In 1984, I began my training as a photographer, and about 15 years later, I started experimenting with digital photography. By now, I’ve been working digitally longer than I ever worked with film. Yes, I certainly understand the appeal of “analog,” but it remains just that—an appeal—at least for me.

I’ve certainly shot a million slides, most of them for commissioned work. So I can confidently say that I’ve had plenty of practice exposing film. The only significant difference was that you had to be certain—not just in the technical process, but also in your creative approach. We photographers didn’t have the option to “optimize” the image afterward. It was difficult to achieve the desired composition through trial and error; the image took shape in our minds. Perhaps that was also the key difference between us and most amateurs. We professionals were reasonably confident in the process. The equipment wasn’t simple enough to produce reproducible results a few times a year.

For example, we worked with Polaroids. Of course, they had their charm, but they also generated an unbelievable amount of waste; they were incredibly expensive, and the chemical residue on clothing and skin wasn’t exactly pleasant either. And then there was the whole film thing… You were considered a professional if you’d bought enough rolls of a particular emulsion. For me, that meant I was quickly shelling out 5,000.00 DM for film every 2–3 months. But then those rolls also had to be stored properly, since the film would change color very quickly—especially in the summer. And of course, they hadn’t been developed yet. E6: Mixing chemicals, putting up with color casts in the summer, and using neutral density filters. Storing old chemicals and then having hundreds of liters disposed of every month. I don’t even want to talk about the real disasters, like incorrect exposures, lack of sharpness, or simply a speck of dust right in the middle of the shot.

Aside from the struggles, there were, of course, other positive moments as well. There was much more time for breaks—Polaroid breaks, developing breaks, and soon.

In recent years, I’ve come across the term “false colors” and heard how great they are. Yes, I get the appeal, but it wasn’t appealing at all without the “digital” alternative.

And anyone who’s ever permanently stained their new jeans with bleach-fix will understand me.