one year later: why i still shoot film as a wedding photographer
richmond’s craziest film photographer? probably.
ONE YEAR WITH FILM
it’s been exactly one year since i picked up film for the first time after a photo business built exclusively on modern digital cameras. if you missed that story, well, you can find it here. it all started with an impulsive polaroid buy, next thing i knew i was developing color film in my bathroom and spending hours scanning my negatives. my relationship with film photography feels sorta like how you feel when you’ve been in love for a while and then you blink and suddenly it’s been a significant amount of time with the one you love— and you simultaneously can’t believe it’s been that long but also feel like yesterday was your first day together. the way film has fit so seamlessly not just in my business but in my life, is fulfilling, exciting, and expensive.
summer 2022
on the left, the first sx70 polaroid my husband took of me
on the right, the first self portrait i took with a polaroid, and it was target’s little modern one.
FILM IS EXPENSIVE.
i’ve grown quite the analog camera collection— dusty antique finds that are in need of repair or are simply too old to be repaired, impulse buys from camera shops around the country from my travels, and my beloved cameras i purchased with more intention— the ones i researched heavily before making them mine. i never have less than 50 rolls of film in my home and i never thought i’d have a reason to be friends with the post office worker but my girl ann takes real good care of me here at my mail office in richmond, making sure my film is shipped as safely as possible each time it begins its journey to the lab.
I’M A FILM NERD NOW I GUESS.
i have this involuntary brain reaction whenever a vintage camera appears in a tv show or movie where my mind scans it like a laser until it pinpoints exactly what camera it is. i got a camera tattoo on my hand — the first of many. clearly film has become my entire personality but i’m not mad about it, or embarrassed. i feel lucky something has been capable of bringing me so much joy and wonder, and i feel honored that i get to share that same joy and wonder with my clients who trust me, my vision, and my ancient cameras. it’s wild to think that just over a year ago i was still showing up to sessions with one single camera, and weddings with just two. sometimes i miss the simplicity of one camera, but the thing is each camera in my session rotation has its own very specific character. and i want to share the diversity of those characters, in my work and with my clients. i do admit i stumble into my car after nearly every session, overheated and annoyed at the clanking of all my cameras against my hips, against my car, how heavy it is to unload it all into the passenger seat. i curse under my breath and say “why do i do this?” but then i cool off, get to driving, go through the same damn thought process as i lug everything back into my home and THEN about an hour later i forget all about what a nuisance it all was and get excited about all of the film we created during our session. it’s worth it, it is.
film photography has kinda sorta become my whole life. all the more that it’s about 90% of my business and the medium i am working with during sessions, weddings, and elopements. my journey started with polaroid and god it’s still my first love. but i spent most of the year working with 35mm, often forgetting my 120 cameras exist (no idea why lol) and so moving forward i am going to be putting more of an effort into 120 work, and that excites me. i am working on printing both client work and personal work. i’d like to make small photo zines for my personal work, ever so often, and i’d like to keep a book of my favorite client film shots nearby. seeing and holding your photos in print — it simply does not touch whatever feeling we might get when we see the same photograph on our phone screen or even laptop screen. i can’t recommend professionally printing your work and the gallery you get from your photographer (especially film) enough.
if you read this far, wow hi. thanks!! all photographs here were taken by another richmond, virginia film photographer — kai eason. taken on his 120 rollei camera (i finally bought and brought home my own rollei today, ahhhh) and some other vintage gems. thanks kai:) and thanks to any and all who support me and my lil film business. it means the world, really.
my favorite film stock? hard one, but i have consistently shot cinestill through and through. yes portra is beautiful, and i love portra. i love fujifilm. but cinestill 400D and 800T are the stocks i consistently reach for in both my indoor and outdoor sessions. 400D is just so creamy, and the way 800T renders color just makes me feel some type of way.
my favorite film camera? minolta srt-101. i don’t even use it on client sessions, because the metering can be a bit inaccurate, even when using a separate light meter. but man has it created some magic for me in my personal life. a perfect camera.
do i still love polaroid? yes. i have almost every model of polaroid, and i shoot the sx70 and 600 in my daily life aside from client sessions. polaroid is my first love and i can’t imagine parting with it!
