WHAT DOES FILM MEAN TO ME?

I only have four photographs of my grandfather. One is this polaroid of us on the Christmas before he died suddenly. I was six and we had a special bond, as I was his only grandchild. These physical photographic prints are the only tangible memories I have of him.

I decided as a young tumblr tween I didn’t want to miss anything. Or have no tangible moments to hold onto and look at.

Starting at summer camp age 9 I always had the disposable camera. I’d go down to CVS once a month to get my disposable camera developed. You got prints AND a CD-ROM eventually, to put them on MySpace. Any event, trip or hang I had a camera.

When my dad gifted me his Pentax K1000 so I could start learning how to MANUALLY shoot film, I LOVED IT.

Years later I found myself going to school for DIGITAL photography (IRONY). I photographed weddings with a digital camera for five years and loved it. My edits were starting to emulate film more after I began shooting film again for fun during the pandemic.

After a wicked busy wedding season editing THOUSANDS of wedding images I had a thought. Why edit LIKE film when I could just SHOOT film? So I brought the Pentax K1000 to see what a wedding day on film could looked like.

When my film scans came back I was FLOORED. It was what I had been striving for in my editing all along. So I decided, why not shoot full film weddings? Less editing and a great challenge. I starting experimenting with different film cameras at weddings and at home. in the summer of 2022 I purchased a medium format camera and started honing in on the process of slow shooting.

(Shooting manual focus on a 4lb camera tracking chickens until tack sharp? GREAT prep for ceremony exits LOL.)

With the help of some amazing clients who trusted me to shoot full film, I made the switch! And I have NEVER been happier. My sneak peeks are your polaroids, scanned and delivered on site. Physical photos in your hands to look at in the morning (with scans to post next day)

FILM IS TACTILE.

No digital camera can compete with the hands on manual approach of a vintage film camera. Loading the film, setting the ISO, manual focusing, the LOUD shutter click and feeling the ever so slight resistance of the film as you wind to the next frame.

The noises! GAHH!!! The anticipation of waiting for a polaroid to develop! Opening the back of a camera, taking out a roll of film and putting in a new one. Having ONE frame left and trying to decide the perfect moment to use it.

Mechanically winding a silly point and shoot on the dance floor. Looking at developed rolls in the window light. Wiping for dust. Feeding into the scanning bed. Cutting and sleeving the negatives.

ITS ALL SO FUN. There is something in the process that brings me so much joy, and I don’t care if it sounds trendy or lame but the practice make me appreciate the result so much more than digital photography ever did.

I DIG THE LOOK.

Film is different. no two rolls are ever EXACTLY the same, which gives you the freedom to play. There is consistency in stocks, but now I don’t feel constrained to a certain color pallate or “look”. Every scene is what it is. I LOVE THE WAY different film stocks render colors and light differently.

Trying to find new and exciting ways to use color and light in camera is one of the best parts of shooting film. Deciding what stock lends itself to each moment gives me freedom to create a mood with specific colors and compositions. Every wedding is unique to itself, just as is every frame on a roll of film.

Nothing beats a light leak (when light penetrates the camera seals and burns the film). These cannot be replicated with justice on digital photos. These are all happy wonderful accidents that make every single frame one-of a kind.

AREN’T DIGITAL CAMERAS MORE RELIABLE?

In short, NOPE. Many of my cameras are older than I am and still in perfect working condition. Many are built out of METAL. These things are meant for the LONG HAUL. I’ve had so many digital cards get corrupted, files not saved or camera errors. I trust the tangible.

Digital cameras can have malware malfunctions, overheating issues, flash battery burnout. Most analogue cameras don’t shoot fast enough to have any of those issues.

The image below was taken on my Pentax 67 (Came out in 1989 or the year I was born LOL). Old cameras are like old cars - clunky, chunky and built to last with MANUAL operation!

NOTE -

It’s not the gear that makes the photographer, as one of my favorite cameras to shoot with is a $50 toy Holga. It’s about the photographer behind the lens. All three of these were taken with that plastic camera. I always bring two of these JUST IN CASE! I bring around 10 different cameras with me, each for different parts of the day, and backups on backups.

LATITUDE & COLORS

Film is INHERENTLY more sensitive to light than a digital camera sensor. Film captures a larger array of tones and colors. A digital sensor doesn’t do a good job capturing both light and dark colors at the same time while keeping detail and tonality. On both the images below you can see all the detail in not only the white dresses but also the black tuxes. When it comes to editing, the negative (or starting point) already exists with more depth than a flat RAW image. More latitude, more information, more tonality.

VARIETY

Different films give different looks. I LOVE HALATION, or the fun red glow around lights or reflections on certain types of film that have had their remjet layer removed. I love using it anywhere with a ton of ambient lighting, or with flash on a super reflective surface, exampled below.

WILL OUR FILM GET LOST IN THE MAIL?

I have been mailing in film for over 6 years and have never had any rolls get lost or damaged in transit either way. However, I am taking steps to find a closer lab that I can drop off film to so as to mitigate this risk.

As of now, all film is mailed with FULL INSURANCE AND A TRACKING NUMBER, to make sure it gets where it needs to go and is developed swiftly. Then it comes back to me and I scan and edit all the images.

WILL WE GET LESS IMAGES?

Although I will take less photos than a digital photographer would, I’m discarding VERY LITTLE of the frames I shoot. Unless its a right and total mess up, I aim to shoot images to deliver every single frame. No snapping away all day.

I only take the photo if it’s an integral part of the day. I want to document right in camera, and not waste any frames. You can expect images that create a feeling and convey the energy of the event.

color & movement & vibes & fashion & finger guns & low light ambiance & playing with shadows & winks & unique perspectives & human connections & tripping on a dress train & shoes off & late night bathtub martinis

Concrete numbers person? I deliver between 300-700 images for a wedding day, not including instant film.

WILL IT TAKE FOREVER FOR OUR GALLERY?

Nope, actually my turnaround time is a bit faster now that I’m shooting film. Since I have less images to sift through overall, I spend much less time editing. I can even skip the real duds during the scanning process, which makes my turnaround time for a full wedding gallery no more than 6 weeks after the event!

FILM HAS MY HEART

In 30 years do you want to be showing your wedding images to someone on a screen? Isn’t physically holding a print so much better? Rifiling through negatives and holding them up to the light? Polaroids that have faded over time from so much love? Timeless, artistic moments of YOUR history on film sounds so much better! If you have read this far I’m guessing it has your heart as well.

Questions? Leave a comment, shoot me an email or feel free to DM on Insta.