I’ve been an Atlanta newborn and family photographer serving mothers and families for years. You may be wondering what this has to do with photographing my family on film. To become a good photographer, you need a mixture and balance and many different skills. Three of these important skills are cultivating strong relationships with clients, mastering the artistry of photography, and understanding the technical side of gear and photography principals.

Even after photographing families for years, I’m always honing and refining my skills. One of the ways I’ve been strengthening my technical and creative skills is by incorporating film in my personal projects. When shooting my family on film, you have to really access the lighting around you. It trains my eye to asses the light properly so I can hone in the on the proper camera settings. The second reason is that it also stretches my creative muscles because I have limits on how many images I can take. This means every image really needs to count, so I carefully select what shots I take.

All of this makes me stronger and more creative photographer for my digital work with clients! If you are interested in film, I’m sharing some details on the what, why and how below!

The Gear I Use for My Family on Film

• Nikon F100
  • https://www.amazon.com/NIKON-F100-35mm-Camera-Body/dp/B00005K4BJ

Why Use Film?

I love the flexibility with photographing my family on film. I get one try so I spend more time making sure what I’m shooting is perfect. I love that I don’t have to edit. I have found with my family that I take pictures and then never come back to edit them. With film, I can take a couple rolls and then send them off and they come back ready for me to enjoy. No editing!

I love the way film handles light. Much of what we do as a family is during the day. Film is a set ISO and handles bright light well. I can take my camera anywhere when we are running around and get a good shot in the middle of the day. Once I get that shot while we are out, I feel like I can put my phone and camera away and enjoy being present the rest of the day. Isn’t that what we all want to do as parents?

My Favorite Film

I shook Kodak Gold 400. The type film you select can make a big impact on the final product! This film works sell in daylight and low light scenarios. It also provides warm tones and good saturation. It is versatile enough to work great in portraits and landscapes. If you have different preferences for the tones and saturation in your final images, you can explore other brand and types of film to reach your desired outcome. This is part of the creative fun!

Where I Get My Film Developed

I send my film to Photovisions for developing. I have described the film colors I love and they have created a personal profile for my images and I love how they come out! It takes about a week to send them in and 2 weeks to receive them back.

Do You Need a Family or Newborn Session in the Atlanta Area?

To see more of my work with clients in the studio and outdoors, check out my portfolio. If you are interested in booking a family or newborn session in the Atlanta area, you can contact me by reaching out here.