Things You Should Know Before Going Analog

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the struggle is real (struggle in loading film)

Film photography is definitely an interesting hobby to start. It's the root of modern digital photography. Film gives every frame and shot a unique feel and texture. However, trying this hobby is like venturing into uncharted territories. It can be a difficult start especially for those who barely even shot digital mannually.

Here are some things that you should know before going analog:

CD-R King plastic camera x Centuria DNP 400

1. Patience is a virtue. Film photography requires you to be a patient photographer. Unlike digital where you can burst shots, you need to wait for that perfect moment to shot your photo. Sometimes, I would spend a minute or so trying to get the "perfect shot." This is my frustration especially when shooting portraits or doing street photography. So, breathe and take your time before pressing the shutter.

2. Know your exposure. This is probably the most important thing one should know when starting photography. The right exposure is a must for both digital and analog photography. You need to have the right shutter speed and aperture setting for your subject, depending on the environment. These also need to match your film's ASA or ISO. Although your first roll is more likely to be underexposed or an utter failure, the succeeding rolls should be perfect as you learn from your mistakes. I usually advise starters to download a light meter app (available on both IOS and Android). This is a great tool to measure the right exposure while still familiarizing yourself with the Sunny 16 rule.

my all-time fave toy: Smena 8M

my baby: Pentax ME Super

3. Master your camera. Each camera has its own quirk. Before using a camera, read its manual and reviews. Heck, you can even join Flickr groups! Find out how it works, where the advance lever is, how to change the aperture and adjust the shutter speed. Know how properly load and rewind your film on your camera. The more you know your camera, the better you are in using it. This lessens mistakes, too.

4.  Analog is expensive.* I started shooting film thinking it's going to be a cheaper. Boy, was I wrong! If I saved the expenses I had from collecting cameras to buying film rolls and sending them to film labs, I would have had enough money for a full-frame DSLR. Not going to lie, film photography will cost you as the years go by.

5. It's addictive. The first film camera I bought to test the waters was a CD-R King plastic camera. It was only P50, then. It's ironic because my boyfriend used to discourage me from film photography. Four years down the road, I know have 11 film cameras (and counting). My boyfriend, on the other hand, has a lot of cameras. I tell you, a lot! Somehow you start with one film camera, you just continue buying more. There's always that other cool camera you want to get your hands on.

Konica S2 x Centuria DNP 400

6. It yields unexpected results, sometimes. This might be due to your own clumsiness or it's just the film. This can either be good or bad. I've had some happy accidents on my shots, like lens flares or interesting half-exposed shots. I had great shots ruined by pretty bad developing. I also failed to load an entire film properly and wasted a lot of shots. These things happen and these are some of the things that you have to keep in mind.

If you think I missed something, please comment down below. These are just the "core" things one should know before even buying a film camera. ;)

Note (*) - Last week, my boyfriend and I argued on whether film photography is expensive or cheap. To him, it is cheap because you can get a great SLR comparable to today's DSLR for just a fraction of the cost. You can even get those toy cameras or point-and-shoot cameras for newbies. Well, I guess it's a good point. However, I still think it's expensive because of the expenses you accumulate, in the long run.