but…
w h y f i l m ?
Well, for starters, it just looks SO MUCH BETTER!
Dreaminess, soft halation, ethereal colors, aesthetic textures of grain — it all suddenly makes a photo have soul, nostalgia, authenticity & history. The very light that was present as you took that photograph, stamping the film negative forever, leaving a piece of that moment with you for life; isn’t that beautiful?
I’ve been shooting film since 2019 and I have not been able to go back to digital since receiving my first film scans. It has never, not once, failed me or dissatisfied me as an artist. I could even say I believe film brings out a deeper and more intentional version of my artistry. Film photography is a genuine and true love and passion of mine, and introducing it to others brings me unspeakable joy. As the world slowly shifts back to keeping film alive and reintroducing it to the world — I must say it moves me a little.
Let’s talk hesitations though, as I’m sure you have some while reading this page. Most of the world now uses digital photography so why would you go with film? Well, be special! It’s not nearly as scary as you think, so let’s talk film.
#1 What does film photography mean to you?
The unknown is always scary, I’m sure — but isn’t it exciting? You can take your digital picture, see it right away, and try to mindlessly take it 20 more times for “perfection” — the picture slowly loses meaning. Then you sit for hours and hours at a time editing it, changing the colors, the scene, and the essence — the authenticity of the image until you create a product you’re “satisfied enough” with. Truthfully, a lot of digital photographers will try to achieve the “film look” through editing anyway, so why not just go for the real thing at this point?
With film, mindful capturing becomes an essential part of your craft. You wouldn’t take pictures you would never look at again, you wouldn’t waste your precious film on that. Film has forced me to hone my photography skills truthfully and without any shortcuts. Doing that has made me a more creative and intentional photographer, even in the cases of using a digital camera. It has made me accepting and patient. For me, photography is now less of a “perfectionist stressful race” and more of a meditative and artistic expression. It’s just so beautiful — not just the results, but the process of photographing itself.
On my Beijing trip, there’s one specific picture that made me fall hard for film photography. I was visiting a temple and I saw this kid dancing while giving me his back. The documentary photojournalist in me had to take that shot. However, as I pressed on the shutter, he turned around. My curiosity spiked every day thinking about that picture. Was his back still given? Was he turning around? Guessing how it would end up looking made the reveal ten times more exciting and the moment itself ten times more precious. It took me almost 2 months to find a film lab and develop the films, the picture — it made me happy. I cannot put it any other way.
#2 How did you get into film photography anyway?
Well, as some of you already know, I graduated from a film school in Los Angeles, and being there for four years has introduced me to many artists of different mediums, including film. It felt like the universe kept sending signs my way to pick that whole thing up. From having a classmate photographing on film, shooting scenes on cinema film in one of my classes, to finding a random actress shooting film on her Instagram — I was always mesmerized by the results.
I bought my first 35mm film camera, the Pentax K1000, and a bunch of films in 2019 then started roaming with it right away. I wandered through Los Angeles, Alexandria, Sohag & Cairo with this camera without developing any film for a while. In October of that year, I impulsively decided to skip a few days of college to go celebrate my 21st birthday on my own in Beijing, China. With this adventure came the decision and commitment to shoot only film on this trip. In the span of four days, I shot around nine 36-exposure films! The results blew me away and I fell in love with this craft immediately. From this point on, film photography has been my world.
#3 Can’t things go wrong with film?
Most people would tell you that digital is “safer” than film though truthfully, just as much can go wrong. I’ve seen digital cameras crashing in the heat, having battery issues, SD card issues and so much more. As a photographer who uses both mediums, I’ve had more go wrong with digital cameras than film cameras. I personally test all the film cameras I’m using before ever taking them to work.
As for the developing process — I only work with highly professional and trusted film labs across the world. The chances of something going wrong there are near zero. I will use a film lab often for personal photography before using them for work. I always first investigate the service from the chemicals and developing machines to the scanners used to ensure I receive the best quality and treatment for the films.
#4 Doesn’t using film mean less photos?
Would I be taking fewer photos than your average digital photographer? Yes, but if you think about it — that’s better. Unlike digital photography, no film photographer would mindlessly be pressing down the shutter button hoping to capture the perfect pictures that way. Film makes you more specific about your shots, leaving less room for “filler” pictures you wouldn’t like or choose and more room for keepers. Film photographers understand the worth and value of each frame they have on the film, so trust me, they wouldn’t waste it on fillers. It makes us more present and mindful of each shot taken. And even though some (no, not all) digital photographers will filter their pictures, most of the time you will need to filter out the ones you don’t like either. So to this, I say — quality > quantity!
#5 Won’t it take longer to receive our pictures with film?
Actually nope! Most people will assume that since film needs to go through a developing and scanning process that would mean taking longer, but that’s not the case. I always arrange for fast service delivery with the film labs I work with and since these are nothing like RAW images from a digital camera, no editing needs to happen, and if I intend to edit anything — it’s usually very gentle and not at all time-consuming. I usually deliver the scans in up to two weeks and often times I can deliver a lot faster too!
Remember, the photographer job has existed since mid 1800s and digital photography wasn’t introduced till 1975, and it wasn’t used professionally till the early 2000s. This means that until the early 2000s, film was the only option for professional photography. It was trusted and loved by all. Just like it amazed people back then, I’m sure it still can impress you now too.
Well now, ready to do this the analog way?
