BENGALURU: It can be hard to imagine a time when you go on a road trip and all you have are two rolls of film to capture all your near-perfect moments. But, before digital cameras became the norm, film photography was the only way to keep our precious memories safe in an album. But these days, many young people are returning to this antiquated mode of photography as they look for a sense of intimacy and meaning through the art form.
Sumanth Shivakumar, founder of Miles on Film, a film photography club in the city says, “I did not want to create digital junk which is why I never picked up a digital camera.” Shivakumar started the club in 2019 and has built a community of 180 people. “Most of the members are in their mid-20s,” he adds. Talking about the revival of analogue, Shivakumar says that the market has also picked up on the sentiment, “When I started, I bought a mint edition film camera for Rs 1000. Now the same camera is selling around Rs 10-12000.”
While Shivakumar agrees it has become cool to pick up an analogue camera, he also believes that the younger generation is interested because of the quality of a film photograph. “Technically, it has a high dynamic range which you cannot duplicate on a digital photograph no matter how high-end the camera is,” explains Shivakumar. However, he adds that it’s much more about appreciating the moment, “Shooting on film allows you to be in the moment. Most people are missing the moment while being busy capturing the moment.”
Not just young people, but many veterans have also returned to film. Vikram Nanjappa, founder of the YouTube channel A Roll of Film returned to analogue photography when the pandemic hit. “I started using my old film cameras in the lockdown because I was tired of digital,” says Nanjappa.
Arnab K Roy, a working professional in the city, who started film photography at the age of 24 says, “I picked it up after my father gifted me a film camera when I got my first job. He says that initially, the process of shooting with film might seem complex. Shivakumar adds that the whole process of shooting and developing is difficult which can lead to the interest dying down eventually. “I am trying to conduct more workshops with veteran photographers on how to develop pictures at home so it becomes more affordable.”
Kanike Studios is one of the few studios in the city where photographers can access a darkroom. “We usually rent out the darkroom in terms of half a day or a full day. We have all the chemicals that are needed for black and white photography and if there is a sufficient number of rolls, we can also do colour processing,” says Vivek Muthuramalingam, one of the founders of the Studio.
“People born into the digital era are also taking up analog. I don’t think nostalgia is necessarily a part of it. It’s the inherent beauty of the medium itself and the beautiful grain that has not been recreated in the digital realm. Digital only pixelates, there is no grain, and rightfully, it’s called the noise,” adds Muthuramalingam.