I knew in my heart last Spring that a change was on the horizon. I noticed a trend in the photographers I followed,  and the work I was most captivated by. Something about film photography spoke to my soul, a soft whisper calling, “This is where you should be. These are the images you are yearning to create.”

There is something so timeless about the look of film images that in my opinion  just can’t be replicated digitally. Likewise, digital medium has the ability to render crisp, clear, precise images every time whereas film has an overall more soft look to the images.  So the debate over which medium is superior is a tough one, with pros and cons to each side of the argument.

Incorporating film into my workflow has definitely been a challenge this Spring. I have prided myself over having fast turn around time (working full time and still delivering weddings between 1-2 weeks post nuptials). With film, there is no rushing the process. The film has to be shipped to the lab (the lab I’m building a relationship with is in Oregon), the film has to be developed, and each individual image has to be scanned, uploaded, and sent to me. Then, I have to check the images in post production and ensure they flow with the digital images. It’s definitely been a learning experience!

What I have most learned from this is that I adore film and am inspired by the work I have created with it. Film forces you to slow down and consider every. single. shot. Every time I click the shutter, it costs money (shooting film is expensive, all that processing doesn’t come free!). Therefore, I’m much more deliberate in the lighting, posing, and composition to make sure I’m going to get exactly the shot I have envisioned. In my humble opinion, shooting film is teaching me how to be a better photographer.

Several film photographers I admire (like Laura and Jessica) have posted examples of their work in both film and digital, and I thought it would be a great thing for my readers and clients to visually see the difference between the images. Film renders more vibrant colors, natural skin tones, and has a better capacity for handling light. Digital is faster, sometimes more crisp, and there’s that instant gratification piece that everyone craves in this day and age.

I’d love to know if you can tell the difference between the following images! Do you know which ones are digital and which ones are film?