New to film/first post

[CJL]

This is my first post on this board and it looks like there is a lot of good info on here. Anyways I got into photography a little over a year ago with a nikon d80. I had always had point and shoots before that. For a little while I have wanted to try shooting film for some reason so I picked up an old nikon fg off ebay. I know nothing really about film and had no idea how to wind the camera/load the film. I figured it out after ruining 2 rolls but on the 3rd roll i had success. I think its a lot of fun because everything is mechanical on the film camera and you don't know what you get till you get your roll developed so you want to make sure you get the right shot. Another cool thing is my sb800 and a few of my lenses work with the camera (50mm 1.8d & sigma 24-70 2.8). I was impressed how good the first roll came out and can't wait to shoot some more with it.

Do you guys have any advice for me regarding things I may not know about working with film?

 

[Mitica100]

Just keep shooting.

 

[terri]

Sounds like you're teaching yourself very well so far - congrats!!

Like Mitica said, continue to shoot, maybe stick with the same film type until you feel you have mastered your exposures. Pay more attention to your negatives than your prints, as prints can be poor quality but the negatives still perfectly good (depending on where you get your prints made). Then, start trying different films to see what you get - faster or slower ISO, B&W or color - and, if you DO shoot B&W, you might really enjoy learning how to develop your own film. It's a minor cost outlay to get the little tank and a few bottles of chemistry, but in the long run you save on development costs and you don't need a darkroom to develop film. I am betting you could check around local colleges or art centers and find darkroom classes - you would learn faster that way.

If you really get bitten by the film bug, well, you're just doomed like the rest of us who enjoy working with our hands. Have fun!

 

[Bobby Ironsights]

At your local library, there should be a photography textbook. It's got the same things they'll teach you in any school except without the $780/credit/year tuition and just remember, DETAILS matter, but don't get consumed with them.

P.S. Welcome to the dark side. Coffee and cookies are in the corner at that table over there, I think somebody brought in apple strudel this week, and you should see our secretary, Marlene for your darkside bumper stickers and t-shirts.

 

[Bill LaMorris]

If you decide to take a little time and learn to develop your own film and print your own photos, you will discover that you have total control over your images. That is what I like the most about film. You can buy a total darkroom set up for almost nothing . Have fun, Bill

 

[Sideburns]

At your local library, there should be a photography textbook. It's got the same things they'll teach you in any school except without the $780/credit/year tuition and just remember, DETAILS matter, but don't get consumed with them.

P.S. Welcome to the dark side. Coffee and cookies are in the corner at that table over there, I think somebody brought in apple strudel this week, and you should see our secretary, Marlene for your darkside bumper stickers and t-shirts.

Or, you can take a class for under 200 dollars like I did...
I'm on Photography II now, and it's like 180...

Small price to pay for someone in industry to teach me some tricks and help explain certain things I don't get.

 

[CJL]

i took a photographing people class last fall it was good. I wouldn't mind taking a local film class. I remember my teacher saying that the local art musem had a dark room and a class or something along those lines.