Why We Still Use 35mm and Instant Film

What keeps us reaching for vintage cameras in a digital age?

In a world where every phone takes crystal-clear photos, why use vintage or instant film?

Nearly every wedding we photograph includes at least one guest who notices an old camera hanging around Kevin’s neck and asks the same question: “Do you really use that thing?”

He does, and we’d argue that some moments are better captured with it. Digital is incredible: it’s accurate, fast, and easily edited. But film evokes a dreamy, warm nostalgia, the kind you find in boxes of old photographs and the crinkle-plastic albums next to your grandmother’s sofa. It’s soft and clear with authentic colors. It is, quite simply, exactly the type of vibe we’d want for our own wedding photos. “Be the change you want to see in the world,” eh?

Film also slows us down in the best way. It forces us to look for longer moments worth preserving - not just the quick, in-between reception candids that we all know and love, but the soft smiles during your ceremony, the echoed laughter across cocktail hour, or your wedding cake with exactly one slice cut out. Every exposure is intentional because, unlike digital, we only have a finite number of frames to work with. Film encourages our astute observation instead of the spray-and-pray overshooting of our early careers.

So why vintage cameras? There are plenty of modern film cameras to use. But we don’t keep up with the latest Leicas, we don’t use film cameras because they’re trendy. We use them to create photographs that remind us of the family albums we grew up flipping through. We hand-develop every roll for quality control, consistency, and the joy of being involved from beginning to end. The craftsmanship of film is incredible; while digital photography is inundated with AI culling and editing software, developing film remains a hands-on, undeniably human process.

This isn’t to say digital doesn’t have its place - it does! About 60% of our galleries are still photographed with digital cameras, mostly for the ease and safety of preserving important moments. It allows us to capture more fleeting moments or in lower-light situations. In our minds, film complements digital rather than replacing it, and using both allows us to deliver complete wedding galleries with the lowest liability.

We also love using instant film — Polaroid and Fuji Instax cameras are regular items on our gear list. Clients love them, guests love them, and it allows us to give tangible keepsakes to couples before we exit their event. We try to take these throughout the day and hand the stack off as we say goodbye, making a bittersweet moment a little easier.

Is film right for every couple? Maybe not, but if they appreciate craftsmanship, love the nostalgic imagery of decades past, or just want something different from purely digital galleries, then we think it’s a great fit! We don’t use film in our approach because it’s trendy or because we think it makes every photograph look better. We use it because some moments call to be captured in a way that feels a little different. Those soulful, emotional, organic moments. After more than 10 years behind the lens, film is still one of our favorite ways to preserve memories.