Analogue wedding photographer on 35mm film

35mm film wedding photographer

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. 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.

For couples who value authenticity over perfection, and substance over convenience, wedding photography on 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.

Film isn’t just an add on, I often photograph weddings completely on film and I am very comfortable with analogue photography.

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

Why would I want film for my wedding photographs?

Film offers something unique  – In an increasingly digital world there is something honest and authentic about film photography, it is about embracing the grain and imperfections 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.

My film photography background

Learned in the darkroom – not on a screen.  I began my career on 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.

I still 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.

 

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 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.

 

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. The negatives if kept in ideal conditions will outlive you and me and unlike digital formats are future proof, the very first 35mm film negatives taken over a century ago can still be printed in a darkroom to this day or scanned using the latest 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 film for a consistent, timeless aesthetic. 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 film scans, original negatives, digital images and the option for a boxed set of mounted prints from your film photographs.

As a second photographer alongside your digital photographer

You can also hire me as a 35mm film wedding 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 processing, scanning and the original negatives.

Common questions about 35mm film for weddings

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.

What film cameras do you use?
Leica M4-P cameras from 1983, perhaps the last of the heavily built Leica cameras with brass top and bottom plates. The P stands for professional.

Leica iii from 1934, this camera is getting on for 100 years old but has been serviced and will outlive me. I tend to use the Leica iii outdoors as it is more limited in low light.

Minolta CLE from the early 1980s, unlike my other cameras this one is electronic and has a light meter as well as aperture priority, it uses Leica M mount lenses but is limited to 28mm, 40mm and 90mm focal lengths.

Holga 120N, this is a cheap plastic lens camera that I use for just a couple of images, the look is very unique and low-fi but is easily overdone if used for more than a couple of images.

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 4 to 5 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.

Is film better than digital photography? 
The simple answer is no, digital photography can produce perfect images under all conditions, however many people and myself included prefer the look of film which is softer and more natural looking along with flaws that give it character. It really is down to personal preference and both digital and analogue photography have their place in wedding photography. I also offer a mix of digital and analogue for couples who want the best that both can offer.

 

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