Analog football is better

The charm of the film, the charming effect of an action that is both past and present. It is the cyclical nature of photographic expression, it is the timeless power of analog shooting.

We asked Sabi Singh, a photographer immersed in the Analog Football and Analog Sport projects, to tell us how this practice is redefining contemporary visual-sporting standards. We added a gallery of his shots to his words. Good vision!

Why did you decide to use Analog photography to portray sport? How did you discover this photographic universe?

I think analog photography is perfect for sports, normally you should use a fast camera to photograph sports: with analog it’s the opposite, the process is slower, you have to take your time, and you’re somehow limited. I think analog + sports is perfect! I discovered analog photography thanks to Analog Sport project.

Could you tell us something about the Analog Football and the Analog Sport projects?

Analog Football is the first media dedicated to football film photography, it gathers a worldwide community passionate by football and analog photography. Analog Sport is a project which aims to train young people in film sports photography for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

What do you think are the positive sides of this kind of photography? And what are the difficulties?

The positive fact is that you have a lot of films, which means you have different results, and also that it’s a rewarding process (it’s great to see that you have nice pictures after waiting for the film processing + scanning). Analog photography also helps you with the composition, because you’re limited with 36 shots per film, so you will make sure that each shot is worth it. The downsides are probably the film and cameras prices that are rising so much.

In your pictures you alternate portraits of usual football and fashion football. What are you looking for in these two worlds that are close and, at the same time, distant from each other?

I’m just trying to show that football is everywhere. You don’t have to be in a football game in order to ‘represent it’. You can be everywhere, if you bring a kit or a ball… Football is there. I’m not good at turning my thoughts into words, that’s why I’m trying to show them with my pictures.

Football jerseys look like your favorite subjects. What strikes you about these objects? Do you think that analog shots can embellish the aesthetics of these sports fetishes?

Yes definitely, I think that analog + football jerseys is a beautiful combo. It has something special! I always say that an analog picture has more value than a digital one.

What is the most beautiful kit you photographed?

Hard question! I would say Italy ‘Renaissance’ kit, I need to do another photoshooting with this one. I would also add Norway away!