vintage analogue film photography for a beautiful wedding
Jade & Dom
When I was a child, I used to use film cameras all the time, so I was delighted when I was approached by Isabelle Elliot Photography to do analogue photography as a second shooter for her weddings, and the first one I was booked in to do was Jade and Dom's wedding which took place at Gosfield Hall, in Halstead, in Essex. A former royal palace, Gosfield Hall is a really striking Georgian mansion set in 10 acres of land, and there are so many options inside and out for your wedding. It's both grand and elegant and you can have up to 116 guests at the ceremony and the wedding breakfast, and up to 250 guests at the evening party celebrations.
I found my guests totally relaxed in front of my Polaroid camera - they saw it as a 'fun' camera to pose to...
A totally unique anbd different 'couple' shot taken with my polaroid camera...
Polaroid WEDDING PHOTOS
For a real vintage feel, you can opt for some or all of your photos to be shot using Polaroid. I use traditional vintage Polaroid cameras to capture these with the signature 'square' Polaroid look.
The Bouquet toss - taken with my Polaroid while the main shooter shot it digitally from a different angle
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I used a roll of Ilford HP5 in my Pentax 645n, a medium format camera, for the ceremony to capture the couple hugging each other as their guests clapped and applauded...
For this wedding I used high quality black and white and colour films from Kodak and Ilford to ensure consistent tones and quality throughout the day.
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I mainly used black and white film (Ilford HP5 in this case) for this wedding as I feel it works really well with the Nikon FM2n. It's all about the light and the framing—there is almost no editing done to these images.
What to expect from Film photography
What you have caught on film is captured forever...
You can either hire me as a second shooter (I welcome enquiries from both photographers and couples) and we'll chat about you and your wedding, what shots you want me to focus on, and if you have any favourite 'looks' you want for the photos, so I can choose the right film for your wedding. And if you want, I also offer short Super 8 vintage analogue videos alongside my analogue film photographs.
I use a trusted lab to process and scan all my film; this takes about 2 to 4 weeks in total, and then you'll receive your images via an online gallery. You'll have the option to download the scans or you can opt for gorgeous prints to make up a beautifully made photo album which you can keep to look back on in the years to come.
...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.
FAQs about Film Photography
How many images will I get?
Do you offer hourly or half-day rates?
This is really down to you but normally if you hire me as a second shooter you can expect to see around 200 to 250 photos. I don't take nearly as many photos as a digital photographer but generally there are more 'keepers' as I'll have carefully chosen the composition, lighting and colours for the shot.
If I'm your main photographer then we'll agree the balance of digital and/or film photographs that you'd like me to shoot. If you want more analogue photos that's an option too, but the developing and scanning costs will need to be added on.
If you're local to Tunbridge Wells (I live in the centre) then I offer hourly and half-day or shorter day rates for film photography.
If your wedding venue is further away, or you're using multiple venues for your wedding, I'll need to charge for travel time or a full day (whichever is cheaper).
I'm able to travel anywhere in the UK and overseas, but I would need to add on additional costs for accommodation and any visa/carnet requirements.
How long does it take to get my film photos?
Do you work as a main shooter or a second shooter?
It's possible I'll get the scans back from the lab within 2 to 3 weeks; so much quicker than for digital as there's almost no editing required for film photos—the picture is created at the time of taking and the 'look' and the gorgeouos grain comes from the camera and the film itself.
If you're having Polaroid photos, normally I'll send these over in the post once they've fully developed, as I also scan these for you.
I offer myself as both; I love second shooting as it means I can take the time to get some amazing angles and capture unique shots of your day. If you hire me as your main shooter, I will also bring my digital camera and. you can expect a hybrid of digital and film photographs from your day.
You can either hire me directly or via your planner if you're using one.
