Shoot a roll of film

Using a film camera makes you slow down. You have 24 or 36 shots, you can’t look at them, and you won’t see any of them until the roll is developed. That’s the point. It takes about half a day, costs about the price of a roll plus developing, and it’s a good excuse for a long fall walk.

Choose a camera

• A disposable camera is the simplest. The film is loaded, it has a flash, and there’s nothing to set. When you’re done, you hand in the whole camera.
• An old film camera from a relative or a thrift store is the next step. Before you buy one, check that the shutter works, the light seal looks good and the seller can say whether it has been tested.
• A point-and-shoot is the best choice if you want automatic settings and a lens with no fuss.

If you’ve never used film, start with the easy options. You can learn the manual controls on a second roll.

Choose the film

Most film for beginners is 35mm colour negative film. Look at the number on the box, called the ISO:

• ISO 400 is a good all-round choice. It works on bright days and in shade.
• ISO 200 gives slightly finer detail in sunny weather.
• ISO 800 or more is better for dim light, and for when you’re shooting indoors without a flash.

Fall light is lovely and low, so ISO 400 is a safe place to start. Check the date on the box, because expired film can give unpredictable results.

How to load film in a 35mm camera

Do this in the shade rather than in bright sun, and take your time. If you’re using a disposable, skip this section.

1. Open the back of the camera. Place the film canister in the left-hand slot, with the film leader pulled across to the take-up spool on the right.
2. Make sure the film’s holes sit on the sprockets and the end is firmly in the slot of the spool.
3. Close the back, then wind on until the counter shows 1 or the first frame. Many cameras need two or three winds to start.
4. Set the film speed on the camera, if it has a dial, to match your film’s ISO.
5. Check that the rewind knob turns a little when you wind on. That tells you the film is moving.

If you aren’t sure, ask the person at a camera store to show you. It takes a minute.

Shoot the roll

Using a film camera is mostly a few small habits: after each shot, wind the film on to the next frame (many point-and-shoots do this for you, but on a manual camera you turn a lever or knob), and glance at the frame counter so you know how many are left. Then make every shot count. Some ideas for a fall walk:

• Light through leaves, with the sun behind them.
• A friend, mid-laugh, in a coat and scarf.
• Details: a mug, a boot on wet leaves, a door, a patch of moss.
• A street or park path in the late afternoon.
• Close-ups of leaves and acorns, if your camera focuses that close. Disposable and cheap cameras usually don’t, so stand a few feet back.

A few habits help:

• Use a lot of light. Film likes it. On a bright day, you are fine. On a grey day, it needs more care, and photos in dim shade may come out dark.
• Hold the camera steady. Press your elbows into your body when you press the shutter.
• Don’t overthink it. The surprise is the fun.
• Leave the back closed until the film is fully rewound or, for a disposable, until it’s handed in.

Finish and develop

When the counter reaches the end, or the camera won’t wind on any more, rewind the film into its canister if it’s a camera that needs it. You’ll feel the tension go and the crank turn easily. Only then open the back.

Then:

1. Take the roll to a photo lab, or find a lab that takes mail-in orders. Many stores with film in the US sell and process it.
2. Ask for developing and scanning. Scans give you digital files you can share, and the negatives come back so you can print later.
3. Expect to wait from a few days to a couple of weeks, which depends on the lab and the season.
4. Keep the roll out of a hot car or direct sun until it’s dropped off.

Developing and scanning often costs more than the film. A disposable is the easiest way to keep the whole thing small.

When the photos come back

Don’t expect all of them to be good. On a first roll, many people get a handful that they love, a few that are dark or blurry, and a few that are surprises. That’s normal, and you’ll learn something from each. Look at which ones worked, and what the light was doing. Use that on the next roll.

Make it a fall afternoon

Take the camera on a long walk after a foliage drive, or to the park where you’d photograph the same tree every week. Shoot a few frames at golden hour, and then put the camera away and enjoy the walk. You’ll get to see the fall again when the photos come back.