One of the most common questions I get from people when they see me shooting film is "How do you know you got the shot?". It makes me wonder why people think that just because they may photograph with a digital camera they won't miss the shot? I mean, just because there is a little screen on the back doesn't mean that you won't get people with their eyes closed, or out of focus, or a wrong exposure. It happens just as often as with a film camera as it does with a digital one. What it boils down to is practice, and knowing a few things about shooting film that sets the good film shooter apart.

In the case of the eye blinks and out of focus shots the digital shooter makes just as many of those as a film shooter does. The film shooter would have the same issues as the digital shooter. I get eye blinks and the random pole from the top of someone's head too. the point I am trying to make is that bad shots are made just as easily with digital as they are with film. It's not the camera that fixes that. Pay attention to what you are shooting. Look around the view finder, look into the back ground and inspect the photo before you press the shutter. It makes a huge difference in the photographs you will make.

 
Olympus XA, Fuji 200 straight out of the camera from the lab, no digital adjustment

What about that nice little screen on the back of the digital camera that shows you missed the shot you may ask? True a digital camera shows you right away that you missed. Okay, fine then what do you do? Take another one? well let's hope it isn't a 5 year old kid running around, because you aren't going to get another chance at that one. And how many other shots are you going to miss because your chimping at that screen every time you trip the shutter? When I shoot film I make a lot of photographs to ensure that a few will be on the money. I'm not distracted with a screen on the back either.

So here are some tips if you want to shoot some film and not miss the shot:

• Shoot color negative film at half the box speed. That means setting your camera at 200 iso when you shoot 400 iso film. Trust me, you won't miss on exposures when you do this.
• Set your camera to manual and spot meter a shadow area in the environment you are in, like the shadow of a tree, or dark corner of a room. Leave your settings there and shoot away.
• Shoot a couple more photos than you think you need. 
  
• Look at the photograph in the view finder before you press the shutter. Is the background distracting, etc.?
• Think ahead.
  
• Have fun interacting with the subject or surroundings your in because you don't have to keep looking at the screen.
• Practice. Do it more than one time.