Lomocouple shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Guilardo and Ana?

We shoot film because it's the most original and natural form of photography.

Of course that the digital photography was a revolution for the media, and it is awesome to have the results instantly, in a lot of ways. But when you're shooting for the art of photography, the film in the unique result. The digital can simulate the film, but it's not the same thing.

We did shot a lot of digital photos before coming back to analog photography, and when we did, we fell in love for it again. The sensation of having that shot, at that specific time, with the specific camera, the specific lens, registered in that specific film, is unique. It's much more challenging. And when we got the results from the lab, and see that we got a great shot - what a sensation!

Shooting with film is an experience that everybody that really loves photography should have.

And please - HDR is not photography.

You can see more of Guilardo and Ana's, aka Lomocouple, film photos on their Flickr.

Café Vienés shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Café Vienés?

First, because there is nothing more authentic to a film photography, without intervention, most natural. I do not like being manipulated photos are horrendous, I resent the use of Photoshop or other software to make "the perfect shot", the perfect photo is not in the photo manipulation or digital, is in the film photography

Second, because I like it. The moment you give the pictures you sent to reveal it feels wonderful, knows how to explain it is a feeling of pride in the mere fact of taking these photos, the effort to buy the film when some buy a card that allows them over 100 photos with your digital camera makes you feel proud to take the 36 photos with a single film, until you like those photos that you moved out or overexposed.

You can see more of Café Vienés' film photos on Flickr.

Rhianne shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Rhianne?

I've always loved film photography, the first photos I took were with a film camera and for some reason, I never enjoyed taking digital photos. In fact for a long time I forgot that I loved taking photos at all as I just couldn't enjoy using the digital cameras that I owned. Then two years ago I brought my first film camera in years and I was completely hooked.

Now, I shoot film because I love the challenge. I love the idea of capturing as much light as you can in one click and permenantly storing it on a negative. You have one shot, one chance to make that photo count, to collect as much of that moment as you can and for it to be amazing. I also love the aspect of surprise that you get from film cameras... even with the most planned photo sometimes something unexpected can happen and it can produce the most amazing results.

You can see more of Rhianne's film photos on her blog and Flickr.

Shinya shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Shinya?

I have no shame. I've never taken a photo on film that I've been entirely thrilled about. It's like a slippery monster that won't dare stay still. She's not at all aggressive but I sure can't tame her. I refuse to use force to calm this beast. I guess it'll take time, get to know her a little at a time.

But this is what keeps me here with her. Film is raw. I scan my own negatives and I will not even remove any specs of dust. The imperfection will continue to rule. Poor framing and ill exposures are here to stay. Film gives me that bit of thrill that is rare as hell, every time I plug my scanner in. Maybe this time, I'll improve a little.

I guess this is why I shoot film.

You can see more of Shinya's photos on his blog Stealing Rivers.

Leila shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Leila?

I shoot film because it brings me back to simpler times.

I think digital photography spoiled me in a way where I always feel like a shot can be redone and I'm always trying to perfect it. Film allows me to appreciate all the little imperfections that make a photo unique.

You can see more of Leila's film photos on her blog and Flickr.

Azzari shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Azzari?

For me, film photography embodies the true essence of the art. Every step in the process - selecting film, loading the film, composing the image in the viewfinder, pressing the shutter, and waiting for the results, allows me the chance to slow down and enjoy photography.

I love the grain, the mood, and the authenticity of film. I feel like each image tells a story. The thing I love the most is how light is captured on film - for me, there is no digital substitute!

Everything in life does not have to be rushed, hurried, or immediate. In fact, I have found that the best things in life are meant to be savored and enjoyed. And shooting with film has allowed me this luxury, to truly enjoy photography in its truest form.

You can see more of Azzari's photos on her blog and in this set on Flickr.

Katarina shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Katarina?

It feels natural to me, real. I've started with film, and since then I haven't found anything that would capture the atmosphere, the light and the overall feeling in the way film does. It gives me just what I want, and more, and it provides more room for experiments - there's so many options you can choose from - 35mm, medium format (my favourite), polaroid... I'm still looking for "the one" I'll stick with in the future, and the process is so much fun. Each film has its own characteristics - depth, colours, textures... I like playing around, discovering which one fits my own aesthetics most.

I use both analog and digital, in the end it's about knowing what you want to do and then choosing the right tool to help you enhance your vision and make it real - it shouldn't be the other way around, in my opinion.

You can see more of Katarina's photos on her website and blog.

Shokoofeh shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Shokoofeh?

It was "love at first sight" when I developed the very first roll of film in my life in the university's lab. I am sure you know what I am talking about if you have ever been in a darkroom. If you have ever felt that excitement and joy when you see your images appearing magically on a paper in developer. Every single part of the process is divine, and is the experience that you will never forget.

That was how I started to shoot film.

Photography with an analog camera is like preparing your ingredients for a very special dish. You have to be mindful. You need to have passion. And... you should wait. But when you finally see the outcome you can't be more proud.

You can see more of Shokoofeh's film photos on her blog and Flickr.

Stacey shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Stacey?

i started shooting film in college and fell in love with the process. film takes time and it takes deliberation. but now, the meaning has shifted slightly. i think i shoot film now because i want to make sure i am actually seeing what i am taking a picture of, it's a different sort of deliberation. but also, i'd be a liar if i didn't say that the heavy slap of the shutter makes my heart race.

You can see more of Stacey's photos in this set on Flickr.

Ines shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Ines?

I started shooting film this summer. 2 years ago I found an Olympus OM-1 in my house, it was from my father but hadn't been used for a very long time, I had to get it repaired but never did because I'm never long enough in my home country to do it. So last summer I decided to buy a Canon AE-1 in internet and since then i put my digital camera aside. Shooting digital has nothing to do with film. I so love the feeling of taking pictures with it, the shutter noise, waiting (sometimes months) to develop them, the moment where you see the result is so exciting! You never know what you will get. I love surprises! I also like the fact that with film I'm more conscious about what i shoot (I can't afford to waste my films), so I take less pictures and that makes them more special to me.

The picture I attach is the first picture I took with my camera. I got my AE-1 on a trip to Paris, the seller was from Paris so I got it hand to hand. I went home and made this picture to try it out!

You can see more of Ines' film photos in this set on Flickr.

Mary shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Mary?

I've only recently begun shooting film again after a few years of pretty much only using digital cameras. For me, rediscovering film hasn't changed too much the way I take pictures, it's been more about the excitement of the end result - the particular grain, depth of tone & hue of film. The whole process of shooting film is more deliberate & considered - starting with choosing the film, camera & lens and ending with the anticipation of waiting to see how a roll has turned out. But mostly I love that particular combination of perfection & imperfection when you get a magical result.

You can see more of Mary's photos on her Flickr and blog.

Erin shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Erin?

I started shooting film about two and a half years ago because my now fiancé, who is a complete photography geek, had two film cameras and I wanted to learn how after seeing the lovely results that film produced in comparison to digital. He surprised me with my own film camera for my birthday shortly thereafter.

The main reason I love film is because there’s something about it that just makes you slow down and really pause to be in the moment. Shooting film somehow has become a metaphor for the way I’d like to live my life- finding something in each moment, waiting and taking my time to try to get something right, and letting myself be consumed with the present moment. Also, is there anything better than that satisfying click when you finally decide to shoot? Probably, but it’s certainly a good one!

There’s also something about having to wait to see your images. I am very slow with each roll so by the time I get them it’s like opening a time capsule. Suddenly I’m flooded with memories of crouching and waiting for the sun to fill the flowers in my father’s garden or how my glasses kept fogging over when it was so cold but I so badly wanted to get that shot of the red berries shining in the orange glow of the sunset. Film, for me, is such a powerful vehicle for memories.

You can see more of Erin's film photos in this set on Flickr.

Marion shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Marion?

I shoot with my beloved daddy's vintage Canon AE1 that I named Georges, daddy bought it for my birth and gave it to me just a year ago. Therefore, everything with him is like a big adventure, we went to Switzerland, Berlin, Paris. We mostly shoot colour film but we both have a big big crush on black and white. This self portrait above was taken with an Ilford HP5.

It's truly fantastic to have a kind of companion that is following me everywhere. We love to remember the small details and the simple things of life. I've been testing some expired slide films lately and the result was pretty funky.

Shooting with analogic is such magical, you shoot, take the roll to the lab, forget a little bit what you did and then, you discover again what you did. I like the impatience you can feel, the expectations, and the hapinness or the decpetion that results. A little bit like it is for love...

You can see more of Marion's film shots on her blog and portfolio.

Jeanine shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Jeanine?

My tendency, when I use a DSLR, is to shoot at will and with abandon. Whereas with film, I am forced to slow down and think before pressing the shutter. I appreciate that analog requires a certain amount of discipline. A more conscious and intentional approach to photography.

The anticipation of getting a roll of film developed. Information travels so quickly these days that we are barely ever asked to wait for anything, which leaves little room for surprises. And though I can be the world’s most impatient woman, I do love a good surprise. I like the thrill of picking up a roll of film at the print shop after waiting for a full 36 exposures (which sometimes takes weeks to shoot) to see what the photos look like. For example, in the shot above, I had no idea that I'd captured this stranger's smile. I only noticed when I got the photos back.

The sound! Have I told you about the sound? And how there is no better sound in the world than the shutter releasing on a Pentax K1000 and the clicking as you advance the film? Swoon.

I rarely ever post process my film photos, except perhaps minor cropping or adjusting the levels. I used to go extreme Photoshop on my pictures to give them that nostalgic feel but they ended up looking like they’d been injected with Botox and covered with a thick layer of makeup. With the Pentax, my photos come out just the way I like them, strait out of the camera with a thin layer of magic on top. That glow. That blur. That grain. That thing you can’t quite put your finger on. That’s the K1000 je ne sais quoi. Unprocessed, no salt or sugar added, pure natural goodness.

I guess you could say I have a little crush on my Pentax. And I have a feeling this is the kind of love that will last a lifetime.

You can see more of Jeanine's film shots on Flickr and her blog.

Piermario shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Piermario?

I shoot film because I like it more.

A few years ago I once found myself trying to use Photoshop to give some kind of "film feeling" to pictures I shot in digital. I realized it didn't make too much sense to me, so I thought why not shoot straight on film?

I started with toy cameras, just to give it a try, and liked it. Then one day I told my uncle I was thinking about buying an old reflex on eBay. He told me to wait, and a few weeks later I got a green bag with his old Contax and a full range of Zeiss lenses.

That's where I fell in love for good.

I like to take my time to think about each shot, choosing film according to what I'm going to shoot, or even try cheap or expired rolls. I like what can't be reproduced on digital, even dirt and imperfections, light leaks, accidental double exposures and such. Shooting film makes you look at things in a different way, be more careful, learn to wait and even decide that a picture is not good enough. It's a good way of learning from your own mistakes, and smile at surprises, because you never really know if what you shot is what you're going to get.

Sometimes it's not, sometimes is even better.

You can see more of Piermario's film shots on Flickr.

Alice shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Alice?

I shoot film because there is something consummate about the experience of it all, from the photographer's original vision to its transmutation into something tangible and the often long waiting period between these steps. Film immortalizes daily moments in a way that really tugs at my heartstrings. The tones, colors, light - film portrays and interprets these in a way that is simply inimitable. Film photographs make me pause to inspect all of the elements of that frozen moment and to imagine the events that transpired there, and for some reason, film just feels more genuine than digital. Film reminds me of the way photography all started, to really look before I shoot, to appreciate the fact that not everything is about instant gratification. (I should add that Lorena Arance's beautiful film portfolio inspired me to start shooting film in the first place!)

That said... I definitely want a wedding photographer who shoots film (if/when the time comes :)).

You can see more of Alice's photos on her blog and her Flickr.

Matilde shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Matilde?

I have recently rediscovered analog cameras. It started with friend of mine whose digital camera was broken, and she had to buy a disposable camera. In the start we made fun of it, but then found out it brought us back to childhood. I searched my parents’ house for old cameras, and found my old compact camera (that still had film inside).

I like to shoot film because it's so exciting waiting for the result. I often forget what I taken pictures of, so I don't know what to anticipate. When the negatives are developed, and I look at the result, it sometimes feels like I found something that I didn't know that I'd lost; a memory of a great moment.

You can see more of Matilde's film photos on Flickr and her blog.

Silvia shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Silvia?

I love the definitiveness of film, how it manages to capture a moment in serendipity. I press the shutter, and I can relive the moment a second time once I get the developped film back. Film decelerates the way I take pictures. There is no checking the screen, there is no retaking. It values the moment for its uniqueness.

And I love the suspense of not knowing how the pictures turned out. Getting a developped film back, is a little bit like Christmas.

You can see more of Silvia's film shots in this set on Flickr.

Kristen shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Kristen?

it is impossible to narrow the reason i shoot with film into one simple sentence or word or phrase. so, here's my ramble. i shoot film because it is magical, organic, sensual - from choosing the film, loading the camera through the clunk of the shutter all the way to the surprises of processing (sadly i don't have a dark room but the memories are vivid). the soft grains, the unexpected light and shadows, the happy accidents and the even happier deliberate outcomes (as with this photo). with film, i am present in the moment in a way i never am shooting digital. it's a monastic experience, one that causes me to pause for longer periods of time considering my subject, to be discerning- framing out what i hope to capture, unsure of the real outcome but trusting in the process. there's no delete button. it's archival and permanent, connecting me to the past and grounding me in the present.

You can see more of Kristen's film shots on her blog.

Tim shoots film

Why do you shoot film, Tim?

There is no one reason why I shoot film. I love the sound a film camera makes. I love the tones, the grain, the imperfections. The anticipation and excitement you get when the film is developed. To me there is more feeling with film. You don't get instant results like you do with digital, and I think that causes you to stop and think about what you really are trying to capture. It makes the end result all that more magical.

You can see more of Tim's photos on his Flickr and blog.