Between Film and Digital: Which one wins?
There’s a certain kind of magic that happens when two different mediums meet in the same creative space. For this editorial, shot at Modulab studio in Barcelona, I challenged myself to photograph the entire session both in analog and digital, allowing the textures of each approach to live side by side.
There’s a certain kind of magic that happens when two different mediums meet in the same creative space. For this editorial, shot at Modulab studio in Sant Andreu, Barcelona, I challenged myself to photograph the entire session both in analog and digital, allowing the textures of each approach to live side by side.
The Analog Experience
For the film part, I used Fomapan black & white 35mm iso 100 with my trusted Nikon F. Fomapan, made by Foma Bohemia in the Czech Republic, is known for its classic grain structure, wide tonal range, and timeless aesthetic. It’s a film stock that embraces imperfection, producing subtle contrasts and a softness that pairs beautifully with portraiture.
Shooting analog in a fashion setting is always a dance with limitations, 36 exposures per roll, no instant playback, and the patience of waiting for development. Not knowing exactly what worked is like training your eye to become a better photographer. It’s exactly these constraints that give film its soul. The unique qualities of Fomapan brought a sense of nostalgia to the editorial, creating portraits that feel raw, timeless, and emotionally charged. Each frame was an intentional act, and the grain added a depth that can’t quite be replicated digitally.
Pros of film (Fomapan):
Unique texture and grain that digital can’t replicate.
Tonal richness and depth in black & white.
Forces intentionality — every frame counts.
Timeless, archival quality.
Cons of film:
Limited exposures per roll.
No instant feedback.
Development time adds delay.
Less flexibility in post-production compared to RAW digital files.
The Digital Counterpart
On the other side, I photographed with a Sony A7III paired with a 50mm lens. Digital gave me speed, flexibility, and the ability to experiment more freely with lighting and framing. Reviewing the shots on the spot allowed the whole team to adjust details in real time, from poses to makeup touches. The sharpness, dynamic range, and control over color grading created a completely different visual language, one that speaks more to modernity and precision. Besides, I also like to film some bts of the shooting for content creation purposes!
Pros of digital:
Unlimited exposures.
Instant review and collaboration with the team.
Greater control in post-production (color grading, retouching).
High resolution and sharpness.
Possibility to also film the shoot in 4k
Cons of digital:
Easy to overshoot, less intentionality.
Images can feel “too clean” or clinical.
Lack of the organic unpredictability film provides.
More reliance on editing to create mood.
Collaboration at Its Core
This project wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible team:
Model: Ashley (Francina Models)
Beauty: Alicia Garrido
Styling: Gabriela
Photography: Myself, Bruna Valença
Studio: Modulab Barcelona *amazing!
Together, we built a narrative that shifted between nostalgia and contemporaneity, softness and clarity. Film slowed us down and invited reflection, while digital pushed us to move faster and refine details instantly.
Two Mediums, One Story
What fascinates me most about working across both mediums is how they don’t cancel each other out, they expand the possibilities. The film photographs invite you to linger; the digital ones catch you in their immediacy. When seen side by side, they tell a fuller story of the shoot, of the team, and of the energy that lived inside the studio that day.
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