Film Photographers in Knoxville TN
As one of the few film photographers in Knoxville Tennessee, I get a few odd looks when I say “I shoot film!”. A lot of couples initially think I shoot movies, or wedding films. Nope. It’s old-school film! The type our parents or grandparents used when we were kids. I remember going to CVS and picking up my prints, so excited to see how they turned out. I was 11 at the time. Having a film camera around was like second nature. Then as I turned into a teenager and tried to be cool in front of my peers, the film camera went away. Then came college and nursing school. All nursing students know you have zero life while in school! So I quickly forgot about taking pictures.
Then, school faded away and I got my first nursing job. I suddenly had more time to devote to creative things. At that point, digital was all the rage, so I picked up a Canon Rebel and began to shoot again. After a couple of years, I met my future husband, Alex. He had studied Photography at Mars Hill College near Asheville, North Carolina. Our dates consisted of hikes and taking pictures, which is awesome because I have such a wonderful timeline of all our adventures now!
We married, and within a few months, Alex was unexpectedly deployed to Afghanistan. He was in the Army Reserves, so we always knew it was a possibility, but never really thought it would happen. Much less 3 months after we got married! As a side note, I think that’s why I have such a heart for Military couples–I know what you’re going through and how hard it is emotionally to have your loved one gone for almost a year!
Well, I now had a lot of time on my hands, again. So I decided to actively pursue portrait and wedding photography! Something I’d been interested in for a long time, but hadn’t really had the time to devote to it.
After shooting a lot of portraits of friends and family during weddings and one-on-one, I began to feel confident. I started Red Boat Photography in my little apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Film Wedding Photographers Knoxville TN
Now, six years later, my husband is back home, I have a two-year old son, and I’m ready for another change. Digital photography is beautiful and extremely easy to manipulate in Photoshop and Lightroom, but I haven’t been able to take my eyes off the beautiful film images that fine art photographers use. Those photos take my breath away! And I want to do that for my clients as well.
Last year I purchased the Contax 645. It’s the best wedding photography film camera on the market (in my opinion). And the results are gorgeous! Light and creamy skin tones, blurry backgrounds–wow! It’s a photographers dream come true! Now that I’ve had a year to play around with my Contax and perfect my technique, I am excited to move forward with film photography.
I’ll still shoot with my Canon 5D Mark III, but it will be my backup camera. I’ll get the same shots in digital as I do in film, but what I’ll be posting from here on out will be mostly film. I’m so excited to start sharing those images with you and with my clients.
Stay tuned for more timeless film images to come, just like that shot above from Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina!
Film Photographers in Knoxville Tennessee
Photo: Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, South Carolina
Developing & Scanning: Photovision Prints
Shot with the Contax 645 on Fuji pro 400H film
