Shooting with Film Makes You Slow Down – or Not.

I’ve written a few blog posts about how I felt that shooting with film helps you to slow down. You shoot less because film is expensive. You take your time, and it can be truly therapeutic!

Well, that may be true, but then someone (probably my wife) reminded me that when I started to digitize my photographs back in the 90’s, I had several boxes full of photographs. The fact that I was shooting film didn’t deter me from taking 20 photos of the same spot in the Grand Canyon. I mean, you never know when you’re going to see this again, and the more photos you take, the more you’ll be able remember every view of that majestic canyon, right?

I began recalling all the photos I’ve taken in my life, and all the film I’ve wasted in my life. And, I have to say, the fact that film is expensive, or the fact that you can’t see your results instantly, didn’t stop me from taking way too many photographs.

I stand by my claim that shooting film can help you slow down – but it may not. We still have to force ourselves to slow down, enjoy the process of capturing images, and enjoy photography – digital or otherwise.