Shooting Film in 2024

As of April 2024, more than 42 million photos are listed under the hashtag #FilmPhotography on Instagram, showing a growing interest in the practice of film photography throughout the years. Looking at this trend, one could argue that it formed as a counter-reaction to the fast-paced nature of digital photography, offering counterbalance to the instant gratification of the digital media itself. With that, there is a limited amount of academic literature devoted to the analysis of consumers’ motivations for using the medium of film for their photography, and how it is integrated to one’s creative process. In line with the increasing interest in analog photography as a phenomenon, this study examines the utilization of the photographic medium in contemporary times and the consumer's motivation for adopting film photography in 2024.Ten film photographers based in the Netherlands are being interviewed in this research, providing the data necessary to analyze their motivation on using film for their body of work and how they incorporate film medium to their craft. These ten film photographers will be divided into two groups: five people who represent personal photographers, and another five people who are doing photography professionally. Several keywords appeared explaining reasons why the interviewee aims to explore analog photography. This research narrows it down to several points: process and experience, film photography aesthetics, nostalgia, and the contrast between film and digital photography. Several aspects were found when examining film photographers’ commitment to the practice, by exploring their average spending on buying film stocks, comparing film prices, exploring alternatives with digital cameras, and other personal reasons. Numerous research participants belong in amateur or personal photographer groups, acknowledge the visual appeal of film is suitable for street photography, documentary photography, and portrait photography. While the professional photographers endeavor film photography for work and assignments on fashion, portraits, documentary and photojournalism. This instance showcases how film aesthetics have not only emerged as a trend for casual shooters, but also favorable to some extent for commercial work and other related professional fields. Further study needs to incorporate larger sample sizes, as it would result in more diverse and precise results when it comes to perceptions of the contemporary usage of film photography and consumers' motivations.