M Shooting - Ya Ya.. I know we've all heard it before . . .

I'm pretty sure that this niche might become somewhat bigger than expected.

Even though digital is faster, easier and possibly better than film, you have to venture in the fact that not too long ago it was new, meaning in the audiences eyes 'New and Improved!' and that effect is wearing off.

The Netherlands were an early adaptor in digital photography and there is an increasing number of photographers here that revert back to film because they feel digital takes away part of the fun of shooting. A (small) trend you can also see on RFF with certain members.
These photographers are producing shots that have the distinct look of film and someday (soon?) that will be what a select group of clientele wants to see.

Just make sure your film prints have something that cannot be produced using digital (exposure latitude?) and you'll be fine I reckon.
 
I have a couple of close friends who are professional wedding and portrait photographers here. They tell me that there is quite a move away from the "glamour" wedding albums beloved by mothers of brides and that the brides themselves are favouring a more photojournalistic style. So the "niche" market is probably going to expand as the new generation drop a bit of the formality that once characterised wedding photography, and the new style is going to suit RF's. But people wanting an all B&W record are still comparatively rare. Best move at the moment seems to shoot a mix of B&W and colour.
Here are a couple of websites that show a bit of the new style:

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/891396
http://www.jackiechan.com.au/
 
jbielikowski said:
Forget Leica, lets shoot wedding in medium format, Rolleiflex would be awesome. I have to do this one day.
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I own a Rolleiflex 3.5F that was used by a wedding photographer. There's a screw inside the little switch which alternates between Bulb / Electric flash sync. I guess he had a problem with it switching unexpectedly!
 
I don't shoot weddings professionally anymore but did do two weddings in the last few years for a very good friend of mine.
I used two M7's with Motor M's, one with 35mm Lux ASPH and the other with 75mm ASPH. For inside the church I used K200 from my stock and for the rest of the pictures K64 with an SF24D flash. I wanted to use my 21mm ASPH but could not get the flash combination in time. Now I have a Metz handle unit that will cover 21mm.
I found the M7's with Motor M's very quiet inside the church with no disturbance to the ceremony. The SF24D was OK and able to keep up with the picture flow but even with TTL flash Mode, reception tables with white tablecloths were a problem, no bounce available. The Metz unit will solve this problem. Dwane's of course developed the film and i was not satisfied with thier scans so I purchased a Nikon 5000 ED which did a great job. Both sets were run through on-line publishing and turned out very nice. I added script were I thought it was needed.
I'm not sure how commercial the process would be. Looking at albums of weddings I have attended where the photographers blasted away at any and all, with Zoom lenses and digital SLR's, the pictures seem to have no sense of up or down and the angles are every which way. I would call it the, shoot as much as you can and you probably will get something usable, format.
With Kodachrome gone after 12/31/2010, I don't know what film I would use, of course if doing the wedding in B&W, its Tri-X of which I have only done one wedding commercially. -Dick
 
Dave, very cool! 😀 I think that using film will benefit your wedding photography as you offer something different for your client. It is a niche. Perhaps this will leverage your wedding photography to a more exclusive clientele, equating more ka-ching!

I see you later obtaining a Nikon F6! 😀


Cheers Dave! [show us another photo!]


MArk
Quito, EC
 
Well..

Using what I had, I'm pleasantly surprised.. I've got some "ok" stuff here that I think the bride may enjoy and want - that said, I know the M is just a tool.. and I know the D700 is just a tool.. performing the same job and, to be honest with you, I know that it's more about seeing - many weddings under my belt and started off with film back in 00/01.

That said, if they're just tools.. and all about using something lighter - why use the shotgun to kill a fly and all that 😉

Here's a few - there's a number of others but, for now.. here's a few that I thought were cute and in the right direction I was going for..

Cheers,
Dave
 

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Just do it

Just do it

dcsang said:
I really think, as well, I could really shoot a wedding with an M - I tried it today and definitely for the "getting readys" and potentially for the reception as well. I'm eager to see if I'm metering correctly ( I believe I am but .. ya know.. I always have doubts.. typical I guess) 🙂

Anyway.. I'm tired and punchy and maybe that's why I thought I'd post this.. 🙂

Cheers,
Dave
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No chef goes around telling the diners what oven he uses, or what brand of oil he uses, or where he got the ingredients from. So why should you need to emphasise whether you're shooting film or digital?

The key thing about film is the developing and scanning cost, which you have to weigh against the cost of DSLR depreciation and the hardware spend.

As long as you can meet the client's expectations for turnaround time and cost, I don't see why you can't shoot film.
 
waileong said:
No chef goes around telling the diners what oven he uses, or what brand of oil he uses, or where he got the ingredients from. So why should you need to emphasise whether you're shooting film or digital?
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First, it depends on where you eat. Quite a few restaurants DO emphasize the provenance of their ingredients. It's only at the McDo end that no-one cares.

Second, people are often willing to pay extra for novelty; or for tradition; or for exclusivity; or for all kinds of other things.

Third, a few people may actually see a difference.

So why not offer them a choice? To do otherwise looks like very poor marketing to me.

I've shot several weddings using only Leicas, though I avoid them (weddings, not Leicas) whenever possible.

Oh; and Dave: nice pics.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks; I've shot several weddings using only Leicas said:
Dear Roger,

Me to. Far too much like hard work to do it properly.I have done quite a few in the diistant past but sometimes offer as a 'wedding gift' if the couple are relations or friends.
Looking forward to meeting you and Francis at Arles having just escaped the 'clutches' of the NHS once more.
In fact and without wishing to upset 😀'The Colonials ' again I could not have recieved better treatment.

Peter
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WRT this particular niche.. I think that there are some, maybe few, people who would like this offering. I know it's not for the general masses and I don't expect it to be. I do think that it will help "separate" my offerings from those of another photographer just by offering the option.

Dear Roger, thank you for your kind words.. 🙂

Here's one more that I posted last night, into the gallery from this Saturday.. I thought it was hilarious and cute 🙂
U2457I1272864265.SEQ.0.jpg


Cheers,
Dave
 
dcsang said:
WRT this particular niche.. I think that there are some, maybe few, people who would like this offering. I know it's not for the general masses and I don't expect it to be. I do think that it will help "separate" my offerings from those of another photographer just by offering the option.

Dear Roger, thank you for your kind words.. 🙂

Here's one more that I posted last night, into the gallery from this Saturday.. I thought it was hilarious and cute 🙂
U2457I1272864265.SEQ.0.jpg


Cheers,
Dave
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Love this!!!

There is nothing wrong with stating your tools of choice since some clients know exactly what they want and seek those who offer such things... Go for it, Dave!
 
Like that last photo a lot.

If I got married and was going to spend a lot of money on a photographer, I'd want B&W film. So what if the turn around is longer? I wouldn't be worrying about seeing the pictures from an event that just happened - these are for the future, not the week after the wedding.
 
The last wedding I shot was all film and all RF - a Hexar RF and Fuji GA645. The final product I handed the clients included the original negs and proof prints, all the scans on DVD and a published album from Apple. This way they had everything analog and digital can possibly offer.
They were so happy that later they came to me to ask my advice about buying a film camera!
 
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