Retro-Inspired Film Styled Shoot at Midtown Bowl in Atlanta, GA

Photograph of the back of a bride and groom outside the iconic retro Midtown Bowl bowling alley in Atlanta Georgia

Lately, I’ve been noticing a shift in wedding photography, and I am sure you have too! We have all seen relatives’ wedding photos over the years, and with cameras becoming better and better, so is wedding photography. But what if we didn’t use any new cameras at all? What if we went back to film, like your parent’s wedding photos, but made it fresh and contemporary? I am so excited about this new trend, and I couldn’t help myself. I started this adventure by participating in a styled shoot at Midtown Bowl in Atlanta, GA. When I first moved to Atlanta back in 2019, I lived in an apartment down the street from Midtown Bowl and would go there often. I was excited that this shoot was taking place there because it has an iconic exterior that is colorful and fun, right up my alley! After this fun photoshoot, I have decided to jump feet first into becoming a film wedding photographer and I can’t wait to show you the beautiful moments I have captured.

I have been shooting film personally for over a decade now, with my trusty ol’ Minolta 201. I love this camera so much I have bought at least 4 of them over the years. It has a built-in light meter and is very user-friendly. If you are looking to get into film photography, I could not recommend Minolta cameras enough. For the styled shoot, I had two 35mm Minolta cameras as well as a plastic camera that mimics a disposable camera, and I also dusted off the Polaroid that I have been using as a shelf decoration for years. I will say that I think the Polaroid was the hardest to use out of them all. I think the key to a good Polaroid photo is to stand close to your subject, 3-6 feet away.

With my 35mm cameras, I used a variety of films. This is my first time using Kodak 3200 speed black and white film. It is the fastest speed film you can buy and boy is it grainy! I am learning to embrace the grain, but it definitely looks like it was shot on film. I think this film stock has a fun visual element to add to the gallery, but I don’t feel confident using it for big moments. I also had Kodak Portra in 800, Kodak Portra 400, and Kodak Gold 200. I was very impressed with how, in addition to my LED lights, the indoor Kodak 800 photos turned out. They have that rich, warm, vintage feel of film which I love so much!

The hardest part of shooting with only film is definitely the speed. I love my mirrorless camera, but it has definitely made me a lazy photographer. Shooting on film is work! You have to have a strong understanding of light and how the camera works, so taking an extra second is important. It is also terrifying to not know whether you are getting the shots or not. My plastic film camera roll only produced 4 photos which is a bummer, but that camera was only used as an auxiliary camera anyway. I will need to do more tests and find out why there were not more photos because I am looking forward to taking photos with that strong flash/disposable camera look.

I think for me the best part about using film is that you don’t have to be perfect. You have to be in the moment. You have to be thoughtful and intentional with your shots. When you only have 36 shots on a roll of 35mm film, it’s it important to make the most out of every shot.