Captivating. Mystical. Transcendent. These words capture the dreamlike essence of Otherworldly, an exhibition highlighting the collection of a visionary, Deborah Turbeville.

Running from Jan. 16 to April 6, 2024, at The Image Centre on Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) campus, Otherworldly represents beauty, emotion, and the ethereal as it invites viewers into the intimate world of the women featured. 

Renowned for her unique approach, Turbeville has drawn attention with her avant-garde compositions within the genre of fashion photography. Although the late artist may not be mentioned in mainstream films and media, her impact on the fashion industry is monumental and has likely influenced the visual aesthetics of several cinematic productions indirectly. 

Her photographs are most recognized by their grainy texture, black-and-white chromogenic print, and blurriness. Some of her work can also be seen as artistically reworked with the help of tape and scrape-like patterns. These elements add to the whimsicalness of her photographs as they allow for hauntingly beautiful visuals that transcend traditional fashion and beauty norms. 

Turbeville’s narrative and storytelling techniques in Otherworldly can be compared to the crafting of a visual poem, especially when focused on the women in her photographs. Each frame serves as a stanza that explores the resiliency, authenticity, vulnerability, and complexities that define the female experience. 

The dreamlike atmosphere that the women are photographed in and their averting gaze from the lens while maintaining their soft poses could imply a feeling of being out of sync with their environment.

It’s through these candid and exposed moments that we see the rawness of her subjects, presenting an inclusive and diverse view of femininity. This allows viewers to question and reconsider notions of beauty as she celebrates the unconventional standards of perfection by showcasing a myriad of “imperfect” compositions. 

Inscribed on the gallery wall text are the eloquent words of Deborah Turbeville, encapsulating the essence of her photographs as she describes them: “The photographs are like the women you see in them. A little out of balance with their surroundings, waiting anxiously for the right person to find them, and thinking that perhaps they are out of their time,” Turbeville said.

The concept of waiting anxiously for the right person to find them conveys a desire for connection and understanding while subtly hinting at the timeless challenges that women face when navigating societal expectations. 

Otherworldly reminds us that beauty does transcend time and that stories can be captured within a single frame. In an era where women are pressured to conform to what mainstream media believes a woman should look and act like, it’s refreshing that Turbeville’s legacy continues to challenge and utilize this authenticity as a source of strength in her fashion photography.

Lisbon’s Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation inaugurated yesterday an unprecedented exhibition in Portugalfeaturing photographs by Maria Lamas, described by its curator, Jorge Calado, as the country’s “most remarkable” woman of the 20th century and who, without being a professional photographer, managed to produce true “masterpieces” as part of her work.

“The Women of Maria Lamas” is the exhibition title that will be on show in the atrium of the Gulbenkian’s Art Library in central Lisbon between 26 January and 28 May of this year.

The display is an exceptional collection of 67 photographs selected by the curator and collector of the work “As mulheres do meu país” (The women of my country), which features portraits of women from the countryside, the mountains, coastal areas and the sea, on the docks, in the mines and the factories, but also working as teachers, nurses, postal workers, maids and servants, or as single mothers or prostitutes, among others.

Lamas is, according to Calado, “the most remarkable Portuguese woman of the 20th century” as a fighter for human and civil rights during the Estado Novo (New State) dictatorship and who “was always a woman of the left” throughout her life.

“Known as a writer and journalist, I don’t call her an activist, a feminist or a suffragette, because I know she’d hate that,” said the curator during a press preview. “She fought to liberate women, not as women, but as citizens and human beings. These are not women’s rights, but the rights of all human beings.”

This is the first time that Lamas’s photography has been exhibited in Portugal, and it is her first solo show, said the curator, explaining that in 2009, he had already presented eight of her photographs in Paris as part of an exhibition dedicated to women photographers from around the world.

“I wanted to do a more developed exhibition,” he said. “I had to wait 15 years.”

In 2016, Curado also presented nine photographs by Lamas with works from around the world at a major photography exhibition in Dubai.

His fascination with the writer’s work comes from a very early age when a 12-year-old Calado, for the first time, saw “As mulheres do meu país” – a book he later returned to in the 21st century, only to realise that the writer was also responsible for the majority of the 150 or so photographs in the book.

For Calado, what opened up before his eyes was something “extraordinarily modern” in which the photographer’s and her subjects’ empathy shone through.

“For her, there was no decisive moment; there was the decisive woman, owner of her body and her work,” said the curator, explaining that the photographs on display – which represent women alone, in pairs, threes or groups, sometimes captured at work or in tune with the surrounding landscape – make each one the representative of her profession and way of life.

This set of portraits also reveals a “contrast” between, on the one hand, female solidarity and, on the other, respect for women’s individuality, he added.

Throughout the exhibition, mainly comprised of full-length portraits and several small photographs, Calado chose to highlight “two of the best photographs, good for the opening of the exhibition.”

One is an image of a young mother from the Serra da Estrela mountain range, holding her son with his characteristic shawl, in a figurative set that reproduces the atmosphere of a traditional threshing floor at harvest time.

The other depicts a girl, also from the Serra da Estrela, sowing rye from her family’s small harvest.

At the beginning of the exhibition, there is a photograph of a child in the field, in which you can see the shadow of Lamas herself, in what Calado described as the author’s “only self-portrait” in the display.

According to the curator, Lamas was very interested in how women dressed, which said a lot about their situation. For example, he pointed to a photograph of an Algarve woman wearing a hat because she “worked from sun up to sun down.”

The exhibition has two subsections: one on the connection between women’s work and animals and the help they gave, and the other on groups of women working together, such as the portrait of a group of women in the codfish drying area in Gafanha, near Aveiro, which is why they called themselves “the grasshoppers” (since the Portuguese word for the insect is ‘gafanhoto’).

In Calado’s opinion, with these group photos, the author “is sending out a message: ‘Women of Portugal, unite’.”

The curator emphasised the quality of Lamas’s photographic work despite her not being a professional photographer and having little photographic material. After completing this set of pictures for her book, she “never photographed again,” he stressed.

“She had never photographed before; she used the most basic camera there was: a Kodak box, with just one button to press and no way of focussing,” she said. “These are photographs in which the percentage of masterpieces is absolutely extraordinary.”

Calado went so far as to make an association between Lamas’s work and the golden age of photography in the US.

Evoking the stock market crash of 1929 and the great drought – a period that gave rise to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s statement that he saw “one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished” – Calado recalled how the then president “set an example to the world” by calling on artists to make them aware of this situation and urging them to write novels, compose music and make films that showed this reality.

“Artists, in any society, are always the last to be called upon,” lamented Calado, highlighting how “Maria Lamas did the same: showing Portuguese women in Portugal.

“There is no photographer in Portugal who did this, and she didn’t know American photography, so it’s unique,” he stressed. “What’s more, she took the photographs and wrote the texts, which is also unique. Nobody in America did this.”

This is why, according to Calado, who said that he has always been interested in “women who have asserted themselves throughout history”, Lamas was a woman who was “always ahead of her time” and “above” conventions that tended to compartmentalise women into classifications.

“Maria Lamas was an absolutely brilliant woman, for me the most remarkable,” he said. “Sometimes people ask me: ‘What about Amália? Amália was a diva. I’m talking about women.”

The Gulbenkian exhibition also has an initial part in which Lamas’s personal objects, books that she wrote and translated and journalistic works are presented, as well as a portrait of her painted by the late Júlio Pomar in 1954 and a plaster bust of her, sculpted in 1929 by Júlio de Sousa.

The photographs on display are almost all originals, which were in her family’s possession.

The exhibition can be seen every day between 10h00 and 18h00. Entrance is free.

AL/ARO // ARO.

Lusa

He could be called Midland’s photographer.

Many area residents have likely come across a postcard or picture created through the lens of prolific photographer John Witherspoon Bald.

Known as J.W. Bald, he was responsible for capturing many important moments of the town’s early history as well as providing a great glimpse into life at the time.

Bald was born on April 7, 1868 in Parsonstown, Ireland and died in 1961.

According to Huronia Museum archives, Bald began his first photographic business in Penetanguishene.

In 1896, he purchased a studio in Midland on King Street with his photographic career beginning shortly after the introduction of gelatine dry- plate photography.

“This type of plate was commercially prepared and could be stored prior to exposure,” the museum notes. “This was a major improvement over the earlier collodion wet plates, improving the process and freeing photographers to take photographs practically anywhere.”

Bald would go on to record life in his community from 1890 until 1953 when he retired.

He was well known for portraits, landscapes and other commercial photographs.

He worked for both Midland newspapers, the Free Press and the Argus and also developed an extensive postcard business.

“Bald’s work is a complete record of the life, work and play of small-town Ontario,” the museum adds. “Business, ships, harbour life, industries, social life, hunting, tourism, sports, portraits, all subjects found in his work.”

The Huroria Museum has an extensive collection of Bald’s photographs, postcards and equipment.

The Nature Photography Contest has unveiled the winners and finalists of its first international award edition, created to remind us of what we have and must not lose.

“Uniting Environmental Commitment and the Beauty of Photography,” the competition aims to serve as a meeting point for photographers of all levels to share the wonders of the natural world.

“Nature photography is a great way to raise awareness on how crucial it is to protect our planet,” the awards organization explains.

The Nature Photography Contest is an online photo competition that is also working on planting a forest: “Each of the participants of our photo competition will become a tree and the winner of our contest decides in which country they will be planted.”

For this first edition, the contest was open to 10 categories: Natural Landscape, Wildlife, Funny Nature, Macro Photography, Underwater, Birds, Plant Life, Night World, Environmental Impact and Sharing the Planet.

The Photography Of The Year Award was given to the “Sea Lion in Los Islotes” image by photographer Glenn Ostle, along with a €1,000 prize.

“Ostle’s photo capture the exact moment when the sea lion seems to be posing for him in front of a school of fish that forms an inimitable natural backdrop,” the jury explained. ‘Not surprisingly, the naturalness of the animal and the complexity of the image perfectly illustrate the importance of our seabed and the care of its species.”

The next Nature Photography Contest will be open for entries on May 15.

Photo Of The Year

Photographer Of The Year

The Photographer of the Year award went to Alain Schroeder “for his striking images. that stand out for his commitment to the environment.” As part of the award, the Photographer of the Year will decide the country where the contest, in collaboration with One Tree Planted, will plant more than 400 trees.

Those funny animals

Monday: A spotted owlet emerges from a hollow within a yellow flame tree. This species of owl is characterized by its small size, primarily nocturnal feeding behavior and frequence in urban areas. Without a sharp eye, this spotted owlet would go unnoticed. These spotted owlets, somehow, have shown their adaptability, finding habitats within modified urban environments.

It was a memorable experience for the photographeer capturing a playful moment with this cub in Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka. The fact that the cub stuck out its tongue added a delightful touch to the photograph.

Its normal behavior of praying mantises, when defending themselves. They look like smiling dancers.

Salmon regret; no judgements; we’ve all been there. You’re standing in the middle of a massive school of sockeye salmon and you just get a little carried away. After all, it’s not my fault – I’m in full-blown hyperphagia. Now it’s time to find some soft grass and sleep off this salmon-induced food coma. This shot was taken at Alaska’s Brook Falls Camp.

“An unusually cheeky Red-Winged Blackbird swooped down and landed on the back of this Great Blue Heron several times,” the photographer recalled. “I had never seen this behavior before as herons commonly foraged for hours amidst the blackbirds in relative harmony.”

Some places require a little gymnastics to clean.

Wildlife

Stories in the sand: “The scorpion is widely distributed in India,” said the photographer. “Once the evening falls, they emerge across the dunes in Jaisalmer to feed.”

When lighted by faint ultraviolet light, they emit bright blue luminescence from their body.

“This curious little Arctic fox cub came checking me out for a while last summer in Svalbard,” said Piet van den Bemd. “Showing respect and acting calm, this little guy kept playing hide and seek with me and gave me some great possibilities to shoot wide angle.”

The wind was strong the day Patrice Quillard snared this shot at Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains National Park. “This weather inconvenience became an asset as it ruffled the long hairs of the larger Theropithecus Gelada male monkeys. This one was particularly annoyed by the violent gusts blowing over the highlands. With each squall his long hairs rose in all directions and I found the scene quite graphic.”

Tigress “Noor” of India’s Ranthambore National Park has raised many litters in her lifetime, including these two almost-adult sisters enjoying carefree play before the worries of adulthood

Amazing birds

A Puffin out for a stroll along a cliff in Iceland.

Short-eared owl, in late winter, Norway.

A flock of white egrets flies past a stand of bald cypress trees in the 9,300-acre Cypress Island Nature Preserve in Louisiana, a primordial swampy ecosystem that supports abundant wildlife, including one of the largest wading bird rookeries in North America.

‘I was in Uganda and stayed in a tented hotel set along the Nile River,” said June Greenspa. “A slow boat ride took us along Papyrus growth. Papyrus look like feathers emerging out of the water. Suddenly I saw this black bird flying along the length of the Papyrus.”

Macrophotography

The Dreamer: Morning dew and sun combine to spotlight a beautiful Philaeus chrysops female spider surveying her nest.

A Praying mantis peers out from behind of the leaf.

Small Goby fish, this one less than one-inch long, are commonly found on and around sea pens such as this one in the waters of Dumaguete, Philippines.

Life underwater

A larval Moray Eel circles when feeling threatened.

“The video I took of this turtle blowing bubbles went viral globally,” said Charlotte Piho. “Nobody seems to have seen a turtle deep in the ocean blowing bubbles. Showing that animals, just like humans, have distinct personalities and are vulnerable, this photo brings awareness on the humans need to protect our oceans and marine life.”

This photo was taken under the Arctic Ocean Polar Circle during an expedition of several underwater photographers. This creature was found at a depth of 15 meters attached to a seaweed due to its baby state. It’s about three centimeters and the species is virtually impossible to see anywhere else.

Natural landscapes day and night

“One of my favorite things when exploring Iceland is the incredible glacial river perspective seen from up high,” explained Marke Biegalski. “They’re called ‘braided river’ systems, as they often resemble an intricate jumble of intertwining patterns. These networks of river channels flow from the glaciers toward the sea, carrying vital nutrients in the form of sediment. When the flow of the rivers decreases, the sediment gets deposited on the river bed, leaving behind small temporary islands of dark volcanic sand.”

The photo was taken in Yuli County, Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture. Snowflakes descended to the ground like goose feathers, one after another. They gently fell onto the earth and onto the mountain peaks.

This was a “panoramic night photograph in which I could capture the arch of the Milky Way passing behind the natural arch called Es Pontàs,” said Marc Marco. “In the photograph, I could also capture a small cave in front of the arch.”

Plants

“This panorama shows the beauty of Chapada dos Veadeiros, a Brazilian national park that hosts a rich biodiversity and breathtaking landscapes,” said Marcio Cabral.

“The white flowers that stand out in the foreground are a rare species of Paepalanthus, a genus of plants endemic to the region. They were illuminated by a scurion lamp to create a contrast with the dark sky.

In the background, the Milky Way curves over the hills, revealing the colors and shapes of stars and nebulae. This pano was taken with a specialized camera for astrophotography, which allows capturing more details of the universe.”

In Spain’s Sierra de Baza, more than 2,000 meters above sea level, the genuine pinus sylvestris nevadensis stoically survive.

Sharing The Planet

The encroachment of human settlements into bushland in South Africa means that this young female leopard has no way to find her own new territory, cut off by miles long fence separating the wild from human population.

A mangrove forest surrounds the Graha Indah residential area in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Borneo.

Indonesia’s abundant natural resources have attracted large-scale foreign investment for decades — drawn by loosely regulated mining, logging, and palm oil production that causes irreparable harm to its biodiversity.

Widespread deforestation is now the primary threat to the critically endangered orangutan that can be found only on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. The question: Is it too late to save orangutans?

In the vast realm of photography, the debate over whether repeatedly capturing the same theme is an artistic virtue or a creative limitation has been a perennial topic. Regardless of what genre you shoot, there may be a particular theme that calls to you. Some argue that repetition in the exploration of a singular subject matter allows for a deep dive into its nuances, while others claim that it may stifle the artist’s potential for growth and diversity.

I feel I am often capturing the same images, but with varied themes, and feel a little stunted in my creativity. While at the same time capturing similar lighting styles or staging similar scenes (or indeed no scene) can also allow me to get a little more creative with a particular theme. Alice in Wonderland as an example, I have photographed Alice in so many different costumes, and sets, with or without a backing cast. Incredibly detailed and staged sets, or simple white backdrop. I never seem to tire of Alice and they always look so different.

In this blog post, we can perhaps look at the complexities of photographing the same theme over and over, exploring both the merits and potential drawbacks of such a creative approach.

The merits of repetition

Depth of understanding

Revisiting the same theme multiple times provides the photographer with an unparalleled opportunity to understand the subject at a profound level. Through repetition, one can uncover hidden details, subtle variations, and unique perspectives that may elude a more cursory exploration. In particular, there are so many variations on Alice in Wonderland from Lewis Carroll’s original book, the ‘yellow’ dress version from 1999 by Nick Willing, through to Tim Burton’s modern take on Alice. So many interesting characters, and so many plot twists and turns. It can be quite difficult to cover it all.

Mastery of technique

Focusing on a specific theme allows a photographer to refine and master the technical aspects of their craft. Whether it’s understanding lighting conditions, experimenting with compositions, or fine-tuning post-processing techniques, repetition can lead to a level of technical expertise that might be challenging to achieve with a more diverse portfolio. That can ring true for landscapes as well as portraits. Although, I am not sure what technical expertise I am toying with the latest version of Alice, but I am indeed experimenting with different post-processing. Even if I am not gaining much mastery of my craft, I do adore capturing Alice.

Personal evolution

Photographing the same theme over an extended period can serve as a visual diary, documenting the photographer’s evolution. The images become a timeline of growth, showcasing changes in style, perspective, and emotional connection to the subject. When I look back on so many variations of Alice, I can see a definite growth in my abilities as both a photographer and a retoucher.

Potential drawbacks

Creative stagnation

One of the primary concerns with photographing the same theme repeatedly is the potential for creative stagnation. The fear is that the artist may become trapped in a visual echo chamber, limiting their ability to explore new subjects, styles, and techniques. I don’t seem to find a problem here, my brain is always on the go. Every one of my Alice shoots has come out differently. Different models, different makeup artists, different staging, different lighting, different costumes even. I always find some way to make each one slightly different.

Audience engagement

A consistently repeated theme might lead to diminished interest from an audience. While some viewers appreciate a deep dive into a particular subject, others may grow weary of seeing variations of the same concept. Balancing personal artistic fulfillment with audience engagement is a delicate act. I don’t shoot Alice every week, which I would think would become very boring. But once a year or even once every two years is not overdone. In my opinion anyway.

Missed opportunities

An exclusive focus on a single theme might cause a photographer to overlook other potentially enriching subjects. The world is filled with a myriad captivating scenes and moments, and limiting oneself to just one theme could mean missing out on diverse and rewarding photographic opportunities. I honestly think this doesn’t truly apply either. I often find I have visited places several times to truly capture the best or a variety of different angles and vistas. Different times of the day or even of the year can bring about changes in light and perspectives. Visiting a certain spot can bring new ideas. I think portraits are similar. As I have already captured it before, I might be looking for something entirely different.

No one-size-fits-all for repetition in photography

In the grand tapestry of photography, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to whether photographing the same theme over and over is inherently right or wrong. It ultimately comes down to the photographer’s goals, artistic vision, and personal satisfaction. Striking a balance between deep exploration and broad experimentation can be the key to maintaining a dynamic and fulfilling photographic practice.

Whether you find inspiration in the consistency of a single theme or thrive on the diversity of ever-changing subjects, the art of photography remains a subjective and deeply personal journey. Embracing both repetition and variety, photographers can unlock the full spectrum of their creative potential and contribute to the rich and diverse landscape of visual storytelling.

“Besides, we’re all mad here. I’m mad, you’re mad.” “How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice. “You must be,” said the Cat, or you wouldn’t have come here.”

The Chesire Cat & Alice

The photography industry can be a funny, polarized place. On one hand, you’ve got brands continuing to launch new contenders for the title of best mirrorless camera, with increasingly dizzying specs, ever-higher megapixel counts, and more rapid burst speeds. But retro film cameras and film stocks are also enjoying something of a renaissance. 

Analog photography has certainly been getting more attention in recent years, whether that’s a ripple effect from the best instant cameras, new cheap 35mm film cameras, or the ease with which you can find secondhand options on eBay. And although apps like VSCO recreate the look of popular films brilliantly, there’s nothing quite as exciting as exposing your own rolls (or slides) on a dedicated analog camera.

Film is fun. Film is physical. And plenty of new photographers are discovering it for the first time, alongside experienced (I don’t want to say older) shooters who are rediscovering its joys. I fall into the latter camp, as a millennial who grew up with film, tried it at university, then got swept along in the digital era. My first jobs were at Digital Photographer and Digital Camera magazine, after all. 

Having recently returned to film, I’ve come up against the same hurdle as everyone else – that it’s becoming prohibitively expensive. Because film is no longer the default way to take photos, manufacturers are now few and far between. And as the supply and volume of production has reduced, the cost to the consumer has increased. 

There are three main costs to consider: the camera gear, the film, and its development; four costs, if you include making physical prints. In this generalist guide, I’ll share some advice for getting started with film photography on a budget. To simplify things I’ve focused on 35mm cameras, but many of the tips – buying popular film stocks in bulk, for example – apply to all formats.

Film is a hobby and a passion, beloved by photographers who enjoy the experimentation, unique results, and slow process that it encourages. By making the right choices for you, avoiding wastage, and shopping around, you can shoot film for less, and continue to enjoy the craft that you love. I know I will.

1. Start with a disposable camera

I can hear cries from highly-accomplished film photographers as I include this, but hear me out. If you’re new to film photography and want to try it on for size, spending under $20 / £20 on a disposable camera makes sense. Harman, for example, offers different options loaded up with its most popular film stocks – I like the classic Ilford HP5 Plus black-and-white camera – so you can start taking photos as soon as the camera is in your hands.

Disposable cameras are ideal for beginners. I’ve seen several people who love a ‘vintage’ look investing heavily in film gear, only to discover that they prefer using their digital camera and adding some presets to emulate that look. For them, the pull of film isn’t about the shooting process, but the aesthetic. If you’re not sure whether film is for you, why not go halfway in, and buy a few single-use cameras first? It’s probably worse for the environment, but it could be better for your wallet.

2. Get a cheap compact film camera

If you’re passionate about shooting film long-term, then a reusable camera will be the best route for you. As film has seen a resurgence, new analog cameras have popped up to meet demand, and they’re surprisingly affordable. One of my favorite options is the Reto Ultra Wide and Slim 35mm film camera. With an ultra-wide 22mm lens and ultra-pocketable size, it’s compatible with all 35mm films, and comes in three colors. 

The Kodak Ektar H35 is similarly sized and similarly priced, at around $65 / £50. But as it’s a half-frame camera you can shoot 72 photographs on a 36-exposure 35mm film, doubling the number of photos from one roll. Contemporary, all-in-one cameras have fixed, built-in lenses, so they offer less in the way of creative choice. But they’re a cheap startup cost, and will allow you to master the basics of composition and exposure before you get a film camera with manual controls. 

3. Look for affordable secondhand cameras

The secondhand film camera market is booming on sites like eBay. Rare gems and medium-format cameras may reach thousands, but if you look for well-maintained consumer models from the 1970s to the 1990s, they’ll offer you exposure controls and interchangeable lenses at a more reasonable price. 

Looking for the best film camera for beginners? The Canon AE-1, Pentax K1000, and Nikon FE are iconic 35mm film cameras that have remained popular right into the 21st century – so much so that the Nikon Z Fc takes some design inspiration from the FE. While these options are over $100 / £100 (I got my Nikon FE for about $140 / £115), there are plenty of decent models to be had for under $50 / £50, such as the Fujica ST605.

There’s no need to limit yourself to online shopping. Camera shops, charity shops, and vintage fairs are all places to look out for secondhand cameras. Just be sure to check the working order of them first, and look to save even more by getting a camera body and lens bundle together.

Find a used Canon AE-1 on ebay.com
Find a used Canon AE-1 on ebay.co.uk

4. Stick with popular films (for now)

Trying out different film stocks is what film photography is all about (I haven’t even gotten to the part where we talk about film beyond 35mm, like 120, 110, and slide format). But generally speaking, the most affordable films are the most common ones still in wide production.

Ilford and Kodak both make plenty of cheap generalist options, which are designed to shoot a range of scenarios in abundant light. Ilford HP5 Plus Black and White film is one of the most ubiquitous films for monochrome work, while Kodak Gold 200 is a popular and affordable color option, both being under $10 / £10. Once you’ve found a film you like, buying multipacks and bulk buys can give you a sweet discount – just be sure you’ll use it all before you invest.

If and when you start shooting in low light and need more sensitive films, you’ll need more niche and expensive films. Kodak Portra 800 was one of my favorite films when I started to try astrophotography with my film camera, but it’s around three times the price of the previous options, and not ideal for the budget-conscious. Keep specialist options for when you’ve mastered exposure, and can getting guarantee value for money in every frame. Talking of which…

5. Nail your exposure

If you’re new to film photography, you’ll be very much taking the trial-and-error route as you hone your skills. It’s good to learn by failing; but if a lot of your shots are overexposed, underexposed, or not sharp in the right places, you’ll end up wasting a lot of money on a lot of wasted film.

Most advanced SLR film cameras – like my Nikon FE – have an in-built light meter that lets you know whether your frame is exposed correctly, in the same way as a modern DSLR or mirrorless camera does; many also have automatic exposure modes. However, if you can learn to shoot in manual mode using the exposure triangle, you’ll have better control over your settings, and can maximize the potential of your film. For extra help, buy yourself a (cheap) light meter for more accurate exposure readings.

When I was getting back into film photography – and especially when I started taking shots at night – I used my digital camera to check the exposure, before applying similar settings to my film camera. You’d set the ISO to the same speed as your chosen film stock, then dial in the aperture and shutter to get the right balance. This method isn’t an exact science, and it can feel like cheating at first; but soon enough, you get to know your own film camera in a variety of lighting conditions, and can set exposure without relying on a digital camera for help.

Building a budget-friendly film photography kit may take you some time. But with so many affordable and easy-to-master new cameras available today, including the best beginner mirrorless cameras, analog photography will never be the easiest, quickest, or cheapest way to take photos. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it anyway, or that you can’t find easy ways to reduce your spending while shooting more film – there are always ways to do what you love, on a budget.

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