I get frequently asked (especially from my digital shooting foto friends or passing strangers) why I shoot film.
I know, film has a special look, the photos have more soul, the negatives are unique and overall it is more artsy.
And I think all those and more arguments are valid.
In the analogue world you can be technician, chemist, craftsman, artist, collector and pixelpeeper, perfectionist, enfant terrible, you can play, experiment, be a scientist or become some other species you like. And – this is a small miracle in this world, this is what I love – whatever you do, everyone is welcome in this community.
You can use a fully automatic gear and send your films to a develop and scan service.
And I saw some hybrid workflows which led me to the question why film was used at all, a digital image would have been more practical.
I saw pinhole pics on old paper contact printed as cyanotype.
I like old rangefinders, old folders and old large format cameras, I like pinhole and DIY. I like lightmeters or sunny sixteen.
I, for me, like playing with old films and cameras, even with their sometimes unpredictable results.
I like working on the old gear, cleaning and adjusting, repairing, developing, fixing, and wetprinting more than Lightroom and scanning.
And – sometimes I like shooting digital, just so you know.
So – for me – no, it is not about the film….
Old Agfa Isolette folder, uncoated lens
