Film cameras are making a comeback in the stands: analog photography is returning to stadiums.
A trend I found fascinating: more and more people are bringing analog cameras to soccer stadiums. In an era where every fan has a cell phone in their pocket, why choose film?
It all started with the desire to recreate the aesthetic of old photos, but it has become a serious movement. Some photographers have started publishing this work on social media and have gained a reputation within the fan communities.
Gabriel Wisniewski, 25, documents the Coritiba fans on the "Coxa Analógico" profile. With 24 or 36 exposures per roll and without seeing the results immediately, he says he really has to think about what he's doing. The film also forces him to get closer, talk to people, and be in the middle of the fans, among the banners and drums. At the stadium, he's become known as "the analog guy." He felt there was a need for someone to show the everyday life of the stands, not just the players and the key moments.
Júnior César, 35, from "Grêmio Analógico," sees film as a way to slow down: "Film is a counter-culture in this digital world." Because each click has a cost, you have to reflect before pressing the shutter.
And the cost is significant: a roll of 36 exposures costs around R$ 50, and developing and digitizing costs another R$ 50. César estimates between R$ 4 and R$ 5 per image; Wisniewski has used as many as five to eight rolls in a single game. There are also risks: a whole roll can be lost, there can be exposure errors, lack of light at night, and even running out of film just as the "Green Hell" was about to begin, the green flares party of the Coritiba fans.
The wait is part of the experience. Wisniewski waits a week or a week and a half for the lab results and doesn't edit the images much to preserve the film's aesthetic. César keeps rolls undeveloped and, when he receives the photos, he rediscovers moments he might have forgotten.
The movement extends beyond Brazil: projects like "AnalogFootball" bring together photographers from countries like Brazil, Mexico, the United States, and France who document soccer on film.
Source: Portal Jornalismo ESPM
It all started with the desire to recreate the aesthetic of old photos, but it has become a serious movement. Some photographers have started publishing this work on social media and have gained a reputation within the fan communities.
Gabriel Wisniewski, 25, documents the Coritiba fans on the "Coxa Analógico" profile. With 24 or 36 exposures per roll and without seeing the results immediately, he says he really has to think about what he's doing. The film also forces him to get closer, talk to people, and be in the middle of the fans, among the banners and drums. At the stadium, he's become known as "the analog guy." He felt there was a need for someone to show the everyday life of the stands, not just the players and the key moments.
Júnior César, 35, from "Grêmio Analógico," sees film as a way to slow down: "Film is a counter-culture in this digital world." Because each click has a cost, you have to reflect before pressing the shutter.
And the cost is significant: a roll of 36 exposures costs around R$ 50, and developing and digitizing costs another R$ 50. César estimates between R$ 4 and R$ 5 per image; Wisniewski has used as many as five to eight rolls in a single game. There are also risks: a whole roll can be lost, there can be exposure errors, lack of light at night, and even running out of film just as the "Green Hell" was about to begin, the green flares party of the Coritiba fans.
The wait is part of the experience. Wisniewski waits a week or a week and a half for the lab results and doesn't edit the images much to preserve the film's aesthetic. César keeps rolls undeveloped and, when he receives the photos, he rediscovers moments he might have forgotten.
The movement extends beyond Brazil: projects like "AnalogFootball" bring together photographers from countries like Brazil, Mexico, the United States, and France who document soccer on film.
Source: Portal Jornalismo ESPM
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