Nostalgia is a gateway to a myriad of senses— from revisiting a meal from your childhood to hearing a song you grew up with. Arguably, there is no such potent a sense as that of sight when it comes to nostalgia. When one hears “film photography,” their mind may automatically go to a Polaroid camera. How can we help it when Outkast told us to shake it like a Polaroid picture? (Side note: you are not actually supposed to shake Polaroid film, the shaking can mess up the physical composition of the film itself.)
The unedited quality of film photography unearths a nostalgic safety, appealing to older generations who grew up with it, and younger ones who want to learn about the roots of photography. The graininess pays homage to older cameras that would produce grainier photographs.
Additionally, film photography is seeing a comeback due to how COVID has affected the world of photography. The pandemic has put a strain on digital photography as a medium. With lockdowns, it has been more difficult for photographers to get access to darkrooms to develop their digital photographs into tangible ones. The solution? Film photography! Film photographers are able to get their tangible photos in a way that does not require finding a darkroom. With digital photography, a darkroom is required to print and process your images into a physical form, while with film photography there are ways around this need. Film photography can be as easy as popping a set of film into the camera’s film door and pressing the shutter button to get your image in seconds. The cycle of buying film once you run out does add up, but it also eases the process of having your pictures readily available. However, digital photography can be equally as expensive, as darkrooms can cost hundreds of dollars to build. The debate as to which medium of photography is more accessible truly varies for each photographer.
Film photography has made a comeback both physically and digitally. Specifically, while one can take a physical picture on a film camera and hang it on their wall within minutes, film photography is also booming on social media. Instagram accounts documenting disposable camera photography have been made big recently by celebrities such as Gigi Hadid, who has her film account @gisposable. When celebrities with such big followings partake in a trend, it catches on like wildfire, especially when these celebrities have young fanbases.
Even more, the ability to take images on a phone and use an app such as Huji Cam, that makes digital photos look like film, contributes to the accessibility and thus resurgence of the trend. The resurgence of film photography is partially due to how it appeals to all ages. With y2k fashion and culture trending, gen z, millennials, and even baby boomers appreciate the spotlight being shown on film photography. The nostalgic aesthetic of film photography is what unites generations of photographers today.