Film. Let’s Talk ‘Bout It
Every image I have from my past, up until my late 20’s, I can hold in my hand. I have at least 6 shoeboxes full of 4x6 prints & polaroids and a couple of albums holding hundreds more.
To say that I love film is an understatement. It’s what the majority of my memories are recorded on and it’s the most satisfying way to view my work.
Needless to say but I’m saying it. I’m thrilled that film has made a comeback and that it’s being so widely appreciated again.
Mike & I have been loosely shooting on film cameras at weddings since 2015, we did it on our own dime for personal & creative satisfaction so were well-versed in it. The unexpected & welcoming demand for it since ‘22 by the majority of our couples gave us a reason to go absolutely nuts with it - so we did.
As artists, it has brought a newfound excitement into our process & has elevated our work in a whole new way. Our work is better because were limited to 36 shots. Every snap has intention. Our intuition is stronger. Were fucking witches and film is our magic. Not to dis digital, which has its place and we still shoot, but it’s too immediate, safe & easy. We want the chase, the thrill, and the anticipation of waiting for it to come back from the lab.
Film is old to us, but if it’s new to you, we want you to know what you’re getting into & shed some light on our process.
We shoot on 35mm cameras and go even wider if we can find them. This frame size suits us best and is complementary to our photojournalistic style.
About film: It’s fucking magic. It’s gritty & soft. It may have sun flares, light leaks, ghosts, and sometimes my hair or my finger shows up in the shot (keepers), & there will always be grain. Film is perfectly imperfect and gives a photo that was taken yesterday the feeling of nostalgia.
We shoot most weddings a mix of film & digi and have a conversation with our couples on what they are more comfortable with, or what they prefer more of and go from there.
To give you a feel for what a full wedding day looks like on film, here’s Allison & Jimmys’ wedding at El Rey in Santa Fe. Everything from getting ready, portraits, family & wedding party formals, ceremony, dinner & partying... all on film. They got 700+ film shots but here’s our top 100:
