Photography

Great stories don’t always start with a camera. Sometimes they start with a family recipe, a conversation, a moment between classes, or simply paying attention to the people around you. For Kayla Rivers, storytelling is about finding those moments and giving them the space they deserve. As she builds her career across documentary filmmaking, content creation, and the entertainment industry, Kayla is interested in creating work that feels authentic, personal, and representative of the people behind the story. We caught up with Kayla to talk about finding her voice at Spelman, making meaningful work with the gear you already have, taking creative risks before you feel ready, and why listening may be one of a storyteller’s most important skills.

Your phone can sharpen a dark restaurant selfie, remove a stranger from the background, and make a sunset look like it was professionally lit. So why are people hunting down digital cameras from 2008 with tiny screens, slow zooms, and batteries that have seen better days?

Film photography is back, but why aren’t more brands making new film cameras? That is the contradiction we keep bumping into: photographers are buying film cameras, shooting rolls, getting them developed, and fully immersing themselves in this medium… yet the industry has not responded with a flood of new 35mm film cameras. The Pentax 17 proved that a major brand can still build a new film camera in the 2020s, so the bigger question is sharper: if people clearly want film, why aren’t companies making film cameras at scale? 

Choosing between medium-format film and large-format film is really a choice between two different creative rhythms. Medium format gives you a bigger negative than 35mm while still feeling relatively portable and roll-friendly. Large format, especially 4×5 film, slows the process down and rewards careful composition, camera movements, and a more hands-on approach.

Camera specs have a funny way of turning photography into a numbers game. 24MP used to feel impressive, then came 36MP, 45MP, then 60MP, and now we’re casually shopping in a world where “high resolution” keeps getting higher. So… do you need 60MP?

Film photography has never been just about the final image. The appeal is in the entire process: choosing a stock, loading a roll, working within a fixed ISO, making an exposure, and waiting to see what you actually got. The resulting grain, color, contrast, and highlight response are part of that equation.

As fashion weeks approach, the visual noise starts to build before the first model steps onto the runway. There will be backstage clips, front-row portraits, street-style galleries, campaign teasers, and thousands of near-instant digital images competing for attention. In the middle of that flood, one creative choice still feels surprisingly powerful: fashion photography on film.

Modern cameras deliver instant results: tap the shutter, check the screen, edit, share, repeat. A 35mm film camera asks for something else entirely: load the roll, choose carefully, wait for development, and meet your images later. So why would anyone choose old film cameras from decades ago when today’s gear is faster in nearly every way? From our view at KEH, the answer is simple: easier isn’t always more enjoyable.

You take the perfect photo… same mysterious dark spot… and suddenly your sky, wall, or clean studio backdrop looks like it brought a tiny uninvited guest. That spot may be camera sensor dust, and this guide walks you through safe camera sensor cleaning at home without making it feel like camera repair school. The KEH team is here as your trusted gear mentor: calm, practical, and honest about when DIY sensor cleaning is smart—and when it’s better to let a pro handle it.

Exclusive partnership expands factory-authorized repair services across the U.S. and Canada, reinforcing a shared commitment to quality, craftsmanship and the circular economy.

There are plenty of ways to learn photography, but some of the best lessons come from photographers who have already been where you are. Whether you’re balancing classes, building a portfolio, or trying to land your first paid shoot, hearing how someone else navigated those challenges can make the path ahead a little clearer.

There is nothing quite like the unpredictable, fast-paced energy of street photography—especially in a city as architecturally rich as Atlanta. To help you capture the streets like a pro, we are thrilled to announce the upcoming KEH x VSCO Photowalk, led by internationally exhibited street and architecture photographer, Branden May.