For a new photographer, it may be hard to decide whether you want to try analogue or digital photography. Both have their boons and both have their falls, and although you can always check online or ask around to try to find out which is the best, the only real way of establishing which is right for you is first-hand experience.

Analogue photography

Analogue photography is both hip, and on the way out. While many professional photographers still use analogue photography for their work, it’s not as common as it used to be. Kodak has been in the news recently as they’ve been having trouble due to not keeping up with the times and have had to file for bankruptcy. There are some analogue cameras, though, which are becoming more and more popular, such as Lomography cameras. These are cheaply made, plastic cameras that some people love because of the imperfections add embellishments and a feel of authenticity to the final product. Polaroid cameras are still very popular, though the film is getting rarer and rarer due to Polaroid going bankrupt last decade, but there are plans to bring it back into production. The majority of film cameras use 35mm film which is easy to come across and there are many places who develop it. This said, if you get heavily into analogue photography, then you may want to find a dark room, where you can add flairs to your work such as cross-processing and controlling the film exposure yourself.

Digital photography

Digital photography has only been around for a couple of decades in a big way, but it’s fast become the easiest and cheapest way of starting yourself up in photography. There are plenty of magazines around which cater to digital photographers, and large online communities where you can share the images you create and get tips on how to take better pictures. Of course even if you have a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex camera), that doesn’t mean you’re instantly going to take amazing photos. It’s best to start with a simple point and shoot, though a lot of people have been getting fantastic results using their iPhones, and various apps, such as the immensely popular Instagram, which adds vintage analog effects to the digital photographs that you take.

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