Digital cameras give you thousands of frames for free. Film gives you thirty-six, and somehow that is the more generous gift.

Every frame counts

With only a few exposures you stop, look and decide. You stop photographing everything and start seeing something.

Photo: Alexander Shustov via Unsplash
Photo: Alexander Shustov via Unsplash

Wait for the surprise

Developing takes days. By the time the scans arrive, you have forgotten the settings and remember only the moment.

  • Choose a medium-speed colour film to begin.
  • Keep notes on light and exposure.
  • Find a local lab and ask for tips.

Start with a simple camera

A used fully manual body and a fifty-millimetre lens cost less than a dinner. Buy one and carry it everywhere.

Film teaches you what to ignore. That is most of photography.

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