Why enlarging when we can digitizing?

For those who enjoy photography as a hobby like I do, digital cameras deliver quite impressive results. Whether it's Micro Four Thirds, APS-C, or 35mm format, they can all capture stunning photos. Travel, pets, documenting daily life—all can be handled with just an iPhone nowadays, not to mention those top-tier gear capable of shooting birds and pixel peeping.

Everything was good until my child was born, these tools seemed to lack something. Ultra-high-resolution photos no longer satisfied me; I need a better medium to express my emotions.

The stories in these photographs may not belong to me, yet the emotions they evoke are tangibly intertwined with my own memories.

I no longer seek to capture beautiful or spectacular scenes. I desire only the simplest content—a few photographs that, when viewed, allow certain stories to unfold in my mind.

It was at this very moment that I encountered film.

Though both are 35mm, the images projected by slide surpassed all expectations.

The 120 format is four times larger than 35mm, capturing an abundance of detail that no digital photo can match.

The limited number of exposures has transformed my approach to photography. The end result is so captivating that you no longer need to worry about composition or framing. You simply press the shutter gently or switch lenses a few times, and each shot delivers a completely different experience.

The only drawback is that film becoming increasingly expensive, so scanning and digitizing seems like a reasonable choice. One need to save some money on the road so he can take more pictures.

But the beauty of film can only be truly understood through enlargement.

Film offers a unique, immersive experience, that cannot be reproduced on monitors or iPhone.

Enlarge the film through traditional optical way, you will get a specific texture and “organic” color photo which is so real and utterly powerful than digital.

If there's a darkroom near your home, I highly recommend giving it a try.