Everything I Wish I Knew Before Shooting My First Roll of Film
Practical steps to learning the analog photography
Film photography can feel intimidating at first. It’s slow, expensive, even outdated. But for creatives looking to sharpen their eye, I believe it’s one of the best ways to develop your photography skills.
I’ve experienced several tangential benefits in my creative journey from shooting film and this week, I wanted to put my learnings into an easy-to-follow guide to help others get started. I’ll cover everything you need to get started: gear, film types, exposure tips, and more.
Whether you’re curious or committed, here’s why shooting film is worth your time.
Why Should You Shoot Film?
Shooting film sharpens your creativity. With no instant feedback, you’re forced to slow down, think ahead, and visualize the shot before you take it. It’s a practice in patience and imagination. Yes, film has a unique look and delayed gratification. But the real value is that it trains your creative muscle in a different way. And those reps carry over into digital workflows.
What Are The Different Film Camera Types?
Here’s a quick breakdown of the four most common film cameras:
Instant: Print pops out right after you shoot. Fun and nostalgic, but limited controls make them tough (and expensive) to learn the film medium.
Point and Shoot: Load film, press the shutter. Simple, but more prone to failure due to their delicate design.
SLR: The best option for learning. Widely available, durable, and often many lens options. Also, very affordable.
Rangefinder: Combines the manual control of SLRs with a smaller size of point and shoots. A steeper learning curve but a favourite for its shooting experience.
Which Film Camera Is Right For You?
Start with a cheap SLR. I love my Leica but that doesn’t mean you should start your journey there. My first film camera was a Canon AE-1. Simple, solid, and perfect for learning the basics. Nikon’s FM series is another great option to start with.
Your first camera should help you understand the medium. Shoot a dozen rolls then decide if film’s for you, how deep you want to go, and what gear upgrade (if any) makes sense.
Experience first. Fancy gear later.
What About Medium Format Film?
Look, you should start with 35mm film. They’re easier to come by, affordable, deliver ~36 shots per roll, and works with smaller, easier-to-carry cameras.
Medium format uses 120 film. Bigger film, bigger cameras, slower process. The payoff? Stunning image quality with serious depth (like the example above), better than almost every digital sensor. Medium format is beautiful, but it’s best saved for later in your journey, once you know what you’re looking for in film photography.
What Film Stock Should You Pick?
Start your film photography journey with black and white film. They’re usually cheaper to purchase and develop. And if you fancy it, you can develop it at home for added cost savings (over time). My favourite is ILFORD HP5 400. Another great alternative is Kodak Tri-X 400.
Once you’ve got the hang of it, experiment with colour. My favourite is Kodak Portra 400 or repurposed movie film. For beginners, should start the journey with Kodak Gold 200 or Fujifilm 200.
What’s the difference between negative and positive film?
Negative film creates an inverted image where the colours and light are flipped. It’s the most common type and easier to shoot, develop, and scan. Start with this type of film and when you do, expose your photos for the shadows (dark areas) in the frame.
Positive film (also known as slide film) produces a finished image right on the film. Colours are punchy and vibrant but it’s less forgiving with exposure and more expensive to develop. If you use this film, expose for the highlights (bright areas).
How Should You Practice Film Photography?
When you start practicing film, look for bright light and bold colours. Still life is great for this so just keep searching for those beams of light.
Explore your surroundings and seek out those interesting lines and the shadows around them. Practice your composition and framing techniques.
When you start shooting people, have them ‘dance’ with the light. Position them near bright sources, play with angles, and watch how shadows fall.
All in all, be intentional. Seek like, shadow, and colour with a little more focus.
What Are Some Key Tips To Shooting?
The most important thing I’ll tell people about shooting film is to feed the camera light, as much as possible. Negative film will do a better job at holding highlights, so don’t stress about bright spaces. What you should avoid is underexposing scenes.
Keep your shutter speed as fast as possible (1/125 or faster) to ensure you land clean shots. Keep your camera as stable as possible, especially if you have to shoot at a lower shutter speed. And where possible, use an aperture of F5.6 or narrower so you have some latitude around what’s in focus.
These aren’t rules. They’re suggestions for when you’re starting your film journey. As you get better, look to experiment beyond these suggestions.
Any Other Tips?
Harsh sunlight is a great light source to practice your film photography so look for the light, and the shadows that follow. Expose for the darkest parts of the subject (maybe the shadow side of the face or a pieces of clothing).
If it’s a tough lighting situation, try to shoot multiple exposures of the same frame. One at the suggested settings, one overexposed, and one underexposed. This will help with the learning process.
Again, feed the camera light.
How Should You Develop Your Film?
Start with a trusted lab. Ask local photographers or look for labs that accept mail-ins. Shipping film is safe if you ziplock, bubble-wrap, and tape it properly.
Developing at home is rewarding, but it takes time, money, and gear. It’s a great long-term goal, but not where most people should start.
Let me also take a moment to plug the lab I trust, All Things Film. They treat film development like a craft, not a transaction. Competitive pricing, mail-in service, and a team that works with you to match your style. They’ve helped me enjoy film again, personal or professional.
More on them later.
What Is “Pushing Film” And When Should I Do It?
Pushing film means rating it at a higher ISO, like shooting ISO 400 film at 800. This “tricks” your camera and helps you use faster shutter speeds in low light. Make sure to tell your lab when you do this. They will adjust their developing accordingly. Most negative films handle pushing really well.
Overexposing is different. For example, metering ISO 400 film at 200 (1 stop over) but developing it normally. Many people, including myself, will do this with Kodak Portra to get richer colours and cleaner shadows.
How Should You Store Your Film?
If you start with the right habits, it’s much easier to keep it going. So when you start shooting film, take your negatives, cut them, and sleeve them. Don’t toss them in a box thinking you’ll organize them later. You won’t.
Should You Edit Your Film Photos?
Yes.
Wait, Why?
When you send film to a lab, you’re handing off most of the creative control. Some labs return flat scans for editing. Others apply their own look. Either way, the final image isn’t fully yours until you shape it. Which is why I think everyone should edit their scans to some degree. You’ve captured a real moment, translated it through chemistry, so don’t skip the final step. Put your eye on it. Make it yours.
What Are My Favourite Film Cameras?
Right now, I shoot with three film cameras:
Leica M6: My favourite. Compact, manual, and works with my M-mount lenses.
Nikon F5: My workhorse. Fast, reliable, and built like a tank.
Mamiya 7: My medium format pick. Big, but fantastic for portraits in good light.
My previous cameras:
Canon AE-1: Great starter camera to learn on.
Hasselblad 500 C/M: Incredible glass, but the camera was too slow for my style.
Olympus Stylus Epic: Loved it. Small, sharp, and fun—until it broke. Hope to replace it soon.
Shoot Film
For some, film is a fad. For others, it’s a way of life. For me, it’s part of the creative journey. If you’re serious about growing your craft—whether you’re just starting out or deep into it—you gotta make room for play outside of your main medium. Film delivers that for me.
You don’t have to make it your identity. I mean, we all know that person. I’m passionate about film because I’ve seen what it’s done for my creative process. At most, it’s led to some great work. At the very least, it’s a refreshing break from digital.
Photography started with film over a century ago. The fact we can still shoot it today is kind of amazing. So whether it’s a dozen rolls a month or one a year, load one up and see where it takes you.
All Things Film: My Lab of Choice
The hardest part of shooting film? Developing it. You could do it yourself if you’ve got the time, money, and gear. Or you could send it to a lab and cross your fingers that some stranger gets your vision.
That’s where All Things Film comes in. They’re a team of pros who actually care about your style. They offer competitive pricing, mail-in orders, custom print options and most importantly, they work with you to develop a look that’s true to your work. This is why I choose them for my work.
I shoot mostly digital but film’s always part of my creative journey, be it for client work or just for fun. And when it comes to developing, All Things Film has earned my trust.
If you’re serious about film and looking for a lab that caters to professionals, hit up All Things Film and tell them I sent you.
Previous Favourites
March Contest Winner
Congratulations to the winner of last month’s contest:
John C.
You’ll receive an email directly from me on receiving your prize. Enjoy!
April Gift Card Contest
This month, I’ll be giving away a $200 gift card to the Moment Shop where the winner can save big on their next camera, lens, bag, or courses. Moment has so many creative products to choose from and $200 can absolutely make for a great deal.
How will I pick the winner? Make sure you’re signed up for this newsletter then leave a comment on at least one post from this month. I’ll be randomly picking one person, confirming they meet the requirements and contacting them directly before announcing the winner publicly.
Once again, this contest is void where prohibited by law. Good luck!
My thanks to the team at Moment! Not only for this contest but for being the longest supporter of my work online. They’re a lean team of passionate creators that truly believe in supporting other creatives on their journey. Whether it’s a new camera, lens, workshop, or just some great articles, visit ShopMoment.com today.
What’s Next?
Subscribers to Church & Street may have already heard this, but I only recently discovered that these posts support polls. So over the next few weeks, I’ll be asking you, dear reader, a few questions to help shape the experience around your photography journey.
This week, I’d love to know what kinds of stories you’d like to see more of in the year ahead.
The first quarter of 2025 is done, and we’re well into the next. Let’s dust off those goals we set at the top of the year and track our progress. There’s still plenty of time to move the needle.
GB
Hey Gajan! I'm super enjoying getting to know your "eye"! It's funny how fast we get used to something! I only knew film photography until the digital world changed things. I have a few antique cameras, one with the manual featuring a woman on a bicycle from the 1800's. I've found a local camera boutique that sells film for these beauties. I wonder about our lived experiences with gear overtime and am looking forward to playing with one of these cameras. Think about it, bicycles were new, women didn't even have the vote yet (!!!!!), the world was a vastly different place, and yet, that desire for exploring and moving through the world and making, well, we still have that and must hold it up and practice it tenaciously.