Monday, July 15, 2019


6 Tips For Making Great Photo Prints At Home




By Jason D. Little

This isn’t the first time and probably won’t be the last time I address the issue of printing photos. It’s something everyone should be doing, in my opinion. Mainly because experiencing a photo in printed form invokes a level of appreciation not attainable when viewing it on a screen.
There are dozens of places online where you can simply upload your image file, make a few selections about things like size and paper type, and in a matter of a few days, your printed photo will arrive at your door.

Printing in the digital age is awfully convenient. And if you want to maximize the convenience of creating photo prints, you can print at home. The very idea is intimidating to some, but making great photo prints at home is no sweat these days and anyone can do it.
Here are 6 quick tips that will have you making perfect photo prints every time.

Choose Wisely

There are so many different printers on the market that choosing one might seem more trouble than it’s worth. But consider your personal needs and wants for a home photo printer. Do you plan to print gallery quality poster-size prints? Or are you more of a 4×6 kind of person?
If you’re the latter, you can get a printer that fits your needs for about $200 (give or take). If you are the more ambitious type, however, you should know that there are printers capable of spitting out gorgeous 17×22-inch prints — be prepared to pay no less than $1000 for one of these models.
For the majority of people, the best printer offers a balance of print quality and cost. If you want to learn more about some the top-rated photo printers out there right now, begin your research by clicking here.



Print Big

Big is relative, of course. But be sure to venture beyond postcard size prints every now and then. Even an 8×10 print can reveal depth and detail in an image that has gone unnoticed when viewed on your phone, tablet or computer monitor.

Photo by Squared.one

Get Calibrated

Your monitor is an essential part of making a great print. One of the biggest frustrations that people new to printing at home experience is when their print doesn’t match the image on their screen.
Some basic tweaking of the monitor settings can help — most monitors are set far too bright, for example. But for maximum color accuracy, you need to calibrate your monitor. By bringing the brightness and color settings of your monitor up to a known standard, you’re taking an important step toward excellent prints.
Proper monitor calibration isn’t something you can eyeball. You need a monitor calibration tool. Datacolor and X-Rite are two of the most popular names in monitor calibration devices. Prices generally from about $90 to over $400.

Pick A Paper

Something other than glossy. Unless that’s just your thing. But there are so many other options available — lustre, matte, metallic and textured fine art papers. If you really want your print to stand out, be sure to pair the image with a complementary paper type.

Edit Carefully

A good edit is the first step to a good print. We won’t descend too far into this topic, as it can get fairly complex, but if you remember the following points you’ll get a good print each time.
  1. Sharpening. An image that you plan to print needs to be sharpened more than if you were preparing it for the screen.
  2. Exposure. Digital images tend to print darker than they appear on the screen, so increase brightness/exposure before you print.
  3. Resolution. More resolution corresponds with more detail, which you typically want in a print. Common advice is to set resolution 300 dpi (dots per inch).
  4. Crop. Generally, you want an aspect ratio (image) and print size (paper) to match. If, for instance, you print a square image on 4×6 paper, important parts of the image may be cut off and you’ll have on either side of the print. For best results, crop to match the paper size.

Check Printer Settings

Before you hit the “print” button, make sure your printer is set up correctly. Be sure to select the right paper type, print mode/quality, orientation, etc.

Final Thoughts

Sure, printing at home comes at a cost (in terms of both time and money) — from purchasing a printer, ink and paper to calibrating your monitor to editing images specifically for print.
I’ll admit to being heavily biased, but I think the investment is a worthwhile one.
Happy printing!

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Sunday, July 14, 2019

 

Enjoy Some Of The Most Amazing Photography Links From Around The Web




By Toad Hollow Photography

The world of photography never seems to rest with artists and writers from all corners of the earth creating and sharing great content. Toad Hollow Photography has been relentlessly searching this past week for links to tutorials, special features and great photography to share here with everyone. This weeks variety of links represents some of the best in photography today, hand-curated to cover the widest range of topics and interests in the field. We really hope you enjoy checking out this weeks list as much as the Toad did in bringing it to you.

Tutorials

9 Night Photography Tutorials That Will Have You Setting Up Your Tripod In The Dark – this collection of links is posted here on Light Stalking, sharing some great tutorials that can help get you excited to take on the terrific field of night photography. Each article included in this list covers the topic with a distinct style and approach.





Here's How to Get SHARP Photos at Night without a Tripod – shooting at night creates its own unique challenges, usually around issues with shutter speed and resulting blurriness. The folks over at Shutterbug have posted a new short video that shows us how a few tips and tricks can really help go a long way for those types of shots that need to be done without a tripod.
5 Useful Tips for Beginner Macro Photography – if you are hoping to get into the world of macro photography, this set of tips will help you get fast-tracked to great images. This article shares a set of 5 different tips, all of which are accompanied by terrific photographs to help you see the results you can achieve by following these pointers.
10 Helpful Tips for Posing Hands in Portraits – helping subjects pose can be a bit of a daunting thing for those who haven’t had a lot of practice shooting portraits. The hands are an especially important aspect of a strong composition to take into account, and this great video tutorial will give you some great insights into how to do this most effectively.
Controlling Strobe Lighting For A Cinematic & Dramatic Portrait by Chris Knight – this video tutorial goes fairly in-depth into various aspects, gear and techniques in portrait photography. These tips can go a long way in any style of portraiture to help you take control of the light you are trying to capture and to come away with great shots each and every time.
How to Avoid the ‘False Positive’ Autofocus Trap and Nail Sharp Eyeballs – most of us at some point have come away from a shoot with high expectations, only to discover in post-production that one of the key shots is slightly out of focus. This brief tutorial shows us a tip on how to combat this, and the reasons are covered in the article for further insight into how the camera operates and why we see these sorts of problems.
What Shutter Speed should I use for Landscape Photography? – for many photographers learning how to take great landscape shots, the shutter speed is often one of the last factors considered during the setup of a composition. This great article shares a series of tips and insights into how to get the most out of your photography by being deliberate about your shutter speed.

Special Features

Marina Weishaupt Showcases the Dreamy Layers of Bavaria – great landscapes that focus on a series of layers creates images that are often slightly abstract in nature, often revealing a sense of depth and scale of the locale. This series of shots originate in Bavaria and all are great examples of this style and type of photography.
Magnificent Adventure and Landscape Photography by Ludovic Fremondiere – check out this wonderful set of landscape shots from a noted photography artist. This series showcases a bit of a variety of subjects, each of which could easily stand on their own as an excellent photograph. The set as a collection takes on a bigger facet, sharing scenes and features that really stand out from the locations visited.
Tobias Friedrich Reveals Greenland’s Stunning Shades of Water and Ice – join underwater photographer Tobias Friedrich as he explores scenes that focus on the underwater portions of huge icebergs in the far north. A diver in the frames adds a fabulous element of scale and the entire set posted here takes on a monochromatic aspect that leaves the viewer with the distinct feeling of having seen something extraordinary and otherworldly.

Great Photography

INCOMPLETE – this surreal image exposes several key ingredients that are key to its allure, including a long exposure, strong leading lines and a terrific vanishing point. Christian Wig composed this shot by using a steel pier that is incomplete leading out into the vast beyond where a dramatic sky with a strong color palette finishes off the picture perfectly.
Landing Pad – butterflies make for awesome photography subjects if you are prepared to capture them in imagery. This wonderful shot is of a delicate butterfly perched on a white flower photographed with a very shallow depth-of-field to isolate the tiny insect from it’s soft backdrop.
A new track – Jørn Allan Pedersen uses a winding line in the thick snow created by a snow-clearing vehicle as a perfect leading line into this distinctly winter themed shot. Snow covered trees add a great feature to the shot as beautiful hues in the sky deliver an important color element to the composition.
Fireworks from the Lake, Minnesota – shooting fireworks can be a tricky balancing of shutter speed and ISO to get great shots that emphasize the colors and light streams created by the display. This shot from Mark Paulson is one example of a great fireworks based shot that captures dancing colors in the skies.
Final Light – timing is everything when it comes to dramatic natural landscape photographs, as seen in this terrific shot from Simon W Xu. This shot finds us on the shores of the ocean as natural rock formations create drama, with the waves crashing against the craggy shores creating a dramatic splash of water that elicits a sense of joy in the frame.
Needs Work – Michael Criswell captures and shares a dramatic shot of an old stepside pickup truck that has been left in a serious state of disrepair for countless years. This shot was processed as a black-and-white image, bringing out all the texture and visual intrigue in the portrait of a truck long forgotten.
Horses – silhouettes are an awesome feature in a shot that can really add a strong sense of artistic tension. This photo from Patrice Thomas uses silhouettes of horses against a strongly colored sky as a backdrop to take this concept to the next level.
Crop Dusting – Steptoe Butte State Park, Colfax, Washington – the incredible rolling hills of Steptoe Butte create a perfect soft green canvas to capture a fast moving crop duster airplane in flight across the landscape. Len Saltiel’s shot takes advantage of the texture created by the natural landscape with soft shadows and natural leading lines in the bucolic pastures of the region.
New York City in Reflection – cityscape shots can really deliver a unique look at civilization and the profound impact we have on landscapes with architecture. David Dai creates this cinematic looking shot of the New York skyline that also features a terrific soft and muted reflection of the buildings in the textured waters in the foreground.
Nursing Cubs – nature is amazing, there is no mistake about that. This shot comes to us from Ron Niebrugge who captures a mother brown bear with her two cubs nursing in the wilds of Alaska. This shot is completed perfectly by the surrounding lush green vista of the region as a craggy snow-covered mountain peak in the distance adds a perfect feature to finish the shot.
Inside Iran – I love this shot from Marsel van Oosten that features a series of stone pillars as a woman walks across the frame for the perfect touch of artistic tension. The light and shadows captured in the space work in harmony with the subject to leave us all with more questions than answers.
Dusty Wave – those of us who absolutely love storm themed photography will truly enjoy this great shot from well-known storm chaser Mike Olbinski. This shot features a haboob, which is a massive dust storm, rolling it’s way across a barren landscape as the golden fleeting light of the passing day creates terrific colors in the sky.
谁最酷 – a very shallow depth-of-focus brings our eyes straight to the two birds who are sitting on a twig looking back intently at the camera. This photograph comes to us from 都市清风 who captured a wonderful glimpse into the personality and character possessed by these two cute birds enjoying the day in their natural environs.
Blue Hour at the Pier – this beautiful image from Edith Levy gives us an elevated perspective overlooking a waterfront location in Spain as the day gives way to the blue hour. This shot features terrific details in the architecture, along with the beautiful colors found in the sunset on the horizon.
Red Carpet on the Side – old trees frame a walking path covered in vibrantly colored leaves in this autumn themed shot from Lars van de Goor. As the eye naturally follows the path through the grove, a sense of peace and tranquility comes over us leaving us with a feeling of having spent the afternoon in the beautiful outdoors enjoying nature.
Georgina Point Lighthouse – Vancouver Island based photographer Randy Hall captures a great shot of an iconic lighthouse on the west coast of Canada as it stands guard diligently to warn sailors of the craggy shores. This shot looks like it was captured from a boat looking back at the shore, giving a great perspective of the scene that is unique.
The run – anyone who doesn’t feel that photography can express humor really needs to see this great shot of a squirrel in action from Stefano Ronchi. This incredible photograph finds us looking at the squirrel who has a mouth full of leaves as it spiritedly bounds its way to points unknown.
Pausing – I love how Andy Hooker (LensScaper) combines lines from the surrounding architectural features of a building with an element of human interest. This shot is of a man stopped as he descends a staircase pausing to check his smartphone for a touch of rich artistic tension to this strong composition.
Blue spiral – this is one of the best geometrically themed shots I’ve seen. One of the reasons it is so compelling is that it uses a minimalistic approach to the composition that creates a strong leading line and vanishing point. Svetlana Povarova Ree captures the shot looking upwards through a helical shaped staircase where it culminates in a beautiful blue toned window that appears to lead to the very heavens.
St Margaret of Antioch Church – journey back in time over 1,000 years with Mark Summerfield in this post that features a set of shots of one of the oldest churches in England. The shots Mark shares here really do a great job of capturing the essence of this ancient structure, and the accompanying article on it’s history is a very fascinating read.

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3 Important Ideas To Help Overcome The Challenges Of Shooting Film





I am of the mind that there’s always more than one way to solve a problem. As someone who regularly shoots film, I get a lot of questions from digital photographers who are interested in trying film but are unnerved by their perceptions of it being a decidedly more finicky, less forgiving medium.
I supposed they’re not totally wrong in their assessment but, like anything else, once you go all in and actually get your hands dirty, your perception might change quickly and drastically.
Over the years I have offered a number of tips and ideas to those new to film photography and those considering getting into film photography.
I’ve approached it from a slightly academic standpoint, discussing the technical qualities of film and why you typically want to expose for the shadows.
I’ve taken the “film and film cameras are awesome so you should try it” route.
If either tactic has won anyone over or put anyone at ease about film photography, I’m glad. If neither tactic has worked for you, allow me to try a third.
Below are 3 ideas that will encourage new film photographers to think differently about working with film as you attempt to overcome the early hiccups you are sure to face.

Manage Your Expectations

It’s discouraging to choose a particular film stock based on the incredible work you’ve seen other photographers make with it, just to have yours look nothing like you were expecting. It’s not even about the subjects you chose — it’s as if you shot an entirely different kind of film.
There’s nothing wrong with your film. You may have made some exposure errors, but there are numerous variables in shooting and developing that can affect the look of the final shot. Temper your expectations of what any given film should look like or what you should be doing with it.
There’s no reason you should expect your work to look like someone else’s just because you’re using the same film. Don’t chase “a look.” Learn the strengths and weaknesses of film stock and work freely within that context.

Cozy Up To Imperfection

Yes, I enjoy using my Sony and Fujifilm cameras. But I think that digital photography has taught people to fear noise/grain. If you classify grain as an imperfection, that’s fine. But you’re going to have to learn to love it — it’s just part of shooting with film.
Whatever other imperfections are associated with film photography present an opportunity for you to use them in a creative way. Do you sometimes find digital imagery to be aesthetically clinical? If so, you owe it to yourself and your creative mind to give film a fair shake.
It will never be as “clean” as digital photography, but sometimes that’s precisely the point.

Push And Pull

Try to establish a give and take relationship with film. While you’re learning to bend film to your will, you should simultaneously be allowing film to expand your style and alter your workflow.
If, after a fair trial, you determine film simply isn’t for you, you can say at least you tried.

Final Thoughts

Indeed, it takes some technical know-how to successfully shoot film. It helps when you’re excited about the medium and genuinely desire to incorporate into your creative pursuits.
But successful film photography also requires a measured, thoughtful approach to what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Of course, you never want to overthink things — that’s a habit that can impede creativity.
Hopefully, new and prospective film photographers find the thoughts presented above useful.

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DPReview TV: Nikon Z6 and Z7 Eye-Autofocus Tested

How to Make an Animated GIF in Photoshop


Don’t you love GIFs? I do. They are fun, creative, and a great way to grab attention. In a world full of images (animated and otherwise), you need to create original quality work to stand out. Stop following trends and make your own using Photoshop in just a few simple steps.
A GIF is a file format that supports animated images in the smallest size, which makes it very appealing for any online platform. The famous acronym stands for Graphic Interchange Format, and it became trendy for Internet humor, but now it’s a powerful tool.

Five reasons to do your own GIF

  • Showcase your product/brand in action or being used.
  • Do a call to action on your website.
  • Show a step by step example of any instruction.
  • Enhance your visibility.
  • Grow your social media audience.

What you need

You can make GIFs from words, video snippets, or a sequence of photographs. This last one is the technique I’ll show you. While technically you could use any series of images, a coherent set of photographs result in a more engaging GIF.
To achieve this, plan your photo shoot to maintain either the same light or the same framing, and use it to tell a story. If you need some inspiration, check out “8 tips – How to do storytelling with your images.”

If you are doing any post processing on your images like changing the size or format, you can save a lot of time by doing it in a batch. You can learn how to do this in the article How to Batch Resize Your Images Quickly Using Photoshop (https://digital-photography-school.com/batch-resize-images-using-photoshop/). If instead, you are making more complex adjustments I recommend you create an action and then apply it to all of them. If you don’t know how to do this read How to play Photoshop Actions on Multiple Images with Batch Editing.

Now that you have all your images ready to go, open Photoshop and go to Menu -> File -> Scripts -> Load Files Into Stack. On the pop-up window, choose the files you want to import and click OK. This opens all your images as layers within the same file.

Once the images are open, you need to animate them. If you usually work with still images, you may need to go to Menu -> Window -> Timeline to make the Timeline panel visible. It will appear at the bottom of your screen, and it will show a thumbnail of the top layer.

Open the drop-down Menu from the right of the panel and click on Make Frames from Layers. Now you should see the thumbnail of all the files you imported as layers.

If you need to change the order, drag and drop them to correct. Once everything is as you want it, it’s time to determine the animation settings.
First set the time each one will show before changing into the next one. You’ll see a number on the bottom of each frame and an arrow next to it. If you click on the arrow, you’ll open the drop-down Menu to set the time. Do this for each one, as they can be different from each other. You can see a preview by clicking on the play button.

As the last step, you can choose how many times the animation repeats. Under the frames, you can find a menu where you can set this. GIFs usually run on a loop so I will put ‘Forever.’ But you can decide to do it differently.

As I mentioned at the beginning, GIF is a file format; therefore it is something you determine at the moment of saving. When saving a photograph, you would normally choose .jpg or .tiff. However, this time you need to choose .gif. You can find this option under Save for Web. Here, you can choose the amount of color, whether you want it dithered, and if you want a lossy compression. All of these choices determine the file size. You can move them around to choose the best combination of size and quality.

If you now open your saved file in Photoshop, it will be a layered image that you can continue to work on. If you want to see it animated just click and drag it into your browser.

I hope you enjoyed the article.
Please share your GIFs with me in the comment section.
If you are feeling inspired and want to keep exploring animated images, you can experiment with time-lapse and stop motion. Check these articles to get you started:

Saturday, July 13, 2019

How to Recover Deleted Photos from an SD Card

A while back, all the photos stored on my Sony camera’s SD card were wiped off entirely. Needless to say, it was a nightmare as the SD card had pictures of my last vacation. This got me digging into data recovery for SD cards – as I was not ready to let go of my precious memories under any circumstances.
How to Recover Deleted Photos from an SD Card
Thankfully, after some unsuccessful attempts, I was able to get back my lost photos.
I took the assistance of a reliable data recovery tool and followed a stepwise process to recover my lost photos from the convenience of my home.

Is it possible to recover data from SD cards?

Before we get into the details, it is important to answer this million-dollar question.
In a nutshell – yes, you can get back your lost data from an SD card, hard drive, or any other data source.
This is because when you delete data from a source, it isn’t wiped away entirely. Instead, the address allocated to it becomes accessible to be overwritten by something else.
This is where a data recovery tool comes to the rescue. It can help you extract this inaccessible content before it gets overwritten by any other operation.

How to recover deleted photos from SD sards

To get back your lost or deleted data from an SD card, consider using a reliable data recovery tool. Personally, I encountered a few gimmicks and imposters on the web that didn’t yield expected results. Overall, I found Recoverit to be a very good data recovery tool out there. Since it was pretty easy to use Recoverit 8.0, I didn’t have to seek the help of a professional. I downloaded its Windows version. However, you can also get the Mac recovery application as well.

Here’s how I got back my lost photos from my SD card using Recoverit:

Step 1: Download Recoverit on your system

Needless to say, you need to start by downloading the data recovery tool on your computer. Just download Recoverit data recovery software on your Mac or Windows. You can get the free basic version if you wish. Although, to enjoy its unlimited features, you can purchase the pro or ultimate subscriptions too.

Step 2: Install and launch Recoverit

When the setup file is downloaded, simply open it and click on the “Install” button to get things started. Follow a basic click-through process to complete the installation and launch Recoverit on your computer.
How to Recover Deleted Photos from an SD Card - 2

Step 3: Connect your SD card

Carefully, unmount your SD card from your digital camera or camcorder and connect it to your system. If your computer doesn’t have an inbuilt card reader, then use a dedicated card reader unit to connect it. As soon as it is detected, you will be notified by the system.

Step 4: Select your SD card as a source location

Once you launch the Recoverit data recovery application on your computer, you can view different location options on its home page. This includes internal drives, partitions, and even connected external devices. You can select the drive of your SD card (under external devices) or browse to a specific folder to scan as well.
How to Recover Deleted Photos from an SD Card - 3

Step 5: Start the scan

After selecting the SD card as a source location, click on the “Start” button to initiate the data recovery process.

Step 6: Wait for the scan to be over

Sit back and wait for a few minutes as Recoverit Data Recovery scans the connected SD card in an extensive manner. Since it might take a while, make sure that your SD card stays connected to the system during the entire process. There is an on-screen indicator to depict the progress of the scan.

Step 7: Preview the extracted data

Upon the completion of the recovery process, the extracted content gets displayed under different categories. Here, you preview your photos, videos, documents, etc., and select the files you wish to save. The search option allows you to look for specific files in no time.

Step 8: Recover and Save your photos

On the native interface of Recoverit, you can select multiple files as per your convenience. In the end, just click on the “Recover” button to save the selected files. A browser window will open, letting you save these files to a secure location of your choice.
How to Recover Deleted Photos from an SD Card - 7

Tips for getting better recovery results

  • Recover the extracted content to a trusted location. Preferably, it should not be your SD card from where you have just recovered your lost photos.
  • After losing your photos, stop using your SD card or digital camera right away. If you restart it a few times, or use it for other reasons, then it might overwrite your old photos. This will make the chances of getting your photos back pretty bleak.
  • If there is no inbuilt card reader slot in your system, consider using a dedicated third-party unit to attach your SD card.
  • Don’t format the SD card or change its file system, hoping to get better results. Simply use a reliable recovery tool as soon as you can get positive results.

That’s it! By following this simple drill, I was able to get back my lost data from my SD card in no time. You can also try the same and perform an SD card recovery from the convenience of your home.
If you have also gone through a similar situation to recover deleted photos and would like to share your experience, feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Download Recoverit Free Version

How to Get Into Film Photography on a Tight Budget

 

  1. 1
    Buy a camera and lens cheaply. Check eBay or other online auction sites to find a used camera. There are several things you can do to find the best camera at a good price:
    • A tiny plastic Nikon F55 film SLR camera, dwarfed by an enormous Nikon digital SLR.
      Buy a cheap plastic autofocus SLR if you already have compatible lenses for it (if you have a digital SLR, for example). Plastic consumer cameras like the Nikon F55 and Canon EOS 300 sell for absurdly low prices. You may look silly shooting them, but the results you will get from these little cameras will be identical to those you would get from a much bigger and heavier professional SLR costing thirty times as much.

      Beware, however, of lenses that are specifically designed for digital SLRs, which usually have smaller sensors than 35mm film. They either won't mount on your camera (like with Canon lenses marked EF-S), or they won't cover the full 36x24mm frame (Nikon's DX lenses).
    • Basic autofocus zoom lenses a few years old are also inexpensive used. They are not good for low light, and not great in the moderately low light their maximum apertures permit, but about as good as any others at f/8 to f/16 (past that, diffraction limits the resolution of all lenses) except in trivial cases such as with brick walls. Autofocus lenses can help you save money from wasted pictures if you have trouble focusing manually, and are much better for moving subjects (which autofocus film SLRs can track and predict, though digital SLRs are much better for capturing single decisive moments reliably through bursts of photos, such as in sports).
    • Cameras and lenses from obsolete camera systems, like this Canon A-1 and 50mm f/1.8, sell for absurdly cheap prices.
      Buy into an obsolete system. Demand for lenses from obsolete camera systems, meaning those completely incompatible with today's digital SLRs, is much lower, because nobody is buying them for use with digital. A couple of examples are Canon FD mount cameras (like the Canon A-1 and T90) and Minolta manual-focus cameras.
    • Prime lenses in normal focal lengths are very cheap and sharper than lenses that cost several times as much.
      Buy simple prime lenses. "Prime" means a lens of a fixed focal length (i.e. not a zoom). "Simple" means lenses that are easy to manufacture. Very wide, and/or very fast, lenses cost more because they need very complex optics; lenses of sensible speed in normal focal lengths don't require complex optics and, consequently, are much cheaper. Best of all, these will permit you to shoot in less light and get sharper pictures than you would with a slower, more expensive, and heavier zoom lens. Look around for a 28mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8 (or f/2 if you're looking at Pentax), and 135mm f/2.8.
    • Alternatively, don't buy a camera. You probably already know several people who have an old, unused film camera or two whom you might be able to convince to lend one to you, or even give it to you.
  2. 2
    Shoot colour negative film. Colour negative film can be developed very cheaply just about anywhere; slide film requires a very different process called E-6, which only a very small number of photo labs do. You won't get the same punchy colours that you can get on slide film (though some negative films, like Kodak Ektar 100, come close), but then you won't need to take out a bank loan to pay for each roll to be developed, either. On the other hand, the slides only need processing and then can be directly seen on a projector but with film you might want prints, which can be expensive. (If you intend to scan to digital, you only need the negatives.)

    If you like the look of black-and-white film, there are a couple of films that can be developed in the standard C-41 process used for colour negative films. Look for Kodak BW400CN (relatively low-contrast, great for people photos) and Ilford XP2 (high contrast).
    • Slide film has a much smaller exposure latitude and thus a much greater failure rate than print film except where one is consistently very precise, which doesn't suit many kinds of subjects. Projecting slide film destroys it in a matter of hours; regular slide shows do gradually consume the pictures' longevity.

 

  1. Stick to 35mm. While other film formats will offer more surface area (and, consequently, more resolution, and less grain at a given enlargement), many minilabs will not be able to develop and/or scan it, which means you'll have to go to a much more expensive lab to get it developed.
    • Proper technique with a slow film such as Fuji Velvia or Kodak Ektar, correct exposure, a moderate aperture, and a moderate shutter speed or tripod, can produce very sharp, fine-grained photos with an old 35mm SLR or even a nice point-and-shoot (which should choose a moderate or small aperture and a moderate to high shutter speed on its own in bright light).
     
    4
    Buy lots of film. Buy as much as you can afford. Like everything else, buying things in bulk works out much cheaper. Also, if you buy film that is close to the expiration date it's cheaper. Wrap it tight in plastic and throw it in the freezer. It will keep for years. Just make sure you defrost it in the plastic--otherwise you'll get condensation on the film.
    • Even kept in a freezer, film eventually deteriorates and high-speed film - ISO 400 and above -- deteriorates faster. Long-expired film isn't worth the trouble of shooting and the cost of developing unless one wants special effects technically poorer than a cheap digital camera's photos.

  1. 5
    Don't buy a scanner. Your lab owns some incredibly expensive equipment and nearly all of them will have a scanner built into their mini lab. Most labs will get great results with their automated scans. Shop around.
  2. 6
    Shoot film for what it's best at. Film is ill-suited to action (sports, moving wildlife, and so on) that require split-second timing and usually need several shots taken in a second. That gets expensive; get a digital SLR for that kind of thing. On the other hand, film is great for stills, like landscapes, statues, and plants.
  3. 7
    Get out when the light is good. Meaning, don't shoot in boring midday sunlight. Great light happens in the early morning and late evening, within about a one-hour window before and after sunset and sunrise. The better the light, the fewer mediocre pictures you'll take, which means more winners per roll, which means you're not blindly shooting tons of film in the hope of getting one or two good ones, which saves you money!
  4. 8
    Think before you shoot. Rather than blindly shooting, learn to see. Spend a few minutes refining and simplifying your composition. More winners per roll means you'll be spending less on film.
  5. 9
    Shoot a frame at a time. If you've got a motor-driven camera, set it to its single-frame mode. If you've got an add-on motor drive, leave it at home (or keep it on your camera but turn it off, because they look seriously cool). You can easily find yourself taking several shots of the same thing if you have some film-burning motor-driven monster. Your roll won't go as far, which means you'll be wasting money.
  6. 10
    If you are unsure about exposure, such as with a backlit subject, err toward overexposure with color print film (unless the shutter speed would have to be so slow as to cause blur). If you want a darker picture you can adjust it on a computer, but you can't add detail that isn't there. Two or three stops over shouldn't blow out most of the highlights badly. (You could bracket exposure, but this is an article about how to get decent results for cheap.)
  7. 11
    Don't get prints. If you're looking to show off your work on the Internet, the following process usually works out quite a bit cheaper: Just get your scans toasted to a CD, and if there are some you really like you can always get them printed later at a very reasonable price. The pharmacy CVS, the warehouse store Costco, and the mail-order processor Dwayne's Photo will inexpensively process and scan film without printing it. Costco and Dwayne's Photo tend to have multiple knowledgeable staff at any given time and use higher resolution.
  8. 12
    Go for a longer development time. Unless you're terminally impatient, rather than go for one-hour developing, get it developed next-day, or maybe over a few days if you're extremely patient.

    On the other hand, some labs will give you a free film if you go for one-hour developing. Sometimes these give superb results, so take one for a spin.