In a strange turn of events, film photography has seen an exponential rise in adoption from the youth of today. Looking for something with a little more substance? A little more heart and soul, if you will.

In the inescapable instancy of being, everything we do is one blasé, afterthought of a poke away.

Music has proven time and time again - specifically now and today with the #Togetherathome series to combat Coronavirus - which damn near brought me to tears the other day, that it is a form of salvation.

Artists have been captured on video, on digital and in audio form for decades. But the sweeping images, as with the sweeping moments of our previously non-stop lives, have lost a lot of their flavor.

To quote a line from MONOCLE magazine’s editor Robert Bound “Instagram is a microwave dinner for the eyes.” Nothing savoring or delicious about that …

Film photography being used to capture music is a poetic ode to the creative process that truly takes time, is painstakingly slow, and in the end quite unpredictable. - Radical

Notes by the photographer:

Film photography is probably the most intimate form of photography there is.  With a limited number of photos and rolls, you need to effectively communicate with the artist and fully understand the vision they have for the shoot to be able to properly tell their story through the images. 

Film photography is all about taking it slow, thinking about every photo and trusting yourself with every press of the shutter.  Being behind the scenes with these unique and different artists is an opportunity to truly get a glimpse into their world, it provides a unique perspective into the music and the artistry that is behind it all. 

As a photographer, I aspire to capture everything from the career defining moments to the creative blocks, and through these images be able to truly tell the artists’ story and capture their personalities.  Film photography allows me to get personal with the artists’ and understand who they truly are as people and learn about their paths as creatives. Allowing me to capture their essence through my photography, instead of dealing with them as clients who just want their photo taken. 

I would rather spend three hours talking with the artist and taking one roll of film (36 images), than spend half an hour taking a hundred photos with no real connection made or anything to take away from the conversations …

Image: Marwan Pablo & FELUKAH shot on film by Adam Salem