Why I choose to shoot film


I often get asked why I shoot film in this digital age. I do understand the curiosity behind this question - shooting film is more expensive, the process is slower than shooting digital, and it's so much easier now to edit digital images to look like film. I have so many reasons why I choose to shoot film....


  • I believe it has made me a better photographer. I am more intentional with each shot I take, waiting for the exact right moment to shoot. I anticipate those special moments rather than clicking away like I can with digital. Yes, I come back with fewer images from a session compared to digital, but to me, it's about quality over quantity. When I shoot both digital and film at a session, it is the film images that always end up being my favorites. They seem more genuine and real. And that one minute to insert a new roll of film into my camera is a nice little break for everyone. It allows us to all breathe for a moment, regroup, and re-inspire.
  • It's dreamy. It's dreamy. It's dreamy. It has such a romantic, nostalgic look to it. I had a client once say to me 'film images look like the way the memory feels." That made my heart so happy because that is my goal at every session. To capture the feeling behind a moment and film helps me achieve just that.
  • The colors, the tones, the depth, the grain, the way it handles light and skin tones...film has such a magical, beautiful quality to it. It has just the right amount of softness to it to really enhance and showcase the beauty of a person. I don't know about you, but I don't need to see every pore and imperfection on my face. Film is soulful. Not to mention it is timeless and classic.
  • I love the process of shooting film, from inserting the roll of film into the camera, and hearing the click of every shot taken and the roll rewind, sending the film off to the lab, and then waiting for the film scans to arrive in my inbox. It isn't immediate gratification like digital can give you. It takes patience. But, I think every film photographer can agree with me on this, getting your film scans back and viewing your images for the first time is something special. It's exciting and exhilarating. It reignited my passion for the art of photography after shooting digital for 10 years. I feel like I'm creating art for the families I am so honored to photograph.


So there you have it. Those are just a few of the many reasons I choose to shoot film. If you have any questions about film, whether you are another photographer or current/prospective client, I would love to hear from you! Feel free to shoot me an email and let's chat!


And here is one of my favorite sessions shot on film, the sweet Theodore family when they were expecting their adorable baby girl this fall. I shot with both a Contax 645 (medium format camera) and the Nikon F6 (35mm) on fuji400h rated at 200 ISO.