I first discovered analog photography in my high school darkroom, where I learned to operate the camera, shoot photos, develop film, and make prints. Photography quickly became a hobby that I loved, and I found creative satisfaction in turning a roll of film into a physical print I had crafted by hand.

After high school, I carried my Canon F1 on a few meaningful occasions, including a trip through Europe, but most of my creative work shifted to digital. I built a daily photo blog that kept me shooting constantly, and over the years I have photographed nearly a hundred weddings and worked on numerous commercial assignments. As digital became the industry standard, I embraced it fully and, almost without noticing, stepped away from film for more than twenty years.

I found my way back to film when a coworker encouraged me to bring in my camera and shoot some photos around the college campus where we work. Soon, I found myself a regular at Safelight District’s monthly meetups. I had rediscovered the joy of classic analog cameras and the hands-on, mechanical, intentional nature of the process — making exposure decisions, advancing film, adjusting settings, manually focusing — and ultimately creating tangible objects that can be picked up, experienced, and shared with others.

I’m so happy to be part of Safelight District and to help support a movement that keeps analog processes alive in the Chattanooga community.