I just found a community college in Golden, CO that teaches darkroom. Actually, I found the instructor, who was selling some paper online, and he told me about it. They have a dozen Beseler 23Cs and 2 4x5s. After retiring next spring, I'm going back to college at 66!
Right now, approachong 50, I still think I am done with college....I burned out in the final year of my BSc course. But I'd appreciate more in-person instruction on making B&W prints, if they were to offer that as a standalone course.
And yay to those going back to college in their 60s. Maybe I'll end up doing the same?
My local university brought back film photography and darkroom techniques last year.
Typewriters are back big-time, so I wouldn’t I think it’s impossible. Especially for creative writing. I think it’s impossible
Watch the Tom Hanks documentary from a few years ago.
Carbon paper is pretty easy to make too.
In fact, last I checked, they still made it.
I still have a pack of it somewhere. It can come in pretty handy for other stuff than typing.
Rubbing transfers is one example.
Carbon paper is excellent. I like to put a piece on my pressure plate behind my film so I have a back up copy of my pic.
That’s some creative writing right there. How did that slip?Typewriters are back big-time, so I wouldn’t I think it’s impossible. Especially for creative writing. I think it’s impossible
Watch the Tom Hanks documentary from a few years ago.
Carbon paper is excellent. I like to put a piece on my pressure plate behind my film so I have a back up copy of my pic.
I just read this in The Atlantic newsletter:
”Video may be the future of social media, but Gen Z recently brought back a retro tool for shooting stills: digital cameras. Young people are getting their hands on cameras from the early 2000s and posting the photos online, including on TikTok…”
IMO, the current resurgence of 35mm color negative film is a similar nostalgic fad and will not last.
I just read this in The Atlantic newsletter:
”Video may be the future of social media, but Gen Z recently brought back a retro tool for shooting stills: digital cameras. Young people are getting their hands on cameras from the early 2000s and posting the photos online, including on TikTok…”
IMO, the current resurgence of 35mm color negative film is a similar nostalgic fad and will not last.
Uh, so digital cameras are now considered retro tools?
Now I know I'm getting old.
To a teenager, 20 year old tech is ancient. Even to someone in their mid twenties, it's "vintage".
When I think back to my own childhood and teen years, the mono reel to reel tape recorder I was given aged 10 seemed almost ancient but it was just 25 years old. I imagine an early digital camera or pretty much any cassette deck feels that way to a 10-14 year old now.
I have recently acquired a 21 year old friend who is into photography and to her even my 1990s film cameras are "vintage". Apparently her main friends circle are quite in awe of her knowing someone who owns a SInclair Spectrum computer.....they're considered the stuff of legend....
None of which remotely suggests that film is a passing fad.
Worth noting I can now go into a larger branch of WH Smiths and buy the Crash 2023 annual (Sinclair Spetcrum magazine which first appeared in 1984 and originally ceased publication in 1992).
To a teenager, 20 year old tech is ancient
It does depend. When my daughter was in middle school, she became interested in film photoography. However, the results disappointed her and she did not pursue it any further. The ease of digital and the omnipresence of smart phones will make a large-scale return of film beyond a niche market pretty difficult, especially considering most people never print their photos and there is no real expense involved in digital/phone photography beyond the initial cost of the equipment. In the case of the smart phone, that expense is sometimes picked up by the carrier or just considered a necessity for life in today's world.Well it depends, in case of mainstream tech definitely, but if you are serious into anything you are not reasoning like that. My son is 13 yo and he shoots on Nikon FM2/T and his dream gear is not Z9, but... Contax 645
What struck me in the past couple of weeks, that there are so many start-ups and projects related to film photography nowadays. Upgrade kits for JOBO processors, LED sources for enlargers, densitometers, f-stop meters, film processors, you name it, many of those run by young people, which is really important - it is not out of nostalgia for equipment they used in the old times, because they started their activity in the digital era.
beyond a niche market pretty difficult
You cite LED enlarger lights
And only two f-stop timers
resurgence beginning circa 2017
Not a solid base to build a growing market on.Much of the talk about a resurgence of interest in film photography looks at Generations X, Y, Z or whatever group passes for “young” as a source of that interest. I wonder how much is driven by oldsters who are now retired and have more time and disposable income to to devote to this endeavor, something they’ve always had a curiosity about.
(And, on a tangent, personally, I don’t identify as a certain age just like others don’t identify as a particular gender. I read a recent piece where those eschewing the baggage that comes with age-identification refer to themselves at Perennials. I sort of like that as I never reacted positively to the admonition to “Act your age.” To many people I know in my calendar age group (I was born when Harry Truman was US. President) are sedentary and boring. They have long abandoned curiosity as a reason to learn something new.)
Ilford does try to research the demographics: https://www.ilfordphoto.com/ilford-photo-global-film-users-survey-the-results-are-in/
Apparently, the age spread of responders was: <44 = 60%, 45> = 40%
Not a solid base to build a growing market on.
Not a solid base to build a growing market on.
I read a recent piece where those eschewing the baggage that comes with age-identification refer to themselves at Perennials.
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