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If you’re planning to travel somewhere new soon and you’re thinking of bringing a film camera instead of a modern mirrorless camera, Matt Day has some tips you may want to listen to. These aren’t set-in-stone rules for traveling with film, but these are helpful guidelines you should at least consider. Whether you shoot 35mm, large-format, or instant film, these can still apply.
Keep it low friction
The fewer options you have, the more you’re actually shooting. There is no need to carry multiple cameras because you don’t know if you want one photo in black and white 35mm format and another in full-color large format. You are more likely to get the perfect shot when all you have is just one camera and just one lens. You’re simply more focused on the environment when you don’t need to think about the gear.
Pack a light bag
Don’t overdo it when packing your travel bag. Keep it light and only bring what you need. You might think of bringing just one camera bag, but for your sake, maybe you shouldn’t choose the biggest camera bag you have. You will kick yourself later if you end up with a heavy bag when you didn’t actually need some of the stuff in it. The weight will be difficult to handle, and you only put more gear at risk of theft or environmental damage when traveling to risky or bad-weathered areas.
If you’re flying, take precautions with your film
Even though a lot of airports will have signs that say, “film under 800 ISO is safe for the XRAY check”, it doesn’t hurt to be safe and ask that your film be hand-checked instead. Just plan for it ahead of time, and organize the film in your bag so it will be easy to pass it through a separate hand-check. It may be best to keep all of the film in one zip bag in an accessible pocket in your bag so you’ll be able to take it out and back in quickly at the airport.
Matt’s personal travel kit
For himself, Matt uses a Leica M6, equipped with a Leica 35mm lens, and Ilford hp5 black and white film. It’s a small and convenient set, one that doesn’t necessarily require its own bag.
Some advice
When you travel for your own purposes, Matt recommends you use the lens you’re most familiar with. For a job, you can argue that other lenses of other focal ranges will be more fitting for the role. But for your own comfort and experience in your personal travels, sticking to what you know will make it easy to composite and take your shots.
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