Photography writer Matt Growcoot is defending the practice of making digital images look like film, directly countering a recent opinion piece by fellow writer Bimal Nepal who argued against this trend. Growcoot argues that photographers should have the creative freedom to edit their digital photos with film-like effects, calling it a legitimate form of artistic expression.
Growcoot's photography journey began with film, starting with a homemade pinhole camera before moving on to his father's old SLR camera and eventually trying out his college's medium format Mamiya RB67. He learned to develop his own film, though he admits to making mistakes along the way, including overcooking the dodge and burn process when printing negatives. Despite initially thinking it was pointless to spend so much time learning film photography when digital had already become the industry standard, he now appreciates that foundation.
After years of working with digital cameras, adjusting white balance, refining RAW files in Photoshop, and using various filters and adjustment tools, Growcoot found himself often confused about how his photos should actually look. This frustration led him back to shooting film, where he rediscovered what he calls the "chemistry magic" that automatically determines the final look without the need for endless technical adjustments.
According to Growcoot, film photography produces superior colors and atmosphere that digital simply cannot match. He emphasizes that nothing compares to a real film photo, citing as an example a shot taken on Kodak Gold film that even includes a scratch on the negative, which he considers part of its charm. His Canon AE-1 film camera has seen as much use in recent years as any of his digital cameras.
However, Growcoot acknowledges that film comes with significant limitations, particularly cost. This economic reality leads him to edit his digital photos from his Canon R6 and even iPhone to mimic the film aesthetic. He openly admits to using grain filters, film simulators, and presets to achieve results he finds satisfying, arguing there's nothing wrong with trying to recreate film's unique qualities in digital images.
The photographer observes a broader cultural shift toward embracing imperfection in photography. As digital cameras and lenses have become increasingly sophisticated and sharp, many people have grown tired of technical perfection. Generation Z, in particular, seems to prefer flawed images with interesting artifacts over digitally perfect shots, suggesting a desire for more authentic-looking photography.
Growcoot emphasizes that photography should be inclusive of different approaches and styles. He believes photographers are all on individual journeys, and if someone wants to experiment with film presets, they should be encouraged to do so. He suggests this experimentation might even lead some photographers to eventually invest in actual film photography and move away from digital entirely.
Drawing from his experience as a former press photographer, Growcoot acknowledges the practical realities of professional work. He admits that when he was working eight jobs a day on the streets, he would never have used a film camera and would have delivered clean digital images to newspapers and magazines. However, now that he photographs purely for personal enjoyment, he wants his images to have a filmic look regardless of whether they were actually shot on film.
Growcoot concludes by describing photography as "a big tent where rules are made to be broken," where photos can be taken, processed, and printed in any way the photographer sees fit. He frames this flexibility as fundamental to artistic expression, defending every photographer's right to pursue their own creative vision whether that involves actual film, digital emulation, or any other technique.
