This Is Why Your Film Photos Look Bad

In my time shooting film, I've come across every way that a photo can be messed up. These problems can take a lot of time to be ironed out but fortunately, if you watch this video you won't have to spend forever on silly things!

From light leaks to bad labs, these are all the ways your film photos could be messed up!

Find today's suggested photographer on Instagram @vsionsofalife

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Thank you all for the time you take to watch my videos!

Max

[RelaxSaysFrankie]

Reason number 6: because ur friend opened the back of the camera and dragged the film out at a wedding

[williamshaffer]

You make some outstanding points! To me, the most important one was ""Use a good lab"! Back in the 1960s when I started shooting film, all printing was done via an enlarger. I just assumed that the prints I got back were as good as they could be. When I went back and digitized some of those old negatives, I realized what a shoddy job the lab did at that time. You give good advice!!!

[OndrejBlazekPhoto]

Try developing your own film. Labs have their processes and flaws. But if you develop your own film, it is YOUR process and YOUR flaws. And that could create something really awesome.

[psajgal]

You don't need portra to take good pics. Good lab scans will do much more of a difference. Invest in a dedicated 35mm scanner and negative lab pro if you shoot a lot! Don't just overexpose, expose correctly and if you're unsure then you can overexpose. This only works for negative film and not slide tho

[rebours]

Being 52 I do have some substantial experience with film photography.
As much as I'd like to give it a try again for the amazing organic feel the various film stocks provide and for the detailed results of medium format, I have so many memories of disappointing results, likely related to my lack of knowledge at the time and subpar lab prints, but still...
Having to add that extra layer of developping/scanning techniques, that are not so simple to master/control, is what puts me off currently...
I also think that digital cameras are an incredible convenience for beginners as they allow to improve way faster regarding the basics of this expressive art form.

[phvrvohxo]

great video man, you inspire me so much to just shoot, i live in jamaica and wish i had someone like you to hang with since i am pretty much one of the only persons still shooting film on a daily basis

[chriscard]

I like your photographer suggestions at the end

[RickLeMon]

I've been annoyed with so many of my lab scans because they look so flat and I end up having to adjust them like crazy to get something vibrant. I never even considered that that is a good thing.

[anta]

I know some folks hate boring technical details and just want to shoot.... but really, read a bit about metering, at least the one provided by your camera. Once you get it, it can help you making your creative decision, say you are taking a portrait and want to underxepose 1 stop.
A handheld meter is even better, though. Very handy for shooting slide, because there's less room for error.

[markgoostree]

The real problem is they are not printing light through negative onto paper. We're shooting film but it is turned into a digital "file"... so film is just an expensive way to shoot digital. I want to do photography... not fight with a d@#@#%&*^ n computer. There. I said it. I just do not like computers.... even though I'm on one now. 🤨

[ianforber]

Good summary but I’d add one more point to the light seal issue - shutter speed. Many older cameras have shutters that are a bit slower than the indicated speed so you need to adjust for that. Try taking a couple of identical shots with one a full stop higher to see if it’s a problem. Finally, film photos often look bad because film is a bit shit. People brought up on digital want to experience something different, and that’s fine, but digital transformed photography for the better.

[KahruSuomiPerkele]

All films have insane dynamic range, I think you mean film stocks that can handle underexposure better?
Because if films can handle overexposure, it's because of their great dynamic range.
If you scan your own film, you would know that a correctly exposed photo's histogram has a lot of details on the shadow/dark side rather than the whole range like digital pictures.

[scrptwic]

I recently replaced my light seals in my Pentax Spotamatic SP11 i bought the camera mainly for the Takumar lenses that came with the camera . A picture is never done until it is edited i learned this with my old CCD sensor cameras who liked under espourser that i recovered in the editing process

[AndrewWatson]

You mentioned you use film deck for film processing but I can't find any info online. Can you post a link please.

[sonofacheron]

This was very helpful. Thank you! Btw, what do you mean by “scan?” Pardon my ignorance.

After sitting on a shelf for 15 years I started shooting with my hand me down Nikon FM. I never was a dab hand at photography as I know very little about the art/science — however my old photos were usually fair while the ones I just shot are almost all trash. They are blurry and completely washed out. 5 or 6 out of 36 are ok. Is this light leak? Or is it because I accidentally thought I had completed rewinding the film before I opened the hatch (I hadn’t)? I noticed there is some grease or oil on the aperture blades also…I was shooting on an overcast day, was my shutter speed too low? It’s a circle of confusion. Obviously my first step next time is to rewind film properly but at $27 to develop I’m going to get gun shy really soon if I don’t figure things out. I could ask for help from the guys at the camera store but they didn’t exactly give me a “I’d love to help this clueless novice out “ vibe.

[lvca.avellino]

it doesn't make much sense to shoot with film and then leave the scan to the laboratory. It only makes sense to print the film directly. The biggest problem in choosing the laboratory is how they develop the film..

[hattree]

The consumer film of today is a pale shadow of what it was in it's prime.

[samzphotos]

Right. Except correcting in photoshop.

[NeustrDm]

And the last, do not use cheap disposable cameras. Get yourself SLR and a good sharp lens, and a good automatic flashlight for dark places.

[rudolffamiev]

I guess when you talk on the underexposing film - you need to mention that your discussion is targeting negative film shooting. As this is not true for slide film. Also - all negative films have large dynamic range - the only question is to get all details with a good scanner...