WHY FILM ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY ADDS-ON WORTH IT
SCOTLAND FILM ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER - 35MM AND MEDIUM FORMAT ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
HOW AM I HOOKED ON FILM?
Before I jump into the benefits and weaknesses of film photography, let me tell you how I met with analog photography.
In the '90s, I travelled with my dad around the Eastern block, mainly to Eastern Germany and Czechoslovakia. His Chinon 35 rangefinder camera was always our travelling companion. At age 6, that camera was the first I ever used to take my dad's portrait at a fountain in Dresden. Shortly after, I dropped the camera. Oh boy, I will never forget my dad's reaction when I started to cry. He told me not to worry; it could happen to anyone who uses a camera.
I have never dropped a camera since.
After this experience, my dad started teaching me about photography, and I learned all the basics and much more about film photography and cameras.
He passed away last summer, and since then, I have taken more and more photos on film. I integrated film into my elopement workflow, and I use only film to capture our family memories and my own projects.
WHY I STILL LOVE SHOOT ON FILM
In my case, the biggest reason is purely sentimental. Whenever I hold one of my many film cameras in my hand and take a photo, I remember those old days when my dad taught me how to take pictures. I load a film roll into the camera, advance the shutter, feel it in my hands, and hear the mechanism of the gear and then the shutter sound. All these make film photography my passion, which means everything to me, just like my dad's memento.
I took one of his last portraits 2 months before his passing with his beloved Pentax MG camera.
A FEW REASON WHY FILM PHOTOGRAPHY IS A MUST ON YOUR SCOTLAND ELOPEMENT DAY
IMPERFECT PERFECTION - UNIQUE LOOK, AESTHETIC FEEL ON YOUR SCOTLAND ELOPEMENT PHOTOS
Film photography has a particular aesthetic that cannot be replicated with digital cameras. Its warmth and depth offer a unique look and a special way to capture this moment in your life. The results of film images are softer and look less digitalized. The highlights and shadows stay in beautiful harmony with one another, whereas digital can tend to get too clinical and sometimes blow out the highlights or create blackness with the shadows. Film photographs have a unique texture and grain that are not found in digital images. Film elopement photography is a popular choice among couples looking to capture images with a vintage aesthetic. It gives photos a classic look and the vintage style of the past. Film photography is known for its soft, delicate tones and nostalgic feel. Its vintage aesthetic further emphasizes these qualities. Other elements of a vintage aesthetic in film wedding photography include hues that slightly fade and a lack of sharpness.
FILM PHOTOGRAPHY FORCES YOU TO SLOW DOWN
In a world full of excess and overstimulation, the film brings back simplicity and slow mindfulness to photography. I can take hundreds of photos of an elopement day with a digital camera, and I never realise how many shots I took. Then, I select only 30-40% of those photos to keep for post-production. It's so ridiculous.
Using film is expensive and limited. Each 35mm roll allows 36 exposures/photos (only 10 per roll 6x7 medium format), and you should use those shots wisely. This forces me to slow down, think about composition and lighting, and time my shots right to nail the shot on the first try – and it works just fine that way. I am so selective about which moments I choose to capture on film that I rarely delete anything. I usually keep 90-95% of the film photos.
IS THE FILM BETTER THAN DIGITAL?
It's different. Even film photography itself can produce different photos depends on what formats of films we use. For example, I use 35mm film and 6x7 medium format, which is four times bigger than the size of 35mm film. Film and digital photography have their strengths (weaknesses too) so sometimes I use both on an elopement day in Scotland. The film can be emotional, imperfect and nostalgic, with its unique grain structure that you won't find in digital. On the other hand, digital photography is often more reliable in getting the shot because it captures high-quality, sharp images high-speed and accurately and also allows editing the photos in my style. Therefore, using both mediums to provide the couple with the best possible Scotland elopement photography experience is best.
See on the photos below the different look of the 35mm film, digital photo (edited with my artistic style) and the medium format film look. Which one is your favoutire? Let me know in the comment section below.
Left to Right: 35mm film, digital and 6x7 Medium Format film
WHY SCOTLAND ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY ON FILM SO WORTH IT
THE COLORS, TONALITY AND DYNAMIC RANGE OF YOUR ELOPEMENT FILM PHOTOS
The comparison photo above shows that the film brings the most beautiful true-to-life colours and reaches tonality. Not only are the colors fantastic, but one of the best things that film can do that digital cannot do is perfectly expose both the brightest and the darkest parts of an image (think wedding dress and dark suit, dark suits, and ocean water with the sun shining bright on it and a colourful sky). B&W films are fantastic, and I love to use them on bright or moody overcast days - I love B&W photography, actually better than color. I have my favourite film stocks, I like shooting in different weather conditions and times of the year or day.
YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT FILM PHOTOGRAPHY OF YOUR SCOTLAND ELOPEMENT
IS IT BETTER TO HAVE ELOPEMENT PHOTOS ON FILM OR DIGITL? IS IT RISKY TO GO ONLY TO FILM?
I suggest that you include both—add a film photography package to your digital elopement photography.
Some risks are always associated with photography (film or digital) that are entirely out of my control. I post my film rolls to the film lab; something could go wrong from there to the point of receiving my film scans. Equipment and film can malfunction (like digital cameras), or something could go wrong in the development process, but the chance is minimal. Actually, it has never happened to me before to lose film during postage or development.
While I have backup film & digital cameras and extra rolls of film, there is not a 100% guarantee, and this is why I recommend adding film to your digital package so you can have the digital backups of the film shots. Another thing about the film is that it does have its limitations; that is, photography can come in to ensure that you can get photos of everything and not lose out on any moments. So, I prefer to be a hybrid elopement photographer, incorporating the correct medium for your needs. Personally, I would photograph every elopement in Scotland on film only because I love film.
CAN I BRING MY FILM CAMERA TO MY ELOPMENT?
Yes, please bring your film, or Polaroid camera and I will be happy to use them on your Scotland elopement day. I've done it before, and my couples loved waiting for their negatives to develop and scanned and enjoyed their beautiful analog photos.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM WORKING WITH A FILM ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER
UNIQUE ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE
Working with a film photographer offers a unique experience for couples. The deliberate approach and attention to detail make images feel more intimate and authentic. Film photographers often have a distinct artistic style, and their work stands out in our digital world. Also, the limited number of shots per roll means both the photographer and the couple slow down, enjoying every minute of the elopement and carefully selecting each frame. This approach encourages creativity and ensures that every photo they shoot is meaningful and well-composed.
Film photography requires patience and anticipation. Unlike digital photography, where images can be captured and reviewed instantly, film photographers must trust their skills, gear and intuition.
MY DREAM SCOTLAND ELOPEMENT FILM PHOTOGRAPHY DAY AND SETUP
My ultimate dream elopement couple should ask me to capture their wedding day not only on 35mm film, but mainly on medium format film. Oh man, I can't tell you how much I love medium-format film photography, with it's huge size of film negatives, reach tones, details, sharpness, epic look, and fantastic bokeh in the backgrounds.
Just look at the picture on the left, how bigger is my medium format camera than my Classic Leica M2 35mm rangefinder camera. The size is really matter in this case and I love to go with my big and heavy cameras all day long to create the most epic, classic and timeless elopement photos for my beautiful couples all around the World.
Let me share with you a few photos I took on variuos elopements in Scotland taken with my 6x7 medium format cameras - see them below.
SINCE I WORK AS A FULL-TIME SCOTLAND ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER
My son is 13, and he loves photography because of the strong influence of his grandfather and my film elopement works. Last year, he asked me to start teaching him about film photography. That day, I was the happiest dad in the whole world. I gave him that 40-year-old Pentax film camera with which I used to learn photography - more than 30 years ago.
We had so much fun, laughs and even a little cry after a light-leaked photo mistake, too, but he still loves photography, and I can't wait to go with him on our photography trip to Europe this summer.
I HOPE THIS BLOG POST HELPED YOU TO GET KNOW FILM ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY BETTER, AND FIND OUT THE MAGIC OF ANALOG PHOTOGRAPHY TO BOOK YOUR SCOTLAND ELOPEMENT PHOTGRAPHER FOR YOUR INTIMATE WEDDING DAY
If you are looking for a film photographer for your Scotland elopement with a wealth of local knowledge of Isle of Skye and experience in planning elopements then get in touch with me and we can discuss about your perfect elopement experience.
My goal with the art of film photography is providing you with emotional photos you will love for life.
If you're considering #elope in the #ScottishHighlands or Isles in 2025, and would like to chat with me about your plans, I would love to hear from you!
