Who in their right mind would spend over ten dollars on a film stock that isn’t true to life? I guess I am not in my right mind, because that is exactly what I did. I walked into the camera store in Chicago and said, “I want a fun film stock,” and the nice person behind the counter said, “I have just the thing.” And they did. I also purchased some other films, but we’re not here for those today. In this post, we’re going to talk about Azure. This color-shifting film has unlocked a need in me to try more creative film stocks.

So here is what I know about it. The company that produces this film is the same one that gives us the classic fan-favorite Ilford (one of which I have, but haven’t tried just yet). The film is definitely not true to tone, as you can see above. It comes in 35mm and 120 formats, and it was actually introduced this year. That is so exciting. If it isn’t obvious, I just looked that up. The complete name is Harman Switch Azure 125. This film stock focuses on its signature cyan and blue tones, contrast levels, and warmth. Skies are so unpredictable in all the best ways, sometimes shifting from blue to orange, pink, or purple. I would not use this film for skin tones unless you want to look like an Avatar, and even then, it might not work out. Just approach it with an open mind.

The exposure performance at 125 ISO was great for me. Keep in mind, I am someone who usually underexposes my photos simply because I want to keep as much detail as possible. But keep in mind, that habit comes from shooting with my DSLR. This is not a suggestion for film cameras. It is actually better to overexpose your photos on film. Film tends to retain more information with overexposure, whereas underexposure will just crash your shadows and become muddy. For this roll, I shot at box speed with exact exposure, and I really enjoyed the results straight out of the camera. One thing I must warn is that this is not the film to pick if you want a ton of sharp detail. That isn’t the focus of this stock. But if you want to see the world in a different way, this is one you should try.

Finally, would I try this film again? Yes. Do I think you should try this film? Yes. It unlocked another burst of creativity in me. I also loved that, apart from editing slightly to make the sky look more dramatic, the film was perfect just as it was.