Background.   Grain is the photographer's enemy. Well, not always.  You can take advantage of a film's grain to produce creative effects.  Grain suggests that a picture is either old (an effect that can be reinfored through the use of black-and-white film).  Grain can also be used to produce the effect of reportage, where the photographer has to take pictures under severe lighting conditions, or where the resulting image is an enlargement of just part of the image.

Film choice.  To produce considerable grain, you need to buy a high-grain film.   I.e., a film rated at 800 or higher speed.  Good examples include the Kodak Tmax 3200, the Konica 3200, or the Fuji HG 1600.  Also, enlarge your prints beyond 4 x 6.

Example.  This picture of Victoria Harbor taken with a tele lens (200mm) on Tmax 3200. Printed on color paper in sepia tone.

(c) Christian Wagner, 2001.