Craig George – Why I use film.
I have the width, I needed more depth…
The answer is simple; it produces the results I’m looking for. – over the last 5 years I’ve been a wedding photographer, and always on digital, at the beginning of 2016 I started to get a churning feeling in my stomach, a yearning for more depth to my art, you see to produce the images I’m passionate about takes more than what is produced, its coupled with how!
Digital photography has provided me with a platform to move, digital technology is progressing so quickly, it’s hard to keep up, not being a technically minded person, I soon fell out of touch with the modern capabilities and intricacies of each camera model. However, the release of focus shift technology stirred up a question on my mind
– “where’s the skill gone?”
The more I pondered on this question, the more I found it hard to be proud of my photography, why?
Firstly, because I didn’t feel it was a skill anymore! (or at least I wasn’t challenged) – within a large parameter of scope any in camera mistakes could quite easily be rectified in post-production by shifting the 1’s and 0’s around to produce the final corrected image. A huge safety net, creating lazy photography on my part.
Secondly, whilst editing digital images for hours on end, in the coming weeks post wedding, I found myself looking to emulate the look, and ever elusive feel of a film photograph, once this epiphany occurred, the simple question was – “why don’t I just shoot film?”
I have reignited my passion through the challenge and results of using film, exploring new techniques and communities enroute. I’m proud of the part I’m playing in preserving a traditional art, I’m proud of the work I’m producing for myself and my clients, and finally I’m proud when I say “I’m a photographer”
