“You’re taking too many photos… wasting all that film.”

That’s what my mom used to say all the time when I first started my photography business. I’d laugh and say, “I’m shooting digital—I don’t have to worry about all that!”

That was 13 years ago.

Still, those little moments stuck with me. They planted a seed. I started looking into film photography back then, but the more I researched, the more overwhelmed I got.

Don’t get me wrong—digital will always have my heart. But film? There’s something about it. The tones, the grain, the colors, the warmth. The vibe. I’ve tried to replicate that feeling digitally for years, but it never quite hits the same. And for a long time, fear and comfort kept me from picking up a film camera for real.

Until now.

I recently picked up a Canon EOS Rebel X and a roll of Kodak Gold 200 from Southeastern Camera here in Raleigh. I couldn’t wait to get outside and shoot, so I hopped on TikTok and asked if any of my local followers were down for a test session. Imani replied, and the next day—we made it happen.

We met up in Downtown Raleigh’s Warehouse District. I’ve always loved that area—the brick walls, the old warehouse buildings turned creative spaces, the warm neutrals and vintage signage. It’s cinematic. One of my favorite spots was the Dreamville mural on Davie Street and this deep green garage door that looked so good with Imani’s outfit. That combo? Chef’s kiss.

This shoot was my chance to test it all: making sure the camera actually worked, feeling out the rhythm of shooting film, getting a taste of Kodak Gold, and seeing if the magic I’ve admired for years was really there.

Spoiler: it was.

What made it even more special was finding out—after the shoot—that this was Imani’s first time in front of the camera since senior portraits. She recently lost 100 pounds and wanted to be intentional about celebrating her new body. I had no idea going into it, but knowing that made the experience that much more meaningful.

I won’t lie—I was nervous. With film, there’s no instant playback, no checking to see if you nailed it. But once we started, it felt natural. Slower, more intentional, but still me. With only 36 frames to work with, everything mattered. The light. The pose. The backdrop. Every shot had to count.

After the shoot, I was hyped. I loved the process, but waiting for the scans? Torture. I dropped the roll off the next day at Southeastern Camera and waited for the email.

When the scans came in—I almost cried.

The warmth. The vibrant tones. The texture. It was everything I’ve been chasing digitally… captured effortlessly on film. And knowing they also printed the photos for me? Even better. The staff was so helpful, and I felt like a kid at Christmas.

This shoot reminded me why I fell in love with photography in the first place. And now? I’m officially opening up a new lane in my business. I’ll always offer digital—but there’s something about film that just hits. I’m so excited to offer both and can’t wait to see where this new chapter takes me.