SHOOTING FILM IN 2022 ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

Given the convenience and quality of digital, why have some professional photographers, including Matt Parry, returned to film... and is it something we should consider?

Matt Parry

Matt is an award-winning travel photographer and a regular contributor to a range of magazines. His love for film was reignited by his day job as marketing manager for Ilford. See more of Matt’s work: @mattparryphotography www.mattparryphoto.com

Digital photography heralded an evolution, not just in how we capture images but also how we consume them. This change eventually rendered shooting on film all but redundant in a commercial capacity as professional photographers made the switch to digital.

The game-changer was that digital allowed rapid delivery of images. Online content is instant and printed media has suffered as a result. Social media and smartphones played their part too, as content creation was no longer exclusive to pros or media companies.

Prerequisite skills aside, the ability to quickly take, edit and share an image online meant that everyone had the potential to become a ‘photographer’ and to generate an income from their photos or social media content. Expectations changed and the industry with it, but still film refused to die.

Resting dormant from the collective consciousness of many photographers, film has always retained a loyal and passionate fan base. Now, many are returning to this once abandoned medium. Find out what makes film so special and whether switching back to the tried and tested methods could work for you.

Who is shooting film and why?