Most 35mm film scanners crop out film borders, removing sprocket holes and text markings that prove an image was shot on film. This post explores why film borders matter, from preserving composition integrity (as Henri Cartier-Bresson emphasized) to acting as a certificate of authenticity for analog photography.

While some photographers see borders as unnecessary, others value them for their aesthetic appeal and proof of unaltered composition. The post also calls for scanner manufacturers to offer an option to preserve film edges.

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