The resurgence of analogue photography in the age of digital technologies.

This dissertation examined analogue photography in the context of the digital age. The purpose of this study is to find the reasons why analogue photography, which disappeared with the advent of the digital era, has returned and continues to develop. The second goal was to determine what role digital technologies play in the revival of analogue photography. The study involved a netnography of the online community of analogue photographers and an online survey of people involved in analogue photography. Qualitative data were obtained and analysed. The data showed that despite the variety of reasons indicated in the survey responses, they all directly or indirectly come down to digital technologies and the digital environment. Through analogue objects, people try to escape from the digital world, they want to slow down and think, to immerse themselves in a process that, in essence, is technology, by its nature different from the usual digital technologies. The high-tech world is complex and fast, and people are beginning to feel nostalgic for the times when the world was simpler and more understandable. This is where the love for objects that symbolize a bygone era comes from and the desire to destroy the digital perfection of our world with the aesthetics of imperfection. People no longer want to take perfect photos, they want to take unique and original photos. People want to increase the share of human participation in the creation of a material object as an alternative to software-machine creation, which with a high degree of probability will never materialize. However, paradoxically, the very digital environment that people are trying to escape by using analogue objects and technologies is the breeding ground for modern analogue photography and, perhaps, the most important reason for its revival, along with its popularization by social networks.

Chapter 1: Slowing down and escaping a digital world
This chapter will look at one of the most popular reasons for the resurgence of analogue photography, as revealed by the survey. The passion for analogue photography allows you to slow down, focus and step away from the digital world, at least for a while.
The digital environment of the modern world is the context of the research in this dissertation and the backdrop against which the revival of analogue techniques is taking place. Modern humans are surrounded by digital technologies and use them in many aspects of their life. These technologies can make our lives much easier, and we often do not even realise how deeply they have affected our everyday experiences. Negroponte argues that ‘like air and drinking water, being digital will be noticed only by its absence, not its presence’ (Negroponte, 1998). In the simplest terms, digital technologies include everything that is associated with electronic calculations and data conversion: gadgets, electronic devices, technologies, programs. Compared to analogue technologies, digital technologies are better suited for storing and transmitting large amounts of data and providing high-speed calculations. In this case, information is transmitted as accurately as possible, without distortion. The most common example of every-day life digital technology is the smartphone, one of the most popular uses of which is the ability to instantly take a photo. Digital cameras are also a very common gadget and they allow to take a technically perfect photograph using numerous built-in programs and algorithms in the blink of an eye. In general, the immediacy of the result is a distinctive characteristic of digital technologies and, with their development, our world and our lives are accelerating and it is becoming more and more difficult to keep up with the speed.
However, despite the convenience, people are becoming increasingly aware of the negative impact of digital technologies on their lives. Respondent 27, Research Scientist, notes general dissatisfaction with technologies that people use every day: ‘We all grew up with technology, but nowadays it is obvious the technology is not always made for the user. Hence, the pop up ads on websites, constant updates, changing interfaces – everyone is frustrated with the things they use every day.’ The acceleration of life and the variability of the digital environment makes people think about something more stable and ‘escape’ digital technologies. It is generally believed, that new technologies are more complex and tedious for mature people who are ‘digital immigrants’ (Prensky, 2001). However, Respondent 26, Teacher, sees the younger generation, who are ‘digital natives’ (Prensky, 2001) every day and also notes their tiredness with digital technologies: ‘I feel many of the younger population are developing a kind of digital fatigue and they enjoy time away from screens.’ This idea is confirmed by the responses of people under the age of twenty-five. For example, Respondent 3, Retail Management: ‘I think the digital image works is perhaps so oversaturated, that people look for ways to break away and focus more on the photographic process… The experience of being in a darkroom is super relaxing to me, being a no phone zone and a space to just concentrate on making prints.’
Some people escape the digital world literally, spending some time geographically away from digital technologies, for example, hiking in the mountains or living a solitary life in the wilderness in an attempt to focus on themselves (Humayun and Belk, 2020). Recently, ‘digital detox’, first mentioned in 2012, has become increasingly popular (Felix & Dean, 2012). Digital detox is a period of time when a person does not use digital devices such as smartphones or computers, especially in order to reduce stress and relax (Oxford Dictionaries, 2019).
However, due to circumstances, such as study or work, not everyone can change their life so radically and people choose less extreme ways. Some of them escape the pervasiveness of digital technologies by using analogue technologies and objects. In this chapter, I analyse the resurgence of interest in analogue cameras and analogue photographic processes as an attempt to escape the digital world. Old technologies are not overloaded with additional functions that distract and irritate users. At the same time, they manage the task perfectly, notes Respondent 27, Research Scientist: ‘Analogue photography lets us use machines that do one thing predictably, reliably, and enjoyably – something that is disappearing today.’ Multitasking is another distinctive feature of digital technologies. Using a smartphone, we can simultaneously listen to music, take photographs, use a map, play, and chat with friends. However, according to research, people like simple and clear things, each of which is designed for a specific purpose and does its job well; a smartphone is just a surrogate, which, with its multifunctionality, does not allow you to concentrate on one thing. Respondent 70, a person in retirement, believes that people want to make decisions for themselves without relying on software: ‘It gives people an opportunity to think for themselves and get away from computers and smart phones.’ Respondent 80, Retired person, notes that people feel that they create an analogue photo on their own, while a digital photo is the result of advanced technologies: ‘I became bored with digital photography and the increasing use of digital manipulation. I prefer the analogue process and feel the results are “mine”.’
Many respondents say that they choose analogue photography for the soul, although they are forced to use digital technologies every day in their work. This confirms the information obtained from the study of literary sources (Humayun and Belk, 2020). Respondent 34, Artist, notices the exclusivity of analogue photography and the notion of leaving behind the dailiness of digital photography: ‘Digital is every day and analogue offers something different, more of a connection to slowing down and making by hand.’ Here we encounter the concept ‘slowing down’, which is a common thread in many answers. The world is now changing faster than ever. ‘An acceleration of the speed of life … is likely to have effects on individual’s experience of time: it will cause people to consider time as scarce, to feel hurried and under time pressure and stress’ (Rosa, 2003, p. 9) and ‘it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place’ (Carroll, 2016, p. 9).
During my netnography research, a convincing number of posts testified to the meditative and slow process of analogue photography. Starting with careful consideration of the idea, since the number of frames is very limited, choosing suitable weather, using time-consuming auxiliary technologies: lightmeter, pre-exposure of photographic paper; and ending with the labour-and-time-consuming process of developing film and chemically printing photographs. To all this, we should add time to study specialised literature, because one is unlikely to get a good result in analogue photography by a method of trial and error. People on the forum share their experiences and their analogue photographs, emphasising their desire to take their time. ‘You have to take your time. While events were stagnating, you had to anticipate and move more quickly than they did. But when they speed up this much, you have to move more slowly’ (Baudrillard, 2002, p. 4).
The survey also shows that speed matters. Respondent 54, Academic, suggests that the rise in popularity of analogue photography is ‘…a reaction against the speed and enormous number of digital images. Phones have immensely sophisticated cameras now and analogue photography just offers something different. It’s slow, thoughtful, requires attention, processing etc. It’s a counter to pervasive immediacy.’
Netnography showed that the analogue photography community is a group of polite and friendly people with good manners and a great sense of humour. The reaction of User R to the discussion of the digital lightmeter is indicative: ‘My inner Luddite screams.’ The concept of Luddism in the communication of people involved in analogue photography has been noticed by me more than once. In its origin, Luddism is a movement of handicraftsmen during the Industrial Revolution in England of the early 19th century against the mechanisation of labour (Britannica, 2024). However, in those days, Luddism was driven only by economic considerations. The protesting workers thought about their financial situation and took aggressive actions, destroying machines. In the modern world, a broader concept of Neo-Luddism is used, which is based, among other things, on concerns about the impact of technologies on the environment, society, and people in particular (Jones, 2006, p. 8). Modern Luddites generally do not view technologies as entirely negative and do not call for its destruction or abandonment. However, the use of simpler technological solutions, old-school gadgets, and refusal to change and update properly working technical devices to later models and software is gaining more and more popularity. Analogue cameras are often completely mechanical and the use of such cameras can be equated to Luddism in the best sense of the word. This reason was indicated along with others, by Respondent 104, Engineer: ‘More control over the image formation compared to software mediated imagers. More consideration and planning of the image. Economic cost means that shots matter. I use fully mechanical cameras, so the energy to take a picture comes from muscle power.’ Luddism is no longer synonymous with backwardness and people often make a conscious choice in favour of less advanced technologies which also involves slowing down, concentration and planning.
In many answers, for example, Respondent 57, Civil Servant, the concepts of ‘slowing down’ and ‘concentration’ go together: ‘I like the challenge of slowing down and concentrating, which is required when shooting film. One has to use the setting and work and think to manually focus and get the right exposure.’ This shows the desire of people to not just slow down, but also think, solve certain problems and experience the challenge, and this is the subject of the next chapter.

Chapter 2: Get your hands dirty
In this chapter, I will talk about the technical process and the need to apply certain knowledge and skills to achieve results. About the possibility of using your hands and brain in the creativity. About the challenge and the desire to control every stage of the process. All of these factors were noticed during the netnography and were cited as the reason for the increase in interest in analogue photography by many respondents.
This chapter gets its title from the short but succinct answer of Respondent 44, Photographer/Darkroom Manager, about the reasons of growing popularity of analogue photography: ‘A backlash against the digitization of life. A wanting to get hands “dirty”.’ I have already considered the first part of this statement in the previous chapter and noted that technologies has come too far. They help us in our daily life, work and even in our hobbies and creativity. Modern human almost does not need to make physical efforts to achieve something. Our life is made as easy as possible by machines and technologies (Arthur, 2009). If we are talking about photography, then anyone with a smartphone or digital camera, even a child, can take a good photo without the slightest effort. Many genres of photography have ceased to be the domain of professionals, because the ease of achieving results has allowed amateurs to fill this niche. For example, with the transition of mass media to the Internet, professional journalism has become less in demand: there is no point in sending a professional photojournalist to the scene of an event if a dozen amateurs with smartphones have already gathered there, ready to provide their photographs and very often for free (Splichal and Dahlgren, 2016). Respondent 19, Graphic Designer, answered to one of the questions of my survey with a quote from the video about iconic 60’s British photographer Brian Duffy and these words define the essence of this chapter: ‘…I can’t understand how you do it. That’s what defeats me all the bloody time, because it’s the only art form where any numbskull, nitwit or half-wit can do with as much confidence as we do it, or have done it you know. And you can’t do that if you pick up a violin…’ (Real2Reel, 2024).
The process is too simple and the result is too predictable, this is how those who have opted for analogue think about digital photography. Many people came to analogue photography from digital, like Respondent 90, Invigilator: ‘I learnt photography basics with digital, but switched to film as digital became easier and easier.’
According to my netnographic research, many analogue photographers value the effort that goes into achieving a result as much as, and often more than, the result itself. This observation was confirmed by my survey: many research participants, like Respondent 26, Teacher, enjoy the whole process of obtaining the analogue photograph: ‘It’s more about the tangible process of creating a photograph, and less about the end result, though of course the end result is still important.’ Messages that describe any of the stages of creating analogue photography always have the most comments and engagements. Technology and chemical reagents are the most frequently raised topics. It seems that the effort and knowledge that goes into photography makes it more valuable to the photographer and not only for him. In general, in our technological world, where machines often do all physical work for us, people are beginning to seek the satisfaction of physical effort in other activities. One of the most common examples is engaging in intense sports: rock climbing, cross-country cycling, long mountain hikes, or even just vigorous gardening. Often such people set themselves goals that are difficult to achieve physically or mentally and these goals require certain knowledge and skills. Recent research shows that people often choose active and physically demanding activities including in order to enjoy the process. (Zhou, 2020).
The growing interest in analogue photography from some point of view has similar reasons. Respondent 20, Fine Arts Professional (Registrar), notes that for him doing analogue photography is an opportunity to use his hands and gain creative control:
I enjoy the physical engagement of the creation of photos. In the darkroom I get to use my hands and enjoy all the nuances and subtle variations which can occur. In some ways it also offers me greater creative control. Each chemical process has branching off points that allow for changes in the final outcome of a piece.
He also adds that in his opinion this is the reason why we are now seeing an increase in the popularity of analogue photography: ‘Less instant, more focus needed to finish. Offers the sense of creation, which can be more fulfilling than push-button instant gratification.’
As has already been said, we cannot completely separate the reasons for the revival of analogue photography quite purely. All reasons are interrelated and one can complement the other. My respondents often cited more than one reason, both as an explanation of their motivations for becoming interested in analogue photography, and as a suggestion for the reasons for the increase in interest in analogue techniques in the modern digital world. Respondent 97, Retired person: ‘As many reasons as there are participants, but perhaps digital photography has become too slick and “easy” in the smart phone age.’
While conducting netnography, I noticed that some photographers develop film themselves at home or in specially equipped laboratories, which are found in large cities in UK or at colleges and universities. These photographers usually talk proudly about their experience developing film, and if it does not turn out quite well, they ask experienced group members for advice. There are always a lot of comments and advice under such posts. At the same time, other photographers use special developing services (mail-in labs, high street chains and others). These services are also quite well represented in UK. Developing film is the process that requires skills and knowledge. To get a good result yourself, you must strictly follow the technology. A number of photographers then print their images using the traditional chemical method in a darkroom, and some scan the film, converting the images into digital format and then either print them digitally or show them online. The traditional chemical printing method is quite time-consuming and labour-intensive and requires even more skill than developing film (Hill, 1953). I included in my survey a question about respondents’ preferences when developing film and printing photographs, because I believe this will help to understand how many photographers are ‘aspirational amateurs’ that dive deep into the process of analogue photography and go through the entire process from start to finish. As I already said, of the 105 photographers who took part in my survey, about 90% develop their film themselves and 60% print their photos using the traditional chemical process. These quantitative statistics are an exception to my qualitative research, but complement it and allow us to understand the extent of engagement in the process. Most respondents like to control the process from start to finish, resulting in a print that is unique and difficult to replicate, even under the same conditions. For many, like Respondent 71, Retired, this is truly the reason they love film photography: ‘I like the control and process of the whole thing. And seeing something you have created from start to finish.’
Respondent 23 Local Government Officer says in even more detail and passion about the reasons why he loves film photography:
I shoot black and white. There are many different film types that give different effects along with a range of different developers. I can take create the look I am after and it’s all tangible and real. It’s a chemical process with variables. The temperature and dilution of the chemicals needs to be correct, along with my agitation technique. I am in total control and involved in the process. If something goes wrong it is my fault. I feel that I own the process from selecting which film to load through to either scanning or printing the negative. It’s also a magical moment opening up the developing tank to see how the negatives came out, or watching a print developing in a tray. It’s all very real and tangible.
If the complicated process is done manually, then this gives a greater chance of errors and variation and creates the imperfection. This imperfection adds uniqueness and makes the photograph more valuable. We will talk about this in the next chapter.

Chapter 3: Charm of imperfection
This chapter is focused on nostalgia, aura, soul, character, aesthetics and the magic of analogue photography as reasons of its modern popularity. Even people who have never photographed with an analogue camera and are far from art often note the special ‘aura’ of ancient photographs and special plasticity of analogue photographs even taken in our time. Britannica gives the following definition of the concept of aura: ‘A special quality or feeling that seems to come from a person, place, or thing’ (Britannica Dictionary, 2024). A photographer’s creativity does not just show up when he plans a shoot, prepares for it, and presses the camera button. The entire subsequent process is also a creative part and affects the result. Since we are talking about analogue photography, after pressing the shutter button of the camera there is a series of multi-stage processes of processing and printing in which ‘knowledge of chemistry and physics becomes coupled with body mechanics and of course aesthetics’ (Hristova, 2021). This rich combination suggests that at each stage there may be unconscious or intentional process errors that affect the result. This creates the uniqueness of each print.
Many respondents in their answers contrast the identical perfectness of digital photographs with the unique imperfection of analogue photography, such as Respondent 46, Safety & Environmental Manager: ‘Digital imaging has become obsessed with ever increasing resolution and sharpness, making images too clinical and homogenous. Analogue processes stand apart with more ability for the artist to create unique images with more character.’ This uniqueness is due, first of all, to the manual method of obtaining the photograph and a special environment, without which it is impossible to print photographs using the analogue chemical method. Having already entered a darkroom, the photographer must give his eyes time to adjust to the darkness and his sense of smell to the strong smell of chemicals. Depending on the photographer’s preferences, the dark room may have music playing softly or it will be immersed in silence. In any case, this environment determines a certain mood and state of a person, the opportunity to be alone with one’s thoughts and feelings, to look deeper into oneself. A peculiar touch of the sacrament, a little reminiscent of the state of a theist, sincerely immersed in the sacrament of prayer or the state of a meditating person. Respondent 17, Pharmacist: ‘The tactile element is important to me. Learning the chemical interactions in the development of film and paper and spending time in a darkroom has a meditative quality which takes me away from my day to day life.’ Maybe, the sacrament atmosphere of the dark room and the state of the photographer-creator is the source of that well-known ‘aura’ of an analogue print.
When I am talking about aura, I rely on work of Walter Benjamin the German philosopher, reflected very widely on the concept of ‘aura’, including the aura of photographs. According to him, a unique work of art has an aura, and technical copies lose their aura (Benjamin, 2008, p. 4). Uniqueness in Benjamin’s concept is equal to the aura: ‘with its uniqueness, that is, its aura’ (Benjamin, 2008, p. 6) and this uniqueness arises from the close intertwining of an object with tradition and environment. Many respondents in my survey spoke about small flaws that arise during the photographic or printing process and cause the ‘imperfection’ of analogue photography, which gives it its unique charm. Respondent 37, Engineer:
With modern day digital photography you can do hundreds of shots with different settings, in-camera correction (even instantly ai-improved on mobile phones) and easy post-processing to get near flawless pictures in any situation in a blink of an eye. Film based photography with ancient equipment has its charme [sic] in the limitation and imperfection. It feels more “real”.
What imperfections are we talking about? This is usually film grain, caused by the content of small silver particles in the photosensitive emulsion of the film. This grainy pattern is never the same and gives each frame that extra uniqueness and creates a certain blurriness, as opposed to the high clarity of digital photography, as well as light halos and colour distortions. In addition, stains and scratches that may appear as a result of careless physical impact on the film. These artefacts enhance the impression of dreaminess and nostalgia. ‘Let’s celebrate the dirt, the scratches, the grain. In the clean, crystal-clear, and diamond sharp world of digital video, they are the ghostly traces of our former love, artefacts of the stuff that dreams once were made of’ (Prince, 2004).
Advances in film production moved towards reducing grain and producing finer grain films, and then came the clean and brilliant digital images. Therefore, the imperfection of film photography gives us a feeling of nostalgia; in our understanding, this is how photography looked then, the world was clearer and better. I can refer to the answers of many respondents, for example, Respondent 57, Civil Servant, that we are all a little nostalgic:
For the same reasons that analogue recording techniques and equipment are popular in music – because the slight imperfections of the results are warm and pleasing to the ears – or in the case of photography, the eyes. Digital music/photography can be too clinical, too harsh and too perfect. Analogue photography is warm and unique. And deep down, we are all a bit nostalgic for the past and how things used to be.
Respondent 9, Software, saying about people’s desire to avoid excessive perfection: ‘Not too sure. There’s probably an element of nostalgia, although it partly feels like people are just happier to have pictures which aren’t super crisp but rather have some character.’ What does the word ‘character’ mean in the context of photography? I think that its uniqueness, which, according to the responses in the survey, is a consequence of imperfection. Respondent 46, Safety & Environmental Manager: ‘Digital imaging has become obsessed with ever increasing resolution and sharpness, making images too clinical and homogenous. Analogue processes stand apart with more ability for the artist to create unique images with more character.’
The word ‘nostalgia’ appears too often among the responses not to give it a significant place in my research. What do we mean by nostalgia now? Usually, the first thing that comes to mind is longing for the past. However, this was not always the case; initially, in the 17th century, the word ‘nostalgia’ meant homesickness, had a negative connotation and was considered a curable disease (Boym, 2007). However, further research has shown that nostalgia is not a disease and can even have beneficial effects on a person, such as increasing his self-esteem, mood and expanding his social connections, as well as giving meaning to his existence (Wildschut, Sedikides, Arndt and Routledge, 2006).
Today, the term ‘nostalgia’ has a positive meaning; it is a social phenomenon; it always connects a nostalgic person with time and society. Nostalgia is always a companion of modernity, goes hand in hand with progress and is always a rebellion against progress. It was previously thought that progress and enlightenment would allow society to get rid of nostalgia, but it turned out that they aggravate it (Boym, 2007). We see that technologies and nostalgia are dependent on each other and nostalgia is a protective human reaction to the acceleration of the pace of life and historical cataclysms. In modern life, so many new things appear every day that people no longer look for novelty, but turn to history and the past, in search of a survival mechanism, an individual medicine. Analogue photography is a great way to develop antibodies to crazy reality. Although, I need to mention, there in my survey were a few responses suggesting that photography is something new for young people and this is the reason of its popularity among youth. Respondent 82, Retired, mentioned nostalgia as a reason only for the older generation: ‘Nostalgia plays a part but there’s also a disconnect as the youngest of us have we grown up with only digital so film is a novelty.’
The majority of respondents, such as Respondent 1, Technician (find soulutions [sic] and fixing things), still consider the revival of film photography as a desire for a better world: ‘Quite simply because retro expresses a longing for an ideal world.’ Sometimes next to the word ‘retro’, respondents mentioned the word ‘soul’ in relation to photography. In this case, I suppose that the ‘soul’ and the ‘aura’ have the same meaning. Respondent 94, Disabled: ‘Partly it’s just fashion for all things retro – along with the fashion for other old analogue technologies like vinyl records – the appeal of / belief that older things have more “soul” (I’m not sure if I buy that or not, but it’s certainly behind some of it!).’ How are aura and nostalgia connected in this case? Nostalgia awakens memories and can cause the viewer to feel the aura of a certain phenomenon or thing (Charleson, 2016).
I think that young people are also capable of feeling nostalgia for the ideal world of the 20th century, despite the fact that they did not live at that time. Just like the division between ‘digital natives’ and ‘digital migrants’ that we talked about before, there is a division between people who have real memories of the past and experience real nostalgia for the past and people born into the digital age who also feel nostalgic for the past. This type of nostalgia is ‘imagined nostalgia’, nostalgia caused by imagination (De Brigard, 2021). It is partly formed by parents and family, partly by media culture and partly by marketing tricks of manufacturers. Only six people under the age of twenty-five took part in my survey, but even they identify nostalgia as the reason for their pursuit of analogue photography. For example, Respondent 5, Plumber, says in three words that analogue photography means for him ‘Art fun history’ and says that it: ‘Reminds me of my parents who used film cameras and showed me how to use them. It’s fun to do and think about what you’re doing I stead of just snapping shots on a phone’ and that ‘People like the idea and nostalgia of using a medium that reminds them of the past.’

Chapter 4: I fell in love with the camera
The previous chapter discussed the imperfection of analogue prints and how this plays a role in the growing popularity of analogue photography. This chapter will be about perfection. About the design excellence of old analogue cameras, their tactility and the pleasure of using them as a main reason for their popularity.
On the one hand, it may seem that the love for old cameras is also the result of nostalgia, but let us look at this phenomenon from a different point of view. In terms of tactility and design. The joy of holding in your hands a thing designed by highly qualified engineers, made of high-quality materials, each element of which is made taking into account the tactile and aesthetic needs of the user. The dictionary gives the following interpretation to the word tactility: the fact that something can be touched, or feels pleasant or interesting to touch (Cambridge Dictionary, 2024). Many respondents wrote that it is pleasant to hold an old camera in their hands, among others Respondent 27, Research Scientist: ‘I enjoy taking pictures, but doing so on a film camera allows me to do so without getting any notifications on my phone or getting lost in any annoying menus on a more modern camera. I really like the tactile feedback of these older machines. The look of the photographs is fantastic and varied.’ In addition to enjoying the tactility of old devices, he also notes the time spent without a phone and the annoying digital camera menus, which indicate a desire to slow down and temporarily disconnect from the digital world.
In our world, more and more importance is given to the perception of the world visually, through vision, and is deliberately forgotten (Howes and Classen, 2013) knowing the world through tactile experience. However, our spatial experience is haptic as well as visual (Paterson, 2005). If the element of tactility disappears, many begin to strive to regain this tactility. Touch is the first sense to develop in the womb (Paterson, 2007), so we can assume that a person is predisposed to using his hands and sense of touch.
In the case of analogue photography, cameras and film, various additional equipment allows people to satisfy their sense of touch and obtain a tangible photograph. Respondent 37, Engineer: ‘I inherited an old SLR camera and got addicted. Now I own 3 analogue cameras (SLR & Rangefinder) and shoot B/W and color film … The haptics [sic] of the old cameras and the selection process due to the limitation to 12-36 frames per roll let me think more about the motifs.’ Almost all participants of the survey simultaneously indicate a range of motives for their passion for analogue photography. In the answer above, we see a combination of factors, ranging from the inherited camera (nostalgic trace), the ability to concentrate and think when photographing (slowing down and feel the process), the materiality of the film and tactile sensations.
Many respondents, speaking about their love for analogue photography, mentioned the aesthetics of not only finished photography, which I talked about in the previous chapter, but also the aesthetics of cameras and lenses, as well as the special pleasure of shooting with old cameras. For example, Respondent 78, Retired person: ‘I photograph with film because I find it very enjoyable to work with older cameras … I love the aesthetics of film and the cameras and lenses. I am also a bit bored with the digital world.’ Judging by the responses, the digital world does not provide enough tactile sensations and aesthetics and people are looking for this in analogue objects.
Some of my respondents simply confess their love for old analogue cameras, their beauty and tactility. Respondent 10, Law student: ‘Originally, I wanted a digital camera. My mother suggested I use her old Nikon FM film camera instead, and I begrudgingly agreed–it was cheaper than buying a digital camera! I fell in love with the camera and the photos after shooting my first roll, and haven’t looked back since.’ These poetic words gave the title to this chapter.
In the third chapter, it was discussed that people tend to do something with their hands, and continuing this topic, we can add a few words about the repair of mechanical cameras. Unlike digital cameras, broken mechanical analogue cameras can be repaired even by a non-professional, and some respondents note that they do it and enjoy it. We can see the desire to repair some object not only in the context of analogue photography; within the framework of the struggle for ecology and human rights, the Right to repair movement has recently been gaining popularity in the world (Svensson, Richter, Maitre-Ekern, Pihlajarinne, Maigret, and Dalhammar, 2018). Respondent 50, Retired teacher:
The cameras…I love shooting on Eastern bloc and Japanese cameras. I love really old cameras 50 -100 years old and getting them to fire again, sometimes fixing them … The analogue cameras i [sic] own, love and will still buy, will continue to outlive digital. They’re gorgeous bits of engineering and technology.
‘Gorgeous bits of engineering and technology’ is a very precise characteristic of a thing that is beautiful, practical, reliable, perfectly suits its purpose and brings pleasure when using it. The perfection of design and thoughtful operation of ancient cameras brings satisfaction. Respondent 79, Senior Management:
For me, the conservation and reuse of beautiful old fine engineering is a privilege. For me, the idea of creating a physical / chemical latent image to be realized by a tactile process is an emotional one that rejects male competitive technology culture, abuse of mining communities and the production of new plastics and celebrates the skill and pioneering spirit of those original engineers and photographers.
Diverging slightly from the topic of tactility, it can be noted that the reuse of technology as a solution to environmental problems is also a fairly popular answer. Some respondents suggested that analogue photography is not environmentally friendly due to the use of chemicals. Respondent 6, Student: ‘I hope for a conscious future were the analogue techniques are seen again as a well estabish [sic] way for creativity. Been “conscious” also means to acknowledge the ecological side of this kind or work.’ Respondent 17, Pharmacist: ‘It’s carry on for another 10-20 years before the environmental types get it banned due to waste of resources and chemical a used being poured down the drain at home.’ However, research shows that modern plastic production and the constant race for technical innovations in the digital world pose a much greater danger to the environment (Zhang and Ran, 2023).

Classic cameras are often made of high quality metal, have leather cases, they are thoughtfully designed ergonomic and meet the aesthetic and tactile needs of a person. A significant number of photographers who participated in the survey indicated that they use both analogue and digital cameras, and analogue cameras, from their point of view, win in most respects. Respondent 18, Publisher:
I started as a digital photographer but didn’t like the plastic feel of the camera … or the fact that it looked like any other camera on the market… Analogue cameras are also esthetically [sic] way more pleasing for me and offer more options … The chemistry behind analogue photography is also absolutely fascinating, and the waiting for the roll to be processed before the images make their way to you is magical. Digital will never have the same weight and impact and learning curve of analogue, and it will never feel so authentic.
Turning to the concept of Iconic Design, we can consider analogue cameras as examples of high engineering and design thought. Iconic products include the Eiffel Tower, Helvetica font, classic jeans, a Zippo lighter and a Brownie camera (Lees-Maffei, 2014). What makes a product iconic beyond nostalgia and makes you want to have it and use it? Intelligible design, functionality, quality of materials, durability, reliability, ergonomics (Joensson, 2020). The classic Zippo lighter with a lifetime guarantee and a characteristic click when opening the lid is a design icon, also due to its ergonomics and pleasant touch to the metal (Kaplan, 2021). Analogue cameras, like many 20th century objects, were designed to provide joy and pleasure in their appearance and operation. Respondent 30, Web developer:
There are many reasons. Some are: film camera design, relatively cheap full-frame bodies, and medium format, better deals on gear, privacy (no tracking data embedded in EXIF), a look that isn’t easily replicated digitally, faster editing workflow … Better camera design.
In additional, according to answers, each analogue camera has its own behaviour, unlike modern digital cameras, which are all very similar to each other and have no individuality. Respondent 62, Retired: ‘Because I can! Because using a film camera focuses your attention and slows you down. Because I can explore the differing behavior [sic] of different cameras, something that the digital era has “ironed out”.’
The digital age is the context of my research and it caused the transition of many things from the real world to virtual space. For example, all digital information, including photographs, is just a set of codes that has no material expression, at least until it is printed on paper, for example. Materiality is understood as the real presence of objects, structures and others, immateriality is intangible, its lacks form and structure. Virtual space is filled by ‘described’ and ‘made’ by software manipulating images (Lee, Jang and Kang, 2003). They have no material embodiment. Consumer culture of the digital age is characterized by dematerialization (Magaudda, 2011). This is especially noticeable in the consumption of cultural things, increasingly presented in the form of electronic information. However, we see that dematerialization does not ultimately lead to the disappearance of the material, but leads to various forms of ‘rematerialization’ (Magaudda, 2011).
In the case of analogue photography, cameras and film, various additional equipment allows people to satisfy their sense of touch, obtain a tangible photograph and regain materiality. Respondent 48, Photographer: ‘Film has a more physical, real life look to it…There is a resurgence of all things analogue, I think it’s because many people feel the need to connect with a real experience of taking pictures, after having been exposed to years of digital intangible media.’
However, in the next chapter we will look at how ‘digital intangible media’ unites analogue photographers and is the breeding ground for analogue photography to flourish.

Chapter 5: Being different, but uniting with others
This chapter will look at the community of analogue photographers as a social and subcultural phenomenon promoting the idea of analogue photography. It also presents the main ways of communication among modern photographers – social networks and forums, and at the same time clarifies the role of the digital environment in the revival of analogue photography. Additionally, this chapter examines how fashion and tribalism influence the rise of analogue photography and why contemporary analogue photography is often associated with hipsters.
User M.: ‘Hello all you lovely people!’ Many posts in the photography community, where the netnography was conducted, begin something like this. The netnography showed a high culture of communication among community members and the fact that people like to do analogue photography, talk about it and promote it. In The group rules say: ‘This group is about sharing your analogue photos… and sharing your darkroom knowledge with others…’ and also ‘analogue community [should] thrive and learn from each other.’ The very fact that the research into the resurgence of analogue photography was conducted online shows the importance of social networks and the Internet in the development of modern analogue photography. Survey participants also showed that communities of analogue photographers are important in their motivation to engage in analogue photography and contribute to its revival. Respondent 54, Academic: ‘Love the community… I think there’s a really strong community too which is what is driving analogue photography…’
Many responses indicate that social media has a major role in the spread of analogue photography. Respondent 78, Retired: ‘I think social media has made it trendy for some of the newer users.’ His assumption is confirmed by the young (age category 18-25) Respondent 6, Student: ‘Yes. I think that’s the reason why I got into analogue photography in the first place: I saw people doing it and having a great time.’ He started doing analogue photography recently, less than a year ago according to a survey, and the example of other people was of decisive importance to him. Respondent 78 continues: ‘I think those of us who started with film and switched to digital began to miss the things about photography the analogue experience provided. I also think the film communities are a nicer more supportive crowd.’ This answer also shows the pleasure of socializing in pleasant company as a motivating factor.
Through social networks, people can find like-minded people, as a Respondent 102, Software Engineer: ‘I thought I was in a bubble but I’m beginning to think not!’ This is a very important role of social networks for those whose hobby or activity is not ordinary and not too popular and there are no people with similar interests around. Social networks and the Internet are indispensable in such situations. Knowledge and ability to take analogue photographs creates cultural capital. The increasing promotion of analogue photography through social media is creating demand and driving industry growth. Respondent 36, Designer: ‘I also think people get swept up in videos about gear that they see on YouTube and other social media, and that film photography is having a moment, it is fashionable again.’
However, not all respondents see social networks as a positive and unifying phenomenon. Respondent 17, Pharmacist: ‘Hipsters mainly who pong for connection to something they don’t really understand yet. So many seem to use film so they can manipulate the scans and post on social media for the nonsense closed-loop feedback provided by others seeking validation through social media – sad really.’ The transition to analogue technologies is sometimes associated with fashion and subculture. A sufficient number of responses think that the demand for analogue was also generated by hipsters. According to dictionary, hipster is a ‘person who follows the latest trends and fashions in clothing and lifestyle, especially those regarded as being outside the cultural mainstream’ (Oxford Dictionaries, 2019). Hipsters glorify outdated technology, they place a premium on individuality, and they use analogue objects to enhance that individuality. Respondent 61, IT: ‘It never really went away. Social media has made it more visible and thus probably encouraged more people to try. Large influx of “hipsters” thinking it is something trendy.’ Respondent 23, Stay at Home Parent: ‘It seems like it has become rather trendy with the younger crowd for street and documentary photography.’
In this chapter, I also want to add a little about the connection between digital environment and analogue objects, since this is an important part of my research. Respondent 70, a person in retirement, mentioned the scanning of negatives, the process with the help of which analogue photographs can be converted into digital format: ‘I enjoy the process of using analogue camera, developing and printing in the darkroom although I do scan my negatives to share and decide which ones to wet print.’ This is often done for the purpose of sharing the work. Moving away from digital technologies and the desire to take a break from multitasking and multifunctionality does not mean a complete abandonment of them. Few respondents mentioned this, but it is clear that all of my respondents use a computer since my survey was conducted online. In addition, when asked where respondents share their photos, the vast majority indicated a personal website, specialised online blogs, and social networks. A minimal number of photographers surveyed stated that they do not post photographs online, but show them in person or do not show them at all. Overall, according to my survey, about 95% of photographers surveyed scan their negatives using a digital scanner. Netnography has shown that, in addition to an analogue lightmeter, a device for measuring the amount of light available for photography, photographers often use a digital smartphone application to measure light falling on the subject and adjust camera settings accordingly. I will now introduce the concept of hybridity for modern analogue photography (Humayun and Belk, 2020), because it is rarely used in its pure form and photographers often use digital technologies as auxiliary methods. Currently the revival of analogue photography relies on the digital environment, as with its help it can be shared on the Internet, especially social media, where it acquires new supporters. It is quite difficult for modern analogue photography to escape interaction with the digital environment: newspapers and magazines are not very popular in this day and age (Gaskins and Jerit, 2012), while the Internet is full of educational literature and videos, and we buy most cameras and materials on online platforms and even use software to edit scanned negatives. I want to summarize this chapter with a quote. Respondent 84, office slave:
I took film photos when I was younger but they never came out as I expected them to. development took place on the high street back then and you received your prints in an envelope. I didn’t know about exposure or processing techniques back then, I switched to digital with everyone else in the early 2000s but found myself taking thousands of digital images most of which were deleted and didn’t feel the need to buy that latest price of digital gear to keep up with everyone else. I found my old Olympus Trip 35 during lock down and decided to put a film through it, its a simple camera but I enjoyed taking each of the 36 exposures and was pleased with the lab scans. Once I learned that I could scan my own negs [negatives] and edit them in lightroom with NLP [software for colour negative film conversion], my images finally started to look the way I expected them to, I wish I had kept my negs from when I was younger. There is so much support from other people in the community to help you improve. I now find analogue more relaxing than digital, it helps you with all of your skills and it has helped me improve my digital work too.
Analogue technologies gave way to digital ones, only to return and flourish with their help.

I create my pinhole cameras from old film cameras or even tin cans.