As a photographer with over two decades of experience, I’ve had the privilege of navigating both the analog and digital eras of image-making. Today, I’m one of the few who still passionately embraces both formats, regularly switching between my beloved Leica M2 film camera and my digital Leica M-E.

While I genuinely enjoy the convenience and flexibility of digital photography, my heart remains tethered to the tangible magic of film. In fact, despite owning one of Leica’s excellent digital M cameras, I find myself reaching for my M2 more often than not.

Digital photography has revolutionized the way we capture and share images. Its immediacy and versatility are undeniable, and I’ve created some of my favorite work with my digital Leica. However, the vulnerability of digital storage has always been a nagging concern. I still remember the dread of losing an entire shoot due to a corrupted CF card.

My Leica M2 atop some film negatives (Image credit: Future)

That moment, years ago, still gives me chills and has left a lasting impact on my trust in digital storage. Despite my meticulous workflow of backing up files to multiple hard drives and cloud services, the fear of technical failure lingers, overshadowing the convenience that digital offers.

In contrast, film photography provides me with a sense of security and permanence that digital cannot replicate. A film negative is a physical object – tangible and reliable. Unlike an SD card or hard drive, a negative doesn’t rely on software compatibility or hardware longevity to remain accessible.

If needed, negatives can be scanned again or used to produce high-quality prints in the darkroom. The simplicity and durability of this medium gives me peace of mind, knowing that my work is safe from the ever-changing landscape of digital technology

One of my shots on Fomapan 400 (Image credit: Future / Sebastian Oakley)

Of course, shooting film comes with its own set of challenges –  particularly in terms of storage. Over the years, I’ve dedicated a corner of my office to organizing negatives. Rows of bookshelves house binders filled with archival sleeves, each containing frames that represent moments in time.