What to know about wedding film photography
If you’re looking for a unique something old on your wedding day, film coverage is the coolest move. Maybe it's the delayed gratification of development, or the vintage look and feel of analog, but whatever it is, the medium is in high demand. Due to this, many photographers, myself included, have begun offering film packages for their clients’ big days.
As a Greenville, SC wedding photographer who serves couples across the Southeast (and beyond for destination weddings), I love bringing this classic art form to modern celebrations. Film wedding photography captures the softness of natural light, the richness of real skin tones, and the beauty of unposed, emotional moments, whether you’re saying “I do” in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Charleston coast, or a mountaintop in Montana.
Here’s your guide to film photography, and everything you need to know before booking a film photography addition to your wedding coverage.
What is film photography, and why should you care?
Film photography is the art of capturing images on light-sensitive rolls of film, which are then developed into physical negatives and scanned to be printed. Unlike digital photography, where you can take hundreds of shots and see the results instantly, film requires patience, skill, and intention.
Adding film to your wedding day coverage means you’ll receive a mix of crisp digital photos and soft, nostalgic film images with each frame hand-crafted in the moment. It’s REAL and PHYSICAL, and nothing is more valuable than that.
Different Types of Film Formats for Weddings (and What They Are Best for)
35 mm
This is by far the most common film format, and is what disposable cameras use. It produces that classic “film look”, and is great for candid moments and weddings with a documentary feel.
120 mm
A higher resolution choice with more detail than 35mm, this is going to be used in older pop-out cameras. Compared to the 35 mm film, which, as the name suggests, is 35 mm in width, this film is much larger.
Super 8
Due in part to its exposure on social media, the Super 8 camera is gaining popularity. Super 8 is not still photography, but in fact an old-school film video format that can create short, nostalgic wedding films without sound.
Popular Film Stocks for Wedding Photography
Kodak Portra: Known for soft, natural skin tones and dreamy pastel colors. A favorite for wedding portraits. Shown below.
Kodak Gold: Warm and vibrant with more contrast, perfect for fun reception shots and golden hour portraits. Shown in images above.
Tri-X 400: Black and white, “Tri-X 400 one of the most popular film stock, not just in black and white, but of all film.” - https://thedarkroom.com/film/tri-x-400/
To see more stocks and examples, visit https://thedarkroom.com/film-index/
Each stock brings its own personality, so your photographer may choose based on the mood, light, and location of your day.
Film vs. Digital Wedding Photography: What’s the Difference?
Color
Film renders color in a softer, more natural way than digital, with a unique depth that’s hard to replicate. While digital photos may be batch edited with a preset developed by your photographer, film colors will be less heavily edited to preserve the original colors captured by the camera.
Limited shots and Unpredictibility
There’s no SD card involved in film, so each roll of only 12-36 exposures will be shot with intention. You won’t see rapid-fire shooting with a film camera. Part of using film is the little surprises. Light leaks, subtle grain, and other variations are what make each frame unique and magical.
Nostalgia
Film taps into that timeless, romantic quality that feels like it could’ve been shot 30 years ago… or yesterday. Film is able to capture this feeling like no other because it is an art form that has been around so long and was created in a simpler time. It allows us to be transported back, and, when looking at modern moments captured on film, makes these moments feel suspended in time.
Physicality
When shot on film, your images are developed in a darkroom and handled by actual humans before becoming the digital scans you receive. There is something about a physical process that makes it feel very purposeful and tangible.
What to Know Before Adding Film Photography to Your Wedding Package
Timing (development, shipping, etc)
Before getting to your inbox or mailbox, film must be developed and scanned, which can take anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the lab.
Cost
Film rolls, processing, and shipping add to the investment and are not cheap to come by.
Imperfect quality of film
As previously mentioned, film is unpredictable, and you should be prepared to receive lovely images with light leaks, scratches, dust, or even slight color shifts.
Your coverage will be primarily digital
Film is an add-on, not a replacement! Your main wedding gallery will still be digital because of the imperfect and unpredictable nature of film. We still want you to have a full digital gallery to look back on!
Physical film may not be yours
Depending on your photographer’s process, the physical negatives may stay with them or the lab, just like RAW images on a digital camera. If this is something you’re set on having, make sure to discuss it with your photographer beforehand.
TRAVEL RISKS
Airport X-rays and mishandling can affect film quality. Extra care is taken during destination weddings when transporting the film, but it’s an important thing to be aware of.
Is Wedding Film Photography Right for You?
If you’re looking to add a more vintage feel to your wedding or looking for documentary coverage, then yes! If you aren’t sure about it, then you can always find a photographer that matches the vibes of film, but all on digital! Or better yet, pick a wedding photographer that does both!
