A VERY RELEVANT SURVEY

[Steve Smith]

And is he part of a tube or a valve?

You can tell which designation I would use from one of my links below. I expect you use the other one though.


Steve.

 

[Chuck_P]

48, started photography at 17.

 

[liquid695]

47, started photography at 12.

 

[jeffreyg]

72 ( at least a Bruce at 73 keeps me from being the oldest responding to this thread, thanks) started at 30.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[David Lyga]

Well, after a few days hiatus from a computer (in order to go to Connecticut to visit my 90 year old father for Fathers' Day) I must say without equivocation that I am rather impressed with the (almost) obsession with film.

And I am also pleased with the number of people at, or younger than, that critical age of 30-35. There really is something about analog that keeps one's interest. I consider it to be an undefined intimacy and understandability. Even though I do commit sacrilege by stating the treachery that, in theory, digital is superior in concept, I also state, just as vehemently, that the utter simplicity of the chemical process and the state of art of film technology today almost forces one, an objective, fair one, to venture into analog.

We will see as the years pass what actually happens, but I do believe that in my lifetime I will never be without materials to process film. And I do hope to reach 100 with ease. - David Lyga

 

[MattKing]

I turned 56 a couple of days ago.

I've been shooting film since I was 8 (and in darkrooms since I was 11).

Photography helps keep me young at heart!

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

I was 18 when I got my first camera, a film camera. I don't think the word "digital" had even been invented back then! Many, many film cameras followed in the next 30+ years. Now 51 and absolutely no sign of the flame waning.

 

[ME Super]

I was 18 when I got my first camera, a film camera. I don't think the word "digital" had even been invented back then! Many, many film cameras followed in the next 30+ years. Now 51 and absolutely no sign of the flame waning.

Here's an interesting Information Tech. history factoid for you... The Zuse Z3 was built in 1941. It was an electro-mechanical computer whose programs were stored in computer-readable form on... are you ready for this? 35mm film. :w00t:

 

[ME Super]

I'm 42. Got into photography around 11 or 12. Came back to film after a 10-year hiatus with numeric photography. I'm loving the dark side!

 

[ic-racer]

I processed my first B&W film and contact prints in 1972. Irrespective of my age, my children have all shot film and made prints and seem to have an interest in film.

 

[Bruce Osgood]

72 ( at least a Bruce at 73 keeps me from being the oldest responding to this thread, thanks) started at 30.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

I'd better get my oar in the water. 73 and my name is Bruce AND i'm originally from Michigan... small world kind of thing. Started at 60.

 

[benjiboy]

I'm 73 and I started at the age of thirteen when my dad gave me a Zeiss Contax he brought back from WW11 that I still have and use.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I started at 1010. In the last few years I added MF and LF. I am 1000010.

 

[cepwin]

I'm 50. Growing up all there was was film and we always had some sort of camera...I remember we had a series of Polaroids. I had some exposure (pardon the pun) to the darkroom though summer camp and a friend in middle school who had one. I started shooting serious digital in December and then saw what people were doing with film when attending an art fair. Learned some more listening to podcasts and decided I wanted to try it. I'm set up now to process b/w film and I have an enlarger that was given to me which as soon as I can figure out some sort of table I want to try some b/w prints.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

I'm 50. Growing up [...]

Gee, that's impressive.
I live by the old saying that if I haven't grown up by 50, I don't have to! And that's the way it is.

 

[baachitraka]

32. Started an year ago with 35mm B+W film. Now, I do not need more or less...

 

[Ricus.stormfire]

I've been making photographs for 10 years....tried both film & digital, I prefer film and darkroom work. I'm 29.

 

[darkosaric]

A VERY RELEVANT SURVEY

Since I like this idea: here is current status so far in excel table ... you can continue to keep it up to date.

 

[David Lyga]

darkosaric: I started at age 14 (1964) if you want to update your list.

Honestly, your Excel worksheet provides data for real value in this analog/digital determination. There are many ways of massaging this data and maybe you should consider listing the data from youngest to oldest (or oldest to youngest). But, also, your second column stating WHEN the person adopted film is highly relevant as well. A person who is older and JUST started with analog is interesting. The fact that film 'won' this person over recently is highly relevant to our survey; merely stating how old one is NOW becomes even moot at times without the other data.

There are many different ways of determining just how popular film is NOW and how important it will be in the future. For example, one is 'why' still film. Economic or otherwise: film is cheapest to START with (if you do not have the necessary technology at your ready and convenient disposal). Also the psychological 'comfort' of seeing your capture in the form of a negative I think has the MOST to do with why I cherish film so much. As analogy, if I were to take a far away trip, say to Europe again, I would bring travelers cheques because I want to 'see' how much I have instead of 'trusting' a computer to read me the (hopefully) correct dollar balance or even 'swallow' my debit card. Also, I would not have to worry about the card not being accepted. (NOTE: I do know that some banks now will not accept them but there ALWAYS is somewhere to cash them, even if at American Express.)

Many will find that assessment funny, quaint or other but, to me, that is a real issue. I simply cannot adapt to 'knowing', in the form of 'digital trust', without seeing first hand. I feel the same way about traveling in an automobile with GPS navigation. I despise this method and need to first Google the address map so that I see the entire grid in my mind. I, then, can easily find my own best route with ease. I hate going step by step without seeing the entire picture beforehand. That is just the way I think and I get terribly confused otherwise. Place me in a strange city with a good map and I will be happy and content and never afraid. At 20, in 1970, I went to Europe alone for six months and enjoyed each and every minute. Darkosaric, I even visited relatives in Wolow, near Wroclaw Poland!

I also envision analog manufacturers gaining practical insight from this survey. - David Lyga

 

[tron_]

22 here, started shooting photos seriously when I was 16 and dabbled in film here and there. Really got into film a little over a year ago and never looked back

 

[David Lyga]

THAT is the response that we all want to hear: from someone who knew 'nothing other than digital' and had 'no reason' to choose film. YOU are what we need to keep our addiction alive, tron. Thank you for this. At 22, you deliver hope. - David Lyga

 

[Bob Carnie]

I am turning 60 soon, and still very active with film, our first assistant is 25 , she just won OCAD University photo prize, and for a gift we gave her a Titan pinhole camera and two hundred sheets of FP4. She is in Tehran today starting to use the camera and in the fall coming back to assist in our darkrooms and lightrooms, for a two year apprenticeship before she continues on to Montreal for her Masters.

In Toronto there seems to be a lot of young photographers interested in film and alternative process. Gallery 44 membership is large and mostly young artists, this facility has a wonderful darkroom setup for rent and teaching.

Unfortunately I see film and paper prices going up, I do not see them going away, but the major influx of new users will IMO be those who embrace digital and film processes and can use them both, singulary or in combination with each other. The cost of the materials will be high but that may weed out the wannabees.

If Harmon makes the 8x10 titan then I am a happy camper and will stock up on FP4.. My wife just bought another two holgas yesterday and I would love to see a 8x10 version holga.

Joining our ownership team is Paulette , who is a graduate of ACAD in Alberta and her dream is to be a silver and alt printer as well make her own photographic projects. She just hasn't realized how difficult it is to be taught by an old coot like myself , I will teach her for the next 10 years and then she is on her own to find her future in printing.

So from our perspective the future is bright with young photographers not only working with film, but more significantly investing in a hybrid company like ours with a mandate to print in a darkroom until no product is available , and even then we will be making our own emulsions and tissues and continuing on.

 

[Eric Rose]

Seems we are a middle aged lot. Nice to see the under 40's represented. We need to work harder to attract more of them. I'm 58.

 

[Bob Carnie]

You can help that cause by not posting images of you in the water with the cottage cheeze showing.
Talk about turning off a bunch of people to this site.

Seems we are a middle aged lot. Nice to see the under 40's represented. We need to work harder to attract more of them. I'm 58.

 

[eclarke]

I'm 61, started in about 1972 but lost interest because I couldn't have my own darkroom and waiting for the film to come back was tedious. I started doing digital photography in about 1997 but also started dabbling in film again. I took digital as far as I wanted, was unhappy with it and had a pretty sizeable film arsenal on the side. Quit the digital in about 2005 and have been on a film tear ever since, also much happier. I now have 2000 sq.ft. of darkroom, a dozen enlargers, a nice Uv exposure unit, double Jobos, a nice chem formulary and nothing but darkroom fun!!