield the most stunning results. The marvels you produce will utterly astonish you. These "lucky accidents" are beyond the scope of a digital camera.
Another skill is roll film development. Using your own home darkroom or developing your film roll in a professional store are both options. If the former, you will require a black and white developer, a changing bag, fixer, and (optional) stop bath, a developing tank and reels, a timer, a digital thermometer, beakers/containers, a bottle opener, scissors, bottles, and film clips. You will also need a bathroom to dry your film, a sink, bath, or access to water, and a standing desk to set everything out.
Since the garage is not used as often as you use other areas of the house, you might consider creating your darkroom here. Just make sure to notify people that you’re using it as a dark room for a time so that they don’t roll the door when they have to park the car. You can do it at nighttime or you can set up a makeshift door in one corner of the garage to be your dark room. You need space for this so the belongings stored in your garage must be organized and tidied up in smart storage solutions such as overhead storage racks and wall shelves.
