I LOVE Black & White film!!!!! That's right, I said FILM!

OK, so those of you who know me, or who have at least met with me once about shooting your wedding, know that I started my photography career shooting black & white film. My first job in photography was for a phenomenal photographer, Steven E. Gross. At the time, Steven shoot ONLY black & white film - and so that's what I did too. During the 4 years I worked at his studio, Real Life Weddings, we discovered that digital was not invented by the devil, but is in fact, good. So, we all began learning the art of digital photography - or better yet, the art of shooting digital and film at the same wedding. Steven still only shoots black & white film for weddings, and leaves the digital to his second shooting Assoicates - and you've got to love him for it! He knows film like the back of his hand, and he has surely perfected the craft. What's more, he knows that there is NOTHING quite as lovely, as timeless, nor as archival as a black & white fiber base print made by hand in his darkroom. And for weddings, he believes that his clients deserve only the best!

Now, while I'm in complete agreement with Steven on the issue of film - I also love digital! Digital is so flexible, satisfies that instant gratification we all long for, and the quality has improved by leaps and bounds over the past 4-5 years. It's pretty stinkin' awesome, actually.

But, then there's film... mmmmm, film...

So, all of my clients have the option of having some black & white film shot at their wedding. It's quite a bit more expensive than digital these days, so it's rare that I get to shoot it (not everyone cares about it the way I do). But, every once in a while, one of those couples come along that get it - they really get it! And recently, that couple came along...

Evan & Kelly sat down with me after their engagement session and showed me some old photographs of, and taken by, Kelly's great-grandmother. As we flipped through the 70+ year-old photos, we all remarked at how perfectly beautiful they still were. How timeless and classic they felt. And Kelly & Evan decided that they had to have a little of the same from their wedding.

Well, their film came back from the lab the other day and I was SO EXCITED!!! So, even though their digital pics aren't quite ready for sharing (instant gratification only works if you don't actually edit the photos... darn digital!), I couldn't wait another minute to share my favorites from their film! Are you ready??? :)

Here's my favorite from my 35mm, Nikon F100... Doesn't Kelly look gorgeous!?!

The week before the wedding, I picked up a new toy. Literally - I picked up a new toy camera! It's called a Holga and I've always wanted one. Since they're only like $20, it was about time for me to get one already :) But check out how cool the photos are! I'm so pumped!!!

And last, but not least, film from my favorite camera of all time - my Widelux! The Widelux is a true panoramic camera with a lens that rotates and captures 140 degrees. It takes photos that you just CANNOT get with digital! (A lot of people think you can just take a fisheye lens on a digital camera, crop it to pano to get the same effect, but it is NOT the same!!!!) Anywhoo, check 'em out!

Sometimes when I lay on the floor and take pictures like the one above at weddings, with my clunky old Widelux, people look at me like this...

But, it's worth it! Check out the unique portraits you can get with it!

So, what do YOU think? Is it worth it? I guess you'd have to touch & feel a fiber base print to truly understand, but still...

Ok, I feel better now! Back to work everyone!