Photography has been an intricate part of our society since it was first invented. It gave people the chance to capture moments of their lives with ease and revolutionized the industry market. Suddenly, cameras of all shapes and sorts were being produced and distributed and our country was changed forever. As technology advanced, it made sense that the quality of cameras would advance as well. And even as amazing as digital photography is and all of the amazing things we can do, there is still something to be said for good old film photography.
As a person who has been interested in and played with photography since middle school, I've done my best to expose myself to as many different types as possible. From film that takes time to develop, to instant film photography, to newer digital photography, even to "iPhonography," there are so many different types. While the capabilities of digital photography seem to be endless, film photography still holds a nostalgic place in every photographer's heart.
During my years in high school, one of my classes worked with film photography for a unit. During that time, we got the chance to shoot film photography and then develop our own prints in the school's dark-room. The feeling of being a part of almost every step of the process was amazing. From buying the film at the photo store, loading it in your camera, hearing the sound of advancing the film, taking pictures and making memories, and then being able to develop those? See the picture come into focus as it sits in the water bath? It's an amazing feeling.
The finality of film photography is a beautiful thing. There is no changing it, once the picture is taken, there are no filter apps or blemish editing. It's concrete, physical, it really is a moment captured in time. What used to be an art and science has turned into almost a point and shoot world, full of auto-focus and post-shoot editing.
Don't get me wrong, digital photography is awesome too. There are so many new capabilities that have come about with the advancement of technology, and it has changed photography for the good in many ways. Even so, shooting on the 35mm film camera that my mom used in high school with her friends that she captured her memories on is something special to me. Learning the basics of exposure and shutter speed and ISO all on a film camera was a great way to begin my adventure in photography. And it is one of the many reasons that film photography will always be extremely close to my heart.
