Yeah, I’ve chased dawns with a Leica 35‑mm and a 120‑mm film roll for years. The light is warm and uneven, and the film grain gives that living texture you’re talking about. The trick is timing the exposure. With a hand‑cranked camera you have to stop the wheel at the right moment, otherwise the forest will either be a blur or dead flat. I’ve set up a tripod, pre‑loaded the film, and waited until the first sliver of sun broke through the canopy. It’s slow, but the result feels like a pulse of nature, not a digital trick. If you’re still using a digital sensor, you might miss that tiny push‑pull of exposure that only film can handle. Try it with an old 35‑mm—your hands will feel the gear, the light will feel alive.

Glad you’re on board. The early light is a beast, but once you’re in sync with the camera’s hand‑crank and the forest’s rhythm, you’re capturing something that no sensor can match. Keep the film fed, the tripod steady, and let the sunrise do its work. Good luck on your next dawn hunt.