Digital photography is pretty synonymous with everyday life in 2018. Everyone from ages 2+ knows how to operate a digital camera of some sort. Images are clear, you can see exactly what exposure you're going to get when you press the shutter button, and it's easy. The
re's no math or knowledge needed to capture the picture. There's virtually no limit to the amount of shots you can take and entrance into photography, for the casual or professional, is easier than ever. But when I look at my parent's wedding photos from 1985 and how well those have held up and the technique put into the craft, I can't help but fall in love with film.
So why, with all of the technological advances in photography, are we falling in love with the old relic that is film? Well, for most of our clients, they've never had their photo taken on film. While there are filters and presets for digital captures that try and try hard to emulate the look of film, there's really no faking it. When we shoot a wedding, we like to capture some of the moments on film for our clients. Tyrone will use a Canon AE-1 to capture on 35mm film rolls. Having the knowledge of manual photography settings allows us to take a step back in time and use this equipment. Shooting film really makes us slow down and put extra thought into what we are capturing because we only have a finite amount of shots. The anticipation of not knowing exactly what we've captured is something most photographers today aren't used to. It makes the photo experience a little more special when you get your images back and you have a winner.
In the case of instants, there's something enticing about knowing that this physical image is exactly as old as the moment it captures. Sure, while it will be clean and pristine the day it was captured, over time, instants become more precious. They become more vulnerable to elements and you'll take steps to preserve them. You'll see them age right along with you and more as you pass them on to the next generation. But most important to us as professionals, it gives some added value to the couple when we hand them to the couple. We never really state that the couple will get them in our packages or tell them this is how many you're going to get. We like for it to be a little surprise for them (unless you're reading this and/or you follow us on social media). Shane will shoot the Polaroid One Step during during the reception of the couple and guests on the dance floor. Later in the evening, we'll scan them using our phones so that we can have a copy, but we always want to make sure that the couple and/or their guests walk away with something to remember us by.
Digital photography and it's advancement are here to stay, no question. However, film photography (instant or requiring development) is magical in it's own right. Whether it's the anticipation or the nostalgic look or the timelessness of the image, it's good to know that film has made a comeback in the digital age. And we're excited to incorporate it into our weddings!
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