The Discipline of Film Photography and Waiting for the Right Moment

Smartphones changed the face of photography. Photography has continually evolved since the age of big box cameras that only a few could afford. The Kodak Brownie was one of the first cameras introduced that made photography available and accessible to everyone. Even at this major milestone in the evolution of photography, the expense of taking photos was a factor for the majority. Kodak made the camera and film more affordable, yet every click of the shutter carries an expense in the cost of film and in development.

Taking photos for the average person was limited to special occasions. Beyond the special occasion photos, film photography forced discipline in approach. The hobbyist photographer or amateur hoping to break into the profession had to be adept not only at the costs and capabilities of the equipment, but the film was also a major expense of taking photos.

Freelance photographers had to select a film based on the available light for each shoot. Once the film was selected, the photographer manually set the shutter speed. They had to set the focus, frame the shot while making split second decisions to capture a photo of what their mind perceived was the precise moment for the best shot.

Film photography forced the photographer to cultivate discipline by waiting for the right moment to take advantage of their film choice and camera settings. It was a process that molded the photographer into a careful observer, waiting, waiting, waiting for the right moment, click.  There were no second chances for the film photographer. Once the shutter clicked, the photographer would have to wait for the film to be developed to see if their calculations and patience paid off with a worthy photo.

Smartphone Cameras Change the Dimension

Feeding off digital photography, the smartphone camera forgives the impatient photographer with instant feedback. Digital cameras that everyone carries in their smartphones allow almost endless chances to capture a photo. It is a no-wait process that the film photographer did not enjoy.

A Smartphone camera provides the photographer with an instant assessment of the photo; if it is not right, another can instantly be clicked. The digital camera allows for many photos with seconds of each other. The photographer has lost the discipline of patience.

Practice Makes Perfect

Michael Grecco has spent a lifetime peering through a camera lens. He became fascinated with the art and science of photography before he graduated high school with his first 35mm camera using black and white film.

Throughout his career and in his writings Grecco has emphasized the importance of timing over equipment. Those qualities mattered in the film era and remain just as valuable today, regardless of whether the camera uses rolls of film or a digital sensor.

Smartphones have expanded the creative opportunities for anyone interested in photography. Although the Smartphone camera provides instant feedback, high-capacity memory cards, and sophisticated autofocus systems, professionals like Grecco continue to recommend practicing with a film mindset. That means slowing down, visualizing the finished image before pressing the shutter, and making every frame intentional.

Today, the amateur, hobbyist, or professional photographer has the forgiveness of the digital instant. It is still important to the craft and art of photography to learn the relationship between shadow and light. Grecco is passionate about the subject and is willing to teach any photographer, student, hobbyist or professional what he has learned in his book, Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait: The Art of Celebrity and Editorial Photography.