Nashville weddings

A Look Behind the Lens with jHenderson Studios: Film VS. Digital Wedding Photography

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

I have been an avid follower of Jenna Henderson’s photography blog for well over a year now and it’s one of my top picks when I open up my Google reader every morning. Why? Because the wonderful, sweet woman behind jHenderson Studios takes the kind of timeless photos that pull you right into the moment the picture was taken…and she can do that whether she’s shooting on film or using her digital camera. Mega. Talented. We knew, with an amazing photographer like her in our neck of the woods, it was high time we sat down and got to the bottom of film vs. digital photos. For all the brides just starting to figure out what they want their wedding photos to look and feel like, this is the interview to read. Get all your must have answers below!

ABG: What’s the biggest difference between the look of a film photograph and a digital one?

jHenderson: Digital images tend to be very harsh. With film, it's warmer, smoother, and has much more depth. Digital images are also very easy to have too bright highlights and too dark shadows, but film images are much more dynamic, and usually have detail in both the highlights and shadows. This is key on a wedding day; when a bride is wearing white and a groom is wearing black...all the details are there on film.

ABG: How long have you been shooting weddings/engagement photos on film?

jHenderson: I picked up my film camera for the first time since college in April of 2010. I've been in love with it since, and have been working on shooting more and more film weddings and engagements.

ABG: What kind of bride do you find is most drawn to film vs. digital photos?

jHenderson: Brides who have a real appreciation for good photography and truly see the value in quality images tend to be more attracted to film vs. digital. There’s a 'realness' to film that we just don't get with digital and brides who understand that are drawn to the images. Digital images, for the most part, are heavily post-processed/retouched, even if they don't look it. With film, it's the real deal.

ABG: Are there elements of each kind of style that you like more than the other?

Yes! Each has it's strengths and weaknesses. Digital, for example, allows me to see the image immediately, which is something I can't do with film. However, thanks to the beautiful color and dynamic range that film has to offer, I spend little to zero time doing any kind of post-processing (photoshop) work.

ABG: How has shooting weddings purely by film made you a better photographer?

jHenderson: First of all, it's made me slow down and consider what I'm shooting more. With digital, I tend to shoot without thinking as much as I should about the image; but because I have fewer shots with film (36 images per roll), I have to carefully consider each one - which leaves my clients with stronger images. Also, when I'm shooting digital, I tend to use the screen on the back of my camera and knowing I can "fix it later" as a crutch; film has forced me to shoot smarter and shoot better because it's taken my crutches away. In the end, I have more quality images to give to my clients.

ABG: Do you sometimes do a mix of film and digital when shooting weddings?

jHenderson: Yes. I prefer portraits and details on film, but I still prefer to shoot receptions and night-time images digitally.

ABG: Throughout our interview, you’ve shared some of your film photographs, but what's your favorite film photograph ever taken?

jHenderson: I took this image last summer while on a girls' trip to visit my friend Devon (center) in Portland. We were on a ferry to Victoria, BC and I snapped this without them noticing. I just love how everything is aligned perfectly. It's completely not wedding related, but still my favorite!

Jenna's favorite film photograph that she's ever taken - it's easy to understand why, it's so serene! 

A BIG thanks to Jenna for giving us much sought after advice on film and digital photos and for sharing a few of her many gorgeous photos! Be sure to check out her blog for a look at more of her beautiful work!  Follow this link to see more examples of film vs digital.

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send   Posted on November 16, 2011 | Filed under: Photography