In an age where shooting digital is more efficient, convenient and less expensive in the long run, film (or analog) photography is experiencing a revival in pop culture. As a photographer myself, my experience with film has changed the way I create images and see the world.

Here are 11 reasons why I still shoot film:

1. The amount of film stocks available gives you options for creativity

Struggling to find the right film to use? For portraits, Kodak Portra 400 or Fujifilm 400H will render skin tones well with fine-to-medium grain structure. Kodak Ektar 100 and Fujifilm Velvia 50 bring out the rich, vibrant colors in landscapes and scenery. Want to try black-and-white film? Ilford HP5 is versatile while Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100's minimal grain structure will blow you away.

Some of the films I regularly use (clockwise): Lomo 100, Lomochrome Turquoise XR 100-400, Fujifilm Pro 400H, Afga Vista Plus 200, Lomochrome Purple XR 100-400, Kodak Portra 400, Lomo 400, and Kodak Portra 800.

2. You don't need to add filters

Are you fond of using Instagram filters? Well, many of them were inspired by vintage film cameras. The popular vignette effect and oversaturation found in the X-Pro II and Lo-fi filters are actually a tribute to the Holga, which is a plastic medium-format camera that is known for its imperfect features.

3. It teaches patience

"What do we want? Everything! When do we want it? Now!" That is the slogan of our generation. It's no wonder that iPhones and DSLRs have become a commodity for creatives today. However, shooting with film takes patience – first you have to load the film correctly, make your exposures, rewind the roll, send it out for processing (or process it yourself!), and scan the images. Perhaps the most frustrating thing is that there is no display screen or a delete option so prepare for a fun game of trial-and-error.

4. They still teach it in university

I took my first photography class during my freshman year. It was an introduction to black-and-white photography taught by a man who I consider a virtuoso in the craft. I was able to get hands-on experience in the darkroom, make all the rookie mistakes I could possibly make then, and get valuable feedback from my professor. While film photography can be self-taught, there is nothing that can replace the technical knowledge and feedback you get from an academic setting. If you have the chance to take a class, do it.

5. Film cameras are worth collecting

Do you have an old, rusty camera collecting dust inside of a box or in the back of a closet? It may have some kind of value, other than sentimental. Older SLRs (single lens reflex) like the Nikon FM2 or TLRs (twin lens reflex) like Yashicas or Rolleicord usually go for more than $50 on eBay, Amazon, and other websites or shops. If not for shooting, they make great decorations around the house.

Here are a few of the film cameras I own (clockwise):
Nikon FM2, Holga 120S, Nikon EM

6. It's therapeutic

Photography, like other forms of art, has calmed my anxiety over the years. However, what shooting film offers is also focus and clarity while minimizing the distraction of trying to make the "perfect" image. You can't worry about what you can't readily see – you just trust and shoot. Plus, it teaches us to accept delayed gratification, that our efforts now will be rewarded later when we finally see the scans or receive the prints we've been waiting for.

7. Many great photographers were dedicated to shooting film

Two of the photographers I admire the most are William Eggleston and Ansel Adams. Eggleston pioneered the color photography movement and was known for finding beauty and quirk in seemingly mundane objects and scenarios. On the other hand, Adams was the father of black-and-white landscape photography and some of his most famous work is on capturing National Parks landscapes in the United States. What did they have in common? They were masters of film.

A portrait of Ansel Adams, taken by J. Malcolm Greany.

8. Its quality competes with its digital counterpart

There is no such thing as pixels in film. Granted, there is Photoshop and Lightroom as a means of adjusting exposure, saturation, contrast, and other parameters. However, film photographs, when focused correctly, offers a sharper image than the same photograph rendered digitally. To see an example, here is a comparison made on Petapixel, which compared 4x5 and 35mm film to digital cameras.

9. It teaches you to live in the moment

I don't know about you but I am an over-planner. I spend (and waste) a lot of time worrying about what's next. However, you don't get the same luxury shooting with film. It forces you to think on the spot, adapt to the surroundings, and relish the moment you're in. There is no display screen to go back and recapture the moment – you just have to live with it. In return, it helps you put into practice all that you read about in books such as exposure compensation, pushing and pulling, and finding good light.

Taken with my Nikon FM2 using Kodak Portra 400 at f2.8 50mm at Pali Lookout on the windward side of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i

10. It teaches you to embrace the difficult, technical parts about photography

As mentioned in the previous point, the technical aspects of photography do matter. Working with film taught me to adapt to different lighting conditions without relying on post-editing processes or on an automated setting on my camera. You learn to make good exposures with the different features that your camera offers such as the light meter, changing ISO, and the bulb setting, among many other features. Shooting on an automatic setting feels almost childish when you learn to shoot on a manual setting.

11. To preserve the history and culture of photography

Let's face it – digitization of information and the media is inevitable. We rely on modern technology and advancements to communicate, share, and connect with people worldwide. With that, pop culture also adapts. One thing might be popular and relevant today but no one knows with certainty what will trend tomorrow, next week, or even in the next few years. Film photography is affected by the fluidity of culture and society as it gains momentum today. But who's to say that tomorrow it will still be "cool" and "hip" to shoot film?

I've had my Nikon for five years and it continues to be my go-to camera.

I just hope that my dedication and passion for film photography, alongside those who share the same calling, will help preserve its importance and relevance in the art community and in history.