french-ultramarine asked: hi, i'm new to film photography and since the camera i'm using is fully manual, i'm a little nervous about getting the settings right and i was just wondering if set it to the same aperture and shutter speed on a digital camera, will have the same or similar exposure? in other words: can i use the same settings i use on a digital camera, on film?
thank you :)
Yes, in the sense that the principles of exposure remain the same… however, you cannot change the ISO with film as you can with digital, which means you’ll need to adjust your aperture and shutter speed to get a correct exposure. However, I wouldn’t recommend using the screen of your digital camera as a meter, as they don’t necessarily represent the real exposure.
p-rabbit asked: Do you have any experience taking nude photos? If so do you have any tips regarding this subject? Sorry if you have already answered this question.
Peace and Love,
P.W
Yes, I love shooting nudes. I have been working on my nude portfolio for over 15 years and it seems like it will never be finished. Personally, I do 90% of nudes in black and white film, but that’s just my preference. I won’t lie, if you’re shooting women it will always be more difficult for you as a man… women can be weary of posing nude for male photographers because there are so many creepy weirdos out there.
You could start by asking your friends to pose for you and if they say no, you could always try self-portraits. I find that showing your subjects nude self portraits shows them that you are also willing to do what you are asking them to do - which is to be completely vulnerable in front of the camera. It’s about making the person feel comfortable. On the same note, you need to make sure that during the shoot your model feels as comfortable as possible. I usually do nude shoots on a closed set with as few people present as possible.
Finding your nude voice takes time and practice. The more you shoot, the better you will get ;)
thecatsme-ow asked: So, I am new to photography. My mom just gave me her Canon RebelX camera which uses film. I've only really experienced digital cameras and the concept of iso technology.
so for a beginner do you have any suggestions on how to get started with film photography?
also, if i have questions. may I email you?
Definitely take a look at the Beginner’s Guide to Film Photography (http://istillshootfilm.org/beginners-guide-film-photography) that I did with fellow-photographer Nathan Jones. We are in the works of preparing a full e-book version that should be coming out soon.
Unfortunately, I don’t always have the time to answer individual email questions, but you can take a look at the FAQ or post a question on the I Still Shoot Film Facebook fan page to see if someone there can help you out.
thepassiveaggressivephotography asked: here's my eternal film problem-
I shoot, for example, a beautiful sunny scene, say at a park; plenty of light, blue skies, bursting with colour and life. However, when I get it developed, the rich saturated colour I wanted to capture isn't there; instead, the image I get developed is a little less saturated, a little less full of life than I wanted! Do you have any basic tips to get more colour-saturated photos; anything from perhaps using a certain type of film, to using a certain shutter speed, to using a certain f/stop. Any help would be much worshipped!
Thankyou, and as always, love your film photography!
The number one factor that determines color saturation is the brand of film you choose. I am also a contrast/color saturation nut, which is why I use Fuji Provia for people and Fuji Velvia for landscapes. Shooting slide film will always have more “pop” than shooting color negative film. You can also increase contrast by pushing your film or cross processing it - but keep in mind that cross processing also changes color.
thedelightofnotgoing asked: i love that post with the film boiled in water, but i was a little confused. did you boil the entire film cartridge before exposing it, or did you boil the exposed film after developing it, or... ?
Actually, it was a submission (it’s posted under a photo, with a link to the photographer) and I have no idea. It sparked my interest as well and I was thinking the same thing. I may try before and after to see what happens…
eritiis asked: Do you know any address in Paris where I can find a second hand medium format camera? Thanks :) (I found some in google. but maybe you know an hidden one)
Go to the Boulevard Beaumarchais near the Bastille, there’s a fab little shop (I don’t know it’s name) on the right side of the street if the Bastille is behind you. It’s like a hole in the wall, in between two labs on the first or second block. You can definitely find some medium format babies there.
raisedbypugs asked: Hi there,
I'm a college student in england on my first year on a photography A Level course. My current project brief is black and white film, street/documentry. I'm actually including you in my portfolio as one of my influneces, is that okay?
Also, do you have any tips on street and documentry photography?
Sure! That is definitely okay :)
I did a post on taking better photos in general and I would recommend the same tips for street photography: http://istillshootfilm.org/post/2671084144/5-tips-for-taking-better-photos
The two most important elements of street photography are getting close and asking permission. Powerful, moving street photography is about interaction, not observation. Personally, it is easier for me to interact when I am traveling in a foreign country… particularly because street photography is technically illegal in France (more on that here: http://istillshootfilm.org/post/541694800/on-the-legality-of-street-shooting-in-france) and most French people say, “no” if you ask. Another street photography tip is learning to wait; if you find a great setting but there’s not a lot of action taking place, wait with your camera stuck to your face until someone or something interesting passes by. Oh, and ALWAYS keep your camera on you. I am still kicking myself over the three times in my life that I missed a great shot because I didn’t have my camera on me.
expressionofmydepression-deacti asked: im using my fm2 BUT with an auto focus lens.which means i cannot set my aperture or play with my exposure.when i went to develop my negative.most of them were blur.is my lens screwing up my pictures? =( btw i just bought a new nikon F high 5!!
The Nikon FM2 doesn’t have auto-focus, it’s a fully manual camera. Set the lens to “manual” (there should be a small ring or switch to go from “A” to “M”) and focus on your own. Your pictures are blurry because you’re not focusing your lens at all.
nidnam asked: can you recommend a really good black and white film blog. I'm taking intro to black and white photography at the moment and i need some inspiration.
Filmus Monochromus is a great black and white film Tumblr, but if you are looking for inspiration you should also be looking at the portfolios of great black and white photographers like Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon or Ansel Adams. Here are websites for some of my most favorite photographers that work mostly in black and white:
Obviously these are just a couple of the fantastically talented black and white photographers out there, everyone please feel free to add your favorites in the comments.
977smurroq asked: how can you make photos less blurry with lomo cameras? is it the film? do i need a flash?
Besides not focusing correctly, the main reason you would have blurry photos is from using a shutter speed that is too slow without a tripod. Using a flash certainly helps in low-light situations, because it allows you to up your shutter speed, but not everybody wants to use a flash all of the time. The thing with plastic cameras is that they are not really “walk and shoot” cameras. Most of them (not all) have a “B” or “T” function and 1/60 for shutter speed choices, and if you walk and shoot at 1/60 your photos will definitely be blurry. I recommend stopping to shoot and holding yourself very still. If you have enough light, it should make a huge difference. Or, use a tripod.
roadtoretribution asked: Hey there, I was just researching the Agfa Jsoly, wandering how to simply operate it. I found your blog and was just wondering if you could share how you open the model you have, as its identical to the one I have. I believe my model is broken, as I can't find a way to open. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Here you go:
I’m assuming this is the model you mean:
Flip this little plastic switch on the bottom over to “open”:
Then slide the back off by pulling down:
summercoffeesummerteasummerlike asked: I bought 800 speed film while at home, when I flew back to school in Seattle I forgot about the film in my purse and it went though the x-ray. I had two new rolls and one used roll. Is the film blank?
It’s very possible :(
Get the used one developed to see if anything survived.
*To the comment below, and for other readers who may have missed: Airport X-Rays are fine for anything UNDER ISO 800. If your film is 800 or faster, you will may have some serious problems and/or fogging and/or blank film.
bitcheslovetweed asked: Hii! and Happy New Year!
First I wanted to say that I really love your blog, and your photography is what I aspire to achieve with mine.
I shoot with my dad's old Nikon FM2n, and I totally love it, but I only have one lens, a 35-80mm f/4.
I wanted to buy a new lens, but hardly any have manual aperture rings, which renders them useless with my camera. I was going to buy a second hand lens, but I'm worried about the quality of the glass.
My second question is regarding film; I currently only shoot colour negative film, and I wanted to start shooting slide, and I was wondering, when I'm going to cross process a roll, do I still use the light meter, or should I just follow the same settings all the time? Sorry if this is a bad question, I always get super nervous when I'm worried that something is going to go wrong with Frank (my camera).
Okay, last question (I swear!): Do you think it's worth buying a Diana F+ from lomography? I love the images that it produces, but do you think it would be better to just get the Lens and adapter for my camera?
Thank you SO much, I totally love your blog.
Happy New Year to you as well! So, for your FM2n (which is actually just the newer version of the FM2) I’m not sure what you mean by “manual aperture rings render my camera useless.” Manual aperture rings are on the lens (not the camera) and the FM2 is compatible with any Nikon or Nikkor lens that uses a Nikon F bayonet mount. I think literally every lens I have ever owned (except my fish-eye, which I never use) was purchased second-hand. You can find some great quality lenses, especially manual focus lenses that most people are too lazy to use now. I recommend adding a standard 50mm or a wide-angle to your lens collection, they are both very practical for a wide variety of situations.
Moving on… when you switch to color positive film, you will definitely want to use a light meter. The stop range of color negative film is 3 stops before you lose information in the negative from under or overexposure. Slide film has a stop range of 1 1/2, which is why it is frequently referred to as “professional” - because your exposure really needs to be on point. Obviously you should set your ISO on your light meter to match the ISO on your film, unless you are pushing or pulling.
And last one… I personally have a hard time recommending Lomo for Dianas and Holgas because I think I literally paid $5 for my Holga and $20 for the Woca I bought 5 years later. Most plastic medium format cameras will give similar effects; you can look for an Agfa Isoly on eBay or at flea markets. They sell for a fraction of the price of Holgas and Diana’s on Lomo.com. However, if you really want a “Diana” and only a Diana, Lomo is definitely your best option. The effects from plastic cameras are created from a combination of the lens, a crappy shutter, and a plastic body (which usually has light leaks). Using a lens adapter will not give you the same allover effect. Hope that helps :)
sayitsname asked: i shoot with (or have been trying to...) an old Chinon CM-4. the shutter releases and the film advances, but when i took a role to get developed there was absolutly nothing on it, looked exactly the way it did when loading it. my exposure lights work so i know it has nothing to do with the battery... what i'm wondering is if you would be able to tell me if this is a film issue or could there actually be something wrong with my camera itself?
thanks, in advance! and a bigger thanks for such an inspiring blog!
Well, if your film was blank it is highly possible there is something wrong with your camera. When you open the back and pop the shutter, do you see it opening and closing? A light leak would cause your film to be black, not blank - blank is a sign of zero light exposure. I would try another test roll and if it comes out blank again, you may want to consider getting it repaired.
