Why I still shoot film in 2026

People ask me why I’m still loading rolls when a phone in my pocket can shoot 4K. The honest answer is that film makes me a better photographer. It slows me down. It forces a decision before the shutter, not after.

There’s a cost to every frame, and that cost changes how you see. You wait. You watch. You don’t spray and pray and sort it out later — you commit. That commitment shows up in the picture.

Digital is extraordinary and I use it when a job needs it. But when I want something to feel honest — a portrait that breathes, a moment that isn’t over-worked — I reach for film every time.