Listen—I’m a big fan of digital. I love being able to copy, edit, share, collate, collage, and otherwise create in an instant. Even so, in the back of my mind, it all feels like preparatory work until I end up with something tangible, whether that’s a framed print, a zine, a t-shirt, or whatever. I even find myself needing to make intermediary prints while preparing larger projects, to be able to conceptualize palpably.
So, I have to say—if you are shooting film and you’re only getting basic scans… why?
You end up with grain in the image, sure, and the colors come out in a specific way. But if you’re going to the effort of capturing an analogue image—letting the light physically alter film that you can then keep forever—then surely you see the value in following that trail all the way to an analogue product.
Digital scans are easier to share to 1,000 people on your chosen social media, but the impact is minor in comparison to handing one print to one friend—one beautiful moment of physical connection. You can put prints on your fridge and start every day with a little warm burst of joy, remembering a moving moment as you reach for the milk and Braunschweiger. You can fill albums and annotate the margins; someday, decades from now, your grandchildren may get to know you (the you that exists right now) a little better. And no hard drive corruption can stop them.
This month, try on the hat of someone who always asks for singles (doubles can come later…). Through the end of May, 2025, add a set of 4×6 prints to any develop-and-scan for only $4!
How many prints are in a set for $4?
Depends how many images are on the roll! It’s 1 set per 1 roll of film.