35mm film photography is something both wrapped in nostalgia and excitingly popular even now. But what does that mean in the context of a wedding day? What’s the point when we have access to digital products that can capture hundreds, if not thousands, more images instantly?

The Art of Noticing

The most obvious (and costly) difference between digital and film formats is that each photo taken with a film camera is money coming out of your pocket. Not only that, but film by nature is at risk of developing in error that we will only discover much later. However, it’s these factors that transform the eye and mind of the one behind the camera.

Film, personally, changes the way that I shoot. Aware of the margin of error and cost of each exposure, each moment becomes something weighed in my mind. Is this something my bride and groom will truly feel joy to see captured in this way or am I taking a shot for the sake of shooting something? Is this the best angle I could possibly be capturing? Do I press the shutter now or wait just a bit longer in anticipation of a good moment becoming a GREAT moment?

It’s these questions that turn what may have been 20 “okay” shots on digital into 3 amazing shots on film.

The Format That Grows With Us

So many of us own albums filled with photos of our childhood in film. Not only that, but our parents and grandparents lives’ were all documented in the same format. What’s more special than this connection between generations? With our current access to a wide variety of media coverage options, this is one we can purposely choose for the sake of connection to our families and our younger selves.

The Aesthetics

Of course, more than the deeper meaning of what it represents to shoot film, the look is something hard to replicate. For all the technology and programs we have at our fingertips, there’s something about the way the color and light lifts off the image. It’s something I chase after in my digital edits, but let the film photos be distinctively different in their own right.

There’s a painting-like quality that film holds that elevates it from a nice picture to a work of art.

AI Just Can’t Beat It

AI has its fingers in almost every part of the photography and wedding industry. We can use it to create our invitations, write our seating charts, suggest the perfect menu, or even generate a photo of what it might think we’ll look like on our wedding day. But it’s not an artist. It doesn’t feel what we feel and experience what we experience.

In an age where everything is instantaneous and the impossible becomes possible, AI cannot take the visible spectrum of light and expose it onto a strip of film. Even seasoned photographers can struggle with properly shooting film. It is a medium of art that requires a true love of artistry and the people on the other side of the camera.

Film is something near and dear to my heart that I am pouring my love, time, and money into. It’s a skill I’m acquiring and sharpening to master in all forms of light and moments of life. Current add ons for film photography are available for any wedding day or session.

Message me for details.