Every film photographer has one stock they could shoot for the rest of their life. Mine is HP5+, and I'll make the case that it should be yours too.

It forgives you

HP5+ has a flat, wide mid-tone that shrugs off a stop of bad exposure in either direction. Overexposed by one? Fine. Underexposed by one? Fine. It's the stock that assumes you're still learning, because we all are.

It pushes beautifully

Rate it at 1600, develop in D-76 stock for 10:30, and the grain turns into texture instead of noise. It's the rare film that gets more interesting, not less, the harder you ask it to work.

Start here

Five rolls of HP5+, one lens, box speed, no tricks. Master that and every other film you pick up will feel like a small, pleasant surprise.