Why Shoot Film in 2021?
This entry was posted on May 7, 2021.
The world’s collective obsession with photography is nothing new. It was all the way back in the early 1800s that the first photograph was taken; a seemingly humble achievement at the time, viewed today as a pivotal point in history.
Today, technological advances have enabled the vast majority of consumers to become armchair photographers. You only need a semi-decent smartphone these days to take the kinds of shots that would once have necessitated an extortionately expensive setup.
From ultra-high-spec smartphones to the latest DSLR cameras on the market, it’s never been easier to snap exceptional images without a second thought.
In which case… why is it that traditional film is seeing a major renaissance worldwide?
If digital photography is quicker, easier and more convenient, why does analogue photography have such growing appeal?
The truth is, the allure of film differs from one advocate to the next. It’s not the kind of thing everyone will get - instant gratification holds far more appeal for the masses.
But for those who understand and appreciate the significance of film, there are several points of appeal that are hard to fault.
Back-to-Basics Photography at its Best
First of all, millions of photographers (amateur and pro) regularly speak of their nostalgia for the days when photos were more than something ‘virtual’ on an LCD screen.
They talk about the tangibility of traditional photos being something they miss; along with the ceremony of developing prints and not really knowing how they’ll come out until the last moment.
Even those who aren’t exactly photography fanatics would find the appeal of physical photographs hard to deny.
When you’ve an archive of 350,000 photos on your computer, you rarely take the time to look through them… if ever. When you’ve a much more compact collection of physical photos in a file or photobook, it’s far more satisfying to flick through it.
There’s a simple solution, too; rather than waxing lyrical about all the things you miss about traditional photography, why not get back into it?
Too Much Freedom Isn’t Always a Good Thing
On one hand, the freedom digital photography has afforded amateurs and pros all over the world is a godsend.
Being able to save, edit and delete more than 2,000 shots on a single memory card adds up to near-limitless freedom. You barely have to think about what you’re doing. Simply take hundreds of shots and sift through them later, before finding something worth editing and finalising.
Unfortunately, this has a habit of taking much of the creativity, innovation and forethought out of the process. With this kind of freedom, you’re effectively able to wing it and still come out with something decent.
When shooting with traditional film, it’s an entirely different story.
Limited to just a few-dozen shots, you’re forced to think carefully about every shot; plan every angle until you’re certain the composition is absolutely spot on.
It’s an approach to photography that naturally ignites your creativity and teaches you how to take better shots. Getting to grips with the art of manual photography therefore has the potential to make you a better photographer in general.
Unblemished and Unmistakable Authenticity
Is there such a thing as a photograph that looks too perfect?
It depends on who you ask. But there’s certainly something undeniably appealing about traditional photographs with their own unique imperfections. Which is precisely why the vast majority of editing suites feature tons of presets to digitally add these imperfections after shooting; although these are often convincing enough, they are never truly authentic.
We’ve long-since entered an era where the vast majority of people have fallen out of love with heavily-edited and over-embellished images.
Today, it’s all about showing subjects in their raw form - or a very close approximation. Digital photography provides the opportunity to take unadulterated shots, but there’s a proclivity towards the use of filters, automatic enhancements and other ‘garnishes’ that take away from the appeal of the raw image.
Over the years, numerous photographers have performed and published side by side comparisons of identical photographs using both formats. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the photography students and aspiring photographers shown these comparisons preferred the photos shot on analogue film over their digital counterparts.
As for why, the general consensus points to one near-unanimous conclusion. Manual shots offer the most authentic representation of the subject, and what you see is what you get.
The Influence of Social Media
There’s no denying the extent to which social media (and its key influencers) have massively accelerated the drive towards analogue photography. These days, you only need a single social media influencer to utter a word or two to have hundreds of thousands of people blindly following their example.
Which isn’t always a good thing, but sometimes leads to positive results.
On Instagram, more publishers and influencers than ever before are embracing the analogue photography trend. Hipsters have been carrying vintage cameras as fashionable accessories for years (only now they’re actually learning how to use them!).
Carried and worn as status symbols by the ultra-fashionable youth, traditional cameras are also comprehensively affordable and widely available on the second-hand market.
Following the herd may be a questionable act, but it’s also enlightening an entire generation to the unique benefits of traditional film.
A Matter of Monetary Value
There’s also a capitalistic aspect worth considering; particularly for those looking to make as much money as possible from their shots.
When you capture an exceptional shot digitally, the original technically never exists in a physical form. You can print as many or as few copies as you like, but it’s still an exclusively virtual asset by definition.
With traditional film photography, the shooting and subsequent development process creates a tangible and unique result. A physical original of the shot taken; an absolute one-of-a-kind. As a result, an exceptional photograph captured on film has the potential to be a significantly more valuable asset in the marketplace.
Selling digital originals is becoming a popular practice, but the value of comparable physical shots is almost always exponentially higher.
The Key to Quality Film Photography
Understandably, transitioning to analogue photography as a committed digital shooter can seem like a daunting prospect. You suddenly find yourself in a position where all your high-tech gear has no practical purpose; you're left with you and your eye for detail to determine the outcome.
Expect to dive headfirst into traditional photography and come out with award-worthy results and be ready for disappointment. Be realistic about the learning curve; you’ll find it isn’t quite as difficult as you might expect.
In fact, there’s just one main skill you’ll need to master to get your analogue photography game in order:
The ability to visualise every shot more completely, confidently and accurately before shooting.
Shooting film is a completely different exercise to capturing digital images. It takes time; it results in a steady stream of imperfect shots, and there’s new gear to get to grips with.
Most importantly, you have no guarantee how a any of your shots will turn out until it has been developed.
Because of this, you need to be able to make far more confident decisions about every shot you take. Even if you pack several rolls of film for any given outing, you’re still looking at a massively reduced capacity compared to digital.
Looking at the World in a Different Way
Digital photography brings a major margin for error into the mix, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. With digital, you can a set your sights on a subject that’s semi-ok, take as many photos as you like, toss the ones you’re unhappy with and embellish the rest.
With analogue, you have to be more deliberate in your approach.
You’re forced to look at the world differently, identify subjects with greater confidence, and ensure they are framed perfectly. You also need to focus heavily on all the aspects of the shot that would normally be handled and adjusted automatically by your digital camera.
Slowly but surely, you’ll learn how to use your eye as a replacement for a light meter, understand the inevitable constraints of traditional film and mentally picture each potential shot with surprising accuracy.
An analogue camera effectively becomes an extension of the person using it, rather than an electronic ‘accessory’ to capture thousands of predominantly random shots.
Perseverance holds the key to getting it right. And trust us, the pay-off is well worth the time and effort needed to rediscover traditional film photography.