What To Expect From An NYC Analog Film Wedding Photographer
We are Chellise & Mike, New York City & Hudson Valley-based, candid, documentary-style film and digital wedding photographers, and we love talking about all things analog. If you have any further questions not covered in this FAQ, feel free to reach out to us here.
Why Do You Shoot On Film?
Film holds time differently. The light is softer, the grain gives texture, the skin tones are delicious, it's tactile, luscious, lucid, and it feels like a dream. It’s always giving us more than we could have hoped for. It's undeniably perfect and has a way of making an image taken just yesterday feel oddly nostalgic.
Mike and I have shoeboxes stacked to the bim in our cedar closet filled with prints and polaroids. Every photograph from childhood up until our 30s was shot on film and printed. Holding those photographs in my hands carries so much more weight to me than a digital photo on a screen ever could. And while we no longer print every roll of film (because we dont have to anymore), still having the digital film scan is a pretty beautiful second.
How Long Have You Been Shooting On Film?
All of our lives, because that's what we were raised on. My first camera was a Polaroid, and Mike's was an Olympus point-and-shoot.
In 2012, we began shooting weddings with a few rolls of film in our bag for our personal satisfaction. Most of our couples didn't seem excited about it, or even knew what it was, so the pressure was off, which allowed us to get really creative and experiment with expired film stocks and all kinds of cameras. All those years allowed us to get comfortable and weird on film - it was so exciting for us, and our clients loved it too. We have been hooked ever since.
In 2022, when the rising demand for analog film at weddings picked up, we were ready with open arms and have gone full throttle ever since. Documenting weddings on analog film for this new generation of couples who genuinely appreciate it as much as we do has breathed new life and immense excitement into our process. And since analog limits us to a small, finite number of frames per roll, it has sharpened our intuition as photographers. Film has forced us to slow down, and as a result, our work has become so much more personal and intentional.
Do You Have A Defined Film Style?
Unposed, unraveling, and unscripted. For over 15 years, we've told the stories of lovers and their weddings with an emotional pull, full hearts, our dancing shoes, and honesty.
Maintaining our desire to create something artful and extraordinary while always honoring those expected moments that one would expect from a professional. We’re not the ones going for high-def, polished images, and our film camera choices and processes reflect that. To us, weddings are a big, beautiful, emotional, fun, collective experience, and it’s our obligation to honor it as it naturally unfolds, with some unconventional lucid-dream pics dropped in for the art wall. Analog gives us this, and lucky for us, we attract like-minded couples who also want their photos to have soul, grain, and texture.
How Much Film vs. Digital Do You Shoot At Weddings?
Um. A lot.
Mike shoots exclusively with film cameras; he usually has 5-7 cameras hanging from his body, a mix of ever-evolving 35mm and medium-format cameras.
I, Chellise, blend digital and film, and while I could never give specific percentages in how much of this or that I shoot, I will say it’s as much analog film as I can possibly shoot. Film is Queen, and I only lean on digital when it makes sense for me.
What’s The Biggest Misconception About Shooting Weddings On Analog Film?
The most misleading phrase we keep hearing on repeat is that “film has its place,” implying that digital is needed for backup and for dark spaces. We feel that this is false and misleading, given that every wedding documented before digital took over in 2007 was shot on film. You only need to look at your parents' and grandparents' wedding albums for proof.
So, let’s lay this myth to rest. It depends on the photographer's level of expertise and comfort in shooting on film and their use of flash in dark, cavernous venues like those in NYC. Mike is exceptionally skilled in this arena.
Do You Edit Your Film?
To a very limited degree, yes.
Each film stock has its own beautiful color profile, which we honor; however, if we feel it’s needed, we adjust color, blacks, contrast, and exposure to our liking.
How Do You Handle Dark Wedding Venues With Film?
We have a multitude of tricks up our sleeves for big, dark, moody spaces. (NYC trained us well)
We use discreet remote flashes, which allow us to pop the flash for a nanosecond when needed. This process creates a beautiful, cinematic look while preserving the space's ambient mood and not blinding you or your guests (youre welcome!). We also use direct flash and handheld flash, and we shoot some in ambient light too.
All of this gives our couples a very textured, multidimensional set of images.
It is worth noting that we do not use continuous lighting (bright, LED lights that stay on constantly and, in our opinion, kill the vibe - eww!)
Where Is Your Film Developed?
Developing and scanning are an essential part of our process. We work very closely and obsessively with the team at Primary Photographic in NYC.
How Do You Deliver Film Photos To Your Clients?
While we would love to send a massive box of 4 x 6" prints with a bow on top as the final product, that's not going to fly these days (unless you want us to?).
All of our film is scanned in high resolution and sent to our clients as digital scans.
How Much Do Your Film Wedding Photography Packages Cost?
What’s Included?
All of the Collections we offer include 9 hours of coverage and an NYC or Hudson Valley engagement session. Our couples can choose me (Chellise) or Mike as their lead photographer, or request both of us.
For 2027, our Collections range from $12.5K to $22K. Variables such as travel, additional coverage for multi-day events, fine art albums, support from a second photographer, or the preference to have us shoot together as a team (the dream team!) are major factors in that range.
For smaller, intimate weddings, we offer an hourly rate - best to inquire about those since they vary so much.
We also offer à la carte engagement sessions and elopement packages - those range between $3K and $5K
How Far In Advance Do You Book Out?
If we had to average it, 9 months to 1.5 years out is the zone for us as photographers. In New York, May, September, and October are the most in-demand months, as well as holiday weekends, so we get booked up quickly for those. We each take no more than 15-20 weddings per year and hope one of them is yours! To enquire about our availability, contact us here.
