Film photography is the OG — and that definitely applies to wedding film photography! As a photographer, I’m naturally drawn to the creative challenges of the industry. I absolutely love film photography for this! It creates gorgeous, unique images that capture the glamor, the grit, and unique style of your wedding day. 

Film photography, also called analog photography or traditional photography, is all about taking it old school and using a traditional film camera with light-sensitive film. It’s a true delight for wedding photography! I encourage all of my couples to incorporate it into their day for one-of-a-kind wedding photos. It’s becoming more and more popular, especially for couples that have an artistic eye and love anything vintage. 

Here’s why film photography is making a comeback — and why you should incorporate it into your New Orleans wedding! 

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What Is The Difference Between Film And Digital Wedding Photography?

Remember buying a disposable camera and waiting for it to be developed? You’re already familiar with one kind of film photography!

Film photography uses a camera with a roll of film inserted, which is developed in a darkroom or professional lab. Digital photography, which most of us now utilize via our smartphones, is the modern type of photography which has replaced film with digital sensors that allow us to take and view our images instantly. 

In a world where we’re bombarded by digital imagery constantly through ads, social media, and video, it makes sense that film photography is becoming more popular, with renewed interest in a more traditional medium that requires patience and intent. 

Utilizing traditional cameras in your wedding photography creates unique, magical, and creative imagery with a classic feel. It’s great to include both mediums, digital and film photography, into your wedding day as each can offer a unique element to your wedding gallery. 

Below are some great examples of digital vs film photography. On the left are digital files and on the right are traditional film photography images.

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1. Film Wedding Photography Delivers A Classic, Timeless Aesthetic

I love that traditional film photography has such a distinct look and feel — it’s truly timeless. It offers grain, emotive tones, and an authentic aesthetic associated with vintage-style photographs. 

For cinematic wedding photos that will stand the test of time, you’ll love the style of your film shots, especially if you’re an artist yourself. 

As a New Orleans wedding photographer that uses traditional cameras, it’s an honor to work with such fun, inspiring, and creative-minded couples who are looking for something a little different, so I always encourage them to add some rolls of film to their big day. 

The gritty, textural nature of the photos aligns perfectly with the eclectic energy and the history of this vibrant city! 

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2. Tangible Imagery With An Emotional Connection To Your Memories

While I love digital imagery, a physical negative developed lovingly by hand in a darkroom is something else! 

The smooth silk of your dress, the colors of your wedding bouquet, and the raw emotion of the day come alive when captured with traditional film photography. 

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3. Photographers Benefit From A More Intentional Approach To Their Craft

With digital images, we’re all used to pointing and shooting, with modern cameras and phones capable of capturing thousands of photos in a matter of minutes.

Film photography, however, is the exact opposite. It requires a slow and intentional approach, as photographers must be deliberate in setting up each shot, carefully considering their lighting, composure, and exposure. 

Once a film photo can’t be edited in post-processing like a digital image can. Film photos are taken with purpose, and are all about the ethos of quality over quantity. 

Well-crafted photos are the result, taken with love and care by your photographer. This results in unique wedding photography — a beautiful reminder of mindfulness and intention in your marriage. 

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4. Wedding Film Photography Creates Beautifully Perfect Imperfections 

Another reason why film photography for weddings is becoming more popular is the beauty of its imperfections. A refreshing change from a carefully edited digital photo, film photography always has unique imperfections, which can be truly magical. 

You can’t edit film, which means the photo will be completely accurate to what your photographer saw on the day, the true essence of each moment of the wedding. 

There are no mistakes in film photography — just beautiful accidents! 

As a cinematic wedding photographer, I love playing with expired film, cross-processing, and experimenting with photo settings, as it results in images that are completely one-of-a-kind, ensuring your wedding album isn’t like anyone else’s. 

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5. Your Magical Wedding Photography Will Be More Unique 

By offering film photography as part of your wedding package, I provide a distinctive experience that will make your photography feel more personalized. 

I find many couples have a specific vision for their photography and don’t want that stock-standard style like other weddings. Film photos are ideal for this. 

We can use a mix of both digital and film photography to capture your wedding day just as you’ve envisioned! We’ll talk through everything before your wedding to ensure we’re both on the same page. 

It’s always so important to me to learn about your wedding plans and your preferred aesthetic, so I can use film photography in both black and white or color to add a softer, more romantic touch to some of the most special moments of your wedding day — such as your first look, first dance, or those oh-so-romantic sunset couples’ portraits. 

I will add that due to light sensitivities on film cameras, black and white photos of your wedding will be unbelievable! Film cameras are a more true interpretation of black and white photography — by far the best way to take bold, accurate, and classic black and white shots. 

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6. Fine Art Film Photography Is Striking

Prints made from negatives are true throwbacks to a long-gone era, evoking feelings of nostalgia with an artistic, classic feel. The grain of film offers a unique texture which will make your image really stand out!

Adding this vintage touch to your wedding day means you’ll have timeless traditional film images to frame for your home. 

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7. Your Photos Will Never Be Out Of Style!

Digital editing styles come and go like fashion, but film images are classic, timeless, and stand the test of time. 

Because the film camera captures color and light just as it was, the saturation of your images will be true to life, with no alteration by modern editing. The grainy style of your photos would look completely in place next to your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding photos too. You could create a set of family heirlooms to pass down to the next generations!

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I’m more than just a little passionate about the artistic beauty of traditional film photography! Interested in wedding film photography in New Orleans? I’d love to hear from you — let’s have a chat about your wedding vision! I can talk you through how traditional photography can add a certain je ne sais quoi to your day. Click here to see more samples of film photography from our amazing weddings and engagement sessions!

As a local with years of industry knowledge, I can also recommend some amazing places in New Orleans for creating one-of-a-kind images on your wedding day (like The Music Box Village!) so you can plan a unique, beautiful, and inspiring celebration of your one-of-a-kind love.