Do you struggle to get inspiration to shoot film?
A lot of us are scared to go out on our own or even just unenthusiastic about the idea of going out for the sole reason of taking photos with our film camera. You see all the YouTubers or influencers with their cool and candid photos on film going out and about with friends and others. They make it look super easy. Well luckily for you, it is super easy. It can be daunting doing things on your own. But remember it is easy to go out with a purpose but it's also sometimes easier to pick a place and just have no expectations. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
The best place to start your film photo journey is to just start. Pick a day that suits you best. This could be any time of the day any weather. However, if it's your first time out and about with a film camera may we suggest you go for mid-morning/ afternoon when the sun is high in the sky and when the shadows are harsh. This gives you a good amount of light which will help you if you are not so hot about knowing settings off by heart.
Place - Where to take photos
If you wish to take photos of something in particular (portraits or something else), try and scout out the area before. This is for those of you who are purposefully going out for specific photos. If you are just wanting to know where to take photos skip the scouting step.
If you are struggling with what to take photos of, especially on film. Try and browse, firstly, through your phone. Have a look at your favourite photos. Take close attention to how it makes you feel and what is in and around the photo. This could be anything from people in the photo, the way a certain cloud looks, or the overall tone and colour of the image. It's easy to just give film a go, but if you're nervous about the whole process then use what you already know as a platform to build your confidence. Back in the day when film was the only thing around. People used polaroid's/instant cameras as a tool for their film photos. They helped you line up your shot, compose, and even better... showed you the result instantly! This can be done on your phone nowadays.Subject - What to take photos of
Confidence
To take photos you want to plan for. It's always best to go about finding a location on foot. If you find a location online that you like the look of go for it. But always try and find parts of the location you enjoy via foot. This gives you some space to think about your surroundings. If you don't wish to plan out your photo shoot. Try and embrace what is around you but we do encourage you to go out and explore where you live. You may know it like the back of your hand but it also can surprise you.
Just bite the bullet and start shooting. If you don't enjoy what you are taking photos of, move on. Find the places that spark an emotion. You could find a new colour wall that you find interesting or a new part of the woodland near your house.
Think Local
These photos are from a recent shoot with Film Camera Store and in collaboration with Kiren Beard @kiren_beard who is a local photographer and film enthusiast living in Sheffield. We are local to Sheffield so we took a trip to the now-abandoned ski village. There are some great photo opportunities in and around Sheffield as a city of culture and with a rich background in the steel industry, you can find lots of locations to photograph in. Not only the city but the Peak District National Park is a stone's throw away, providing that landscape that sometimes you need to just relax.
How you want to carry on with your photo shoot journey depends on the subject. Sometimes you'll want to concentrate on your subject like a model/friend and the environment doesn't matter so much. But if you are not a fan of models or photographing people maybe choose a spot with no people around like a nearby park or a housing estate where there are a smaller amount of people.
Ski Village - @kiren_beard
Camera: AE-1Film: Elektra 100
Finding inspiration from objects
Sometimes It may be difficult to find inspiration in places you've been before or people you know and have seen a lot of. But it's moments like this where you have to recognise small things that you may have not consciously been looking for the last time you visited a place. These could be things such as a tree that you didn't know was planted there or some new road signs or even as small as someone leaving a bottle on a wall that you didn't see before. The ideal situation is not knowing what you are shooting but where. Then you can explore the area and make decisions this way.
Ski Village - @kiren_beard
Camera: AE-1Film: Elektra 100
If you enjoy the overall look of these photos - These were taken on our BRAND NEW Elektra 100 film! Click HERE to explore our film options!
Why choose film?
So why choose to shoot on film? There's a unique charm to film photos that you just won't find without a lot of post-production editing or filters. You can see a side-by-side of the same berry bush, Google Pixel VS Canon AE-1 with Elektra 100 Film.
Just do it - find a place and time with no excuses
There are many ways to find the best photography locations to shoot film but most of the time it's just about having the confidence to go out with your camera and find somewhere that you think will inspire you to take some photos. Whether this is in a busy bustling street or in a calm meadow. It doesn't matter where and it should not be an excuse to not use up that roll of film that half filled from an event that was nearly 4 months ago. Just set a goal and a time and place aside. We promise you'll get a lot more out of it than you first thought.
In collaboration with Kiren Beard