Sunrise Film Photography at New Smyrna Beach, Florida
A Peaceful Photowalk Comparing Medium Format vs 35mm on Kodak Portra 400
Chasing Light at Dawn
Waking up at 5am is not my usual routine, but I’m willing to drag myself out of bed super early when there’s something special to photograph. In this case, I wanted to capture a sunrise on film. I must admit, there’s something exciting about setting off on an adventure while most of the world is still asleep.
In my latest YouTube video, I’ll bring you along for a peaceful sunrise photo walk at New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Growing up near this area, I spent a lot of time at this beach, and visiting again brought back special memories.
For this outing, I brought along two of my favorite cameras — my Rolleiflex 2.8F and Canon AE-1 — both loaded with Kodak Portra 400. My goal was to compare how different film formats capture the same light at dawn.
In the video, you’ll see 120 film and 35mm side by side, and I think once you see how beautiful Florida’s coastline looks on film, you might be tempted to set an early alarm too!
Shooting film at sunrise is all about noticing the small details — the way the light shifts from soft blue to pink to gold, the textures in the sand, and how waves ripple and reflect against the sky…
This video is perfect for analog photography enthusiasts, nature lovers, or anyone curious about the differences between medium format and 35mm film.
Watch to learn practical tips and my go-to app for finding the best light anywhere in the world.
Why Choose Film Over Digital?
I understand that a digital camera gives you lots of flexibility for experimenting with settings (and practically endless shots!), while film is less forgiving — every frame counts. That’s part of the fun challenge for me. You don’t have to be an expert at film to capture great sunrise photos. Check out my bs tips ’s tips below.
For this sunrise photowalk, I started with ISO 400 (box speed), a shutter speed of 1/125 (the slowest for handheld), and a wide-open aperture at f/2.8. As the sun rose, I stopped down to f/5.6, then to f/9 or even f/16 as the light grew brighter. I usually meter for the highlights to keep colors glowing without blowing them out, this helped balance the deep shadows with the colorful highlights in the sky.
Lesson learned: Next time, I want to try a few frames with a slower shutter speed to capture the motion of the waves. I’ll definitely save that for our next beach adventure.
Practical Sunrise Photography Tips
Arrive at least 30 minutes before sunrise. A relaxed mind is a creative mind, and you’ll want plenty of time to set up. Plus, the pre-dawn light can be stunning.
Be ready to adjust your camera settings as the light changes fast — but that’s half the fun!
Consider your format to guide your composition. For example, a 35mm lens offers a wider scene while an 80mm lens has more shallow depth of field.
Look for natural textures in your environment. At the beach, I searched for wave patterns, foamy textures, dreamy reflections, and puffy cloud shapes.
Use leading lines in your composition, like the shoreline or wave angles, to naturally draw the viewer in.
Try to photograph wildlife if you spot it. They add more character to your scene. We even stumped into a Portuguese man-of-war!
Do you have any favorite sunrise photography tips? Drop them in the video comments.
I love to learn how other photographers approach the magic of morning light.
