Give Film Photography a Chance

 June 2014 by VPB

The advent of digital cameras revolutionized the photography world.  Photographers now incorporate new digital photography techniques, like high dynamic range imaging (HDR) and instant focus stacking.  People now view digital photos prior to development and printing.  The costs of taking hundreds of pictures are now more inexpensive and time efficient.  Gone are the times of dark rooms, red lights, and film photography.

Society gained some efficient technology but lost something in the process.  These days, there are processes and rules for casual photography.  After a picture or series of pictures are taken, everyone views and approves the picture before moving on.  If some people reject the picture, they usually demand a retake.  They may also demand deletion.  The old one is deleted and replaced.

We take hundreds of photos and print/post/keep the ones we like.  Most of the time, we delete the ones we don’t like.  There’s nothing wrong with digital cameras or taking multiple pictures.  Using digital cameras just run the risk of deletion.  For film photography, people can’t see the picture after they take it.  It is time captured in its true form.  No one can instantly delete it or replace it.  It is unfiltered, unbiased, pure.

I recently remembered I still had an old disposable camera from several months back.  If the pictures we took were in a phone gallery or on a digital camera, they could have been easily deleted.  Those memories could have been easily forgotten.

Don’t get me wrong, digital cameras are great.  Just don’t be tempted to delete every picture someone doesn’t like.  Give film photography a chance, or stop deleting digital pictures.  All pictures tell stories.  Even the derpy ones.