Reasons to Hire a Film Wedding Photograper

What Is Hybrid Digital / Film Wedding Photography?


It’s simply the idea of a wedding photographer mixing analogue film with digital photography on a wedding day.

But why use any film at all when digital cameras are so incredibly capable? The digital format is malleable to an absurd degree. The data captured by a modern full-frame sensor is monstrous. You can do anything with it—add sprocket frames, light leaks, dust specks, simulate expired film stock, all in post-production.

But just because you can do all those things, doesn’t mean you should. Which light leak? Which dust speck? Which faux film grain and why? The choices are endless. It can be unmooring. And in the end, the thing that is so heart-stoppingly beautiful about your own wedding photos is that they are a true document of the people you love the most in the world, and their convergence to celebrate the formation of your new family.

My digital cameras can fire off 20 frames per second. A wedding day might last nine hours.
Nine hours × 60 minutes × 60 seconds × 20 frames = 648,000 potential images.
Yes, it’s an exaggeration—but the point stands. The sheer volume of data is overwhelming. Choosing between all those moments—big and small, sweeping and intimate—is a responsibility. Decision fatigue is real, especially in our data-saturated era.

At once, film changes the paradigm. It slows everything down: the focusing, the composing, the timing of the shutter press, the winding of the film, the reloading of the roll. Each photograph develops a striking gravity as a result of the time and space that fills in all around it. A film photograph is afforded the room to breathe. It demands to be embraced just as it is, gorgeous imperfections and all.

This isn’t to celebrate missed focus or camera shake per se, a photograph can be authentic without those particular imperfections. The chemical reaction, the baked-in color science of each film stock, the unpredictable magic of light playing over photosensitive emulsion—it’s all so much more forgivable. So much more lovable.

Digital photography cannot afford that luxury. A digital photograph is always the result of a series of decisions. And because of digital photography’s deep malleability—its uncanny ability to see in the dark, to be anything you want it to be—its mistakes can feel unforgivable.

The problem with digital photography is that its perfection is often too perfect.

And yet, there are very real limits to what can be achieved with analogue film photography. Film is in love with light. It’s like bougainvillea craning its neck towards the sun. Stuck in a dark place, it wilts, it loses all color and fidelity. Digital is agnostic when it comes to the sun. Digital can find happiness in the nooks and crannies of a restaurant, under bistro lights, even with just moonlight as a companion. 

Digital is a gossip. It immediately tells you when you have burned the highlights. Even before you press the shutter, an onlooker may gasp at what they see on the rear screen of your camera. This immediate feedback can lead to some show-stopping files. This feedback is wildly advantageous for flash photography.

Flash, which is necessary at the great majority of wedding receptions, is at least 20 times easier to master in digital photography as a result of the instant feedback on the camera’s rear screen. I do not recommend hiring an all film photographer for a wedding that includes many hours of nighttime reception. There might be film wedding photographers who are masters of flash, but they are rarer than a lizard reciting Neruda. 

The lightning speed of contemporary autofocus and FPS (frames per second) from a digital camera body can make capturing action delightfully easy. Children are particularly tricky to photograph on film. I know from deep experience with my own children. They move quickly and with remarkable unpredictability and thus, you need at least one or two phds to fully master manual focus while photographing children. Often it is exactly the speed of digital photography that allows me to react quickly enough to tell the myriad small and lovely stories that unfold on a wedding day.

Which of my clients respond to my analogue film work and why?

Some of my clients are avid film photographers themselves. They love documenting their daily life with a point and shoot, and then delight at reliving their days months later when they process the film. Some of my clients are serious about using a large format camera to precisely photograph architecture. To them, it feels natural and meaningful to have a professional photographer use film to document their wedding.

Some of my clients know very little about analogue film cameras, and haven’t used a film camera, but they understand the appeal. It feels like an entry into an appealing world that they are beginning to understand little by little. Maybe they have an Instax, and they love the chemical nature of photographing a friend’s birthday, and the late-night hijinks that follow.

Others are drawn to film for its emotional resonance. They aren’t interested in technical specs, but they respond instinctively to the look and feel. They can’t always put it into words, but something about the softness, the grain, the imperfect magic of film makes them feel something they don’t get from digital. It reminds them of old family photo albums, or the grainy candids of their parents’ wedding. It’s not nostalgia exactly—it’s texture. Soul.

Then there are the aesthetes. These are the clients who treat their wedding as an opportunity to make something beautiful—deeply, personally beautiful. They appreciate the way different film stocks respond to color and light, even if they don’t know the names of those stocks. They recognize when something looks elevated, painterly, cinematic. They care about detail. They choose handmade paper for their invitations. They select flowers for their shape and tone. For them, film is another way to build intentionality into the day.

Finally, some clients are simply romantics. They believe in slowing down. They write love letters. They collect records. They like the idea that film can’t be checked on the back of a camera—that it asks you to trust the moment, to move forward without seeing the result. When they see a medium-format portrait of themselves, composed and luminous, it feels like seeing their love through a different lens—one that says: this mattered.


James Leary Flood Mansion Wedding

There are weddings that feel like a celebration of two people, and then there are weddings that feel like a celebration of an entire community. Angela and Cliff’s wedding at the James Leary Flood Mansion was the latter—an evening filled with warmth, laughter, and the kind of easy camaraderie that made every moment feel special.

Getting Ready: The Iconic Waymo Moment
Angela got ready at the Four Seasons and planned to take a Waymo to the venue. Standing on a San Francisco street corner in her robe, pink pumps in hand, waiting for a lost ride, was nothing short of iconic; this easy-going and fun vibe was present the whole day. 

A Library First Look & a Meaningful Ketubah Signing
Flood Mansion, with its elegant architecture and breathtaking Bay views, was an incredible setting for the day. Angela and Cliff chose the library for their first look—surrounded by books, history, and the quiet anticipation of the day ahead. Before Angela stepped into her dress, I captured the painstaking attention Angela’s mom gave to steaming the dress in the library. After the first look the ketubah signing took place in the library. It made for an intimate moment with close family gathered around, bearing witness to the commitment they were making.

The Ceremony
Under a chuppah adorned with orchids and huge tropical leaves, Angela and Cliff stood together as their families and friends encircled them. Their rabbi introduced a beautiful, unexpected ritual: after the wedding party had processed, Angela and her parents paused midway down the aisle. Then, in a moment charged with emotion, Cliff walked out to meet them, and then all guests in attendance were encouraged to gather in tightly around. It was a striking way to begin the ceremony—both intimate and grounding. As they recessed jubilantly back down the aisle, flower petals filled the air.

A Reception in the Grand Hall
The Flood Mansion’s Grand Hall was transformed into a long banquet-style dining experience, with high ceilings amplifying the energy of the night. The rich and bold burgundy, crimson, fuchsia, gold, and chartreuse florals popped against the interior marble. Pomegranates lined the tables, a nod to abundance and tradition. The golden hour light poured into the Hall, creating the dreamiest backdrop for portraits. I was able to sneak Angela and Cliff away for some sunset portraits, framed in the huge windows with glimpses of cargo ships and the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

From there, the evening unfolded in waves of joy. After their grand entrance, Cliff popped open a truly massive bottle of champagne to cheers from all sides. The Horah was, as expected, a whirlwind of laughter and wild, celebratory energy.

The Details That Made It Theirs
Beyond the grandeur of the venue and the vibrancy of the celebration, what made this wedding special was the way it felt so distinctly them. The save-the-dates featured a family portrait of them and their cat and dog. Cliff gave his brothers cufflinks with the Hebrew letters for “living,” a meaningful symbol of vitality and enduring family bonds. Cliff’s parents held each other all night long.

A Shoutout to Sachi & Maja
Of course, all of this could not have happened without the wonderful planning team that is Sachi & Maja. Big thanks to Alyssa and Lisa for always being a pleasure to work with!

Angela and Cliff, thank you for inviting me in to document your wedding. It was an honor to witness the joy, the connection, and the beautiful community you built around you. What a night!

Venue: James Leary Flood Mansion
Planner: Sachi & Maja
Hair & Makeup: Dreamcatcher Artistry
Officiant: Rabbi Ryan
Chuppah: Bay Bliss Arches
Florals: Amanda Vidmar Designs
Catering: Park Avenue
Photography: Hazel Photo
Video: KL Films
Band: Lucky Devils Band
Transport: Bauers IT
Photobooth: Pixco
Rentals: Encore Events Rentals


Sonoma Garden Wedding

Vignettes from an unforgettably whimsical garden wedding at Beltane Ranch in Glen Ellen, Sonoma Valley, California.

Madeline and Matt

Her delicate dress of embroidered French cotton lace, buttons all down the back.

His whimsical olive linen suit lined with citrons.

Her crown of dried flowers affixed with a splash of orange ribbon.

The magical lane of Persian rugs leading down the aisle to the towering majesty of the live oak draped in a shawl of flowers.

The dulcet tones of their friend/officiant’s southern twang.

The ethereal light reflecting off her vows and onto her alabaster cheek.

The fine line between tears and riotous laughter that was crossed again and again as Madeline and Matt exchanged vows.

The air suffuse with dried flower petals as they ecstatically flew back down the aisle. As if all the world were filled with flower petals cascading through the air.

Whatever they told their guests to wear worked out just about right, cocktail hour a sea of floral prints and colorful summer suits scattered across the lawn, sipping Mavericks and Roosters.

Come Together, I Want To Hold Your Hand, And I Love Her, She Loves You, Here Comes the Sun, Strawberry Fields Forever.

Wally the sheep with his glorious floral crown somewhat bashful, nibbling the lawn, but also delighted by all the attention, especially from Madeline, his greatest fan.

The caricaturist hard at work sketching guests.

Her brother’s cow and sheep cufflinks.

The chickens promenading through cocktail hour, and round the reception tables.

Designed by Madeline, each escort card a flower petal, waiting to be plucked by a guest from its field of blossoms.

Stargazer, bluebell, marigold, poppy, peony demarcating each baroque tablescape with long paisley tablecloths, intricately detailed amber goblets. Everything designed and drawn by Madeline. One had the sense this was not the first tea party Madeline had hosted.

Chicken cake! Surrounded by holstein pops, cartons of cake eggs and cake chicks, mini hay bale cakes, carrot cakes in the shape of carrots.

A day so thoroughly governed by whimsy and the unexpected.

Delights at every corner.

Love Me Do, Eight Days a Week, Free as a Bird, Don’t Let Me Down, Octopus’s Garden.

Also, the pair of original songs with which Madeline and Matt serenaded their guests. Her gleeful recorder solo against the setting sun.

A rainbow of ombre tapers burning against the dying light of the head table.

And if all this, somehow, wasn’t quite enough, an exquisite sunset sidled in as Madeline & Matt’s wedding day came to it’s conclusion.

Who amongst us succeeds in bringing so many chapters of the magic of childhood into her wedding? Very few I say, none quite like Madeline & Matt in this past decade that I have documented.

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Wedding Planning : Samar of Blissful Event Planning
Venue: Beltane Ranch
Flowers: Mae Flowers Sonoma
Sheep: Wally the Wooly Weeder
Rentals: Encore Events Rentals
Band: Ticket to Ride (Beatles cover band)
Catering: Sage Catering
Cake/Desserts: Supreme Sweets
Hair & Makeup: Santa Rosa Powder Room
Dress: Atelier Des Modistes


Wayfare Tavern Wedding Reception

If you want to start at the beginning of Ruth and Tom’s wedding day you can read about their San Francisco City Hall Mayor’s Balcony wedding here. 

Their Wayfare Tavern wedding reception followed a wedding ceremony at the Mayor’s Balcony at San Francisco City Hall, an Inner Sunset apartment mini-reception, Golden Gate park dog walk, and a MUNI ride.

Wayfare Tavern makes for an excellent intimate wedding reception venue – it has an industrial vintage feeling with dark wood paneling, exposed brick, and painted wood floors. Ruth and Tom’s guests dined in the Bartlett Room which is adjacent to the wine cellar. There’s an old-school, speakeasy club feel to the space that is balanced with the airy, glass-enclosed wine cellar and industrial retrofitting. Located in the Financial District it feels upscale and classy but urban and gritty at the same time. 

Ruth and Tom utilized one of my all time favorite wedding traditions and included hand-written letters to each guest as their place settings. As a continuation of the handmade theme, origami paper cranes adorned the wedding cake – baked by Ruth herself! 

What a wonderful day it was galavanting through San Francisco, and celebrating the marriage of two of the loveliest people you might hope to meet.

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Wedding Ceremony Venue: Mayor’s Balcony San Francisco City Hall

Wedding Reception Venue : Wayfare Tavern

Wedding attire: BHLDN

Hair and Makeup: Kristina Curtis @bykristinacurtis

Cake: by Bride!

Transportation : MUNI

Catering: Wayfare Tavern


Triple S Ranch Wedding

I met Cate and Evan while shooting a wedding in the redwoods of Mendocino in 2019. They were engaged but had to postpone their original 2020 wedding date due to the pandemic. Finally, June 2022 rolled around and I was able to document their wedding at the stunning Triple S Ranch – and boy was it worth the wait. 

Located in Calistoga, Triple S Ranch is a charming, shabby chic wonderland. This historic property has numerous structures with interesting architectural details and rustic ambiance – including a restored “Grand Victorian” farmhouse and 2,200-square foot barn. Accommodations include glamping tents and treehouses, making it easy for guests to stay on site for an extended period of celebration. The grounds included recreational space with pools, around which I was fortunate to capture lots of hanging out before the ceremony. 

One of the most touching moments of the day was Cate and Evan’s first look. They decided to make this intimate moment even more special by including their closest friends. Their friends led them to each other back to back, until they touched, and then they turned around to see each other surrounded by their loved ones. It was a beautiful and exciting reveal and a unique experience to photograph. 

The intimate wedding ceremony took place under a stunning 175-year-old walnut tree. Four friends made up a band for a musical performance during the ceremony. Cate looked radiant in her minimalist slip dress adorned with a delicate lace cape. Cocktail hour followed and I got to photograph the many eclectic and colorful guests striking poses. Among the looks were bolo ties and cowboy hats and head to toe pink fits that popped in front of the weathered “New York Store” facade. The reception was held in the huge barn with antique exposed beams and DJ Lucero started a serious dance party. The vibe was high energy and antics ensued. It was a testament to the couple’s love for fun and celebration.

It was a joy to capture the sincere emotions, friendship, and beauty of their special day. I will always look forward to returning to Triple S Ranch to capture more memories in these iconic settings. This celebration was made possible by the immaculate planning of Sachi and Maja.

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Wedding Planning and Florals: Sachi and Maja
Venue: Triple S Ranch Napa (SSS Ranch Napa)
DJ: DJ Lucero
Catering: Katie Powers Catering
Cake: Love Natty Cakes
Hair & Makeup: Dream Catcher Artistry
Dress: Half Penny London


Stanly Ranch Wedding

At the Southern tip of Napa County, California close to San Pablo Bay lies a rambling dual purpose property – both luxury resort and working ranch. Stanly Ranch, an Auberge Resort, is one of the newest additions to the Napa Valley, and a fabulous place for a wedding. The resort pays homage to the agricultural sensibilities of Wine Country, while maintaining a modern and luxurious demeanor.

On a radiant and windy day in late July Marie & Charlie were married by a close friend at an exquisite altar of native California greenery rising from the ground at once natural and uncannily sculptural in a nod to Ikebana.

The day began with the bride and groom preparing in suites at the Ranch, surrounded by their closest friends and family. Marie’s choice of a modern chic gown by Carolina Herrera from Jin Wang Bridal was a stroke of brilliance – the gown’s architectural beauty played harmoniously with the geometric quality of Stanly Ranch, whether the rows of lavender or the playful shadows from slatted pergolas.

Earlier, as I approached Stanly Ranch I noticed a eucalyptus tunnel at the edge of the property and knew it would be the perfect spot for the first look. We jumped in golf carts and headed into the trees for portraits, a few of which have become anchors of my portfolio. Photos in the Bell Suite and the adjacent shade followed.

The ceremony was framed by the Cutting Garden’s idyllic backdrop of wildflowers and greenery. During the ceremony the wind decided to have it’s way with Marie’s veil, so the two switched positions. Following the touching vows, guests savored signature cocktails on the patio outside the glass-walled banquet hall, while enjoying mesmerizing views of the olive trees and lavender gardens.

Marie and Charlie were an absolute joy to photograph – their calm and positive demeanor made for captivating photographs, alternating between carefree laughter and elegant portraits. I knew this going in, as I had the honor of photographing their engagement session at Sutro Baths earlier that year. As the sun set, I took the couple aside to capture the magic of golden hour up and down stone staircases, through olive orchards, and against outdoor fireplaces. We were gifted a dramatic sunset, and we certainly took advantage of that. The warm hues perfectly complemented the venue’s California native plants and sun-soaked stone palette.

Dinner was served in Glass House Barn, a lofted glass-walled banquet hall. Its California-style glass doors opened to the patio balcony overlooking the property. I was able to capture candid moments as the guests laughed, danced, and celebrated in the radiant ambiance, doors open to the breeze.

The lush grounds, framed by vineyards and mountain views, created a very easeful feeling which married well with a wedding reception. Located just a 50-minute drive from San Francisco, Stanly Ranch offered guests a tranquil escape from the city’s hustle and bustle.

I must also extend a special shout-out to Kelsey with Downey Street Events who understood the demands of the venue, and executed flawlessly.

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Wedding planner: Downey Street Events
Venue : Stanly Ranch an Auberge Resort
Photographer : Hazel Photo
Hair and Makeup : Artists by Sherrie Long
Catering : Stanly Ranch
Ice Cream Truck: Noble Folk Creamery
DJ/Band : Dart Collective
Bride’s attire : Jinwang Bride ; Carolina Herrera
Groom’s attire : Suit Supply
Invitation : Bliss and Bone
Florist: Studio Mondine


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