In the digital age, the art of photography has redefined itself. What began as an hour-long endeavor to capture a single portrait has become a digital diary to document almost every moment of our lives. Photography has become not only highly accessible but unavoidable through smartphones always in reach. It’s caused us to develop a paradoxical relationship with authenticity—desperately seeking it while curating every shot.
Taking photos is now as effortless as opening the camera app and clicking a button. In my experience, getting the perfect picture of myself often means rapidly firing the shutter button and sorting through nearly identical photos to find the one where I look just right. While photography has technically become more straightforward than ever, capturing soulful moments feels more difficult.
Digital cameras are devices that capture and store images electronically and allow for instant viewing. Smartphones, compact handheld cameras, and large professional cameras all fall into this category. Unlike film cameras, digital cameras allow for extreme precision—we can edit, retouch, and manipulate images endlessly. They’ve given us immense control over the photos we take and even how we present ourselves to others. But does that make them any less real?
As someone who documents much of my life through my phone lens, I’ve found it increasingly challenging to create genuine mementos. Not every photo has to capture this feeling; However, authenticity and nostalgia are common goals of photography, especially now. Fun selfies with my friends and family are pretty evocative, but I wouldn’t exactly call them photography.
Because of photography’s extreme accessibility, we’ve begun to backtrack to other mediums. A couple of years ago, my dad gave me his Yashica T4, a point-and-shoot film camera that quickly became one of my favorite items. While we’ve long since moved beyond film as a necessity, there’s a growing movement of people who relish the feeling you get from viewing grainy photos from a roll of film.
Why are these photos so special? A few summers ago, I spent six weeks in Italy. I took hundreds of pictures on my phone during that trip. Admittedly, a large portion of that album was close-ups of pasta and ice cream novelties, so many of my more desirable memories were captured on a single roll of Portra 400. On our return trip, the roll got accidentally sent home with a friend in Germany. I had to wait three months before the roll was sent back to me, time I spent anticipating the revival of those memories.
I took 724 photos on that trip, which should have been more than enough. But when I got the roll of film back and had it developed, those photos became my favorites. Film photos feel like a dream. They feel nostalgic, so raw and real. Even though we didn’t grow up with film photos, looking at these photos still evokes a sense of nostalgia, probably shaped by our parents’ old photos and the films we grew up watching. Despite being a digital generation, we’re still drawn to the simplicity and authenticity of film. They’re entirely different from the crisp, high-resolution images I took on my phone.
Digital photography gives us clarity; it captures every detail and color almost exactly as it was. But film adds a layer of separation, a softness that makes every moment feel like a memory. Authenticity isn’t always about accuracy but about how much we feel when we look back at a photo.
Film is not just unique because of the medium but also the intentionality behind each shot. When you only have 36 exposures and can’t immediately see the results, you naturally become more present and thoughtful about each frame. The same could be said for any limitation – whether a digital camera with a full memory card or an iPhone running low on battery.
Photos taken on digital cameras are no more or less authentic than spontaneous film shots; they’re simply different facets of understanding reality and our perceptions of ourselves and the world. Neither is more valid than the other, but next time you want to experiment with photography or have a break from your phone, consider experimenting with a disposable camera or your parents’ old film camera. I’ve never taken a formal photography class, but film has become a way of expression for me that’s detached from everyday photography.
While shooting on film makes capturing the imperfect, dreamy moments of life easy, digital photography allows us to construct an idealized version of moments we wish to remember.
