Typo, sorry.

That was, $9,000 to $15,000 USD

Hi Plumeriagirl, Thank you for commenting. B&W is a popular choice with couples for wedding pictures too. We offer the choice of either all color, all b&w, or any combination the couple desires. This bride asked for half of her wedding photos taken with b&w film (an unusually high percentage).

There are some advantages in going with b&w film, for example the wider exposure latitude with B&W. While we shoot digital cameras at weddings, mostly candids and back up shots, our primary wedding cameras are medium format film cameras. If the bride requests some of her photos in b&w, we ask her which ones and shoot the series in b&w with one of the film cameras.

The digital cameras are used primarily for candid photos at the reception and backup photos to the film cameras on key shots in the event the film is lost or damaged during processing. We've never had that happen but weddings are a one shot deal so we don't take chances.

Lastly, all things being equal, film cameras will will always produce a superior image than digital cameras. Consider that the best digital cameras available, at the moment, have a resolution around 12 megapixels. A 35 mm film negative contains about 40 billion silver halide "pixels" and a medium format 6x4.5 cm film camera 120 billion pixels, and a 6x7 cm around 200 billion pixels. This equates to razor sharp images up to 20x30 inches for the medium format cameras with no appreciable loss of image quality. The down side, of course, is the higher costs associated with the film and processing (about $40 a roll) and reprints. We typically shoot between 8 and 10 rolls depending on the size of the wedding. Most professional photographers still use film for all of the key photos (posed, couple, ceremony, cake cutting, bouquet toss, first dance, etc.). If you think this doesn't really matter in the real world, we once did a medium format shot of a group of 96 people. In the finished 16x20 print each face was sharp and clear. That kind of image quality simply isn't possible with a digital camera because each face would contain fewer pixels. Pixel, btw, is an achronym for "picture elements."

Digital cameras are used for back up shots, toast, guests, reception events, candids, etc.

The digital age has really helped professional photographers. One of the most difficult tasks is getting everyone in posed group photos to keep their eyes open at the same time. Even when you tell them you're going to take the shot ("on three") someone will blink. If this happens with a film camera we do a high resolution negative scan of two images and transfer the open eyes from one photo to the closed eyes on the other.

I still prefer to shoot a digital camera when possible.

Hope this didn't put you to sleep and that answers your question.

Doug :)

Hi Alandra, It's not unusual for brides to request a percentage of their wedding photos in b&w. We cover weddings with two photographers and each photographer carries two cameras, one medium format and one digital/35mm. If the bride wants some of her photos shot with b&w film we simply put b&w in one of the cameras. We can also convert any color photo to b&w and include some samples with the proof set even if the bride requested all color.

Doug :)