Why Film Is Here to Stay (And How to Sell More Albums)

In this episode, I'm joined by Geraint Roberts, a fine art wedding photographer based near Cardiff with over a decade of experience shooting weddings across the UK and beyond. Geraint is known for blending film photography into his digital workflow and has a reputation for delivering beautifully curated wedding albums.Film PhotographyGeraint started incorporating film into his wedding work in 2021, inspired by photographer Jose Villa and his time studying photography at university where he had access to Mamiya and Hasselblad cameras. He shoots film as a complimentary addition to his digital coverage rather than a standalone offering, typically shooting one roll per wedding but sometimes as many as four.He shares how shooting film has actually improved his digital editing, using scans from his lab (Exposure Film Lab in Hereford) as colour reference images, particularly for skin tones. We cover the practical cost considerations of getting into film (film stock plus lab developing can run around £30 per roll), recommended entry-level cameras including the Olympus OM30, Pentax K1000, Nikon FM2 and the brand new Pentax 17, and the importance of testing equipment before taking it to a wedding. His key tip: always have a backup film camera.We also discuss how film sits in the broader market, whether it is a passing trend or here to stay, and why Geraint believes it will remain a fixture given Kodak's continued growth and film's enduring role in cinema.Wedding AlbumsGeraint includes an 8x8 inch album in every package as a baseline, with 90% of couples upgrading once they see and feel the product in person. We also get into the value of in-person client meetings for album sales, why physically holding an album makes a significant difference to upgrade rates, and why hotel bars beat coffee shops as a client meeting venue.Where to Find GeraintInstagram: @geraintrobertsphotoWebsite: geraint-roberts.co.uk