The Enduring Allure of Film
Issue: 139 – Digital is so much better yet many of us still use film.
In an era dominated by digital technology, where high-resolution images can be instantly captured, edited, and shared, the enduring popularity of film photography might seem puzzling to some. Digital photography indeed offers numerous advantages, including convenience, immediacy, and flexibility. However, a dedicated segment of photographers, including myself, continues to cherish the traditional medium of film. The reasons for this preference are manifold, rooted in the distinct aesthetic, tactile experience, and artistic discipline that film offers.
The Unique Aesthetic of Film
One of the primary reasons I continue to embrace film is its unique aesthetic qualities. Film has a distinct look that is difficult to replicate digitally. This includes the grain structure, color rendition, and dynamic range. Film grain adds a textural quality to images, often perceived as more organic and less sterile than the noise found in digital photos. Different film stocks offer varied color palettes and contrasts, providing photographers with a range of creative choices. For instance, Kodak Portra is renowned for its warm tones and excellent skin color reproduction, while Fujifilm Velvia is celebrated for its vivid colors and high saturation.
The Tactile Experience
Another appealing aspect of film photography is its physicality. Handling film cameras, loading rolls, and anticipating developing the negatives all contribute to a tactile experience that digital photography lacks. Many film cameras are mechanical masterpieces, offering a sense of craftsmanship and connection to the photographic process. The sound of a shutter click or the winding of film can evoke a sense of nostalgia and satisfaction that is hard to match with digital counterparts.
Part of the fun for me as far as film photography is concerned, is collecting cameras. Although I’m not one who is into antiques in general, I do like to collect older film cameras and own quite a few – in this article are images from some of those cameras.
The Discipline of Film Photography
Shooting film requires a different mindset and approach compared to digital photography. With a limited number of exposures per roll, film photographers tend to be more deliberate with their shots. This constraint encourages careful composition, exposure, and focus, fostering a more thoughtful and intentional photographic process. The lack of immediate feedback—no instant review of images on an LCD screen—means that photographers must rely on their skills and intuition. This discipline can be a valuable learning tool, helping photographers to hone their technical and artistic abilities.
The Joy of the Darkroom
For some photographers, the darkroom is a sanctuary of creativity. Developing film and printing photographs by hand offers a more palpable post-processing experience. The process of enlarging, dodging, and burning can be meditative, offering a hands-on interaction with the medium that is both rewarding and deeply personal. While digital editing software provides powerful tools, the tactile engagement and satisfaction of watching an image emerge on paper in a darkroom remain unparalleled for many.
I still develop my own negatives but unfortunately, several years ago, I made the dumb decision to throw out my enlarging equipment. Much of the creativity in the film experience is when we make a print from the negative and that was done with an enlarger. Dodging and burning during the enlarging process was an art in itself. Today, most film photographers scan the negatives to their computer, which, in effect, digitizes them. From there, they’ll convert the negatives to a positive and may even do some post production editing in applications such as Lightroom. It’s much easier that way, but it’s not the same, and as I alluded, much of the film experience is lost once we digitize the negative.
Side Note: I mentioned in the past that years ago, when I was a fledgling professional, a couple of seasoned pro photographers took me under their wing, and I was often a second shooter for them at weddings and events they were working. For one of the men, I would develop the film, but he would do all of the enlarging, telling me that was where the magic was made. He was right.
Authenticity and Permanence
Film photographs have a tangible presence that digital files often lack. Negatives and prints can be physically held, displayed, and archived in a way that digital images cannot. This physicality imbues film photographs with a sense of authenticity and permanence. There is a certain romanticism associated with the idea of creating something enduring and tangible in an increasingly ephemeral digital world.
A Counter-Cultural Statement
In a society that increasingly values speed and convenience, shooting film can be seen as a counter-cultural statement. It is a deliberate choice to slow down, embrace imperfection, and prioritize the artistic process over instant gratification. Film photography represents a connection to the past, a nod to the history and traditions of the medium. For many, it is a way to differentiate their work and approach from the digital deluge, asserting their individuality and dedication to the craft.
The Elephant in the Room – Cost
Film is expensive. Kodak has raised its prices at least three times in the past 18 months, and when Kodak raises the price of its film, other film manufacturers usually follow.
Of course, after you take your pictures, you’ll need to develop the film. Developing film at a lab is very expensive – you can save money by developing it yourself, but you’ll need to invest several hundred dollars in equipment to do so.
Once you have developed negatives, you’ll need to spend hundreds of dollars on a scanner or camera stand to digitize them or invest thousands of dollars on an enlarger, developing trays, and everything else you’ll need to produce prints.
While digital photography offers numerous advantages in terms of convenience, speed, and flexibility, the enduring appeal of film photography lies in its unique aesthetic, the discipline it demands, the tactile experience it provides, the joy of darkroom work, its sense of authenticity and permanence, and its role as a counter-cultural statement. For those who continue to shoot film, it is more than just a method of capturing images—it is a profound and enriching artistic journey.
Nice. The allure of film isn't due to the results though.
I was one of the last — if not THE last — in my peer group to finally go digital. I’d been shooting film for forty years. For me, the joy of photography was always in the darkroom.
“When you’re shooting, it’s all over in a sixtieth of a second,” I would say, “but in the darkroom you can spend hours, even days working with an image.”
I have fond memories of my film & darkroom days, but I don’t miss them. Today, I easily spend just as much time post-processing RAW files as I ever did with an enlarger + trays, giving the same satisfaction. And I am putting out way more images.