Why I Photograph Weddings on Film
Slowing Down
to See More.
WHY I STILL PHOTOGRAPH WEDDINGS ON 35MM FILM
Digital cameras are amazing. They’re quick, dependable, and very versatile. They help me work quietly in different lighting conditions, capture quick moments, and cover a whole wedding with confidence.
So why carry a film camera as well? The reason isn’t really about how film looks. It’s more about how film changes the way I see things.
FILM SLOWS ME DOWN
With digital, I can snap hundreds of photos without a second thought. Film doesn’t work like that. Every frame matters. Each time I press the shutter, it means something. That makes me think differently about each shot. Instead of photographing everything, I have to decide what is worth photographing.
I watch a little longer.
I listen a little more.
I have become more patient.
WEDDINGS AREN’T MADE UP OF PERFECT MOMENTS
They’re made up of quiet ones. A nervous breath before the ceremony begins. Your grandmother watching from across the room. Two friends finding each other during cocktail hour. Your partner reaching for your hand without even thinking about it. Those moments don’t need to be rushed.
Film reminds me to give those moments my full attention.
IT’S NOT ABOUT NOSTALGIA
A lot of people associate film with a vintage look. For me, it isn’t about that. I don’t photograph on film because it’s fashionable, or because I think it’s better than digital. I use it because it changes the way I work. When I have a limited number of frames, I pay closer attention to what is happening before I press the shutter.
DIGITAL AND FILM WORK TOGETHER
I don’t choose one over the other. I use both because they allow me to respond differently to the day. Digital lets me react quickly as things happen. It helps me work quietly and confidently when there’s a lot going on. Film asks me to pause. It reminds me to look again before pressing the shutter.
That balance is something I value deeply.
YOU MAY NOT EVEN NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE
One of my favourite comments from couples comes after they’ve received their gallery. They’ll ask me which photographs were taken on film. Often, they can’t tell.
I love that.
Film isn’t meant to stand out from the rest of the photographs. It’s part of the wider body of work. I’m not trying to make it obvious which images were shot on film. I want the photographs to work together, regardless of which camera I used.
Film does, however, have a visual character I value — the way it renders light, colour and grain, and the way those qualities sit alongside digital photographs. The difference is there, but it doesn't need to become the subject of the photograph.
The camera has never been the most important part of the work. Paying attention is. And every time I load a roll of 35mm film, I’m reminded to do exactly that.
If you’re drawn to a wedding photography approach that combines observation, direction, digital and 35mm film, you can explore more of my work as a documentary wedding photographer in Cape Town and across South Africa.
