I’ve had the absolute pleasure of bringing film photography back into my arsenal of tools over the last few wedding seasons, which I’m grateful for in a lot of ways. I learned this art form on film, so it feels like a homecoming of sorts whenever I reach for the Nikon F that I’ve had since college. The fact couples are willing to invest in film to capture something that’s unique to it is really what’s allowed me to do this, and I sometimes wonder if that’s something that will last. Will this be yet another wedding trend that comes in hot, only to peter out when the next new gadget comes out?

Maybe film is another fleeting trend, but for me at least, it goes a bit deeper than that. Full transparency: I was teetering on wedding burnout only a few seasons ago. After striving for so long to make wedding photography my job full time, it only took a handful of seasons to feel overwhelmed by it all. The demands and expectations of weddings are a big deal to me, and it felt like I was constantly coming up short, even as my work got better and better. What was missing that made me not want to pursue my lifelong dream so quickly?

Once I started incorporating film into my work, a had my epiphany: it is so easy to chase the big and expected moments. To have a checklist of shots in your head, already formulated, that if you can only tick off all the marks then you’ve done a good job. Only I kept finding this wasn’t actually leading me to be satisfied with the work I was producing. When I would pick up my film camera, I couldn’t “shoot through” a moment and pick the best shot out of hundreds later. I had to wait, be present, and only click the shutter when what unfolded in front of me felt right. This act alone made me forget about the checklist, and instead focus on what was happening right in front of me. Film photography requires a kind of thoughtful intention you simply can’t rush through, and I began taking that same ethos through the rest of my work.

I’m so excited to bring more and more film to the celebrations I document, but even more so than that, I’m more excited for the weddings I’m documenting now than ever. Just like being intentional to what I’m documenting, I’m also more selective on the celebrations I say yes to. I’m not the right photographer for a couple with a long list of “must have” shots. I am the right photographer for a couple who wants the experience of their day to be preserved, both in the moment on through my lens. By taking a step back, my couples can actually make memories. That way, when they look through their images years and years later, they’ll remember more than just the pretty picture - they’ll remember how they felt.

And so, I present a highlight of the film shots I’ve taken over the years, sorted by the season. I made little notes on what about the season lends itself well to the kinds of stills I’m gravitating towards taking. I hope you enjoy them, and if they speak to you, I hope you reach out. I can’t wait to make more of this work with you <3