Super 8 and film photography add warmth and texture to a wedding, but they work best alongside digital coverage, not in place of it. Film is a beautiful way to create imagery with nostalgia with its raw and real feeling. But having digital coverage is important and serves its own place.

What Super 8 is, and what it is not

Super 8 is a small-gauge motion picture film from the 1960s, the format of many family home movies. On a wedding day it usually produces a short, music-driven montage with soft color, grain, and an unmistakable sense of memory. It generally does not record sound, and a roll of film holds only a few minutes, so it is not designed to capture a full ceremony or the vows. If a package includes Super 8, we generally include some clips of it and weave it into your final highlight film. We also have created its own video with some coverage we have captured throughout the wedding day.

What film photography adds

35mm and 120mm format film render skin, light, and color in a way many couples describe as timeless. Film also encourages a deliberate pace, which suits portraits and quiet moments. The limits are practical: film cannot be checked in the moment, it handles low light less forgivingly, and a lost or damaged roll cannot be recovered. What we love about it is the feeling a film photo creates.

Why we shoot hybrid

Digital protects the essential moments you want to capture. It records every frame to more than one card, handles changing light, captures sound, and lets us confirm we have the moment. Film then adds depth: a few rolls of portraits, a Super 8 reel from the getting-ready and the dance floor. The result is one record across film, digital, and motion, where the two formats support each other instead of competing. We love how the medium creates a product that requires a creative to slow down and get the perfect shot within a series of moments, because you only have one frame and not unlimited like digital.

How to decide

• Choose digital only if you want full coverage, clear audio, and the most flexibility in difficult light.
• Add film photography if you love the texture of film and want a handful of portraits that look like they belong in an album.
• Add Super 8 if you want a short, atmospheric reel to sit alongside your main film or just want to intertwine footage into your final film.

Frequently asked questions

Is Super 8 a replacement for a wedding video? No, not in our opinion. It is a stylistic addition, typically a short montage without sound. Most couples pair it with digital coverage that records the ceremony and speeches.

Does film photography cost more than digital? Yes, we have the cost of film and the cost to process the film and super 8 footage, making it cost a bit more than digital would.

Can a film look be created digitally? Yes, to a degree, and many studios do try to. Real film has a character that is hard to match, which is why some couples choose it for part of the day.

Will film photos arrive later than digital? Oftentimes film will not be delivered in a sneak peak but they will be delivered at the same time as a wedding album.

What do you deliver? All of our work is delivered digitally.

About The Hulls: The Hulls is an East Coast wedding photography and film studio. Hilary photographs and Randy films as one team, across film, digital, and motion, for thoughtful, design-minded couples.