Maybe you have been thinking about being a professional film photographer in 2025, all you need to know about the profession will be explain in this article. With over 8 years of experience as a professional photographer, I will guide and help you provide a professional service to your client.
P.S i will assume in this blog that you are already confident in shooting film and have enough experience already with dslr camera to offer professional services.
1 choosing your camera
Well, film cameras are not manufactured anymore (it's the 8th of March, 2025, and I'm still waiting for Pentax to announce a new production full-frame 35mm camera or medium format), so you are left with the second-hand market or lucky steals. My advice is to stick to 35mm; between 400 and 1000 USD, you can get a Nikon F5, F6, or Canon EOS-1V that is still in extremely good condition, sometimes new in box or barely used.
These cameras won't fail you on the job; they are rock solid with long shutter life, easy and fast to use, and most importantly, you can find a huge selection of lenses (new or used) to work with them.
Of course, medium format is still the king of the game, but most cameras in this market have either been abused, or you are going to pay a huge price for an exotic camera that can still fail you on the job, which is not good if you want to look professional.
I like this simple comparison: medium format is like a 5-star grand restaurant, and 35mm is just like McDonald's. So ask yourself which is making more profit and requires less investment or maintenance. Never forget that you are there for the money; without money, your business collapses.
P.S. if you plan to only work in real estate and architecture, then a 4x5 is what I would recommend. Integrated tilt movements are included, and the resolution is higher than any digital camera on the market. There are some brand new cameras and lenses available, like Chamonix and Rodenstock. Make sure you understand the implications of working with these cameras before you invest.
2 pricing, rules and regulations.
As film is more expensive, you will have to price yourself a little bit above the digital market. Prices vary greatly from location to location, but 30 percent higher than the actual market in your area is what you should aim for. At this price point, you will be offering fewer pictures than any digital photographer, so make it clear to the client that they will get "x" amount of pictures, nothing more, nothing less.
You can see my rates on the link below
This is the age of smartphones, so most clients will ask you to review the pictures on the shoot, which of course you cannot do. So the game here is to inspire confidence in your client. I cannot stress this enough: you are charging more, you cannot show the work on the job, all this can frustrate the client very quickly. The confidence you are showcasing to your client has to be extremely strong. Stay calm, always smile, show that you know your craft, and generally, they are going to be curious and happy about the experience.
One little trick that I use for outdoor photography is to always bring my light meter, even if the camera's internal meter works like a charm. The light meter makes you look more professional. Just use it a few times, then use the camera meter. Most of the time, the client will be curious about it and ask some questions about it.
The following is true for any professional photographer, digital or film: always have a complete list of rules and regulations, including a refund policy. If you have a website, there should be a page dedicated to it. Have a copy with you every time inside your camera bag and ask the client to sign it at the time of booking.
This is an important part of the business as anything can backfire very quickly and make you lose your reputation, the rules and regulations are here to protect you, your business, and your reputation.
You can see my full rules and regulations at the link below. Feel free to use it as a guideline to build your own regulations. Mine was done with the help of "ChatGPT".
3 Marketing
This is a hard one to understand, but your clients won't come from social media, not at this price point. Those who can afford a proper studio session these days don't spend time on social media. They also rarely live around your place. Your best marketing will come from:
- Real-life connections, so get some business cards and start distributing them where your real clients are.
- Referrals from the above-mentioned connections that were happy with the experience you provided. The pictures will only remind them of the experience, no matter how good they look.
- A website linked to a proper Google My Business, showcasing all your rules and regulations, refund policy, and a strong and focused portfolio.
- Yourself. At some point, the way you interact verbally with the client will either make or destroy the deal, so work on your speech. Talk slowly in a well-behaved manner, and always put the client first. Remember, YOU ARE NOT IMPORTANT, BUT THE VALUE YOU BRING TO THE CUSTOMER IS, so don't talk about yourself. Just explain calmly what is required for the session and make sure the customer understands the rules, regulations, and refund policy regarding their session. You have to understand that at this point, your potential client has already seen your work, knows your price, and if the deal is not happening, the only reason is how you presented yourself to them.
4 Studio Photography
Studio photography is usually the ultimate goal of many photographers. It requires an extensive understanding of light, light fall-off, and the ability to balance multiple light sources. Studio photography is also a huge investment, and I strongly urge anyone considering this field to only invest in quality gear as you really, really don't want anything bad happening to your client during a session.
If you are new to studio photography, I strongly advise not to move to film photography right away. Spend a few years with a DSLR where you can see the result of your light placement, how different modifiers work, how the fall-off affects the backdrop, the relationship between aperture and light fall-off behind your subject, balancing different light sources, mastering key light, fill light, hair light, backdrop light (4-point lighting), adapting the light source to different skin colors... these need to be perfectly mastered before you even think of studio photography on film, else you will be burning your money very quickly every time you misplace a light, not to mention your reputation.
You may be tempted to use LED light, but I strongly recommend using strobe. LED light will never be as good as a strobe, and a powerful LED will quickly fatigue your client's eyes. The movie industry uses very powerful tungsten light or HMI light because they retain a natural color spectrum (warm or cold). A strobe is a much simpler, cheaper, and more efficient way to achieve the same results.
If you are confident with studio photography and can work blindly without reviewing your camera LCD for light placement, your next step is to invest in a flash meter. Please don't use a DSLR to check your light level and placement before using the film camera. The client will be confused about your ability to take the shot properly, plus it takes a huge amount of time, and they might even think, "Why are you shooting film when the DSLR gets you the result instantly?" That's a sure way to lose your client. If they are here for a film experience, then give them a film experience only. In the studio, I use a Minolta 4F Autometer, but any flash meter will do.
5 buying and processing
Buy your film in stock to save costs, freeze them when they arrive, but always keep one handy for rush sessions. Most clients will prefer shooting in color unless you want to do only black and white film photography (an option I am considering in the future).Unfreeze your film for 24 hours in the fridge, then move it out to room temperature for 12 hours.
Whether you want to process your film yourself or send it to a lab is your personal decision, but be mindful of the responsibility involved. Be sure you know exactly what you are doing; in doubt, send it to the lab. You don't want to ruin someone's wedding while experimenting with your film processing; it's a serious business. I send my film to the lab; it gives me more time to do other things, and I have less pressure and stress in my job doing so. If you are sending to a lab, consider sticking to the same lab (provided they are reputable) as this is a long-term relationship. Over time, they will know your preferences regarding scanning.
Process or send your film for processing all together once a week to save costs. Be sure to explain to the client how long it will take to get the pictures before the booking. You might have to decline some jobs that require day-to-day delivery or very short delivery times.
6 closing the analog loop
Most clients expect to have a digital delivery of their pictures. I get a lot of business headshot clients that go online to LinkedIn, but for a true analog experience, the darkroom print is the way to go. For family photoshoots or weddings, this option is the ultimate experience. It's a bit pricey, but then again, you are marketing to a wealthy niche and clients who understand what they are paying for.
7 other things to consider
If you have a job right now and are considering leaving everything to become a full-time photographer, I seriously advise NOT to do it. Times have changed, and photography is not as lucrative as it used to be. I have been, and still am, a classical guitar/electric bass guitar teacher, and the ability to give online music classes is the reason the studio survived the Covid-19 crisis. Today, the studio is a very nice additional income to my job as a guitar teacher, and I can manage both quite easily. As we say, don't put all your eggs in the same basket.
Because you work with film, you will many times decline jobs that are simply not possible to achieve or might not reflect the quality of your work as a photographer (short delivery, in a dark venue where no flash is allowed, or the chiaroscuro Caravaggio style of picture, difficult weather conditions). Your number of clients will also be lower than a digital photographer's, but at the same time, your pricing will be higher.
If you are shooting weddings, you need at least two cameras. Label your film rolls when needed ("+1" for push 1 stop). Always have a marker and sticky note paper in your camera bag. Get an assistant for help if needed. Always have some spare rolls ready just in case.
Film is a beautiful medium, and if you are doing your job right, your clients will enjoy it. Remember to be patient; I only started making a profit in my third year as a photographer, as all the money I was making until then was invested in studio material and gear. So take it easy, enjoy the process, and let your reputation grow slowly.
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