The Louvre museum in Paris attracts millions of tourists every year, making it the most visited museum globally. People worldwide make it a priority at some point in their lives to catch a glimpse of past great artworks and hand-crafted creations of history. Even with the mass cultural shift that digital technology brings, the virtual realities of our future don't hold the same intrinsic value as tangible creations that resonate with mind, body, and soul.
The likelihood of someone traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles to sit around and swipe through a digital image gallery on an iPad is pretty much nonexistent. In general, we gravitate towards things that strike a chord beyond the surface of disposable technology, fads, and trends. That is why people love to see and hear live music at concerts, visit museums and still choose film photography to capture special moments in their lives. There is different energy within the process and the work created that endures life's ever-changing landscape.
It's hard to explain what that energy/feeling is. Still, I know that the moment of capture is a contributing factor, with film photography being more meaningful and REAL than its digital counterparts. Let me explain:
When a film camera takes a picture, the image of you literally burns an imprint into the emulsion of the film stock. It creates a latent image, which can be developed (with chemicals) into a negative. It then can be projected onto light-sensitive photo paper to create a photograph.
Really think about that. An image of you burns a natural imprint onto the film's emulsion in space and time and exists as a tactile object. That is amazing, and it's that process that can capture the things we can't see but exist. Just like musicians know, temperature and humidity will impact the sound vibrations of their instruments during an audio recording; we can sense when visual media has an essence within it.
Now contrast the chemical processes of film photography with the tech-driven captures of digital cameras. Simply put, a digital image is a 'virtual image' and does not exist in the real world.
It's a line of '0's and '1's on your computer, just like any other data file on your hard drive. We see only a representation of that digital image shown to us by the output on an analog device. (In depth article on how digital images are virtual link) Add in the photoshop workflow of digital aesthetics, and it's no wonder the person suddenly looks not natural and plastic. Computers and algorithms have replaced imagination and creativity, primarily making decisions for the person behind the camera.
Don't believe me? Scroll through Instagram with any photography search, and you'll notice that the majority of what you see are the same creative choices over and over again, with people following the same trends.
Don't become a servant to what is; instead, think in terms of what could be.
I speak candidly about this topic because I know it's a shared opinion within creative circles, with clients and photography professionals. Just because something is done one way and people follow suit doesn't mean it's right for you and your needs. Take into account all sides and make decisions based on your own conclusions. I share with the world a point of view I enjoy regarding film photography, and I know that won't be for everyone, but what I do know for sure - in the words of Marvin Gaye, "Aint nothing like the real thing."