I noticed that something was changing in my perception on my daily walks. Suddenly, I noticed details in my surroundings that I had never consciously noticed before. Why this was the case quickly became clear to me through the follow-up questions my brain had at that moment: “Okay, let’s see – which perspective is the best, where is the light coming from?” Then it occurred to me: I’m currently waiting for my Canon A1 to arrive, and my internal sensory system is already getting ready to go without my intervention.
Suddenly, my awareness of the outside world appeared before me, returning after many years. It brought with it two friends: focused observation and concentrated perception. And what’s so special about analogue photography, you might ask – and that’s true: Whether you shoot digitally or analogue, up to this point, there’s no difference. But I’m now coming up with a bold thesis:
Analog requires more careful observation than digital.
Of course, it doesn’t have to be that way; you can also proceed as if you were taking digital photos. But I don’t recommend it – especially not in 2025, when you’ll pay an average of between 12 and 15 Euro for 36 images. That’s just the material cost, development goes on top.
Material is key. You have to be aware: Each shutter release doesn’t create a data record on a memory card, but rather the irreversible exposure of a film strip. You can do this 36 times in a row – then it’s over. If you want to continue, you have to expose the next 36 images for 12 Euro.
Analog photography has always been based on the ideal that you can capture everything with just one shutter release. Of course, you can’t always achieve that, and in tricky cases, I would always recommend multiple attempts. But this ideal serves as a good warning sign in your head not to overdo it and instead to gradually practice concentration and looking closely. Which brings me to my next point.
When we look at a scene, our brain tends to block out what we think is superfluous. The camera, on the other hand, sees everything and mercilessly shows you what you missed at the moment of taking the picture. So, every now and then, you find yourself asking yourself, “How could I have missed that I was standing right in front of a street sign? It’s right in the middle of the frame?!” The answer is: We were so fascinated by what was going on around us that our brain simply didn’t convey the most obvious information clearly enough.
Digital photography is a great help here. You take a test shot and check the screen to see what you missed. Where we need to make adjustments, including with regard to perspective and settings. We can work towards the perfect image in the moment of the shot. With an analogue photo, we don’t know what we were trying to do until about a week later. Analogue photography is therefore a great way to train our ability to focus on seeing in the moment.
But as I said before: You don’t have to. You can also just point and shoot and take just as many shots of a subject as you would digitally. I just really wouldn’t recommend it. The days when film cost 2 to 5 Euro are over. Prices have roughly tripled as of now. And honestly, I actually think that’s a very good thing, from one perspective.
It’s an added incentive to achieve the ideal of “take one shot, get everything in the frame.” Concentrating, focusing, and becoming completely at one with the moment to create the best possible, unique piece. Immerse yourself, reflect, breathe – click!
It’s a bit like meditation: all of this calms the senses immensely.
And for those days when you try hard, but concentration is everything but your friend: Today I found by chance a shop that sells color films for 9 Euro – yAy =)