Film Photography

"With the rise of digicams and DSLRs, film has slowly become the minority in the photography industry. Although there are still a handful of people who adore and patronize film, most of the new photographers and even the old ones, have taken digital photography as their medium." - classic-film-shot.blogspot.com

The number one selling factor is convenience. With digital photography, there's no risk in shooting what you see. You just shoot and shoot and shoot. Photos get stored in your memory card and your set for the day. No need to worry about the hassle of developing. Previewing the pictures are also very easy. The built-in LCD allows the owner to quickly preview the picture. This luxury is not available in film. Let's see you try and take a sneek peak at your film. You'll end up with an exposed roll. Isn't that inconvenient?

Because of the factor of convenience and the cheapness in the long run, people who are short on cash tend to opt for the new age version of the camera. That is why there are a lot of aspiring photographers who immediately make the jump for DSLRs.

It is really hard to put aside the inconveniences of film as there are far too many. Developing, printing, scanning and processing fees take a big chunk from a photographer's wallet. This sucks as the photographer would still need  to invest in gear, such as lenses, back up bodies, and lighting. It takes a long time to develop if you intend to cut on processing fees as some labs tend to give discounts on bulk processing.

Although film photography has a lot of disadvantages, there is one thing that the digital brother can't ever take away from film. This is the sense of fulfillment that one gets from seeing for the first time the hardwork, time and money that he has used in the form of a photograph. There's a sense of satisfaction in seeing that every bit of caution and focus has stemmed into a piece of art.

I mentioned 'caution'. With this, I stress the fact that every press on the shutter button is gold. G.O.L.D. That is why the film photographer usually takes his time in composing, metering, etc. In order to end up with useful photos, time and focus has to be invested into every frame of exposure.

That is where the fun is. The challenge is what keeps the film photographer alive. It is what keeps the art alive in the hearts of many. The addiction to the chase of the perfectly composed and exposed photo makes the calling even more exciting. Try it and you will know what I mean.

That is the reason, why I think, that film has not been surrendered to the overwhelming waves of the digital age. There are still those who have the passion to pursue this beautiful, and rather costly, art we call photography