For the average family, a digital camera has become an essential item for recording special moments throughout their lives together. Photography has changed dramatically in recent decades, and many of us who still remember the days of traditional film cameras having to develop images at the local drugstore might be surprised at how quickly digital cameras have come on the scene.
And there’s a reason why: Compared to traditional photography, digital photos are easier to print, sometimes at much higher resolution and photo quality, and can store more images than their traditional film camera predecessors.
Still, there are many photographers, both amateur and professional, who have not abandoned traditional film photography or old cameras. For them, the simplicity of the cameras and photos, and the greater care with which the images are developed, makes the process more therapeutic and resourceful. Particularly for photographers who still use their own darkrooms to develop their photos, traditional film cameras are a hobby they would never give up for the relative ease of digital cameras.
Regardless of how much technology advances, there will always be people who still appreciate the simplicity of yesterday’s methods.
Using a traditional film camera, especially varieties that are many decades old, requires much more patience, diligence, and care, especially when developing your own images. And for many photo enthusiasts who learned their craft on older equipment, the convenience of a familiar camera and the film developing process can be therapeutic. Just as many people who own a dishwasher still wash their dishes by hand because they find it relaxing or meditative, developing your own photos can be a unique and relaxing experience.
And the fact that not everyone can do it, and that it’s a skill that must be developed with practice, makes it that much more rewarding.
Interestingly, there are still plenty of families who go to amusement parks and pay to have their photos taken in an “old fashioned” way, with grainy black and white prints for novelty and fun. Sometimes they even go so far as to dress in 19th century clothing to make it look more authentic. Ironically though, most of these new old photos are taken with modern digital cameras and then altered to look truly old fashioned.
Understanding why some families find it fun to take old-fashioned pictures can help you understand why some enthusiasts love to collect vintage photo equipment and use the original, genuine camera to take their own old-fashioned pictures. Photography was one of the greatest innovations in human history, and being able to own a piece of that history is an important hobby for many photographers and antique collectors.
So the next time you think that digital cameras have made old film photography obsolete and unnecessary, consider the many hobbyists and photographers who still enjoy using and collecting traditional gear. And if you’re an aspiring photographer yourself, you might want to try ditching the digital camera for a few weeks and have an old pro teach you a thing or two about film and darkrooms.