Shooting film can completely change how you approach photography. It forces you to slow down, think more deliberately, and accept imperfections as part of the process. Many who started in digital find that switching to film rekindles their love for capturing images. But does film actually make an image better? Or is it just a different way to shoot?
Coming to you from Cody Mitchell, this thoughtful video explores whether film makes an image special. Mitchell revisits his transition from fine art landscape photography, a process-heavy approach that left him frustrated, to shooting film, which reawakened his passion. He compares digital and film images side by side, analyzing color, tone, and flexibility. Digital files offer immense control in post-processing, but film often provides a natural, pleasing starting point. The color separation, gradients, and subtle hues in film images require little adjustment. Digital, on the other hand, captures a neutral, highly detailed file that can be pushed in any direction but often needs more work to match the organic look of film.
Mitchell highlights a key difference between the two formats: shooting experience. Digital cameras allow endless experimentation, with instant feedback on exposure and composition. Film requires premeditated choices. Limited exposures mean each frame is carefully considered. Without a screen to preview shots, photographers rely on instinct and knowledge rather than trial and error. This distinction changes how you engage with a scene. Digital photography offers precision and flexibility, while film creates a more tactile, immersive process.
Mitchell argues that neither medium is superior. The tools you use should align with your creative goals. Digital files provide an open-ended workflow, allowing you to craft a final image in many different ways. Film offers a built-in aesthetic, with natural imperfections that often make images feel more organic. Both have value, depending on what you prioritize in your work. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Mitchell.
Alex, this article really resonates. Shooting film has certainly changed the way I approach photography. There’s something about slowing down, thinking deliberately about each frame, and embracing imperfections that makes the process more immersive. The constraints of film force a level of discipline and patience that digital, with its endless flexibility, sometimes takes away.
I still shoot plenty of digital, but film brings a different kind of satisfaction. I don’t see it as making an image inherently “better,” but it does shape the way I see and compose a shot. Every time I visit my daughter in NYC, I make it a point to shoot a roll of film—it has become a personal ritual that deepens my connection to both photography and the moments I capture.
Paul Tocatlian
Kisau Photography
www.kisau.com
I can dumb digital down to look like film but nobody can dumb film up to look like digital
I've been shooting film seriously since the early 70s and continue shooting film. I do have digital equipment, but found that I enjoy it more for shooting movies than stills. Everyone has a preference, and mine is with film. I still shoot a good deal of 16mm movie film, but something about shooting movies in digital is appealing.
I’d love to write on stone—it’s way cooler—but I can’t. Instead, I use a boring pen, but believe me, the letters are the same, and I can write way faster.
You’ve mastered the pen, but the next frontier awaits—typewriters! Imagine the drama of each keystroke, the satisfying clack, and the built-in workout for your fingers. Plus, no delete key—pure commitment! Time to level up!