Get Started with Super 8 Wedding Film
Maybe you’ve seen it on Instagram - the dreamy, vintage videos of people in love. They look like they could be from the ‘70s in the best way. Warm grain amps up the emotions of intimate moments. Everything about Super 8 wedding film is rad. I’m Sara, a film photographer and Super 8 educator. In this blog post, I’m sharing what you need to know to get started with Super 8 in your wedding business. Come get obsessed with me.
Why Add Super 8 Wedding Film to Your Offerings
There are so many reasons to add Super 8 to your wedding offerings. If you love that vintage vibe but don’t want to learn a whole new skillset, Super 8 is a great solution. You’ll build on what you already know about creating great visuals. Think lighting, composition, all that good stuff you’re already doing in your photography.
Super 8 is actually an accessible way to get into videography compared to a lot of digital options. You don’t have to invest a ton of money in new professional gear. Typically, you can find Super 8 cameras for just a few hundred dollars. The end-to-end process is more affordable and less intimidating than the full-on cinematic setup you’ve probably seen at weddings. You don’t need mics or sound equipment, just your clients’ joy shining through in the footage.
But the REAL reason Super 8 is the shit? The clients. You get to meet the coolest people doing Super 8 wedding films. They’re people who want unfiltered emotion and see the artistry in life’s in-between moments. Those vibey visuals will make your brand a magnet for these clients. When they see Super 8 wedding film on your website and socials, they’ll know you’re the artist for them.
Get ready to fall hard. Just check out this Super 8 wedding film:
What You Need to Know about Super 8
Super 8 wedding film is definitely outside of a lot of people’s experience. Even if you grew up with home videos, they were probably taken on a camcorder or similar equipment. Here are some things you should know before you get started.
1. Once you get the hang of it, it’s super straightforward.
Super 8 looks complicated from the outside, but the truth is that it’s less fuss than a lot of modern systems. You don’t need a whole set up and a crap ton of equipment - just your camera, charged battery, and some film.
2. It’s not as expensive as you think.
The costs can seem steep at the outset. Once you understand the process and where to buy and get your film developed, though, it makes sense. (More on costs in our free mini training. Watch it to get all the details!)
3. Things can go haywire if you’re just winging it.
Remember that this is film. Whatever is true for film photography usually is true for 8mm as well. You can’t delete a bad take on a Super 8 wedding film, and you have to understand your camera. This is not the kind of thing you want to learn just by messing around on your own. That’s why we created our Gr8 Super 8 Masterclass. More on that below!
4. There’s no audio.
A lot of contemporary videographers include audio recordings in their final edits. This can require multiple microphones. Super 8 wedding film, on the other hand, doesn’t have any sound. You can record sound on separate equipment, but people who want Super 8 tend to like it the way it is. The focus stays on the visuals and the emotions they create. It also frees marriers from having to wear mics on their wedding attire or figure out how to get them into their ceremony setup discreetly. Like I said, less fuss.
5. You’ll need some things to get set up.
Start with your physical equipment. You likely can get 8mm film from your local camera store. We love a local camera store. I buy Super 8 film at Glazer’s Camera in Seattle and Pro8mm online.
As for digital requirements, you’ll need a platform to host videos for your clients. I use Vimeo. It’s pretty straightforward to use, and clients usually are familiar with the platform. Vimeo videos are easy to embed in blog posts as well. You can get a discount on your Vimeo subscription with this affiliate link. (I might make a small commission.)
How to Create Dope Super 8 Wedding Films
By now, you’re probably thinking, “Cool cool cool. How do I learn to do all this?”
Good news is, you don’t have to do it through trial and error. Brilliant human and videographer Natalie Bergfalk and I teamed up to create a comprehensive course for photographers. Gr8 Super8 takes you through the whole process step by step. We combined everything we learned to help you skip a lot of the growing pains that come with adopting Super 8. You can skip the hassle with our no-fluff, confusion-free masterclass. We’re sharing everything you need to start offering Super 8 wedding film.
Here’s a peek at what we cover in each module of the masterclass.
Camera Settings
We’ll help you find your first Super 8 camera. I even include a video of me shopping online to really break it down for you. Then we walk you through the ins and outs of a Super 8 camera - how it works, which settings you should know about, and how to prep for a session.
8mm Film
You know how there are different stocks of 35mm film? There are different types of 8mm film too. We cover each kind and when to use them.
Actually Filming
Time to put theory into practice. Expert videographer Natalie walks you through all the good stuff. We’re talking lighting, panning, and timing for your Super 8 camera.
Developing the Film
You can send your Super 8 film to be developed by a third party. Or you could learn the craftsmanship and technical skill behind the magic. (Can you tell which we prefer?) In this lesson, we take a start-to-finish journey through the developing process.
Basic Editing
Let’s turn all that footage into a story. We teach you basic editing for that vibey Super 8 you and your clients love.
Since this is a self-paced course, you can go from newbie to launching your new service as fast as you want. We’re really excited to help more photographers create vintage and vibey films.
Want to learn more about adding Super 8 wedding film to your offerings? Grab our free training! We’ll tell you what you can expect to invest, how we structure Super 8 packages, and which deliverables clients love. We’re even throwing in a discount code for $40 off of our course because we’re kind of obsessed with spreading the Super 8 love.
Seattle Lifestyle Photographer: The Sullivans’ Last Summer in Seattle
There are lots of legit reasons to hire a Seattle lifestyle photographer. The Sullivans reached out to me to document an important moment in their family - their last summer in Seattle and their last season as a family of three. I documented raw magic moments on a mix of digital and Super 8 film.
A Seattle Lifestyle Photographer for the Sullivans
I love when clients reach out because they want to document their real life in a place that’s so important to them. Laura and Tim are incredible artists. Before the session, they shared this: “We are TRULY so excited to shoot with you specifically because of all the film/off-kilter/non-cookie cutter family photo vibes. We want weird and cannot wait to see what you create.” I couldn’t have described my approach to family lifestyle photography better!
Since the point of lifestyle photography is to document life unfiltered, we spent the evening the same way the Sullivans had been doing all summer. We met up at their rental then headed out for ice cream cones. Laura and Tim shared cones with their daughter Misa before heading to Lake Washington for a swim. It was the perfect way to capture what life was really like for the family in that moment.
That Last Summer in Seattle
As a Seattle lifestyle photographer, I love to incorporate Super 8 film into sessions. Laura was especially excited about this part of the session. With the move to Chicago looming, she wanted to preserve this moment in Misa’s childhood and their family’s life in Seattle. Laura said, “Something dreamy and sweet is going to remind me of this last summer as a family of three and how grateful I am for this life.” I love the way the Super 8 came together! You can see the full-length film from this session here.
Would you like me to be your Seattle lifestyle photographer? I’ll snap slices of life that you can revisit for years to come. Reach out!
Thanks to these Seattle businesses that helped make this day magic:
Ice cream: Homer
Children’s gifts: Perry and Carlson
Super 8 Wedding Videographer for Seattle Wedding
Super 8 adds instant nostalgia and artistry to wedding videography. Paired with film photography, it’s my favorite way to document a wedding. In the summer of 2022, I joined Hildi and Adam as their Super 8 wedding videographer. They had a dreamy, connection-oriented backyard wedding outside of Seattle. I’m obsessed with their film photography and Super 8 video!
Hiring a Super 8 Wedding Videographer
Hildi and I first met in a pretty unique way (for a wedding photographer and client, anyway). We met at a business meetup in Bellingham. We really hit it off and started following each other on Instagram. I was thrilled to be her photographer and Super 8 wedding videographer.
Like a lot of my clients, though, Hildi and Adam were excited about having film and Super 8 coverage as part of their wedding package. Hildi even photographs with film, and they’re both mixed media artists. They really wanted an alternative way to document their wedding day. I used mixed medium format film, instant Polaroid film, 35mm film, and a medium format digital film for their photos. For their videography, I used a combination of 90’s camcorder and Super 8.
As a Super 8 wedding videographer, Hildi and Adam’s film is exactly what I always hope to accomplish. The emotional in-betweens with loved ones, the raw joy, the dreamy whirlwind of it all are condensed into a film that feels like their wedding day really did. You can check out their entire Super 8 wedding film below.
Pairing Film Wedding Photography with Super 8 Video
A shared love of film photography is one of the things that Hildi and I bonded over. As a Super 8 wedding videographer, I find that film photography perfectly pairs with that medium. It’s endlessly inspiring to me. It captures these unfiltered moments in the most magical way.
Like I mentioned before, I used four different types of cameras, including three film, to photograph Hildi and Adam’s wedding. Each brings something different to the experience of reliving Hildi and Adam’s wedding. The image of the ceremony taken on my medium format camera has light leaks and imperfections that actually feel perfect. The wedding had this magical intimacy about it that the light patches in the corners emphasize.
The Polaroids, on the other hand, have such a party vibe. I love the one of the tambourine, trumpet, and other instruments sitting on the porch beside the old metal chair. The slight blur and glint of the lights gives you a sense of the anticipation and whirlwind energy that carried everyone through the reception. The Polaroids along with the 35mm photos feel like the kinds of images Hildi and Adam’s grandkids might pass around at holidays decades from now.
Hildi and Adam’s Intimate Poulsbo Wedding
Documenting the meaningful in-betweens is definitely easier when a couple has a cool community like Hildi and Adam do. Everyone stepped up to help with their backyard wedding. Hildi’s dad offered the use of his home in Poulsbo on the edge of the Olympic Peninsula. The lush space was so beautiful that you’d guess it was a venue if you didn’t know better.
Hildi’s sister and grandmother also pitched in by making the cake - another element you’d never guess was DIY from how gorgeous it turned out. Her mom did a lot of the planning. Her dad built the cornhole and arbor. Her uncle MCed, and her aunt officiated. Friends made the bouquet and brought other flowers. Hildi said, “This is really put on by our ‘village,’ and we couldn’t be more appreciative.”
Hildi and Adam held their ceremony under her “birth tree.” The resilient tree felt like the perfect symbol to Hildi. She and Adam got to start their life together rooted in what was authentic to them, including deep family connections.
A Rad Reception with Live Music
Even though Hildi and Adam’s celebration was carefully planned, the best moments were spontaneous and impossible to plan. Cake smashes and kisses, pre-ceremony tears and dance floor twirls. It was a beautiful blur. I’m so grateful I got to document it!
Music played a BIG role in Hildi and Adam’s celebration. Her father’s band Paundy played at the reception. Leading up to the wedding, Hildi told me that “they are phenomenal musicians and play funky music.” What an understatement! They got everyone moving. Adam’s dad played some music, too. Hildi even hopped on the drums for a few songs. I’m not sure I’ve ever documented a wedding where so many talented family and friends contributed to the music.
If you couldn’t tell, music has always been an important part of Hildi’s relationship with her father. They love listening to the Beatles together. For their father-daughter dance, they chose “Imagine” by John Lennon. Needless to say, the big dances were pretty emotional, including Adam and Hildi’s first dance to “Crimson and Clover.”
Super 8 wedding videography and film photography were the perfect mediums for documenting the joy of Hildi and Adam just being themselves with their favorite people. It’s intimate and creative just like this one-of-a-kind wedding day. Would you like me to be your Super 8 wedding videographer? Reach out to me here!
Thanks to the vendors who made Hildi and Adam’s wedding so damn special!
Florals: Costco and Pumphouse Farm
DJ / Band: Paundy
Dress: Wtoo from A & Be.
Custom suit: Ruby Suits at the Fremont Market
Bridesmaid dresses: Scholle Dress on Etsy
Engagement ring: Sophia Perez Jewellery
Wedding bands: Ernesto Garcia in Bellingham
Rentals: Vividly Yours Co
Artistic Wedding Photography on Film
Wedding photography on film is perfect for artistic candid images that document life the way you remember it. At Aaron and Giselle’s backyard wedding in Seattle, I used film to capture their non-traditional celebration and all the emotional in-betweens.
Artistic Wedding Photography on Film
Film is magic. As a wedding photographer, it lets me document raw moments in artistic and sometimes unpredictable ways. This medium was seriously perfect for an edgy, honest couple like Giselle and Aaron. They’re non-traditional and really valued having artistic wedding photography on film. These photos have life. They document those rich in-between moments that you wouldn’t think to put on a shot list.
Aaron and Giselle’s top priority for their wedding was that it felt like them. They skipped the first look. Food didn’t matter much to them, but they got a killer espresso cart. They said, “We just want it to feel fun and comfortable but in fancy clothes!” Even their playlist was full of old favorites that got everyone on the dance floor.
Even though Giselle and Aaron aren’t interested in fitting inside narrow wedding industry boxes, they love hard. They love their families, their cats, each other. Film fits their whole vibe because it’s unfiltered and nostalgic at the same time. These photos show you just how deeply and dreamy this wedding felt.
Aaron and Giselle’s Backyard Celebration
Giselle and Aaron got married in the front yard of her parent’s house in South Seattle. Her parent’s also got married at a family home. Can you tell that they’re sentimental? Wedding photography on film had that intimate feeling that comes with being in the place you love most - but in fancy clothes, as Aaron said.
This wedding was deeply intentional from start to finish. Before the ceremony, they asked guests to put away their phones. Not a single phone was in sight the entire ceremony. I have never seen guests so attentive during a ceremony.
We made time for quiet moments, too. We snuck away to a rental a few houses down for family portraits. It was so nice to be away from the noise of the day to document heartfelt formals and the funny moments in between.
Would you like me to snap your wedding photography on film? Inquire here!
Thank you to the vendors who helped make Aaron and Giselle’s wedding so dope:
Dress: Monique Lhuillier
Suit: Canali
Shoes: Prada
Wedding Band: Valerie Madison
String ensemble: Seattle String Quartet
Giselle's engagement ring: Greenlake Jewelry
Planner: Lisha Lee, 3Eleven Events
Cutting cake: Deep Sea Sugar and Salt
Sheet cakes: Simply Desserts
Cookies: Treat
DJ: PT: Patrick Troll
Makeup: JoAnn Persephone
Giselle's hair: Mastered by Miyoko
Giselle's nails: Altar of Nails
Coffee Cart: Seattle Espresso Cart
Photobooth: A&H Photo Co.
Bellingham Wedding Photographer for Intimate Backyard Wedding
Hillary and Cullen are grounded, genuine humans with a creative flair. I was so stoked when they chose me to be their Bellingham wedding photographer. Their film photography and Super 8 film show the warmth and openness that characterized their beautiful backyard wedding.
A Bellingham Wedding Photographer for Hillary and Cullen
The whole atmosphere for Hillary and Cullen’s backyard wedding couldn’t have been better. The weather was perfect. Everyone was welcoming, loving, and warm. The couple moved from Portland to Bellingham during the pandemic. Hillary loves collecting Mid-century Modern furniture and adopting dogs. Their wedding featured plenty of both.
The whole day felt like all of their other favorite days together except with more loved ones and decadent food. Before their wedding, Hillary and Cullen told me that their version of the perfect day is laying around in their sunny backyard while they drink wine and throw balls for their dogs. As a Bellingham wedding photographer, I felt every bit of that hominess at this elevated backyard celebration. It had the ultimate classy garden party vibes.
Documenting the Wedding on Film and Super 8
Hillary and Cullen’s families worked hard to get the backyard prepped and looking beautiful for their wedding day. It was really important to Cullen and Hillary to get genuine photos with their family members, including Hillary’s grandmother. I got some incredible moments of them together on film and Super 8.
As a Bellingham wedding photographer, my favorite images from Hillary and Cullen’s wedding day are the ones we didn’t plan. Neighbors passing by stopped to chat over the fence. Their beloved pups lounged in the backyard like it was any other day. Everyone enjoyed the food which was just SO GOOD. You can really feel these moments when you look at them on 35mm film and Super 8. You can see Hillary and Cullen’s Super 8 wedding film here.
Would you like me to be your Bellingham wedding photographer? I would love to document your day with artistic film photos. Inquire here!
Thank you to the vendors who made magic at Hillary and Cullen’s wedding:
Florist: Aziza Seykota at Maple Petal Design
Cake: Saltadena Bakery
Hair + Makeup: Tamara Cantu for Beauty by Elizabeth Marie
Hillary’s ring: VRAI
Cullen’s ring: Fairhaven Gold
Catering: A Taste of Elegance