Hello Hiver photographers around the world <3

In present days, most people own at least one digital camera, maybe it's just on your phone, or it can be a professtional camera: Canon, Nikon, Sony... These cameras are quite convenient, you may bring everywhere you go, take a bunch of photo of one pose to choose the best one, most of functions are automatic, so it's easier to take a good photo, and a lot more conveniences...

But have you ever try a film, SLR camera?

My SLR camera - Pentax Spotmatic F
Along with retro and vintage style coming back in recent years, more and more young people decide to use film cameras. Even the film cameras are not as convenient, and film photos are not as "smooth" as the digital ones, but it has its own charms.

Firstly, film camera is getting more popular because of its reasonable price. A professional DSLR costs about $500-1000 for beginner, while a old film camera is just about $100, quite affordable for young people to experience.
But it's just the "teaser trailer" of the "film" camera 😂 Can you maintain this habbit or not is another story. A film roll 36 exposures costs about $8 to $20 depending on quality and ISO, also, you need to pay for the LAB to develope your film.

Are you ready to wander with your film camera, instead of digital one?
(Photo taken by SLR - with Kodak ColourPlus 200)

To the "trailer", film photgraphy requires lots of patience and persistance. Film camera is totally manual, you have to do everything on your own:

Choosing your favourite film. Every film has its own advantage and colour, ISO. You may choose the most suitable one for your need.

Loading the film in the camera. This is the most important step. You may need to be really careful if you don't want after finishing your film and sending to the LAB to develope, all you get is "Sorry, but this is an empty film, you might have made a mistake when loading the film." Cry like a river

Setting many (sometimes all) the dial and the light of the photo (while almost are automatic in digital camera): Speed, Aparture, Focus,...
Framing your shoot and Don't be nervous SHOOT!

All the steps of film photography is a journey of emotions. From excited when holding a new film, nervous, fun, expectant, and finally happy (or disappointed 😔) when getting your photos from the LAB.

I love the feeling when rewinding the film and sending it to the LAB, maybe I would get a lot of good photos with special film colour, or nothing, because of the mistakes while taking photos.

But, you need to shoot.
If we worry about the future hasn't came and don't do anything, you get nothing.

To the main story. Film photography is really an adventure with personal footprint.

Film cameras are mostly made from metal, so it may last for a long time. My camera is Pentax Spotmatic F, which was produced in 1973, 48 years old, older than me, the same time with Vietnam War.

Every film camera owns its long story. Whenever I hold a film camera, I always wonder about its previous holders, where it has been to, what it has witnessed, how many adventures it has taken...
(photo taken by a film camera - with Fuji C200)

A film roll has only 36 exposures, but sometimes it takes me months to finish one. Because unlike digital camera, you may take a hundred photos to choose the best one, with a film camera, you cherish each of your every single shoots.
Only if the moments bring to the photographers a special feeling and emotion, that the film photos are taken. So sometimes, a film photo is not "beautiful", but its always attractive and emotional.

Every film photo owns its special story
(photo taken by a film camera - with Kodak ColourPlus 200)

"Live slowly, think differently and love more"*

Furthermore, you cannot realize and correct your mistakes when taking a film photo.
With digital camera, we may replay to see the photos, and retake if you want. But, with film camera, we only see our result after finishing the whole film and sending it to the LAB.

So, love the moment. Framing and counting "1..2..3..4..5-Click"

With film photography, every moment only come once. So, be observant, and love everythings around us. Because we never know what is "the last time..."

Come to film photography and forget the hectic life. Let's cherish each moment of our life.
(Photo taken by SLR - with Fuji C200)

And so, that's why I come to film photography. And the journey of me and my film camera begin <3

And that is the end of my post. Hope that this post may bring you some feeling about film photography.
Thank you, and see you in the next journey <3

*A quote from somewhere on the internet