I shared in many of my other blogs that my first exposure to photography was shooting film. That included taking photography classes and learning to develop and print B&W prints. It was fun! The first SLR autofocus film camera Nikon produced, and I purchased, was the 2020 in the late 1980s. I kept it all these years for nostalgia reasons, believing it didn't work anymore, but unbeknownst to me, it did. Though old, the camera is in fantastic condition. Last year, I put in new triple-A batteries (all it takes), and yippee, it did. I was shocked.

I've wanted to get back into the basics of photography again for years. Shooting with a digital camera is relatively easy. The autofocus in my Nikon D500 is almost instantaneous. Not with the Nikon 2020 film camera: I forgot how limited it is. You press the autofocus button and hear this grinding sound as the camera tries to focus. The green dot in the viewfinder showing the shot being in focus takes a few tries. This camera is only for non-motion subjects, nothing with much movement like reenactments. This camera can't focus fast enough. 

I had shot three rolls of Kodak T-Max 400 film to be processed. One roll was blank. That happens with film; sometimes, for many reasons, you get nothing. The first three photos were from the Redcoats and Rebels Grand Tactical event in Mount Harmon, and the last two were from the 1777 Whitemarsh Encampment. The photo is my favorite film photo from these rolls. It's the tobacco barn about 100 yards from the main house. I purposely use the fence's leading lines to guide the viewer to the barn. I darkened the trees in the background and lightened the grass, and the soldiers sitting provided a sense of the scale of this big barn.

Now, I want to try to shoot one roll of 35 mm film at each event. Shooting 35 mm film is not the same for me as shooting digital. In any event, I'll take between 200 and 400 photos. My Nikon D500 can even shoot up to 10 frames per second in burst mode. The maximum number of prints on a roll of 35 mm film is 36. I compose every shot when shooting film, trying to make every image count. Why, film is expensive.

Each print film roll, color, or B&W costs about $10. Of course, you can buy in bulk, but I don't shoot enough film to justify that. Developing and scanning one roll of film costs around $20. Let's not forget about shipping! Using 35mm film is expensive, so why did I start using it again? 

Film is how photography started; it has existed for over 130 years. As I shared earlier, I started with film. I wanted to get back to the basics of photography and develop what I learned years ago further. It is unique even in post-processing. The only manipulations I did to these images were to crop each to either 8x12 (full frame-includes everything from negative), 12x12, or whatever crop I liked best. Unlike my digital photos, where I do extensive post-processing, including adding numerous filters for more impact, in On1 Software, for these B&W shots, in the develop module, I just selected Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Midtones, Shadows, Whites, and Blacks. After making the corrections, I applied burning (areas that need to be darkened) and dodging (portion of the scene to be lightened) techniques.

I took the photo of the little girl in the American camp for this photo. She was playing with her mom when she spotted me and smiled. I used only my Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens, so I needed to get close to her. What helped this photo was me sitting to get her eye level. Her expression is priceless!

Look closely at the photo; you will see grain, also called noise. Why is that? The film has small particles of metallic silver in it. Film grain appears as random specks or particles throughout the image. Pixel noise can occur in digital cameras, but that is easy to correct with many noise reduction plug-ins, not with film. I like noise, though, especially for B&W. Do you?

This photo is from the British camp adjacent to the Manor House. The significant adjustments were lightening the circular driveway and darkening the trees, which added a bit of contrast to the image. Again, simple changes I made by dodging burning when needed.

This photo is from the 1777 Whitemarsh Encampment event at Hope Lodge, PA. 

"It commemorates the time from November 2 to December 11, 1777, when General George Washington and the Continental Army were encamped in the Whitemarsh Hills."

What's fun at most of these events is the period demonstrations. I spoke to the printer about movable type and different fonts. I've been fascinated with fonts for a while, so we chatted. I ultimately chose Georgia for my blog font because it gives a nostalgic feeling.

I wanted to get close in this shot, so I focused on the "Ink Balls," a leather-based ink applicator used before rollers. The white covers guide your eyes to them. With my fixed Nikon 50mm lens, I had to move up, down, and around to get this photo. I didn't crop this image a lot.

As I've shared many times in my blogs, I'm fascinated with flags. I photograph some at every event. This one flew above the canopy where "Ben Franklin" demonstrated scientific experiments. This photo feels nostalgic to me. The film grain is more noticeable, too. That is especially true with a large percentage of the sky in the image; it just becomes more pronounced. I like it!

What is my goal when shooting film? I want to use it regularly, learn how to develop B&W, and scan it. Shooting film will help me further develop my photography skills. To change it a bit, I've been shooting Kodak color film at recent events, which I'll write about soon in another blog.

Click here for the photo gallery from my 2 rolls of film.

Thank you for reading! Blog #87 will be posted on May 1, 2025. Be safe & well!

Ken Bohrer