There has been a quiet renaissance going on about film photography in the past few years; a call to seek the old path of photography. Of course, until the recent past, film photography held sway over the photographic terrain with its technology allowing shooters to achieve a much higher photographic quality than its digital counterpart. 

But as it stands today, it is almost impossible to differentiate between photographs taken with a film camera from those taken with a digital camera. In fact, the resolutions of photos taken with digital cameras can exceed 45.4 megapixels with available technology today.

So, why the craze for a return to film camera photography; as we have continued to witness for the past 5 years or more? Why have the demands for film cameras and films continued to grow amongst film enthusiasts in recent times?

This article attempts to provide some answers and also provide quick tips for shooting film to beginners. Read on.

We have often used film photography and analog photography synonymously in our conversations about photography. Although, analog photography connotes a broader meaning; both are however used to describe the imaging processor technology that is built on the reactions within the light-sensitive chemical compounds.  

Film photography can be achieved using films, paper, or hard photographic plates.

Although digital photography is achieving images that are at par, or in some cases, superior to that of film photography; there are still many reasons film photography is considered superior to digital photography, hence the seeming renaissance. The following are some of these reasons:

It is indisputable that without film photography, there never would have been digital photography. In fact, it is film photography that led to the development of the digitization of the photographic process. Film photography is preceded digital photography by almost a century. This is why the film process of photography is often referred to as ‘traditional’ photography.

Though digital sensors can no longer be termed as inferior by their image quality to images produced by the film; only film-printed photos can stand as indisputable evidence in the investigation as they cannot be edited or manipulated.

How long an exposed film lasts depends on how well it has been stored. For instance, if the film was kept in cool dry storage, it would be possible to retrieve images that are even better than when it was originally exposed even after as long as 20 years. In fact, Black and White films last even longer with some exposed black and white films producing decent prints after 20-30 years.

With the availability of highly sensitive films; film photography allows you to achieve a greater range of the photographic spectrum that allows you to achieve images that stand them out from their digital counterparts.

Since professional film cameras are hardly automated, the film photography process, therefore, affords the photographer a lot of creative freedom.  Using an analog camera helps you to immediately learn how manual manipulations of the different camera settings affect the final output. You can then use this knowledge to use digital cameras more effectively. 

Analog photography presents you with the perfect opportunity to hone your professional skills and uncover creative new ways, through trial and error since most film cameras are either partially- or completely manual, giving you the opportunity to and come up with discoveries and techniques in photography.

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