Bringing the style, the feel and the processes of a more technologically simple time opens a world of possibilities to the moments you capture and preserve throughout your special day. Analogue photography goes back to days long gone, and represents class, quality, and capturing ‘the decisive moment’. There is no need to be a photographer extraordinaire to integrate analogue processes into your wedding. For some it’s simply about being a part of the magic of analogue. “I remember the kitchen being turned into a makeshift darkroom and was in awe of the magic that happened as the print slowly showed up on the paper,” Kevin McGinn explains, as he reminisces on his childhood growing up with the magic of analogue photography.

Behind The Trend

Photographing with film has made its mark on popular culture, from artistic practices to influencing Instagram filters, and now being integrated creatively into weddings. When it comes to capturing precious moments, analogue photography is an important milestone in technology. McGinn remarks on the ongoing popularity of analogue sensibilities “with many photographers trying to edit their images with the warm browns, or matte [finishes similar to Instagram filters]”. These filters originate from the analogue photography processes.

Dependent on analogue technologies, film photography exhibits the same warm and physical qualities as an LP record. With simple mechanics that imprint an image on the negative, analogue photography brings warm and personable technologies back into our lives. “Analogue images have quite a different look and feel to the image compared to digital images … [the same goes for] LP records [and] how they sound different to CDs … they tended to sound warmer and fuller … but the same can be said for analogue images,” McGinn elaborates. This timeless appearance lends itself to film cameras’ ability to understand three-dimensional depth to a greater mechanical

extent than digital cameras, which can flatten landscapes to maintain focus across the whole image.

There are many ways to incorporate this timeless trend into your wedding celebration, from ceremony to reception. Analogue photography is a perfect addition to capture your special moments. McGinn has not seen too many analogue photographers capture the moments of the ceremony, with most favouring digital technology. “Receptions are different however, as people are in party mode and everything is a lot more casual and fun,” he says.

Happy Snaps

Bringing the decisive moment into the world of celebrations, film photographs make themselves right at home. Designed as the first ‘Happy Snap’ cameras, disposable and film cameras appear to express the moment in its truest form. This makes film cameras a perfect addition to a table setting, allowing guests to photograph and document the celebrations themselves. “It’s funny, if I were to go up to a couple and ask them to relax, pull a stupid face or wear a silly hat, five times out of ten they would probably behave or not be as ‘in the moment’ as they would be if their table had its own disposable camera or they were in front of a photobooth,” says McGinn. “There is something about a professional photographer pointing a ‘professional’ camera at people that tends to make them behave or not be as relaxed.”

“Disposable cameras, polaroid cameras or photobooths are a great way to let couples take their own picture of what is happening around them,” McGinn adds. It also gives the bride and groom the opportunity to see how guests are experiencing the celebration and what was captured and worth noting from their guests, in an authentic and candid way. “The couple will most definitely receive a very unique viewpoint on the table dynamics with guests tending to take very funny and very inhibited images.”