If you ask someone why they shoot film in the 21st century, you’ll probably find that there are as many specific reasons as there are photographers, but broadly speaking, it appears to boil down to matters of process and aesthetic. That is, the process of shooting film may encourage you to slow down compared to digital image capture, and the overall aesthetic achieved with film cannot be easily replicated in the digital domain.
For me, there is another, personally even more important, reason to shoot analog, namely, establishing a connection to the history of the medium and to the photographers who came before me. I remember having zero money left in my pocket after purchasing my Nikon D50 in 2005, and buying a couple of vintage Nikkors for pennies on the dollar to be able to start making images right away. One of the lenses was the legendary 105mm short telephoto made famous by Steve McCurry and his picture of the Afghan girl. I have always been interested in the history of photography, but this was my first experience using the same gear as a storied practitioner of our craft, and I have to say, it really struck a chord.
When I was growing up, my father had a copy of The Camera, one of the volumes of the Life Library of Photography. I am not sure why, since he had no apparent interest in the subject. At any rate, there is an X-ray image of the Rolleiflex SL66 on the cover. I remember being captivated by this photograph and becoming a bit obsessed with the camera. Of course, the Rolleiflex probably cost more than my father earned in a year, so getting anywhere near one was never really an option. But, fast forward to a few years ago, and I found a clean copy for just over $500. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to own one of these classic cameras. Later, I discovered a short documentary film on Aaron Siskind, another of my favorite photographers, that showed him working with a Rolleiflex SL66. Through years of shooting with it, I’ve learned that the old Rollei is a pretty finicky camera to use, but that it can reward you with spectacular images if you are patient. As a result of this experience, I believe that I can appreciate Siskind’s results in a way I otherwise couldn't.
