How to promote film use?

MDR · Jan 6, 2012

PKM-25 comment on the Is Kodak dead thread made me think about starting a thread about how we can promote film use and how Apug could help in promoting film and analogue photography.

1) Showing Kids, young adults and all other people the wonder of film and darkroom
2) Sending in analogue photographic works to all relevant Photomags
3) Pushing for film on professional jobs
4) Buying Film
5) Shooting lots of film
etc...
I am open for any suggestions

Dominik

BrianShaw · Jan 6, 2012

I do 4 and 5. When doing 4, I meet with frequent pathetic looks from camera shop owners/clerks who go out of their way to apologize for not having much film anymore. When doing 5, I meet with looks of either 1) envy or 2) amazement and comments about the old fuddy-duddy and his old fashioned cameras that he still plays with. For the record, I don't consider myself an "old fuddy-duddy" at all.

If the list separates 4 from 5, then add a 6) Processing lots of film. I do that too.

tjaded · Jan 6, 2012

I'm doing my part...I opened an analog only photo store! Who knows if it even will register as a blip on the radar, but I'm trying to keep film going strong in my little corner of the world.

MDR · Jan 6, 2012

tjaded like your Idea film and (root) beer this has got to work. First we weaken their senses with beer and later we get them to buy film

Dominik

spacer · Jan 6, 2012

My daughter's after school program frequently brings in folks to host science related projects for them. I'm planning to help Zoe build a
pinhole camera and take a few photos with it for her next show-n-tell, and if it goes well, I'll talk to the after-school folks about building
a few more for the kids to use... and materials for the older kids to make their own.

I think a really killer way to promote film would be to have a subscription and/or rent based darkroom setup, maybe base an analog photo club around it.

Ken Nadvornick · Jan 6, 2012

Every time I set up my 8x10 in public and then patiently answer dozens of curious questions* I'm promoting film use. Camera setup is always the beginning of an improptu free public seminar.

Ken

* And also let anyone who asks go under the darkcloth to see just what the mystery is all about. Heck, I even carry a small step stool in the back of my truck just to accomodate the kids who invariably want to look.

tjaded · Jan 6, 2012

It's great how a dark cloth brings out the interest in people. LOVE IT!

BrianShaw · Jan 6, 2012

I don't know if I showed you guys these, or if it was some other forum... but look at what I saw as I drove home from work earlier this week (don't forget to rotate your head CCW 90 deg):

Klainmeister · Jan 6, 2012

I've been buying cheap 35mm RFs and SLRs (relative to their price 10 years ago), handing em out to friends and family, have them send me the rolls to process and print/scan, and after a roll or two, most have started their own regime.

First dime bag ought to be free, my Oakland friend reminds me.

cliveh · Jan 6, 2012

I think the test of time will show the value of film. As digital replaces 99% of photography, leaving film photography in the same context as a fine art, people will wonder why 170 years of chemical photography produced such wonderful images which cant be replicated by digital capture.

MDR · Jan 6, 2012

Cliveh of course the test of time will work in films favour as 99% of all digital content will be lost in the next say 50 years and that's one of the reason why I consider politicians and TV managers support for digital so shameful. BBC doesn't accept documentaries shot on film anymore, why because it's doesn't work with their cheap HD encoding algorithm. At every lecture and at every discussion about the long term storage of digital and analogue image material I take part in I tell people to use film because otherwise their work will be lost. Digital long term storage is 30 years at best digital long term storage on film is up to 500 + years.

Film and the rosetta stone (disc) are the only long term storage devises for digital data believe it or not.
The claim 200 years + life expectancy of certain printer inks is in my opinion pretty close to fraud.

So in my case

6) Promote film as the cheapest and best long term digital storage devise

Dominik

NB23 · Jan 6, 2012

MDR said:
PKM-25 comment on the Is Kodak dead thread made me think about starting a thread about how we can promote film use and how Apug could help in promoting film and analogue photography.

1) Showing Kids, young adults and all other people the wonder of film and darkroom
2) Sending in analogue photographic works to all relevant Photomags
3) Pushing for film on professional jobs
4) Buying Film
5) Shooting lots of film
etc...
I am open for any suggestions

Dominik

Altough I like PKM-25 and respect his dedication, let's say that he could start by not letting his kodachromeproject forum agonizing and die, maybe then he could give lessons?

Just a thought.

Rudeofus · Jan 6, 2012

John Chrysostom said:
Shine like light in the dark world ... you wouldn't have to say this if you life really shone. There would be no need for instruction if we let our deeds speak.
[...]
how should we convince them of our faith? Through miracles? Miracles won't happen any more. Through our behavior? It's bad, though. Through love? There are no signs of it.

Although John Chrysostom certainly didn't speak about photographic film, he is spot on when it comes to promotion of ideas.

Shoot good pics which shine within nowadays spring flood of imagery. Make people want to shoot like you and they will come. Help them get started if they come.

Aristophanes · Jan 6, 2012

Occupy digital?

Wayne · Jan 6, 2012

I promoted the knowledge that traditional methods still exist by convincing the director of the local art institute to require that all exhibitor's "photographs" be labeled as to the type of photographic print. Over the last 10 years everything shot with a lens had blurred into just "photograph". Unfortunately that director left, so I will probably have to start all over again with the new one.

PKM-25 · Jan 6, 2012

tjaded said:
I'm doing my part...I opened an analog only photo store! Who knows if it even will register as a blip on the radar, but I'm trying to keep film going strong in my little corner of the world.

My wife has a business trip to Pleasanton Monday through Wednesday. I was thinking of hanging back and getting things done around here, but then I read this and *just* booked the flight, I am coming to see your shop.

Look folks, I am tired of the negativity, I prefer the kind you can print from if you know what I mean.
After spending 4 hours on the road, networking with other photogs and venting to a friend of mine over a cup of coffee about the other thread, I checked in and saw this. So thanks for taking my rant seriously, I think we all know what is at stake here and that we need to REALLY get into action.

I take this very seriously and very personally, I don't want to be a photographer in a world where my only option is digital. PM my Tjaded, I will be in Oakland Monday afternoon, but would like to meet up on Tuesday, Tri-X and Leicas in hand...

PKM-25 · Jan 6, 2012

NB23 said:
Altough I like PKM-25 and respect his dedication, let's say that he could start by not letting his kodachromeproject forum agonizing and die, maybe then he could give lessons?

Just a thought.

Oh, I can very much appreciate this, I have had a very busy year and really want to get my book out but I know the site can transform into a whole new realm, not for me, but for everyone else. About a month ago, I did a day long shoot in trade for web services just for the reason of totally revamping the site.

Hang in there NB23, I am only one person and I am trying to figure out where to go with it next..

Photo Engineer · Jan 6, 2012

You would be surprise at the number of people who want help in devising a sink line Kodachrome process. some of them are very elegant. This might revive some Kodachrome things.

PE

huddy · Jan 6, 2012

Photo Engineer said:
You would be surprise at the number of people who want help in devising a sing line Kodachrome process. some of them are very elegant. This might revive some Kodachrome things.

PE

PE, I certainly hope that one of them is successful. Processing for Kodachrome stopped before I bought my first film camera and I would love to have a chance to use it one day.

huddy · Jan 6, 2012

If I am ever able to get a job that leaves me more discretionary income, I would love to go around to fleamarkets and pick up a few basic manual or AF film bodies paired with 50mm primes and give them to friends with a couple of rolls of B&W or C41 and offer to process/print/scan it for them. It's way more fun than pulling out an iphone.

OzJohn · Jan 7, 2012

MDR said:
Digital long term storage is 30 years at best digital long term storage on film is up to 500 + years.

Dominik

It is too early, as yet, for definitive proof that either of these assertions is correct. OzJohn

Photo Engineer · Jan 7, 2012

However, in a stretch, if Film vanishes, how many of you really want to learn how to make it? Really. For your own use?

Practically no one wants to. Out of the APUG membershop of over 50,000, I find about 50 people interested. What kind of interest is that? I think that the really serious users here number around 500.

PE

spacer · Jan 7, 2012

It's not something I'd do solo, no. If a few other folks locally wanted to get together and work on it with me, I'd be a lot more willing to put some effort into it.
Otherwise, I'll use my film cameras as long as they're viable, then they'll go on the shelf... taken down at intervals to exercise, of course.

theoria · Jan 7, 2012

I guess each of us can do his/her little bit of promoting. I already converted a couple of photographer friends to film simply by showing them how beautiful the colors come out, what you can get with a medium format camera instead of an APS-C sensor, or how the unique structure of a BW film grain can add to the aesthetics of the picture. After shooting digital for some time (which gets rather boring) they came to recognize and appreciate the qualities of film pretty easily.

I never thought of my occasional film promoting as contributing to saving the medium, but merely as sharing with friends what delights me. Nevertheless, if everyone would help just one friend discover the qualities of film, the market for analogue photographic products would practically double, which is no small feat. Think of that.

I also discovered that another attraction of analogue photography were the cameras. The mechanical perfection of an old SLR, with its gears and chromed parts has its charms, unrivaled by the home-appliance look and functioning of a dslr. From my experience, probably the main obstacle that prevents people spontaneously considering film as a viable option are the perceived costs. Paradoxically, analogue is seen as more expensive than digital, although for an amateur it is much, much economical to shoot film.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jan 7, 2012

Old Leica cameras are promoting themselves to use them and only way is film. I think Japanese cameras killed the film.

How to promote film use?

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