We have heard of many incidents in national parks where wildlife walk away or play with expensive camera gear. Most of the incidents happen during wildlife safaris where a photographer may have accidentally dropped their gear or the gear fell off their bags, etc.
Image via Dansen Raddy
One of the most recent incidents is one where a lion walked away with a photographer’s very expensive lens and looks like this incident happened in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Park. The incident was captured by another photographer, who posted the footage on his Instagram.
The footage was shared on many social media channels, reposted by other accounts and has gone viral. While a lot of viewers found the footage funny and entertaining, it has raised concerns and a bit of anger among other wildlife photographers.
As photographers, we always need to be ethical and mindful of the wildlife and their surroundings. Incidents like these only show that photographers are more concerned about getting the shot than being more responsible.
A lot of comments on the video shared here talk about how these incidents should not be entertained. Looks like there are also instances where photographers intentionally drop their gear to gain popularity on social media which is really sad, and more so when one claims to be a serious photographer.
While some viewers commented that the scene seem like a planned one, there are comments from witnesses who mention that it was an accident. Other concerns raised were how close the photographers and their vehicles were to the animals, which is not acceptable at all in photography and raises questions about giving animals their space and not disturbing them or their environment when capturing their photographs.
What are your thoughts on incidents like these and the rise in the number of such incidents? Let us know in the comments section below.
We have more news for you to read if you are interested at this link here.
Windy days are not often considered to be a good day for outdoor photography, especially if one is shooting landscape, portraits, etc. When capturing photographs of any genre in general, photographers always aim to have the elements and subjects in the frame in sharp focus. But what if you can use the movements in the frame to your advantage to capture some creative photographs?
Here are 21 photos, that will inspire you to capture stunning outdoor photographs on a windy day.
The next time the weather gets windy, do not put your camera away and stay indoors. Some creative long exposure shots of the moving elements or even freezing the movement, can make for great storytelling photographs. Besides this creative idea, if you feel that you are running out of ideas to photograph anything, we recommend you to check out “The Creativity Catalog” by Photzy that will open your mind to the possibilities around you.
Photo by Fer Nando
Photo by John Fowler
Photo by Ksenia Makagonova
Photo by Ivo van Beek
Photo by Randy Fath
Photo by Sinitta Leunen
Photo by Shashank Kumawat
Photo by Regine Tholen
In order for photographers to keep their creativity running, they cannot be always travelling to exotic or new locations to capture new and exciting images. If you wish to come up with your own ideas and projects to kick-start your creativity, we recommend you to check out “The Creativity Catalog” by Photzy. This 209 pages guide covers 20 chapters that include creativity sparking assignments and ideas.
Photo by Andreas Brunn
Photo by Les Anderson
Photo by Terrillo Walls
Photo by Brandon Stoll
Photo by Vera Davidova
Photo by Abi Ismail
Photo by Jamie Street
For photographers, walking through the same neighbourhood or familiar places everyday can seem pretty boring and this may sometimes lead to photographer’s block. Photographers should always be ready to see things differently or from a different perspective in order to capture unique and creative shots everyday. Movements can also be used as a compositional tool. The “The Creativity Catalog” by Photzy comes with assignments that will make you feel inspired and motivated.
There’s a bit of growing unrest among photographers on whether LiDAR systems that are being fitted in new cars are actually capable of destroying camera sensors.
LiDAR systems are used by car manufacturers with self-driving cars to build 3D models of the surrounding environment so that the car knows where to steer.
A thread on Reddit talks about how a car photographer had several cameras destroyed after doing a car photo shoot.
What seems to be happening is that the laser from a LiDAR is too much for certain camera sensors to handle, and results in irreparable damage to those sensors.
As you can see from the video below, it certainly seems to be the case that LiDARs are destroying sensors in some scenarios.
But what is the nuance here?
In the first video, it is unclear what type of camera is being used to show the damage being done.
You will notice in the second video that the gentleman has trouble trying to damage his phone camera, whereas the LiDAR does damage the older iPad camera sensor.
Either way, it is clear that this doesn’t happen on every camera sensor every time it’s exposed to LiDAR lasers.
It also becomes clear from the comments that using a filter such as a UV filter will not protect your camera sensor from such damage. UV filters are designed to protect from ultraviolet light around 400nm, whereas LiDAR light at around 905nm to 1550nm will pass straight through such protective filters.
According to the gentleman in the second video, when he contacted Volvo about their LiDAR and the potential damage to camera sensors, they responded that they were aware of the situation and that people should be cautious about using cameras around LiDAR.
There is something I have observed, particularly with newcomers to photography. That is, they will often try to capture everything in a scene rather than isolate a subject. That trait tends to diminish as we become more experienced, but there is another thing we often do, concentrate on the subject as a whole rather than isolating details.
We should be doing both, and so today I want to share with you why I think the devil is in the details.
Photography Is Storytelling
At first, we just want to take pretty, creative pictures. That’s a good thing. But as we develop, we begin to realise that photography is so much more than individual images. We can tell complete stories and control the narrative using our images alone. Of course, documentary photographers know this very well, but subconsciously,y anyone who takes photos also knows this.
Imagine you are taking pictures at your child’s birthday party. You photograph his or her friends arriving, you photograph the cake, the blowing out of the candles, the beaming smile on their face as they open their presents. Without even knowing it you have told a story. And within that story, you will have isolated some details. Close up of the candles, hands ripping open wrapping paper.
As photographers, we don’t have to apply storytelling to some long thought-out, socially aware documentary series, we can do it on a trip to the city or an afternoon at the beach. Telling a story can boost your creativity. Let me tell you why.
Next time you watch a documentary film on TV, take a closer look at the shots that go into that production. There will be wide establishing shots, talking head shots, but also close-up detail shots.
Now let’s apply that documentary style to taking a trip to the city. We can shoot a close-up of our home as we leave, reflected in the car mirror. We can take a close shot of traffic lights with an iconic building behind. In the city, we can shoot close-ups of people on transport, window dressing details, glimpses of a famous transport or city emblem. The list of detailed shots that we can get is virtually endless.
Now, all of the above items are not necessarily things that I have shot before, they are ideas that popped into my mind as I wrote this article. That’s the point, by looking for the details in our scenes, not only do we open up so many more photographic opportunities, but also we are increasing and improving our creativity.
But do I need anything special to photograph the details?
The whole bridge was pretty, but concentrating on the reflections made a stronger image. By Jason Row Photography.
What Gear Will I Need?
This is the great thing about shooting details as part of a story. You don’t necessarily need any new equipment. A camera with a standard zoom is ideal. If the zoom doesn’t bring you close enough, move closer. At the wider aspect of your zoom, you can shoot the detail by getting close and perhaps leave some room for something out of focus in the background that hints at your location.
That said, a moderate telephoto or telephoto zoom will be helpful. You will be able to isolate details better and create a better separation with a shallow depth of field.
If you really want to ramp up creativity, a small portable LED light can be great for adding some extra illumination to your scene and punching out some texture details.
Of course, you can also find details in more macro situations. If you own a macro lens or close focusing lens, that’s fine; however, for the occasional macro, a set of close-up filters is a good budget alternative.
Details Need Light
As I alluded to in the last section with the LED light, details do need decent illumination. If, for example, you are shooting a gargoyle on a church, without good light, that gargoyle will just merge with the stone background. Add in a little directional light and the gargyle will cast a shadow on that stone, giving a feeling of depth.
The time of day is also going to affect how your detail shots look. Harsh light in the middle of the day will give well well-defined but jarring separation of your subject. Morning or evening golden hour is a much softer, warmer light, making your detail look more inviting.
More importantly, the light should be constant with your wider, establishing shots. If you were shooting a documentary film, a shift in light and colour between two shots in the same narrative can jolt you out of the story. The same can be true to a certain extent when using still photography to create a story.
The Narrative Is Important
Whilst it’s very easy to shoot detail shots, shooting and maintaining the narrative is harder yet more creatively rewarding. Your detailed shots must fit the story. For example, going back to our trip to the city, as well as the traffic light shot, we should also have a wide, establishing shot of the iconic building behind. However, that wide shot should contain the traffic lights. They act as a visual clue to the next line in the story. Your wide and mid shots should contain or at least hint at the content of your close, detail shots.
As I have said, details are everywhere, in every genre of photography. However, the real creativity comes when using those details to tell an ongoing story. Finding interesting ways to connect different images within a sequence is both challenging and highly rewarding.
If you want inspiration on shooting details within a narrative, some of the very best at it are good wedding photographers. Look at how they will shoot the usual shots, bride, groom, and family, but also hunt out the little details, close-ups on the rings, the knife cutting the cake, and the bride preparing her hair. All of these are prime examples of detail shots as part of a narrative.
So next time you are planning a shoot, think about turning it into a story. Think about how you can combine the shots you had originally planned with more close and detailed shots that combine well together. You will soon find yourself thinking outside of your own photographic box, and that can only be a good thing.
Welcome to the Light Stalking weekly wrap-up of our wonderful little community.
We had another great week on the site this week with some very interesting photographs being submitted for our weekly challenge – Colour in Simplicity.
Here are a few of our favourites.
Pat Garrett:
Frogdaily:
Patrick:
Tersha:
Pat Garrett
Robert Apple
Member Highlight
Over the last several months, Patrick has been producing some extraordinary black-and-white street photography that we thought was well overdue for a bit of a spotlight. Patrick has managed to develop a style all of his own, and, miraculously to us, he manages to produce it on a very regular basis with his posts and his Instagram being updated daily as far as we can see.
Anybody who has been in different photography knows how difficult this is. But here are some of the wonderful images he’s produced lately:
Join the Photography Contest to Win Some Cash!
Don’t forget to jump into our monthly contest for the chance to win some cash. This month, it is Minimalism and Simplicity, which is always a popular type of theme when it comes to photography.
Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary Sony A6500 248mm, F6.3, 1/1600s, ISO 100
When Sigma reached out to me about testing a new lens, I was immediately curious to find out what it was. When I learned it was the Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary, I couldn’t help but be excited, as it was exactly the kind of travel lens I had been hoping for.
About 15 years ago, I used a high-magnification zoom lens from Sigma, and I still remember how incredibly useful it was – not only for travel, but also for commercial shoots.
This new lens feels a bit sleeker, yet sturdier, than the one I used back then. Since I travel so often, minimizing my gear is very important, and with this lens I no longer need to carry extra lenses. It is a real game changer.
I tend to gravitate towards a standard focal length of 40-50mm for street photography. But I also love the creative freedom that zoom lenses provide. The Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary, designed for APS-C cameras, offers an effective focal length of 24-450mm, which meant I could easily capture distant scenes without missing a moment.
When I came back from my travels, I took a few photos of my everyday life, and once again I was blown away by the stunning results, especially when shooting in soft backlighting. It actually exceeded my expectations.
I got my hands on this lens just one day before leaving for Portugal. Naturally, my photography was all about exploring Portugal. The camera and lens fit perfectly into my small everyday camera bag, almost as if they were meant to.
Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary Sony A6500 154mm, F6.3, 1/800s, ISO 250Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary Sony A6500 110mm, F6.3, 1/800s, ISO 1000
As the plane approached Lisbon airport, I noticed storm clouds in the distance. I quickly took out my camera and captured the scene. It was probably the first shot I took with this lens. Even though I wasn’t sitting by the window, the zoom still allowed me to capture the mysterious clouds.
Even though I had been to Portugal before, this trip felt refreshing and new. I think it was because of this lens. One night before Christmas, I hopped on the iconic Tram 28 to experience Lisbon’s nightlife. A few days later, in the new year, I visited the peaceful villages of Alentejo and the coastal town of Nazaré, known for its giant surf waves. Wherever I went, my camera and lens were by my side.
A few years ago, on a trans-Siberian trip, I carried several cameras and several prime lenses to cover all possible focal lengths. My love of photography kept me going, but the physical exhaustion was undeniable. This time, with just one lens, I was able to capture the serene plains and rooftops of Évora Monte, the winter sea from a windy hill in Nazaré, and the ever-changing waves of the ocean. Again and again, I found myself grateful for the lens’s versatility.
Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary Sony A6500 300mm, F6.7, 1/500s, ISO 400Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary Sony A6500 91mm, F7.1, 1/500s, ISO 100Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary Sony A6500 62mm, F5.6, 1/800s, ISO 500Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary Sony A6500 76mm, F8, 1/500s, ISO 100
When I was younger, I loved browsing through my father’s photographs. Later, I joined my middle school’s photography club and learned how to use a manual camera. Then, in the early 2000s, I got my hands on a digital camera and began documenting my life in earnest. I studied the work of great masters like Henri Cartier-Bresson and traveled the world to capture an endless number of moments. I was never without a camera. Photography became as natural to me as breathing.
I am inspired by the people I meet, the vibrant colors of nature, and the way light and wind play together. The scents of the places I visit, the books I read, the music I listen to, and the art others create move me deeply. Even longing and solitude are emotions that continue to inspire me. While light, composition, and framing are crucial elements of photography, I believe my photographs are truly defined by the attitude, authenticity, and mindset behind each shot.
If you want to fully experience the Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary, I recommend taking it on a trip and exploring with no other lens in your bag. It will give you the freedom to experience each moment and discover how it can move you in different ways. Also, always take the time to look at beautiful photographs and think about what kind of images you want to create and how to achieve them.
Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary Sony A6500 300mm, F6.7, 1/500s, ISO 250Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary Sony A6500 59mm, F5.6, 1/800s, ISO 320Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary Sony A6500 86mm, F5.6, 1/400s, ISO 100
The Sigma BF looks stunning at night. But how are the images?
What does it take to get out of your comfort zone? Over the last 10 years or so, I’ve very rarely shot anything outside of astrophotography. I’ve always had an appreciation for other styles, but very little desire to explore shooting them myself. While I always try to improve my work, my comfort level with astro allows me to fully enjoy being out under the stars and focus on creating.
Hearing about some of the details around the new Sigma BF definitely had me intrigued. While it’s hard to deny the design of the camera stands out, it was really the simplified approach that grabbed me. I visited the pop-up in NYC during March 2025 to get my first look at the camera, and then returned two weeks later so I could have the chance to shoot with one.
With the Sigma America crew and my BF camera, ready to hit the streets.
Getting used to the minimal button system on the back of the camera didn’t take much time at all. Using the dial to make quick adjustments and my personal love for the aperture ring on the 20mm F2 DG | Contemporary lens made taking some of my first street photography images feel a lot more fun than like more of a challenge.
The Sigma BF as a walkaround camera
Street photography in particular is a genre I’ve had a special appreciation for when viewing someone’s work. It looks easy, but like so many things, only when it’s done well. I was a bit unsure about what to photograph, or if what I was photographing was any good, but I was having fun. And, at least personally, I was really enjoying the images I was capturing, too.
SIGMA BF CAMERA 20mm F2 DG | CONTEMPORARY F8, 1/1000s, ISO 400
SIGMA BF CAMERA 20mm F2 DG | CONTEMPORARY F8, 1/250s, ISO 400SIGMA BF CAMERA 20mm F2 DG | CONTEMPORARY F8, 1/500s, ISO 400
I didn’t wait long before heading back out with the BF. This time, I made my way to Princeton, NJ, again with the all-metal 20mm F2 DG | Contemporary, hoping to take some black and white architectural images. The built-in monochrome color mode helped me do just that, although other color modes were just a flick of the wheel away. Just walking around with a wrist strap and this new minimalist camera, I found myself looking at everything to try and find the perfect frame. These new (for me) genres of photography felt fresh and exciting.
SIGMA BF CAMERA 20mm F2 DG | CONTEMPORARY F9, 1/80s, ISO 100SIGMA BF CAMERA 20mm F2 DG | CONTEMPORARY F9, 1/400s, ISO 100
I worked my way all the way around buildings, up close and from a distance, watching the back of the camera to find that perfect angle or just waiting until something felt right. That’s such a special feeling when that happens while you’re out photographing. It means you’re completely present in the moment and paying full attention to finding that perfect composition.
SIGMA BF CAMERA 20mm F2 DG | CONTEMPORARY F8, 1/125s, ISO 100SIGMA BF CAMERA 20mm F2 DG | CONTEMPORARY F9, 1/30s, ISO 100
I found myself occasionally using the screen to use the tap to focus feature and other times just getting into that zone of snapping away as everything moved through the frame. Admittedly, autofocus is not a feature I’m often concerned with for astrophotography, but it felt extremely fast and accurate on both of my outings.
Exploring a genre outside of my comfort zone and not having to worry about things like autofocus performance or getting lost in menus, really allowed me to find that zone of being present and immerse myself in shooting.
Trying the Sigma BF for astrophotography
After a few days out in busy streets, I really felt like it was time to head out under the stars. With clear skies in the forecast for the entire night, I arrived a few hours before the Milky Way would be rising. I took a handful of test images as I wandered to find the compositions I would be shooting once the core of the Milky Way was sufficiently visible above the horizon.
One of the first things I noticed was how easy dialing in that very precise infinity focus on the stars was with the LCD screen. Even more importantly, one of the things I didn’t notice were the buttons on the back of the camera. It wasn’t until well after I was shooting the Milky Way that I had even thought about them. After two outings during the day, I think easily navigating a new camera in complete darkness speaks to how thoughtfully it was designed.
The Sigma BF only has a few physical controls and very simple menus that quickly become second nature.
I ended up shooting far longer than I anticipated using a number of different techniques ranging from stacking to separate foreground exposures. While admiring an image of the back of the camera is one thing, the real test for those high ISO captures is viewing on a much larger screen…
NOISE TEST IMAGE – SIGMA BF 20mm, F2, 13s, ISO 3200 (NO NOISE REDUCTION)
Working my way through the images and seeing how far I could push the files was probably the biggest surprise of my experience with the BF. It wasn’t that I didn’t have high expectations, it was a matter of those expectations being surpassed. Pushing astrophotography images while editing, bringing back detail in the shadows and trying to pull out detail in the sky, can often result in a very noisy final image. Shooting at these higher ISOs can also mean that your image lacks a bit of sharpness or just doesn’t have much depth to the color you captured, especially in the foreground. Not only was I able to push the files to bring out an incredible amount of detail through the image, they all felt very sharp and full of rich color.
SIGMA BF CAMERA 20mm F2 DG | CONTEMPORARY F2, 156s, ISO 1600SIGMA BF CAMERA 20mm F2 DG | CONTEMPORARY F2, 156s, ISO 1600
The Sigma BF for wildlife?
After my night under the stars, I had one more test for the Sigma BF. Wildlife. This was also a test for myself, as aside from a few fox photos about a decade ago, this was not something I had ever given a try. I found myself near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with the BF and the Sigma 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS | Sports. I wandered Huntington State Beach Park with the hopes of photographing alligators. As I kept my eyes on the water, I saw a variety of different birds that I figured, “why not?” and did my best to take some photos along the way. Again, while this was a new genre of photography for me, I think the simplicity of the BF allowed me to just enjoy being in nature. The autofocus was quick to lock in, and while I didn’t attempt any in-flight shots, I was pretty happy with the results!
SIGMA BF CAMERA 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS | Sports F8, 1/320s, ISO 800SIGMA BF CAMERA 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS | Sports F13, 1/400s, ISO 400SIGMA BF CAMERA 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS | Sports F13, 1/250s, ISO 400
For better or worse, the only gators I saw were just peeking out of the swampy waters. Which at first, felt like a bit of a bummer, but I didn’t end the day feeling like I had checked something off a list. If anything, it felt like I was starting a new list.
SIGMA BF CAMERA 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS | Sports F8, 1/320s, ISO 800
SIGMA BF CAMERA 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS | Sports F13, 1/125s, ISO 800SIGMA BF CAMERA 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS | Sports F8, 1/500s, ISO 800
Maybe after a decade of shooting only astrophotography, a few days with the Sigma BF had inspired me to look at things a bit differently again. I’ve been out shooting more styles of photography in the span of a month than I ever have before. I think sometimes, whether it’s intentional or not, a bit of a reset can be a really helpful process to go through. Just taking a second to look at things differently and use that opportunity to step out of our routine.
I’ve always felt, as a photographer, the best gear is whatever helps me focus on creating first. While the world after a photo is taken demands our constant attention with excessive beeps and notifications, it feels refreshing to have those moments where I’ve connected completely to creating art. I think the BF is a camera that does just that, by encouraging you to look at things different and without distractions.
It is almost rainy season in most of the tropical and sub-tropical countries and it is one of those seasons that brings in respite from the summer heat, especially in the tropics. Some photographers worry about shooting in the rain, because they are concerned about their gears’ safety and also getting wet in the rain.
Rain photography is magical and sometimes dramatic, and can be very rewarding of you take a few precautions when shooting in the rain. There are a lot of subjects and scenes that can be beautifully shot during the rain if one embraces the elements, understands light and focuses on the details.
If you would love to understand the secrets of recognizing the right light, control it and manipulate it according to the situation you are shooting, we highly recommend you to check out the eBook “Understanding Light” by Photzy. This guide will uncover the secrets behind controlling the available light and will leave others wondering how you did it.
Here are 18 photographs of the rainy season that can help you with some inspiration to shoot in the rain.
Photo by Gil Ribeiro
Photo by Jusdevoyage
Photo by Todd Diemer
Photo by Jack Finnigan
Photo by Makoto Tsuka
Photo by Matteo Catanese
There are many ways in which rain can be photographed. You can capture the stormy sky, reflections, puddles, even stay indoors and capture the falling rain. During this time, the light can be quite tricky but shooting from the right angle and perspective while also using the right camera settings can help you to capture better photos. We recommend you to check out this eBook “Understanding Light” by Photzy that has 155 pages of fast and easy learning, packed with illustrations, case studies and assignments to verify your knowledge.
Photo by Urban Vintage
Photo by Imthiyas Iqbal
Photo by Hannah Domsic
Photo by Jack Finnigan
Photo by Luca Bravo
Photo by Michael Podger
When out to photograph the rain, besides the grand scene in front of you, it is also good to focus on the details for some macro photography, patterns and textures. Also look for actions in the outdoors, like vehicles speeding, children splashing in the puddles, or dramatic skies. The colours can be rich, so if you work with the light, you are sure to come home with some great photographs. Check out “Understanding Light” by Photzy if you need to learn more about using light to your advantage in tricky situations.
Film photography has never really gone away. Sure, it’s declined massively since the arrival of digital, however these days increasing numbers of newer photographers are trying their hand at film photography.
I have written several articles about shooting film here at Light Stalking, yet I have realized that there may well be an entire section of you that know little to nothing about it.
Many of you will have developed your photographic skills through the digital age, and whilst understanding the existence of film photography may be daunted by trying it out for yourselves. So today I am going to look at the absolute basics. Cameras, films, processing and shooting on film. Let’s get into it by looking at film.
There are a plethera of film cameras available for all budgets. By Mali Maeder on Pexels
Photographic Films
Photographic films can be broken down into three main types. Black and white negative film, colour negative film and colour transparency film also known as slide film.
Negative films do exactly as the name suggests, they record a negative image to the film. Blacks and whites are reversed, primaries become secondaries on colour negative film. Some of you might have seen processed colour negatives and wondered why they are orange. This is simply to mask the imperfections of the dyes in the film.
Negative films are made so because they are designed for printing. When you expose a negative onto photographic paper, you get a normal, positive image.
Transparency film is designed to be projected rather than printed, much like you would have watched a film in the cinema before the advent of digital projectors. It is much less tolerant to incorrect exposure than negative films. It used to be able to be printed via an Ilford process called Cibachrome, however that has been discontinued. As far as I am aware, the only way to print transparency films these days is to digitise them.
What’s also important to note, especially for digital photographers is that the ISO, also known as ASA, is fixed. A film will have a speed rating such as 100, 200 or 400 ISO and the camera must be set to that ISO to shoot. There are ways to change the ISO through the film processing, however that’s not for this basic guide.
I should note that photographic films and processing are relatively expensive these days compared to the film era. This is a simple supply and demand issue, whilst film is seeing a resurgence, it’s nowhere near large enough to bring prices down. Typically you will pay $8-10 for a roll of 35mm black and white film plus $15-20 for processing and scanning.
As digital photographers you will be aware of different sensor sizes, from the very small ones on our phones to the medium format sensors of Hasselblad and Fuji. Film cameras are very much the same. At the peak of film photography in the 1990s, the smallest commercial film was Disk Film, this was really tiny and as the name suggests, each frame was placed around a disk rather than a roll.
Next came 110 and 126, before we got to the ubiquitous 35mm. From there we stepped up to 120/220, both the same width of film but 220 being able to take twice the number of exposure. These are commonly known as medium format. Above that we had 5×4 and 8×10 sheet film used in plate/field style cameras.
Returning to the modern day, 35mm, 120 and sheet films are still made and available, the smaller films are now obsolete.
Apart from a few speciality companies, film cameras are not mass produced anymore. However there is a massive secondhand market for these cameras. The recent resurgence of film photography has pushed up the price of these significantly, however they are still bargains compared to modern mirrorless cameras.
As you might guess, the camera you buy determines the film that it requires. By far the most commonly used format is 35mm and there are two main camera types you will find. The SLR is the direct predecessor to the modern DSLR and shares a lot of the same ergonomics. Secondly there are the compact, rangefinder cameras. These can be as simple as the excellent Olympus Trip all the way through to Leica Ms with their interchangeable lenses.
Medium format, 120 film gets a little more complicated and a lot more expensive, even used. The smallest medium format cameras are 645. These take 15 images on a roll of 120 and as the name suggests the frame size is 6 cm by 4.5 cm. Next we step up to 6×6, the most common medium format, then 6×7 and 6×9. Generally all these formats use different cameras. For example Mamiya did a compact 645 camera and a 6×9 Press camera whilst Hasselbald were famous for their 6×6 cameras.
As a newcomer to film photography, I would strongly recommend a 35mm SLR camera. These are the cheapest and most available. Buy from a reputable used dealer rather than eBay or marketplace. This will ensure that the camera is in good working order. Things to look out for are light leaks, slow running shutters and electrical issues.
You can also break down SLRs into two main eras. Pre 1990s, cameras were mainly manual focus, manual film wind and with fairly rudimentary exposure meters and modes. The 1990s saw the introduction of many of the features we see in modern cameras such as matrix metering and autofocus. They also often had motorized film advance built in.
Shooting With A Film Camera
Those used to modern digital cameras will be in for quite a culture shock. The first thing you will notice is how bright the viewfinders are, before realizing that the information in that viewfinder is severely lacking, often just an exposure scale.
There will be a dial on the exterior of the body for setting ISO and this is very important to set as the wrong ISO will give you incorrectly exposed images. Plus of course, you cannot see that the images are incorrectly exposed.
On older cameras, focussing can be quite a challenge. Even more modern autofocus film cameras were slow and unreliable. Focusing manually, you would have the viewfinder’s fresnel screen or split screen. If you have less than stellar eyesight, this can be quite a challenge.
Loading film requires dexterity and practice. Getting the end of the film into the slots on the spool can be hard and often different cameras have slightly different ways to achieve this. One tip for manually wound cameras, is to watch the film rewind lever after loading the film. If this turns as you wind the film on, it is loaded correctly.
You are going to need to get used to shooting either 24 or 36 frames before needing to change the film but more importantly not 100% knowing whether you have nailed the shot until you get the films processed. Speaking of which.
Film Processing and Printing
At the top I mentioned the three main types of photographic film, colour and black and white negative film and transparency. Each of these has a different way of being processed. Standard black and white film is actually pretty easy to process yourself, however you need to have a dust free environment to do it. You don’t actually need a darkroom as you can load the film into a processing tank inside a dark bag. This can be a bit fiddly at first but becomes second nature with practice. Once the film is in the drum you can do the actual processing in light.
Both colour negative and slide films require much more complicated processing that are really best suited to a professional lab. Slide/transparency film, in particular, is very prone to colour variations when processed.
If you do not want to go down the home processing route, most labs will also offer black and white processing. These days there are plenty of processing labs available although they are unlikely to be local. You usually have to post your film in, and wait a week or two. The lab will probably offer processing and printing or processing with scans only.
Printing colour or black and white negative films has two options. You can print directly from the negative onto photographic paper, or you can scan the negative and print on a home printer. Most modern labs will actually be scanning your negative although that scan will be output to real photographic paper.
The more ambitious amongst you might want to try printing black and white at home. Although you can print under a red light, your darkroom must be completely sealed from any external white light.
Enlargers and processing trays are readily available, and most decent camera stores stock the processing chemicals. It’s not a difficult task to print black and white yet, immensely satisfying.
So that’s my brief beginners guide to film photography. Film photography is a wonderful medium that can teach you patience, the value of an image and a deep understanding of exposure. It can be relatively expensive compared to digital but can give great satisfaction.
It’s a tale as old as time, but when you enter into work in the photography space without a contract, problems like this are bound to arise.
An unfortunate Redditor recently revealed on the site that a client they had done a shoot for eight months previously came back asking for the download link.
Unfortunately, and somewhat predictably, this was about a week after they had already deleted the client’s photographs.
And this was one of those situations in which, as you guessed, there was no contract.
Now, we are not in any way naive enough to believe that a lot of photographers aren’t working on good faith in this industry—but what happens when situations like this arise?
For one, it potentially leaves you open to legal repercussions—a knife that cuts both ways.
Of course, as anyone will tell you, the first thing in a legal situation that lawyers will ask for is the contract. And if there is no contract, you are about to enter a quagmire.
But this particular situation also raises the question: how long is reasonable to keep a client’s old work? For that, you might need to use common sense—or, preferably, as you guessed it, have a contract in place.
So how long do you keep clients’ work?
Is eight months a reasonable amount of time?
And do you have a standard contract that you use that covers this scenario?
