Why We Still Shoot Film

Everything's instant now. Messages, photos, opinions. Film is the opposite, and that's a big part of why we still love it.

We shoot film at Just Shoot Film because it slows things down. We're far from the only ones. More and more people are picking up a film camera for the first time, or digging an old one out of a cupboard, and a lot of them end up saying the same things.

You have to be patient

You can't check the back of the camera. You can't take a dozen versions and pick the best one. You take the shot, wind on and wait. Then the scans arrive and half the fun is finding out what you actually got.

No screen, no notifications

Most of us spend all day looking at a screen. Shooting film gives your eyes a rest. There's no Wi-Fi and nothing pinging at you, just you, a camera and whatever light you've got. Some people call it their offline ritual, and we get that.

Fewer decisions

Digital cameras come with endless menus, settings and firmware updates. With film you pick a roll and then it's just exposure, focus and framing. That takes the pressure off and leaves you looking at what's in front of you.

You learn quickly

Film doesn't fix your mistakes for you. If you got the exposure wrong, you'll see it. That sounds harsh but it's a great way to learn. You start noticing the light, and you remember what went wrong because every frame cost you something. When it goes right, it feels better for it.

It looks different

People try to copy the film look with filters and it never quite gets there. Film is a physical reaction to light, so the grain, the colours and the way the highlights roll off all look a bit different. Even the flaws can be lovely.

You shoot less, and better

A roll only has 24 or 36 frames, so you think before you press the button. You don't fire off forty shots and pick one. Plenty of film shooters say they feel more confident this way. They overthink less and pay more attention to what's going on around them.

The whole process is part of it

Finishing a roll, posting it off, waiting, then opening the scans and finding shots you'd half forgotten about. Some people go further and fall for darkrooms and hand printing. The smell of developer, the hum of a scanner, film winding onto a spool. It all adds to it.

You end up with something real

Negatives are physical. They don't live on a hard drive or in the cloud, and you don't need software or a subscription to look at them in 20 years. Hold them up to the light and there they are.

Film and digital do different jobs. Film is slower and more limited, and that suits a lot of people. Once you've had that first roll back and seen a shot you love, it's hard to go back.

Want to give it a go?

You don't need expensive gear. A camera, a roll of film and a bit of curiosity will do.

Here's how to start:

Pick a film. Something cheap and forgiving like Kodak ColorPlus is a good place to begin. Take your time. Treat every frame as if it costs you something, because it does. Send it to us. We'll develop and scan it here in Norwich and email you the scans. Keep going. Every roll teaches you something.

Film is still here and still worth it. We're here to make it easier and cheaper to shoot.

So just do it. Just shoot film.