WEDDINGS ON FILM
35mm Film Wedding Photographer
The grain, the colour, the imperfections and the moments you can’t recreate.
Something about film just feels different.
There’s something about film that digital can’t quite replicate. The grain, the colours and the slight imperfections give photographs a feeling that’s difficult to manufacture.
I shoot 35mm film alongside digital throughout a wedding day, capturing everything from portraits and details to the completely unplanned moments in between.
It isn’t about making every photograph perfect. It’s about creating images that feel like memories, photographs with texture, character and a little unpredictability.
Why I Shoot 35mm Film & Portra 400
I shoot much of my 35mm wedding photography on Kodak Portra 400, using a Contax G1. I love Portra for the way it handles skin tones, natural light and colour. It has a softness and warmth that feels particularly suited to weddings without making the images feel overly polished.
The Contax G1 paired with Zeiss lenses gives me the character of 35mm film without compromising on image quality. The lenses are incredibly sharp and produce beautiful colour and contrast, while the camera itself is small enough to carry alongside my digital cameras throughout a wedding day. It means I can move between digital and film naturally, choosing whichever feels right for the moment.
I don’t use film simply to recreate a certain “look”. I use it because it brings something genuinely different to a wedding gallery. The grain, colour, texture and occasional imperfections give the photographs a character that digital doesn’t quite replicate. It’s often these frames that end up becoming some of my favourites from a wedding.
How I use 35mm film throughout a wedding day
I don't save the film camera just for the couple portraits.
I carry my Contax G1 alongside my digital cameras throughout the wedding, switching between the two depending on the moment, the light and what is happening around me.
I'll often use 35mm film for the quieter parts of the day from getting ready, details, drinks, portraits and those little moments between the bigger ones. But I also love using it when things get a bit less predictable: a crowded dance floor, direct flash at the end of the night or a moment that has a slightly nostalgic feel to it.
The important thing is that I'm not trying to photograph the same wedding twice.
Digital gives me the freedom to move quickly and document everything as it happens. Film is something I layer into that coverage, choosing moments where the character of the format adds something to the story.
That means your final gallery isn't a collection of digital photographs with a few random film images added at the end. The two formats work together.
35mm film wedding photography in London and beyond
I photograph weddings in London, across the UK and throughout Europe, and 35mm film has become a big part of how I document them.
I've photographed weddings on film in places including London, Puglia, Tuscany, Greece and France. From black-tie celebrations and intimate Town Hall weddings to big destination weddings, I like the fact that film adapts to the atmosphere of the day rather than forcing everything into one particular style.
It's especially good when the light is beautiful, when a moment feels a little more nostalgic or when I want to slow things down for a few frames.
You can see examples of my film photography throughout my London wedding photography and destination wedding photography, as well as weddings from Puglia and Tuscany.
35mm Film Wedding Photography FAQs
Do you shoot 35mm film alongside digital?
Yes. I shoot 35mm film alongside my digital wedding photography throughout the day. Digital remains the foundation of the coverage, while film is used selectively to add another layer of colour, texture and character.
What camera and film do you use?
I primarily use a Contax G1 with Zeiss lenses and Kodak Portra 400 film. I love the combination for its colour, skin tones and the way it handles natural light.
What parts of the wedding do you photograph on film?
I use film throughout the day, from details and getting ready through to portraits, the ceremony, drinks and the dance floor. I choose the moments where I feel the character of film adds something to the story.
Can I add 35mm film to my wedding photography?
Yes. 35mm film can be added to my wedding photography coverage. It works alongside the digital coverage, giving you the reliability and completeness of digital photography with the character and unpredictability of analogue film.
Want your wedding photographed on film?
35mm film can be photographed alongside your digital wedding coverage, creating a collection that combines the consistency of digital with the colour, texture and character of analogue film.
If you’re planning a wedding in the UK or abroad and would love film to be part of how your day is documented, I’d love to hear what you have planned.
