I Like This About Film Photography

I like the science of film developing with the smell of chemicals in a darkroom.

I like the magic of film developing when your image appears like an apparition after being immersed in those chemicals.

I like the fact there are no storage cards, no cables, or complicated touch screen menus on your film camera. 

I like the manufacturer’s branding on film packs the same way I enjoyed the VHS, cassettes and album covers. 

I like the email notification that tells me “your prints are ready to view!” 

I like the way I feel when I breathlessly open up that envelope containing my prints for the big reveal.  

I like hearing the shutter click. I like feeling the tension in the spool when advancing to the next frame. I like feeling the tension release when I’ve re-wound the spool to secure the roll. 

I like the way that each frame on the roll  can have its own unique exposure or grain or grit. 

I like seeing the negative strip when held against the light. It is ethereal. 

I like having a physical, tactile piece of chemical paper in my hand that has preserved a memory. 

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