Bright exposure, warm tones, vivid colors and grainy quality. SCHS students have ditched digital cameras and opted for the vintage-feel of single-use disposable film.

Disposable film cameras were created to make the art of photography convenient and affordable. Now these cameras have prompted photography to make a comeback among teenagers as a novel way to capture moments in time and experience a sense of nostalgia.

Sophomore Kevin Grespan enjoys sharing his film photos with his friends.

“The imagery and how the photos come out ‘vintage’ fits in with the aesthetic of people now,” Grespan said.

Similarly, senior Deanne Ramos shares an interest in disposable film photography. She runs an Instagram account dedicated to sharing retro-style shots.

“I made it because some people and friends wanted the pictures, and I got lazy handing it out to them,” Ramos said. “Making an Instagram account is just easier for them to see all the pictures, and it’s also a way to document my life.”

When it comes to taking photos, Ramos prefers her disposable camera for the excitement of the process.

“I like how you don’t remember what pictures you took,” Ramos said. “When you get them developed, it’s so fun to remember it all and see how the pictures turned out.”

Along with Ramos, senior Izzy Borge engages herself in film photography as a hobby.

“I think the overall experience of bringing your camera to places, having to turn the dial in order to take those pictures, and waiting for the pictures to come out makes it unique,” Borge said.

With a disadvantage of the camera itself, Borge explains the popularity of the film has made it a costly hobby.

“It’s around $28 for one camera and I believe you can take around 27-28 pictures, so it’s pretty much $1 per picture,” Borge said.

Despite her interest in film, freshman Eudora Woldesilassie agrees with the inconvenience when it comes to capturing photos with a Polaroid camera.

“I don’t believe you can turn off the flash on the camera, so if you’re in the sun, the picture will come out bad,” Woldesilassie said. “Also, you have to wait a few weeks to get those pictures, and you don’t really know what they’ll end up looking like.”

Disposable film does have its flaws compared to a digital phone camera. Ramos, however, believes a film camera holds more sentimental value than material worth.

“It’s just a piece of plastic, and anyone can take it and take pictures. It holds value, but not so much as a phone,” Ramos said. “It captures the moment.”

While most trends come and go, Borge believes disposable film and cameras will be something to stay.

“Looking through photo albums with my family and seeing different pictures they’ve taken when they were younger,” Borge said. “ I think it’s an ongoing thing that will get passed down.”