Choosing the perfect photographer to capture your wedding can be a daunting task. Your photographs last a lifetime, a much loved reminder of one of the most magical days of your life, long after the day is over. So getting your choice of photographer right, is quite possibly the most important decision you will make when it comes to planning your wedding – more so than even the dress!

Knowing this I wanted to start a series of wedding wisdom posts, with advice on how to pick a wedding photographer. Today I am sharing the first one with help from Emily of The Ganeys, and we starting with the difference between film and digital photography.

With film photography seeing something of a resurgence, medium has become another key factor in the decision making process. But its important to understand the difference and some of the pros and cons of each before choosing your photographer. So allow me to hand you over to an expert, Emily of The Ganeys, who photographs with both, to get a low down.

“Aside from stylistic differences, there are two big buckets that photographers fall into. There are digital shooters and there are film shooters. Most of the film shooters also shoot with digital (doing a little of both and using the camera that best fits the scenario – making them hybrid photographers). There are a few photographers that shoot exclusively in film.

Digital Photography

Digital photography became popular, for a reason. You can take an endless amount of photos. It is cost effective. Thousands of images can be saved on a memory card the size of two quarters. You can see how you’re doing throughout the day. There is instant gratification. It is fast to replace a memory card when it fills up. You can manipulate the images in a variety of ways. You can shoot well in low light situations. Digital photography is incredible.

However, on the flip side, digital photography also became “easy.” You can “spray and pray” taking 10 or 20 photos of the exact same scene, and hope that one or two comes out as you had hoped. It has made some photographers careless, saying “I can fix that in post production.”

Film Photography

Film photography is timeless. The photographer is required to slow down and double check their setting. When I’m shooting film, I feel more present with the couple, as I’m not looking down at the back of my camera. I believe the colors of film are more true to life. Film forces the photographer to understand light and know exactly where the subject should be positioned to get the best images possible. Finally, I love the softer quality (you can’t see every wrinkle or pore) aspect of film.

On the flip side, there’s a lot of risk with film – in almost every aspect. You can expose the film incorrectly by accidentally bumping one dial on your camera. The film can be lost in the mail. The film could be developed incorrectly by the lab. There’s risk there. And that is terrifying – which is why many film photographers shoot with digital as well, making them hybrid shooters. On top of the risk, film is also expensive. The cost of film, developing the film, and shipping adds up!

See for yourself….

To see more differences between digital and film, search for hashtags on instagram. #digitalphotography or #filmphotography would be a good starting point. You could also search for cameras such as #5dmarkiii (digital camera) or #contax645 (film camera).

Think about the options and decide what fits your needs for your day. You may not care. You may be attracted to one or the other. But it is definitely something to consider when looking for a photographer.

Even more important than the difference between digital and film, I would say that when picking a wedding photographer, you should like their style and ensuring that you feel comfortable with the photographer you’re working with. Personalities matter a lot. You’re probably going to spend more time with your wedding photographer on your wedding day than your future spouse! This is a big decision – and film photography versus digital photography is just one element of that decision.”

With benefits and risks for both, I think it all comes down to personal taste, and I couldn’t agree more that style and personality are just as important! A huge thankyou to the lovely Emily of The Ganeys for sharing her expertise and words of wisdom with us. If you loved these glimpses of her beautiful photography, you should take a look at Alex & Amanda’s romantic wedding, she captured it so perfectly! You will find lots more over on their website at theganeys.com – and don’t forget to follow Emily & Thomas on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Be sure to check back here too, as I will be sharing more advice from Emily on finding your perfect photographer, as well as some engagement session tips!, over the coming weeks.

Amy

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