Analogue wedding photographer on 35mm film

Film wedding photography

 

Analogue wedding photography for couples who want to remember how their day felt.

I’m Simon Atkins, I specialise in analogue wedding photography, documenting weddings on 35mm film using premium Leica rangefinder cameras. With more than 25 years experience in analogue photography (both as a photographer and in the darkroom) I will create something truly unique and personal to you. 

Every image is shot with intention. There are no instant previews, no second chances —just experience, timing, and a deep understanding of light, composition, and film itself.

I hand process all my film myself, maintaining full control over the final result from exposure to development. It’s a slower, more deliberate process, but one that produces photographs with depth, honesty, and a tangible sense of permanence. I learnt my darkroom skills at a busy daily newspaper well before digital came along and have processed many thousands of rolls of film.

For couples who value authenticity over perfection, and substance over convenience, film offers something fundamentally different. It isn’t about technical perfection, instead film captures the feeling of the moment and in years to come that is what will matter.

 

My 35mm film wedding photography isn’t about perfection, its about feeling. 

Why film offers something unique for your wedding photographs

In an increasingly digital world there is something honest and authentic about film photography, it is about embracing the grain and imperfections that come with film which result in beautiful photographs. Film isn’t about firing off hundreds of images, it is a slower process that goes back to finding the definitive moment and usually just shooting one single frame rather than a burst of images. I work quietly and unobtrusively, documenting moments as they unfold without staging or interference. The result is a set of images that feel natural, unforced and entirely your own.

Film is very flattering compared to digital due to the softness and grain, more than anything film just has a unique look compared to digital photography and although it is possible to get some of that look with digital I find nothing really compares to the real thing.

I am finding a lot of my couples are asking for film wedding photography as it is what their parents and grandparents had their weddings photographed on and they love the nostalgia, I also have a lot of couples who are using analogue film cameras themselves and love film.

What you receive isn’t a polished version of your wedding day – it’s something far more valuable: a truthful one.

My film photography background

Learned in the darkroom – not on a screen.  I began my career shooting film as a press photographer at a daily newspaper where I also learnt to develop and print my photographs in the darkroom, This is important because I understand film and its limitations and how to consistently deliver with it on a wedding day, this background and experience differentiates me from other wedding photographers.

Film isn’t a trend here – it is the foundation!

 

Analogue photographs look best printed

All photographs look better as prints and this is especially so for analogue, for that reason I include a boxed set of 20 mounted prints with my 100% film or hybrid options. Printed on archive photographic paper and presented in heavy weight mounts in a premium print box, far superior to looking at digital images on your computer screen!

You can also print from your negative scans or have silver gelatin prints made from  your original negatives. Photographs should not just exist in the cloud or on your computer!

I also offer beautiful wedding albums made with your film wedding photographs.

Original negatives – yours to keep

I consider the negatives to be your certificate of authenticity, they reveal the image as shot by my camera and show that nothing has been altered from the original image. Negatives are your permanent archive, something physical that exists beyond screens, formats and future technology.

 

Analogue film wedding photography service

I take on a very limited number of film weddings each year, if you connect with this approach, get in touch and tell me about your plans.

Full analogue coverage

Tangible, lasting photographs. Your entire wedding photographed on 35mm film for a consistent, timeless aesthetic. Typically I shoot 20 or more rolls of 35mm film over a full day. You receive all the scans from the negatives, the original negatives and a boxed set of 20 mounted prints.  Wedding albums are also available.

Hybrid coverage (analogue & digital photography)

Film for atmosphere and emotion, digital for additional coverage and flexibility.  A mix of analogue and digital making use of the strengths of each. Half film and half digital suits couples who aren’t fully committed to film and would like an equal mix of both. Includes coverage between 4 to 12 hours, the digital images, film scans, original negatives and a boxed set of 20 mounted prints.

As a second photographer alongside your digital photographer

You can also hire me as a film photographer to work alongside your existing digital photographer, much like how you might hire a videographer, I will then capture 100% documentary images on film. Including film, processing, scanning and the original negatives.

 

Common questions about film wedding photography

Is film risky for weddings? 
No, I use professional materials and individually hand process film in my darkroom. With my vast experience of film photography and processing I can confidently say it isn’t a risk using film for wedding photography.  Film has been used reliably for many decades, including long before digital existed.

What about low light or dark venues? 
Film handles low light beautifully, especially black and white. I also have some excellent lenses that allow me to work in darker environments. Winter weddings on film are not a problem.

How reliable are film cameras? 
I use totally mechanical Leica cameras that have stood the test of time, my cameras are serviced and I use two or three cameras together on a wedding. Unlike digital cameras, there is very little to go wrong and absolutely no electronics or batteries in my Leica cameras.

Does it take longer to get our photographs taken on film?
Not really! Don’t expect sneak peaks the day after your wedding as each film is individually processed by hand, but typically your film photographs are ready to view 3 to 4 weeks after your wedding. The wait really is worth it!

What film stocks do you use at a wedding?
I like Kodak Portra for colour and Ilford HP5 & XP2 for black & white. Sometimes I use Leica Monopan black & white film or Cinestill colour film.

 

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