There is something truly magical about holding a physical image in your hands. Seeing a moment captured in a piece of resin-coated paper or film is a feat of ingenuity. With the ability to take photos by tapping a button on our smart phones, the use of cameras has become increasingly less common. However, amidst the rise of social media platforms to share images, there has been a notable resurgence of film photography.
Our generation is obsessed with the “aesthetic” of film photography. The flash, the high exposure, the grainy quality, all work together to tell a story of a sentimental place and time. Aside from the quality of the media itself, film photography is a process. Once the roll is full, you take it to a film shop to have it developed. This could take a couple days, weeks, or longer depending on how much you have.
Once the photos are developed, there’s no editing or changing them. Just candid, authentic, and real-time shots with no filters or special effects. You just point, shoot, and hope they turn out alright.
In the fast-paced world that we live in, there is beauty in waiting. Waiting for something that has meaning. Trusting the process and anticipating the outcome. I think this is why the younger demographic, creatives or not, are returning to a slower, more intentional means of taking photos.
I love meeting up with friends to exchange photos. Not only does it give us an excuse to spend time together again, but also to smile, laugh, and reminisce on the time we shared. Then we all go back to our rooms, pin them up on our walls, and admire them each day we return home.
Film photography is more than a hobby, it’s a continual practice of presence and patience. It teaches us how to develop from the negatives, trust in the process of becoming, and gives us a tangible way to capture the memories we wish could last just a little longer.