Disposable vs. Digital

(Sprinkles Cupcake ATM - Beverly Hills)

I am an absolute sucker for disposable cameras. The obsession started a couple of years back when I started experimenting with different cameras. I asked for a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex camera) for Christmas a few years back and I am still using the same camera to this day! It is a pretty basic Olympus SP-600UZ, but I don't have any faults with it. It was the perfect camera for a beginner, but now that I've gained more skill with photography and filmography, I hope to purchase a new Nikon by the end of the month!

("Fishing for Nugs" - Venice Beach)

DSLR's are a little big to bring to parties or concerts, so usually I would use my phone. I'm obsessed with gritty, film-like photos, (think Petra Collins), and I wanted to achieve this look so badly. I edited my digital photos repetitively, but it just didn't look natural. Finally, I discovered the disposable camera.

They're small, they're cheap and they achieved everything I ever wanted. I've gone through numbers of disposable cameras over the last 2 years and I keep a collection of all my printed images. There is something so humble and old-fashioned about the disposable. The excitement of not being able to see how the image looks (meaning no editing or automatically uploading to Instagram) is so thrilling. I usually cannot wait to print out my images and the best part is spreading them around my bedroom carpet and reliving the memories that lie in each photo.

(Horseback riding in Burbank, CA)

Disposables cost around £4.50 to purchase and £8.00 to print the images. They can be purchased at most supermarkets and usually some drug stores supply them too. I have only ever used Kodak and I wouldn't recommend purchasing disposables from Urban Outfitters (simply because they are over-priced and look no different!)

(Mum and Andy on Santa Monica beach)

Of course, digital is perfect for photography and family get together parties e.t.c, but I urge everyone to bring a disposable to their next concert or night out. Yes, you probably will get a few strange looks, but surprisingly my disposables get the odd compliment!

So, are you going to give disposables a chance or stick to digital?! Let me know what you think in the comments below!

- KVL xo