| For the average family, a digital camera has become | | | | hand because they find it relaxing or meditative, |
| an essential item to record special moments | | | | developing your own photos can be a very unique |
| throughout their lives together. Photography has | | | | and calming experience. |
| drastically changed over the last few decades, and | | | | And the fact that not just anyone can do it, and that |
| many of us who still remember the days of | | | | it is a skill that must be developed with practice, |
| traditional film cameras that had to have pictures | | | | makes it that much more rewarding. |
| developed at the local pharmacy might be amazed by | | | | Interestingly enough, there are still lots of families |
| how quickly digital cameras took the stage. | | | | who go to amusement parks and pay to have their |
| And there's a reason why: compared to traditional | | | | photos taken in an "old-fashioned" manner, with |
| photography, digital photographs are easier to print | | | | grainy black-and-white prints for novelty and fun. |
| out, sometimes off much higher resolution and photo | | | | They even sometimes go so far as to dress in |
| quality, and can store more pictures than their | | | | clothes from the nineteenth century to make it look |
| traditional film camera ancestors could. | | | | more authentic. Ironically, though, most of these |
| Still, there are many photographers, both amateur | | | | novelty old-fashioned photos are taken with modern |
| and professional, who haven't abandoned traditional | | | | digital cameras, then altered to appear authentically |
| film photography or old-fashioned cameras. For them, | | | | antiquated. |
| the simplicity of the cameras and the photos, and | | | | Understanding why some families find it fun to get |
| the greater care it takes to develop the pictures, | | | | their pictures taken in an old-fashioned manner can |
| makes the process more therapeutic and artful. | | | | help you understand why some enthusiasts love |
| Particularly for photographers who still use their own | | | | collecting antique photo equipment and using the |
| darkrooms to develop their photos, traditional film | | | | genuine, original camera to take their own |
| cameras are a hobby that they would never give up | | | | old-fashioned pictures. Photography was one of the |
| for the relative ease of digital cameras. | | | | greatest innovations in human history, and being able |
| Regardless of how much technology advances, there | | | | to own a piece of that history is an important hobby |
| will always be people who still appreciate the | | | | for many antique collectors and photographers. |
| simplicity of yesterday's methods. | | | | So the next time you think that digital cameras have |
| Using a traditional film camera, especially varieties that | | | | made old-fashioned film photography obsolete and |
| are many decades old, requires much more patience, | | | | unnecessary, consider the many hobbyists and |
| diligence and care, especially when developing your | | | | photographers who still take great pleasure in using |
| own pictures. And for many photo enthusiasts who | | | | and collecting traditional equipment. And if you're an |
| learned their craft with older equipment, the comfort | | | | aspiring photographer yourself, you might want to |
| of a familiar camera and the process of developing | | | | try ditching the digital camera for a few weeks and |
| the film themselves can be therapeutic. Just as many | | | | have an old pro teach you a thing or two about film |
| people who own a dishwasher still wash dishes by | | | | and darkrooms. |