Grain of Light Film photography journal

Getting Started

New to film photography, or new here? These five notes, in this order, will get you oriented.

  1. 1

    What to See Before the Shutter — Except When the Moment Comes First

    Start here: what to notice before you even press the shutter.
  2. 2

    Practicing With Only a 50mm Lens

    Limit yourself to one lens and train your eye, not your gear list.
  3. 3

    Practicing With Manual Focus Only

    Learn to feel focus in your hands instead of trusting autofocus.
  4. 4

    When Golden Hour Actually Works

    Understand exactly when "good light" actually helps a photo.
  5. 5

    Crop vs Zoom — Moving Closer, Cutting the Frame, Pulling the Subject In

    Sort out your options: move closer, crop, or zoom.

Once you've read through, the full note index has everything else. All notes