The resurgence of film photography is a beautiful middle finger to the instant gratification culture. In a society that’s currently obsessed with pixel-perfect images and AI-generated fakery, film is raw, unpredictable and gloriously imperfect. Each analog frame tests the bounds and balance of alchemy, light, framing and chemistry. The results vary, from the hands of one photographer to the next—a tangible slice of reality that digital just can’t replicate.

The “shoot film” revival is breathing life into Vegas’ local art scene, turning iPhone-gripping, living, breathing tripods into artists—each shot demanding thought and intention, each fresh exposure a gamble. Local labs and camera shops are once again thriving sanctuaries where professionals and hobbyists alike can swap secrets and tips.

Film photography has always been around, but in recent years more people have begun looking back in time to capture modern life. Sure, everyone nowadays wants to be a photographer, and most of those 35mm shots end up on the ‘gram—ironic, isn’t it? Yet this comeback was inevitable given humans’ natural instinct to stay grounded. Every light leak, overexposed, unfocused, thumb-on lens photo story tells a story. But the most important of these stories is humanity’s continuing pursuit for authenticity, and we looked to the images and words of several local photographers to see it told.

JOSEPH VALENCIA

@funky.red.lips | Preferred camera and film stock: Any disposable camera

“I think I’ve always been into capturing sh*t,” Joseph Valencia says, a sentiment that resonates through his photos. Valencia is the kind of guy who’s on your radar if you’re attuned to the grimy underbelly of Vegas. A disposable camera aficionado, Valencia’s shots are intimate, candid and raw, marked by his unflinching use of flash as he navigates frenetic crowds.

His foray into photography began in high school, when his government teacher passed down her grandfather’s 35mm camera to him, sparking a lifelong passion. Digital cameras felt too intimidating with their endless settings and menus, so he turned to the simplicity of disposables.

Although consistently shooting and scanning, Valencia doesn’t consider himself a professional. “I wouldn’t say I’m a professional unless I was making money from this,” he says. Yet Valencia’s beer-soaked, in-your-face, stylized photography is a refreshingly new take on the excessively-shot neons and characters of Fremont Street. He captures visceral reality: bloody noses, sleepy-eyed showgirls, buskers, the inebriated, the unhoused and elderly tourists clutching their pearls. Shots of DJ turntables blend with images of spontaneous art installations and various friends.

A born people-watcher, Valencia’s slight staring problem becomes an asset, allowing him to spot moments others might miss.

“Satisfaction comes from seeing the work and seeing my progress,” he says. “I like being in the streets, just being outside…it’s part of my vices.”

EDWARD PAGÁN II

@yourgirlsfavoritepizzaboy | Preferred camera and film stock: Pentax 6x7 with Lomography 800 or Tri-X 400

Edward Pagán II is the kind of photographer who straddles the line between the modern digital age and the allure of film. His earliest memories of film photography are tied to the disposable camera he used during a trip to New York to visit his father as a child. Years later, like many aspiring photogs, he began his journey with a digital camera, but its slick functionality didn’t satisfy him. A chance swap meet encounter with a box of old film cameras re-ignited his passion.

“I had my Sony, but when I was losing the love for it, that’s when I started shooting more film,” he says.

Now, as a self-taught film virtuoso, Pagán’s portfolio spans editorial shots, portraits, landscapes, vintage cars and events, showcasing his versatility and willingness to get out there. Vegas is his canvas, a city where beauty is often hidden in the muck. But Pagán sees past that.

“I have this affinity for trash cans…just seeing the beauty in the ugly,” he explains. His photos often feature subjects framed by dilapidated backdrops—blending decay with splendor.

The local film community is a mixed bag of gatekeepers and genuine enthusiasts, Pagán says. “It’s nice to have a friendly competition ... but, I don’t gatekeep because I don’t have to.” His Instagram posts lay it all bare, listing the camera and film stock details for each shot.

Navigating the bridge from digital to analog has endowed Pagán with a unique perspective. “Shooting film has given me knowledge and helps me see different things…to not be so cookie-cutter,” he says.

NORMA JEAN ORTEGA

normajeanortega.com | Preferred camera and film stock: Olympus Stylus and Canon AE-1 with Lomography 800 or Kodak Gold 200

“Film is what did it for me.”

Film photography’s nostalgic and dreamy elements have called to multimedia content creator Norma Jean Ortega since adolescence. “I’ve been around cameras my entire life,” she says.

Her father, a lifelong photographer, provided her initial introduction to the work. “He owned a one-hour photo shop when he came to Las Vegas from the Philippines. But the only ones he’d let me shoot [with] were the point-and-shoot cameras.”

Her epiphany was reinforced in attending a black-and-white film photography class during her college years. The intimacy of the darkroom, the trial-and-error of shooting and the tactile process of developing strips of films solidified her calling. “It sparked something in me where I was like, ‘I love this, I want to do this forever.’”

Ortega roams the forgotten corners of Vegas, capturing its decrepit signage, signature architecture and glittering neon. It’s a visual form of archeology, preserving an older, less sleek Vegas that grows more scarce by the day. 

The resurgence of film photography was inevitable, Ortega says. “Things come back in style eventually…I love it and I hate it, because the prices of film and cameras have gone up exponentially.” But that thrill of capturing the perfect image, sometimes unexpectedly, is what keeps her pursuing this craft.

Like many artists, she often finds herself being overly critical of her work. “There’s a handful of photos that I love to revisit….sometimes, I’ll look at a whole roll of film and think it sucks and two years later, I think, wait a second these are pretty amazing.”

DAVID ROBLES

@davidroblezz | Preferred camera and film stock: Canon Elan 7S with Portra 400, Kodak Tri-X 400, Lomography experimental film stocks

A decade into his photography journey, David Robles has mastered a gift for transforming the mundane into the mesmerizing. His double-exposure techniques, paired with an abstract approach and a clever use of stencils, crafts visual complexities rather than upfront imagery.

“I want people to question how I capture the image; I want them to question what they’re looking at,” he says.

Robles’ path began at the College of Southern Nevada, where he studied videography. Though he ditched the courses, those filmmaking fundamentals stuck. “I’m capturing still rather than moving images, but everything applies in the same way,” he explains.

After spending time becoming familiar with the functions of a digital camera, Robles took the leap and purchased his first 35mm model, a Canon AE-1, the same one his grandfather once owned and that he would fiddle with as a child.

The charm of shooting film lies in its challenges. “It forces you to slow down,” Robles says. Each image he makes, often months in the making, demands precision and patience. Despite the early frustrations of trial and error, Robles has since found satisfaction in the experimental elements and mastery of his intentions. His portfolio is a kaleidoscope of visuals, including lifestyle shots, street scenes, nature landscapes and portraits.

Vegas is a playground for photographers, and Robles uses this to his advantage. “We’re known for neon signs and extravagance but when I’m out shooting street photography, I’m taking all of that in but also the commotion,” he says. The resurgence of interest in film photography is exciting to him, in the way its opened the door for creative exploration and fostered the opening of local businesses who want to support the community.

“Photography has helped me shape the way I approach expressing myself,” says Robles. “It allows me to hone in my creativity.”

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