Is Film Better than Digital for Weddings?

As a professional wedding photographer I get thisWith digital it is possible to produce different versions
question asked more than anything else. Rarely willof the same photo including black and white, color,
somebody ask me about my wedding photographysepia, etc. through a very simple process.
education, awards, or professional memberships. IDigital allows for a faster workflow. If your
believe the root to this question lies onphotographer offers digital gallery previews your
misinformation about the different qualities of filmphotographs can be available in a matter of hours for
and digital.viewing and ordering. In addition, slide shows and
FilmDVDs can be produced for the client.
For a photographer with no computer experience orDigital retouching in the hands of an expert can
who does not want to spend the time correctingcreate amazing results.
digital files film is the way to go. Film allows theSince there is no chemistry involved to develop digital
photographer to photograph a wedding or event andthe digital process is more environmentally friendly.
at the end of the day be done with the process.Resolution
When the time comes to print the photographs theIn terms of resolution both film and digital can
photo lab will take care of color balance adjustmentsproduce similar results. With the advent of 11 mega
and retouching.pixel and above digital cameras, digital has the edge
From a technical aspect film has a wider dynamicfor enlargements due to its lower noise levels and
range than digital. This means than in high contrastthe lack of grain.
scenes film has the edge. It can handle them betterMany purist talk of the film look, which is basically film
without blowing the highlights.grain and noise that gives film its unique look. This film
Digitallook can easily be simulated with digital image
The greatest advantage for digital is the control ofprocessing techniques.
the photographic process in the hands of the artist.Many people would be surprised to know that most
The photographer is not longer at the mercy of thephoto labs will scan film prior to printing. In other
lab to produce a photo that reflects his inspirationwords direct film to print is a myth. Digital photos
and vision.when printed on true photo paper are virtually
Digital allows the photographer to shoot more framesindistinguishable from their film counterparts.
without the expense of film and development, whichWhat does the film vs. digital war means to the
can translate into a more complete coverage. Afterclient? I believe that when selecting a wedding
the event the photographer simply edits out the badphotographer the client has to focus on the end
photos and you as the customer end up with theproduct more than anything else. At the end it
best selection of the day.doesn't matter if the photographer uses film or digital.
The digital medium is ideal for backup. Multiple copiesWhat really counts is the quality of the photographs
of the event can simultaneously exist in differentthat he or she will produce for your wedding day.
locations in the event of a catastrophe. With filmThere are good and bad photographers using film or
there is always only one copy of the negatives,digital. Your task as a client is to weed out the bad
which could be duplicated, but the second copyones and select a photographer that will capture
suffers significant quality degradation.beautiful memories of your wedding day.