Why I Choose Digital over Film
When I first began taking photographs in the late 60s, film was the only option. Not only that, but for an impoverished student, DIY developing was the only game in town. I remember the smell of the developer, the ritual of waiting for negatives to dry, and the excitement of seeing the contact sheet. There was something deeply physical about it. Decades later, as digital matured, I found myself moving away from film not just out of convenience but out of conviction. The more I worked with digital, the more I came to believe it offered a different kind of truth about photography.
The Freedom to Explore
With film, every shot had to be measured. Each press of the shutter carried the weight of cost and scarcity. Those 25 exposure rolls of film were very precious.
Digital gave me permission to wander. I could try new angles, fail without consequence, and refine my eye in real time. That freedom did not make me careless. It made me more daring. I began to see photography less as rationing frames and more as discovering possibilities.
Light as a Language
Film always interpreted light in its own fixed way. If you chose one stock over another, you were locked into its chemistry. Digital sensors capture light in a way that allows reinterpretation long after the fact. Shadows can be revisited, highlights recovered, and tones rebalanced. This capacity does not diminish the photographer’s role. Instead, it allows a deeper dialogue with light itself. I am not just recording a moment. I am shaping its meaning.
A Wider Community
I once thought of photography as something for those with access to darkrooms, chemicals, and patience. Digital has swept that barrier aside. Today, a student with a modest camera or even a phone can reach a level of craft that once required years of technical training. What matters now is vision and persistence rather than access to labs or equipment. The community of photographers is richer for it, more diverse, and more global.
Memory without Fragility
My early negatives were vulnerable. A misplaced box or a humid attic could erase years of work. Digital images do not exist in a single fragile strip. They can be preserved, duplicated, and shared across the world. This is more than convenience. It changes the way images live in culture. They are not only personal records but collective memory, able to spark dialogue far beyond the photographer’s own archive.
Looking Ahead
Film still has its place. It teaches patience, and its imperfections can charm. Yet when I look at what digital has made possible, I see a medium that has outgrown its early comparisons. Digital is not simply a replacement for film. It is a redefinition of photography itself, turning every moment into an opportunity for exploration, interpretation, and shared memory. That is why, for me, digital is not just the present but the future of the craft.
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