The Best of Both Worlds: Hybrid Film and Digital Wedding Photography
At a time when nearly all of us carry a digital camera in our pockets everywhere we go, you might wonder why we still choose film photography at weddings. For us, wedding film photography evokes a feeling and emotion. It’s tactile: the mechanical clap of the camera shutter, the precision of loading a spool of film, the discovery of viewing a negative on a light table only after the film has been processed. Film wedding photography requires both technical expertise and an artistic eye.
Our film photography practice is possible through a combination of nearly two decades working with film, years of industry experience, and utilizing specific cameras and lenses. We’ve also developed a personal processing workflow with our local film lab that is unique to our studio. All of which culminates in an unparalleled experience and a photographic style our couples have come to love.
In this resource, we’ll go over some of the reasons film photography is the perfect compliment to wedding photography coverage. We’ll review some technical aspects of film wedding photography as well as the strengths of utilizing both film and digital photography together. There are three main reasons why we choose to work with film for weddings: quality, intention, and presence.
Why should you hire a film wedding photographer?
Quality
Film images have an inherent timeless quality that is both soft and intimate, with impeccable fidelity in color and texture that cannot be matched using digital cameras. When properly exposed, film has a wider dynamic range compared to the image sensors on a digital camera. The result is an image with excellent detail, neither too dark nor washed out and full of realistic texture that captures the essence of the moment.
Intention
The advent of digital cameras revolutionized wedding photography, allowing photographers to make many images quickly. This was a radical departure from film wedding photography, where to take a single image you have to meter the light, adjust your camera’s aperture and shutter speed, and carefully compose your image. With only a handful of frames on each roll of film, intention matters. Utilizing film at weddings allows us to be thoughtful in order to artistically capture a moment, a process which has greatly impacted the way we work digitally as well.
Presence
Because film wedding photography requires so much intention, we as wedding photographers are more present with you in the moment. There’s an incredible sense of connection as the light reflecting from you enters the camera and is permanently ingrained onto the film. It’s an indescribable kind of magic, and results in a final product that will become a cherished keepsake for you and your family.
Character
The images produced using film are softer, more romantic, and offer a timelessness that stands apart from digital photographs. Digital photographers try to emulate the look of film wedding photography using computer-based editing software, but nothing can compare to the authentic character of true film images.
The Ultimate Film Camera
The film camera we use is the Contax 645. Widely known in the photo world as the benchmark tool for wedding photography, this camera produces images that have come to define the iconic look for wedding film photography. The Contax 645 is a medium format film camera that was first introduced in the 1990’s. This camera is unique and produces particularly distinct images because of the combination of the medium format film and an 80mm Zeiss lens.
What is hybrid film wedding photography and why should we consider it for our wedding?
Hybrid film wedding photography refers to working in both digital and film formats simultaneously. Hybrid photography represents the best of both worlds: our use of professional-grade digital cameras means that all your special moments and important details will be documented, while photographing on film ensures that your wedding portraits and intimate moments are captured with artistic integrity.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. In the meantime, learn more about the team or check out more wedding resources.
Film Wedding Photography FAQs
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We utilize Contax 645 medium format cameras paired with Zeiss 80mm/ƒ2 lenses. This combination of these two components creates images that are both dreamy and vibrant, with incredible artistic expression. Portraits made with this camera are unlike any other, and because it is no longer manufactured or sold, this camera and the work produced from it are highly sought after.
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Every wedding is different and there is never a set amount. The process of making film portraits is intimate and intentional. You will receive much fewer film images compared to digital images; however, the artistic quality of the film images provides an altogether unique and more elevated experience.
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We work with both color and B&W film, but it isn’t unusual to get a request for just one or the other.
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In addition to the digital wedding images, you will receive the final high resolution film scans. Depending on the photography collection selected, you may receive a handmade matted print box containing a select number of fine art matted film prints.
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While we pride ourselves on delivering digital images withing 3 weeks of the wedding, the processing of film takes a bit longer. The turnaround time for film is roughly 6-8 weeks after the wedding.
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Yes, we do! Please contact us to learn more.
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Palm Springs and Boston wedding photographer Todd Danforth Photography is an LGBTQ+ and POC-owned wedding photography team specializing in capturing joyful and candid moments. As storytellers and craftspeople, we believe in the power of visual narratives. Our mission is to create honest and authentic photographs you can share with your loved ones for generations to come.