Going Retro with Film (Patreon)

Last week I took this 4-hour exposure in the Utah High Uintas Wilderness using film (Kodak Portra 400) in a 50-year old Olympus OM-1 camera with a 35mm lens. (The film sprocket holes were added just for effect.

Although shooting with film has its challenges, it's also very rewarding: I like the "what you see is what you get" honesty. What are your thoughts about going retro?

Some of the challenges of film:

• Film and processing costs (a 36-exp roll of 35mm film is about $18 a roll).

• You've got to scan the film, if you want to digitally share the images (another expense).

• There's no LCD preview to confirm your composition when you're composing in the dark (and your viewfinder image is totally black and virtually worthless).

• You don't get to see your results until you process the film.

Some of the benefits of film:

• It's more simple than digital: you can take extremely long single exposures for smooth trails, with virtually zero noise build up.

• Having to wait for your images to be processed also has some benefits: It forces you to slow down, be more deliberate in your compositions, and to enjoy the moment.

• There's a unique satisfaction in producing images the old analog way, that few people know how to do anymore, and to achieve "honest" results that compete with digital.

Learn more: By the way, I'll be giving a presentation on four ways to do star trails (using film is one of those ways) at the Nightscaper Photo Conference in Kanab, Utah (September 26-29). You might want to consider getting tickets before the discounts go away (I doubt if these will last much longer).