If you haven’t noticed by now, I’m a pretty big nerd about photography. Given the chance I’ll talk for hours about how it’s an incredible form of expression and how much meaning images of can have. It won’t take long into the conversation for me to start talking about film photography and why I shoot film.
They still make film?
They never stopped! Film production has actually increased in the last decade and companies like Kodak Professional, Polaroid, and Ilford have been able to bring out new film stocks and film cameras. Much like vinyl has for music, film photography has made a huge resurgence in the last decade.
Why do I shoot film? Because I love it!
There’s so many reasons why I shoot film, but it really comes down to the fact that I connect with making photos on film more that any other tool. It has a look and feel that just can’t be matched. The physical, tangible nature of it is so refreshing (I could really nerd out about how each frame of film is forever changed by the particles of light and how beautiful that is, but I’ll hold back for now).
There’s an excitement that goes all the way from loading a fresh roll through seeing the finished developed images. I only have a limited number of shots per roll and no LCD screen which means I have to slow down, trust what I’m shooting, and get to stay focused on my subject. Shooting film for clients has made me an even better digital photographer!
It isn’t about film vs. digital.
Seriously, the debate about film vs. digital photography is just silly. They’re both tools that are great at different things. I prefer film, but there’s times when digital is way to go. When it comes parts of a wedding day or other events, the speed and versatility of digital makes things so much easier. For portraits and details though, I’ll always shoot as much as I can on film!
You might be wondering, if I take your photos on film, what happens next?
Great question! With the modern workflow of shooting film I have all my film scanned at high resolution once it’s developed. I can capture images the way I want to on film and then edit and deliver the film images right along side digital to my clients. It’s best of both worlds!
Want to know more about film photography and why I shoot film? Drop me a line! I’m always happy to answer any questions!