Shooting Budapest with Fomapan: A Love Letter to Analog
There’s something about Budapest that feels timeless. Its grand architecture, cobblestone streets, and soft glow over the Danube evoke a sense of nostalgia that seems almost crafted for analog film. On my third trip to this amazing city, in January 2025, I wanted to capture that feeling—not just in image, but in experience. So I packed my Fomapan 400, a Czech black-and-white film known for its classic grain and moody contrast, and wandered the city with my camera in hand.
Why Fomapan?
Fomapan is a gem in the world of analog photography. Manufactured in the Czech Republic by Foma Bohemia, it’s a film that has held its legacy since the 1920s. Unlike many modern films that lean towards fine grain and hyper-sharpness, Fomapan embraces imperfection—its grain is pronounced, its contrast is bold, and its aesthetic is unapologetically vintage.
For my time in Budapest, I wanted that rawness. I wanted the imperfections, the texture, the grit, and the dramatic contrasts that would reflect the soul of the city. Fomapan 400 gave me exactly that.
The Magic of Analog
There’s a deliberate nature to shooting film that I love. You compose carefully, you measure light with intention, and you click the shutter knowing each frame is precious. With Fomapan, that ritual is even more significant. Its latitude allows for subtle mistakes, its tones encourage experimentation, and its imperfections make each image unique.
In a digital world, the tactile experience of analog is a breath of fresh air. From loading the roll to hearing the shutter click, to finally unspooling the negatives and seeing Budapest appear in shades of black and white—it’s magic. It’s pure photography.
