The Film Photography category explores the craft of working with analogue cameras, blending technical skill with a slower, more deliberate way of seeing and capturing the world.
Whether you’re shooting 35mm or medium format film, developing your own negatives, or exploring black & white and colour stocks, this section offers practical guidance, creative inspiration, and reflections on why film remains relevant in the digital era.
For a complete guide to the fundamentals and philosophy of film photography, start with our pillar post: What Is Film Photography?.
This post covers the history, aesthetics, and mindset behind film, and serves as the central reference for all other film photography content on the site.
35mm Film Photography – Tips, techniques, and examples from classic 35mm cameras.
Medium Format Film Photography – High-resolution images and unique shooting approaches.
Black & White Film Photography – Understanding tonal range, grain, and mood.
Film photography is more than gear — it’s about patience, intention, and creative exploration. Topics here include:
Camera operation and manual settings
Film stock selection and development choices
Composition, exposure, and the slower process of shooting film
Creative experimentation, including double exposures and long exposures
Shooting on film offers a tactile, thoughtful experience that digital cannot replicate. Photographers often value:
The tangible nature of negatives and prints
Deliberate decision-making with limited exposures
Unique aesthetics and grain characteristics
The meditative, intentional process of analogue photography
Pushing film is one of the most powerful techniques in film photography, allowing you to shoot in lower light while creating a distinctive, high-contrast look. It’s something I’ve used regularly…
There are places that resist haste. Calleva Atrebatum, the abandoned Roman town near Silchester, is one of them. Its walls no longer defend anything, its streets lead nowhere in particular,…
Ilford HP5 Plus 400 Review Ilford HP5 Plus 400 is one of the most widely used black and white films — and for good reason. It’s flexible, forgiving, and capable…
A practical buying guide for film photographers Black & white film photography has always involved compromise — between speed and grain, contrast and flexibility, convenience and control. Recently, though, one…
Choosing your first black and white film shouldn’t feel like studying for an exam. Yet most people start by comparing data sheets, grain charts, and development times — long before…
Fomapan 100, 200, and 400 are versatile black and white films known for their classic grain, wide tonal range, and reliability. In this guide, we explore each film’s characteristics, share…
A Film With a Bad Reputation and a Beautiful Soul Every so often, a film stock appears that splits opinion down the middle, when selecting a good film becomes debatable.…
Film photography has made a striking return, proving it’s far more than nostalgia. The Film Photography Guide you’re reading is designed as a complete resource — not only covering cameras and film…
Developing black and white film at home can be a rewarding and creative process. With the right equipment, chemicals, and a bit of patience, you can create beautiful images right…
Kentmere 400 is often overlooked in favour of better-known films, but it has quietly built a reputation as one of the best budget black and white options available. In this…
My real-world Kentmere Pan 200 Review; If you’re looking for a versatile black and white film that won’t break your budget, Kentmere Pan 200 is worth considering. I tested it in real-world conditions…
Discover below why I chose to do a Kentmere Pan 100 Review. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly black and white film, Kentmere Pan 100 is often recommended in film circles. I recently…
Rediscovering Simplicity Through Film In a world of high-resolution digital sensors and instant previews, there’s a quiet magic in returning to film. Recently, I took a walk along the Kennet and…
A Journey into the Mystical Heart of Wiltshire There are landscapes in Britain where time seems thin — where history isn’t buried beneath layers of modern life but walks beside…
Photographing Aldermaston Wharf with the Bronica ETRSi and Kentmere Pan 100 - Medium Format Photography There is something quietly timeless about England’s canal network, particularly on a still Sunday morning.…
Exploring the Ancient Wall Through Experimental Analogue Photography 35mm Film in Medium Format Camera - In the quiet pre-dawn hours, I ventured out to the Silchester Roman Wall—a place steeped…
A yellow filter in black and white photography darkens blue skies, improves cloud definition, and increases contrast between tones—without looking overly dramatic. In this guide, you’ll see exactly what a…
Discovering Exposure the Old-School Way - On a clear, cloudless day at Silchester Roman Wall (Calleva Atrebatum), I decided on using the Sunny 16 Rule for the very first time (My guide…
Motion blur photography is a powerful creative technique that transforms everyday scenes into abstract, dreamlike compositions. While often associated with digital photography, shooting motion blur on film presents a unique…
One of my most exciting gifts this Christmas was a "Build Your Own Twin Lens Reflex Camera" kit. As someone passionate about analogue photography, the thought of assembling my own…
