A brand built on slowing down in a world that moves too fast.
We're CATCH, a brand built on slowing down in a world that moves too fast.
We believe in real moments, not endless scrolling. Moments that aren't perfect, but raw, nostalgic, and true.
Analogue photography is our tool to achieve that — to slow down, create and practice patience.
It began when Ali asked: what else could I be doing instead of scrolling? (More on that below.)
And now, we exist to bring people together — away from screens, back into life.
We design and make reusable 35mm film cameras — point-and-shoot, built-in flash, 28mm lens, no menus, no apps, no settings to mess up. The one you actually bring.
We make our own 35mm film. Each summer we release a single seasonal stock — currently Niras — designed for sun, skin tones and parties. When the season ends, so does the roll.
We develop every roll in our lab, scan in high resolution, and email you a private gallery within 7 days. No printing receipts at the chemist. No middle-men. Nothing to chase.
One company. One workflow. Real photos.
Phones make taking photos almost too easy. You shoot fifty in a row, never look back, delete the lot in a year.
Film slows you down. 24 shots. One chance. You think about the frame. You look up from your screen.
The photos that come back feel different — softer, warmer, more like memories than receipts. That's the whole point.
Film won't fix everything. But it's a small daily rebellion against an algorithm that wants your attention every minute. And it works.
Embracing new experiences and getting creative is good for you and good for society.
We're building CATCH to get you off your phone and connected to the people and places around you.
Taking photos on film and waiting to see the results helps us be more patient — in an increasingly impatient world.
I started CATCH from a tiny room during lockdown, when we were starved of real connection.
Plenty of time to think, and think ahead, and worry that we might not make the most of our time. The time with each other, the time exploring. The long lunches, the new locations, the lost moments.
I was also increasingly addicted to my phone. Wasting away.
Taking and sharing photos became a way to channel my creativity, express myself and connect with other people. And then film provided an experience that was completely novel — the unknowns, the wait, and of course the film aesthetic.
Film felt how life should, or what I wanted life to be — a bit slower, more honest and unpredictable.
It's taught me that to go far, you have to slow down. To connect, you have to disconnect. And the best way to extend a holiday is to have a few rolls of film to get developed when you get home.
There is irony and tension in CATCH, but I believe it is a pull back to how things were, and more importantly a pull away from the way the world is evolving.
You shouldn't need permission to pause. You don't need permission to create.
But without these two things, I think we will very quickly end up lacking purpose and identity. And that would be awful. Even worse, we all end up the same.
CATCH is my reaction to that possibility, and I hope enough of you will agree to make it a worthwhile pursuit, for now at least.
— Ali
We work with brand partners to deliver analogue experiences — kitting out festivals, weddings, campaign shoots and brand launches with CATCH cameras, custom film, and a developing service on the other side. If you want to put a camera in your guests' or audience's hands instead of a phone, we'll help you make it.
We also work with charities using photography as a tool for connection and creative expression. We partner with Shine Camera Club to put real cameras — not phones — in the hands of young people, supporting workshops that get them away from screens and into the world. It's the same idea CATCH was built on, applied to the people who'll most benefit from it.
If you'd like to collaborate, send us a brief at fullservice@catchcameras.com.
Email a real person at fullservice@catchcameras.com, or message us on Instagram @catchcameras.
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