Community run blog for film photography. Reviews, film stock examples, and other enthusiast shit. Great site.
Apr 25, 2024
Related Recs
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Welcome!
Here’s some great resources that I learned when I first was starting out with my analog photography and photo career.
Butkus: A truly unique website experience ran by the King of analog and obscure camera information. If you have a camera, he has a manual for it. Absolute legend for refusing to optimize his website for mobile use and keeping it looking exactly how it was 10+ years ago.
Camera-wiki: Not a true Wiki but very informative resource for researching the world of analog cameras.
The Big Film Database: Database of every film stock ever made that has a DX code on it (the barcode on film canisters).
KEH and MPB: While eBay is the used camera King, KEH and MPB have better vetting and quality control for the used cameras they sell.
Freestyle Photo, B&H, and Adorama for if you need to buy film or anything else KEH, MPB, eBay or your local camera shop won’t have.
Mar 29, 2025
Here are some super basic film photography tips! I'm not an expert, but this is just a quick crash course of the film101 basics. All the fun comes from trial and error, though, so if you get a working camera, just mess around and you'll figure it out!
CAMERAS
- SLR (single-lens reflex) cameras have a mirror that flips up to take the photo (making the satisfying click sound), if you're getting a second-hand camera check that mechanism works by dry-firing the camera on all the shutter speeds (usually a dial on the top of the camera that measures in milliseconds) and making sure it completely goes up and down in the amount of time the shutter speed is set to.
- A good starter SLR is the Canon AE1 or the Canon AE1-Program. Both of those cameras have lots of interchangeable lenses that are still pretty easy to find online, fully mechanical mechanisms so they can be repaired and don't need a power source, and the Program version has the program mode which sets shutter speed and f/stop automatically, so all you have to do is point and shoot. I recommend going full manual though, just to get a feel for how each aspect influences each other!
- If you're storing your camera, make sure that it is UNCOCKED (if you were to press down the shutter button, it WOULDN'T take a photo). This prevents unnecessary sustained tension on the mechanisms
- Point and shoots are cool! Those are usually battery powered, but you don't have to set anything other than if you're shooting in natural light (daylight) or indoor light (tungsten). Great for fast photos, but they won't teach you about proper image exposure.
TAKING A PHOTO
- f/stop (also called aperture) is how much light gets into the camera through the lens itself, a larger f/stop means less light, a smaller f/stop means more light
- The faster the shutter speed, the less light gets onto the film, use high shutter speeds for bright areas, low shutter speeds for dark areas
- Film has an ISO (sometimes called ASA, they are the same) listed on the box and on the canister itself, that's how sensitive the film is to light - higher ISO is more sensitive, lower ISO is less sensitive
- Shutter Speed, ISO, and F/stop are all RELATED so if you adjust one you have to adjust the others as well to get the same properly exposed image. Rule of thumb with film, since the ISO is set on the film itself, if you bring the shutter speed UP you bring the F/stop DOWN and vice versa - there are calculators online to figure that out as well!
- Frame your subject in your viewfinder and make sure it's in focus! Usually there will be numbers on the lense in feet or meters that represent how far away you are from the subject, but its an imperfect science! As long as everything looks good you can take the photo!
- the AE-1 family has an internal light meter, where if you half-press the shutter button, in full manual mode a little dial will go up in the viewfinder and tell you what f/stop you should be set to based on the shutter speed you're at. This is the one battery operated element of the camera, so if the battery is dead this will not work. Light meter apps for your phone work too (and usually better)!
- "proper exposure" is just an image that looks as close to real life as possible, that's totally subjective, but underexposed images will be darker (not enough light let into the camera when taking the photo, shadowy) and overexposed images will be brighter (too much light let into the camera, blown out). It is much easier to make an underexposed image look natural in editing than it is to make an overexposed image look natural, so I always err on the side of potential underexposure rather than over.
FILM STOCK
- Black and white is great to start out on just because when you develop it you really get to see shadows/ highlights, I love Illford 400! Color film is usually available at CVS, the Fujifilm 400 can be found by the disposable cameras. There are also a bunch of boutique film stocks from companies like tomography you can get online or at specialty photography stores
- Store any film you're not using in a freezer, that keeps them from deteriorating
- Expired film can still be used but since the chemicals on it deteriorate you've gotta adjust, I usually use an online calculator to figure out what the ISO has turned into and thus what you should be adjusting the shutter speed and f/stop to.
- DON'T go to CVS to get film developed - to mirror what @carolineheins said, it's not worth it! There are mail-in services you can ship rolls of film too, and also local developers if you just google around in your area! I personally get just the negatives back because I have my own scanner and that's about $10/roll at my local place, but for a little more the developers will send you digital copies or full size prints of any of the photos on the roll!
Now you can get out and shoot! It's all about experimentation, just have fun and you'll figure it out!
Mar 28, 2025
Top Recs from @lucius
Alright y'all, standards have gotten a little lax around here and rec quality has taken a dip (I'm including myself in this). Here are some pointers for High Rec Standards.
ANATOMY OF A REC:
TITLE—This is the rec or recommendations. This is NOT a lead in. Type exactly what you're recommending here. What appears in the Title should finish this sentence, "I recommend _____."
BODY—This supports the rec and anything goes. Supporting statements, supporting essays, additional recs, you can get silly, you can pontificate. You can do anything you want. Except putting the main rec down here. Where does it go? That's right. In the Title 👆
IMAGE—No rules. Add one to preference. It can be relevant or a non sequitur.
LINK—I highly recommend links but it's not as important as the Title or Body. If you are recommending something that has an online presence (music, movies, websites, products, etc.), Piffies want to click on it immediately. Don't make us google. Be kind a leave a link.
EMOJI—No rules. Express yourself.
ANTI-RECS:
They exist and they are valid recs. "Anti-Rec: _____" clearly communicates this is something best avoided. But a better way format this type of Rec is to use a modifier or verb that flows with "I recommend _____." Ex. I recommend... Not Eating Tacks, Avoiding Area X, Leaving Off the Anchovies, etc.—(Formatting Anti-Recs this way first recommended by tyler the Creator)
ANATOMY OF AN ASK:
TITLE—This is the question or topic of the Ask. Asks can solicit advice or start a discussion. You have some flexibility here because the Ask is expected to be expounded upon in the body if it needs more context. Just be clear. Again, this is not a lead in. Be direct and ask the question or state the topic.
BODY—Provide more context. Narrow the recommendation field. Add relevant links. Remember, the Ask goes in the Title 👆
EMOJI—No rules. Express yourself.
ANSWERING AN ASK—Recs on Asks can break style as dictated by the Ask. If the Ask is looking for Recs, give Recs following style. If it's asking for opinions, give your opinion. Asking for links? Give links! Respond however you would respond some someone IRL. Asks start a conversation so you can be more conversational. But keep in mind that these Recs will appear in the main feed. So where you can maintain Rec style, do so.
Example: WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT LETTERBOXD TOP 4?
A response to this with High Rec Standards would look something like this:
TITLE—Lists your current Letterboxd top 4. You are recommending these four movies.
BODY—Free reign here. Drop your Letterboxd @. Talk about the movies. Make a quip. Emoji. Relevant links. Nothing.
IMAGE—Optional. Screenshot of your top four. Frame from a movie. Dealer's choice.
LINK—Add your Letterboxd profile only if you want to be found.
EMOJI—Whatever. But it'd be nice if it was relevant.
DISCLAIMER:
This is a living community document! These are only my recommendations for a foundation. Debate and Discussion of proper style are Encouraged. Any editions and changes to the PI.FYI STYLE GUIDE will be notated with attribution.
Changelog:
07.26.2024—Clarified a Rec is not limited to one recommendation. Recs can recommend multiple things. Thanks to shegoestoanotherschool for identifying the issue. / Added guidance for Anti-Rec format.
02.11.2025—Moved SpongeBob Bubble Blowing Technique video link from the top level into the body ("some pointers") so the embed wouldn't override the High Quality instructional graphic.
Jul 25, 2024
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This combo has just been here the whole time?!
Feb 6, 2025
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i will eat one every day i do not give a fuck anymore
Jan 30, 2024