The Rising Trend of Film Photography
Exclusive Interview with Local Film Photographer Sophie O'Connor
In recent years, the wedding photography scene has been experiencing a new (old) trend: Film Photography! It's true: more and more couples are opting to have the most important day of their lives captured in this classic medium, whether it's in addition to digital or 100% on analog equipment. Naturally, more and more wedding photographers are being drawn back to film as well! Whether we learned how to take photos on a film camera (like me!) or come from a digital background, there's no denying the allure of film photography to both wedding photographers and couples getting married.
We started offering Film Photography services to our couples this year and the result has been overwhelmingly positive. If you are at all curious about having your wedding day captured on film, let's chat!
You may be wondering:
What's so great about Film Photography? What's the difference between film and digital? Should I look for a wedding photographer who shoots on film?
Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with local film photographer AND recent bride, Sophie O'Connor. Fun fact: Sophie and I got to photograph a wedding together earlier this year! Sophie and her partner were married near the Jersey Shore (Asbury Park, to be exact) in June. The couple worked with a hybrid film + digital photographer to capture their day.
Looking for some perspective? Check out what Sophie has to say!
Tell me about your wedding! Was it everything you dreamed it would be?
"It was SO good... but there's been a lot to the wedding planning experience that I have struggled with. I haven't felt super aligned with all of it and also it just kind of feels so cookie-cutter. I was struggling between trying to have an easy planning process but then also trying to have an authentic party and experience. But it went perfectly, we had so much fun! Our goal was to have just a fluid party, and it totally felt like that."
What made you decide to have your wedding captured primarily on film?
"I love shooting film, and I also love receiving film. And I love the look of film! Everybody has deeply personal preferences when it comes to their wedding, and I wanted to eliminate a lot of the formality of it and just be a participant of my party. That was one thing that I was looking at when I was thinking about our photography.
Over the last several years I've gotten more into film, so I really appreciate the mechanical and artistic aspects of it. Weddings inherently are really nostalgic, too... We grew up looking at our family's photo albums from their weddings [captured on film] and I liked the opportunity to kind of recapture the same elements of that in my wedding, too - while also having some digital to balance it."
As a photographer, what is it you love about working with film?
"I love being forced to focus and perfect composition and find your shot, rather than take several shots and ensure that there will be the right shot there. I love shooting in the city too, in this super urban modern city that's super fast-moving, and to have film photography be a little bit more old-school, mechanical, slowed-down but still produces these awesome shots.
I love the surprise and mystery element of it too! You can't check to see what your shot looks like immediately after, so the prep and trust to try to make sure you're getting the good shot and the good composition but then also it's like Christmas morning when you get your film scans and exciting to see what art you've created."
As a bride, was there anything about the experience of working with a film photographer that you think would have been different with a digital photographer?
"A good photographer would, regardless of the medium, meet you where you're at for that day. I liked the film in slowing down the day a bit more, too, and not having so many different iterations of shots."
Sophie adds that a photographer working with film will be able to stay fully focused on what's going on around them, acting as an observer and capturing what they can.
Is there anything you would recommend to couples who are interested in film photography for their wedding?
"If you are not so knowledgeable about film or there's not been [film] photos of you that you've seen, that's something you could ask your potential photographer to include in your engagement photos... just to make sure you like how that looks." Sophie reiterates the importance of "familiarizing yourself with" the medium, "seeing you and your partner being captured by film and knowing what that looks like."
She goes on to stress the importance of knowing "what you want to get out of your photos. Film can be blurry. Film can be darker. There can be more flaws in it that are harder to correct." Choosing between digital and film photography can mean the difference between "valuing the perfect shot and the ability fix flaws versus being willing to take a risk if you like the look of film, knowing that there could be some more imperfections" in the final product.
Could you elaborate on what you mean by imperfections and flaws?
"There could be dust, there could be light streaks. Things could be more blurry. There's not the ability to look at your screen and ensure that it's being captured perfectly. Something could go wrong with the roll of film. For me, I welcome if there's a light streak or a spec of dust that makes it kind of unique...
I think film is a good option for people that do welcome the tiny little things that might not make a photo 'perfect' but make it more real in the moment, show the warm fluid aspect of the party that's unfolding in front of them."
What was your favorite thing about shooting film at Caitlin and Daniel’s wedding with me in May?
"I appreciated the slowing down and finding the right shot, knowing that... there's only so many shots and it's limited. It's finding the right composition and waiting for the right moment when the kiss is happening, or when the smiles are breaking out. So it's like that excitement of getting that shot and then the mystery of what it's going to look like, too!"
Thank you, Sophie!
Want to check out Sophie's film work?