Why are we so drawn to film?

Film costs more. It takes longer to process. And yet, the popularity of film photography continues to grow. Honestly, once you see it, it’s hard to resist it!

So why are more and more families reverting back to a photography medium that is less technologically advanced? After all, digital images are simply more superior in sharpness, resolution, and dynamic range.

The answer is feeling.

The Real Reason Film Photography Feels So Special

Because most of the photographs from our own childhoods were taken on film, when we look at a film photograph today, we feel a deeper connection to our own memories. It’s that wave of nostalgia- the pleasure of fond memories mixed with the wistfulness of sentimental reflection. When we see our own children captured on film, something shifts. Suddenly, our own core memories become intertwined with theirs.

This feeling is a tether to what matters most. After all, connection is one of our deepest, shared longings. Film offers it to us. I’m not the only one who believes this. Mike Cordone shares beautifully on what film offers us.

Film vs. Digital Photography: What’s the Difference for Families?

There is also something innately similar about the quality of a film photograph and the feeling of family life. Both are soft, and often a tinge blurred. Both are warm, and often imperfect. Both feel somewhat like a dream. A film photograph has a deeper resemblance to our real lived experience, which just does something different in our heart when we gaze upon it.

For many families, hiring a film photographer for family photos is out of reach. Plus, life in 2026 demands so much from families when it comes to time and commitments. Most parents, then, approach family photos as an annual chore that is planned out of this sense of obligation or duty, rather than out of joy and anticipation. And the reality is, no one invests a lot in something that feels like a chore.

May I offer an alternative?

A Better Way to Approach Family Photography

Book a longer session. Ask for film AND digital photography. Document the daily magic in your family life, AND get a more traditional portrait. You can actually have it all. I think you’ll find that candid is actually the most classic.

I’d love to be the one to help transform an annual duty into an experience you look forward to every year.

But don’t put it off. Check out my offerings.