This is the film side of the practice — analogue portraits made on film and self-developed by hand in my darkroom. I work with large format, medium format and 35mm. The format is suggested by the photographer depending on the desired results and workflow. Every sitting is preplanned and art-directed around you. Film is a separate add-on on any sitting — pricing and booking.
What is film and large format portraiture?
Film is usually a translucent roll of celluloid, the substrate for a photosensitive silver emulsion. Large format, the earlier type, follows the same principle but on a sheet of film of much larger dimensions instead of a roll — and it is there that scale starts to work its magic, unmatched to date by any later technology. A good analogy: the feel and fit of natural silk versus synthetic fibres.
The work here is portraiture made on film: both large format and medium format, in the studio or at a location we choose together. It is art-directed as an artwork — made for the sitter, retouched to meet the brief. It is not a commercial shoot that happens to use film. Archival prints and darkroom prints can be commissioned on demand.
What a film sitting is like
A film sitting is slow by nature, and the slowness is the point. There is no burst mode and no “say cheese” — the camera takes as long as the portrait needs. Most of the image takes shape before we meet, as a concept we start to shape through a consultation call.
On the day I direct you through the portrait rather than posing you. You move, hold, breathe — I am watching for the version of you the work is about. Sitters describe it as the opposite of a photo shoot: closer to an insightful dialogue that ends with an image that is the witness. The process is not to be rushed but to be allowed to flow naturally, unforced. A well-planned session usually takes under 2 hours, but I am happy to expand on it if the creative process is especially productive.
Each sitting is either in a studio chosen to fit the particular needs of the shoot or at a location that might be relevant to you, e.g. a work desk, a place of relevance…
Why film, why large format
The scale of the large format negative is what this work is built for: it holds a face the way a smaller negative cannot, with depth and tonal range that carry through to a fine art print. Film then does what film does — the tonal depth, the grain, the wait — and the portrait inherits all of it.
Alongside it, medium format film offers a more fluid workflow, more output and more room for improvisation — for example model books (polas) and editorial work.
As for 35mm, film might be a good complement to an otherwise-digital session — an additional look from the same sitting, without disrupting the workflow.
What sitters say
Had a really great experience shooting portraits together. Very professional but also easygoing, which made me feel comfortable in front of the camera. The photos turned out beautiful — natural, well-composed, and exactly the vibe we wanted.
Christina, Google review
He’s always very professional and prepared but also very talented and the effects are always great! The atmosphere during the shoot is always super friendly and fun.
Julia, Google review
I worked with Virgilio for quite some time and I must say it’s always a pleasure. He is very professional and creative!
Roxana, Google review
Is film included in a sitting?
Film is always a separate add-on — chosen when the portrait calls for it, at the rates on the pricing page.
Where do film sittings take place?
A sitting is either at a location — a place you have access to, or outdoors — or at a selected studio that meets what we need for your particular project.
Frequently asked questions
What is large format portrait photography?
Large format means the negative is a sheet — a hand or more in size — instead of a roll. The camera exposes one frame at a time: very, very slow and intense. A portrait on that scale records depth, texture and presence that smaller formats compress away. This practice makes portraits on large format film, in East London.
What does film add to a portrait?
Tonal depth, grain structure, and the discipline of the medium — each frame is composed before it is taken. Film is a separate add-on on any sitting.
How long does a film sitting take?
Durations are caps, not quotas: a sitting runs up to its agreed time and often finishes early. It ends when the work is made, not when the clock runs out. Full durations are on the pricing page.
Where is the studio?
The studio is chosen depending on your project’s needs — pricing and booking.