why i shoot on super 8mm(and why you should care)
there's something about super 8mm film that just hits different.
maybe it's the grain - that soft, nostalgic texture that wraps around your memories like a warm blanket. maybe it's the way the light dances across each frame, imperfect and alive. or maybe it's just that when you watch your wedding back on super 8, it doesn't feel like 2025 anymore. it feels timeless.
i get asked all the time: "what even is super 8mm?" and "why would i want that at my wedding?" so let me break it down for you - no film school jargon, just the real reasons why this tiny vintage camera has become my absolute favourite way to tell your story.
what is super 8mm film?
super 8mm is a film format that was huge in the 1960s and 70s - the kind of camera your grandparents might have used to film birthdays, holidays, and big family moments. it shoots on actual film (not digital), which means every second costs money to develop and scan. it's tactile, intentional, and wildly beautiful.
the footage has this dreamy, flickering quality - slightly underexposed, warm tones, visible grain, and a softness that digital cameras just can't replicate. it feels like a memory, not a recording.
why i fell in love with super 8
when i first started shooting weddings, i was all about crisp, clean, perfectly sharp digital video. and don't get me wrong - digital is incredible. but something was missing.
i wanted my films to feel like heirlooms. like something you'd pull out in 30 years and show your kids, and they'd feel the weight of that day - not just see it. i wanted footage that felt emotional before i even started editing.
super 8 does that. it adds soul.
the first time i ran super 8 footage at a wedding, i cried during the edit. the way it captured the bride's veil blowing in the wind, the golden hour light streaming through the trees, her dad's hand on her shoulder - it wasn't just beautiful. it was felt.
what super 8 actually looks like at your wedding
if you've never seen super 8 footage, it's hard to explain. but picture this:
your ceremony, shot wide and soft - the kind of footage that feels like a distant, cherished memory even though it just happened. the grain gives it texture. the colour shifts slightly warmer. movements feel slower, more intentional, more romantic.
your first dance, captured in flickering light - every spin, every smile, wrapped in that vintage glow.
candid moments between speeches - your mum laughing, your best friend tearing up, your partner stealing a kiss when they think no one's watching.
it's not meant to be the whole film. it's meant to be the heartbeat of it - the moments that deserve to feel like they're from another era, because honestly, your wedding day does feel like that. it's outside of time.
the reality check: super 8 isn't perfect (and that's the point)
here's the thing - super 8 is temperamental. it's grainy. it's soft. sometimes the exposure is a little off. you can't review the footage on the day. you shoot it, send the film to a lab, wait weeks, and hope it turned out.
and that's exactly why i love it.
in a world where everything is polished and filtered and controlled, super 8 is raw. it's honest. it's imperfect in the most human way.
it also means i'm selective about when i use it. i'm not running around with the super 8 camera all day - i'm using it for specific moments. the ones that deserve that extra layer of emotion.
do you actually need super 8 at your wedding?
no. you don't need it.
but if you care about how your wedding film feels - not just how it looks - then yeah, i think you'll love it.
if you're the kind of couple who gets emotional watching home videos, who values nostalgia and storytelling over perfection, who wants a film that feels less like a highlight reel and more like an heirloom - super 8 is for you.
it's also for you if you want something different. if you've watched a hundred wedding videos that all feel the same, and you want yours to stand out - not because it's trendy, but because it's timeless.
how super 8 fits into your wedding package
i add super 8mm to all my videography packages as a default. it's not a replacement for digital video - it's a layer. a texture. a feeling.
here's how it works: i shoot your wedding day primarily on digital (because we need clean audio, multiple angles, and flexibility), but i weave in super 8 for the moments that matter most. then in the edit, i blend the two together - so your final film has that dreamy, nostalgic quality without losing any of the story.
the couples who choose super 8
my super 8 couples are usually the ones who:
love film photography and vintage aesthetics
value emotion and storytelling over perfection
want their wedding film to feel like art, not just documentation
appreciate the tactile, intentional nature of shooting on actual film
are okay with a little grain and imperfection (because that's where the beauty lives)
if that sounds like you, let's talk. because shooting your wedding on super 8mm would be an absolute dream.
final thoughts
at the end of the day, your wedding film should feel like your wedding - not someone else's. and if you want yours to feel warm, nostalgic, emotional, and a little bit timeless, super 8 is the way.
it's not about being trendy. it's about creating something that matters. something you'll come back to in 10, 20, 30 years and still feel something.
and honestly? that's what i'm here for.
if you're planning a wedding on sydney's northern beaches (or beyond) and you want to chat about adding super 8mm to your package, reach out. i'd love to hear your story.
ready to book? head to my contact page and let's make some magic together 🎞️
