At Bennett Winch, there is a devotion to objects of soul and purpose. We are fixated by instruments built for the long haul, which wear their scrapes and scuffs like badges of honour. My Pentax 6x7 camera falls into this category. I bought it at an auction without any knowledge of its previous life. It was manufactured sometime in the mid-to-late 1980s and carries all the character of a workhorse – a veteran in the field.

The camera itself offers very little in terms of user experience compared to modern cameras. It weighs a tonne and is difficult to hold for long periods of time. When shooting at slower shutter speeds, the slap of its large mirror makes working with it a physical endeavour. I’ve found that squashing the side of my nose against the back of the camera and firing at the bottom of my breath is the best way to counteract the violent recoil. It’s the sniper’s way.

To consider shooting the launch campaign for our new Sport Holdall with this camera would be madness. But considering we had another photographer shooting digital, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to wheel out the beast. 

I have to come clean; when it comes to shooting campaigns on film, I’m no pro. Far from it. I’ve shot plenty on digital. And if you weigh up the pros and cons of each, digital is the pragmatic choice. It’s faster, cheaper and safer. But a physical negative is commitment to the craft. Having a limited number of shots on a roll and each roll costing the equivalent of a round in the pub forces a more precious approach. You work harder for the shot and if it’s not right, you abort.

In the music world, synthesisers didn't kill the guitar or drums. It became a new medium to create new music. Over the past decade, film has been finding its new place within photography. As AI begins to 'synthesise' imagery, the analogue community has become a champion of live recording. By choosing film, you take on the role of the session musician.

I will admit there is a level of pretentiousness to it. I am comfortable with that. Firing the shutter, cocking the camera, changing the film – it all becomes part of the ritual. It’s the grand piano over the electronic keyboard.

Bennett Winch isn’t anti-technology. We are simply proponents of raw performance.