While I was packing for my trip to the Cotswolds in England, I knew I wanted to pack a few film stocks that I didn’t use very often. I wanted to be inspired and come home with images that were different than what I was used to. I have a tendency to choose Lomography Color 100 and 400 as my go-to film stocks, because they are affordable, versatile, and colorful. And then whenever I want the photos to be black and white, I just convert them in Lightroom, easy peasy. But when I first started shooting film in college, there was something truly special about shooting in black and white. The fact that you don’t have the option to convert it into a color photograph changes the way your mind composes the shot. You start to see everything in shapes and geometric lines. You pay more attention to contrast and light. In order to create a truly amazing black and white photo, you have to see the world in black and white. It just changes things. And that’s how I originally became obsessed with photography — by developing my first roll of black and white film in the darkroom and feeling the nostalgia and magic of black and white photography.
MY THOUGHTS ON ILFORD HP5 PLUS 400 35 MM FILM
I was excited to take a trip down memory lane and shoot with some black and white film rolls on my trip, and one of the 35 mm rolls I took with me was Ilford Hp5 Plus 400. Nowadays, when I’m shooting with black and white film, I catch myself wondering if I should have just brought color film with me and if I’m going to regret my choice. But once I got my film back from the processing lab, I realized this wasn’t the case at all. I was in love with the black and white photos. I loved the classic feel and the way the photographs took me back in time. With Ilford Hp5 Plus specifically, I loved the contrast and the deep blacks. The highlights have an overall light gray tone which makes them feel like they’ve been sitting in an attic and you're sorting through someone’s distant memories. There was so much history to the buildings and locations I was photographing anyway, and I think it was the perfect way to capture them.
The film is super sharp with just the right amount of graininess for a 400 speed film. While the blacks are dark, there is an amazing amount of detail in the shadows. If you’re looking for even more stark contrasted film, I recommend shooting with a 100 speed film like Neopan Acros 100 (I have a full review about this film on my blog here!). But 400 speed films are a perfect everyday film speed that work on sunny and cloudy days, in the sun or the shade. 100 speed films are really only for bright, sunny days if you’re shooting outside, but you’ll get less grain and a cleaner overall look. It’s really all about preference, but I find 400 speed films to have the perfect blend of both worlds. It still has the grainiess that makes it look like film, but it’s not as grainy as 800 speed film, and can handle more lighting scenarios that 100 speed film. If you’d like more black and white film recommendations, I have a blog post about my top 5 favorite black and white 35 mm films here!
WOULD I BUY IT AGAIN?
Yes, without a doubt. One of the best things about this film is that it’s affordable too! Black and white films are typically cheaper than color films, and is great for beginners while you’re getting your feet wet so you don’t break the bank. Shooting film can be expensive, but I tend to buy my film in bulk which can usually save a little bit of money. I think my favorite thing about this film is that every single photo turned out. Even when I was inside a dark church or photographing that last minutes of daylight as the sun set, or in the dark, covered woods photographing flowers, they all turned out beautifully. This isn’t always the case with certain film brands. It’s a super reliable, versatile film that is perfect for traveling, that’s for sure. I have a few more rolls of Ilford HP5 Plus left and I can’t wait to shoot with it!
WHERE TO BUY ILFORD HP5 PLUS 400 35 MM FILM
My personal favorite place to buy film is B&H photo. They have fair, competitive prices and have SUPER fast shipping. It’s 2-day shipping for any order over $49, so that’s a pretty sweet deal to me! They have definitely saved me on a couple of occasions when I needed film last minute. Not to mention, they are sometimes one of the only online sites to carry specific, niche film stocks. Adorama is great photography & gear-based website too. Amazon is great for the convenience factor and sometimes has good deals on bulk orders of Ilford HP5 Plus, but it’s not always available there. Hope that helps in your search!
Thanks so much for stopping by! I’ve included a ton of my favorite photographs from my trip below using Ilford HP5 Plus 400. There are a few photos from London too! I also have a full review on my blog about the camera I used for these photos, the Samsung Evoca Zoom 115. It’s an incredible little tiny point-and-shoot camera that is super cheap and has SO many amazing and fun features. I’ll be posting a YouTube video about that camera on my channel, Cameras & Cats, soon so make sure to stay tuned! You can subscribe to my YouTube channel here! And you can watch all of our videos from our 10-day hike in the Cotswolds on my channel too. Not to mention, I wrote a full guide that you can download for free here if you’re interested in taking a 102 mile hike through stunning farmland. If you want to get away from society, this is the way to do it, I tell ya.
If you found this post helpful in any way, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing.
If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also check out my B&H Photo storefront & Amazon Storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :) Have a magical day!
<3 Myles Katherine
