If you haven’t joined the resurgence of film photography in the past few years, you might be asking yourself, “Should I start shooting film in 2022?”
If you’ve already been shooting film the past few years, then you might be asking yourself, with the rising costs of film and film cameras, should you continue shooting it or not? I try and answer that question for five different categories of photographers ranging from total newcomers to people who have been shooting film for longer than I’ve been alive.
I highlight the benefits of shooting film in 2022 and outline some of the mistakes, like spending way too much on a camera, that newcomers often make. For experienced film photographers, I discuss the cons like the cost of both time and money, but also the pros like unique colors and the meditative experience. I also go over my total film costs in 2021 which come out to be nearly $1,400 for film and developing alone and nearly $4,000 when adding in the cost of new cameras, lenses, scanning materials, and other accessories. I shot 22 rolls of 35mm, 36 rolls of 120, and 48 sheets of 4×5 for a total of over 1,300 photos.
It makes you think when you see that it costs $1,400 for film and developing alone to shoot 1,300 photos. For $1,400, you could buy a decent full-frame camera, lens, and an SD card that could take the same number of photos in less than a day. But is shooting film really about the cost? Of course not!
Shooting film is about slowing down, enjoying the process, staying present, and getting those “sick tones, man.” Nobody shot film in 2021 because it was cost-effective; they did it because it was enjoyable. When I started shooting film in 2020 as a DSLR native, everything in my life was always speeding up. Film slowed me down, and honestly, it was even good for my mental health.
For more information about whether you should shoot film in 2022, refer to the distinct chapters that apply to you in Nuri’s video and consider subscribing to my channel.
About the author: Imran Nuri is a 24-year-old artist, photographer, and entrepreneur based out of Chicago, Illinois and Columbus, Ohio. More from Nuri can be found on his website and Instagram.
