Paper availability in 2030?

[Robland]

I'm 48 years old and I worry about availability of photographic paper much more than availability of film over the next 20 years. Chemicals can always be mixed from recipes. This issue with paper is a huge concern for myself. Is it safe to speculate that in 10 years I will still have access to (at least) 30+ inch wide rolls of warm and cool VC FB pager, from a major manufacturer? I assume small sheets will go first, then graded, then larger sheets and in the end we might be left with long rolls that would need to be cut down. I could live with rolls if it gets me an additional 10 years till 2030. When I'm 68 maybe I'm tired and develop new interests. Maybe digital printers start producing images equal to or better than traditional using scanned film.

 

[Ian Grant]

Do we need this old question yet again.

Ian

 

[mjs]

No one's crystal ball works worth a darn, Robland. It's just a guess what the world will be like n number of years from now and the only thing certain is that all the guesses will be wrong in some way. You take your best guess and go with it. My guess? Film and paper will both be niche items, relatively more expensive and you'll have to send away for them (mail order, whatever passes for communication in those days. Matter transporter, maybe,) but you'll still be able to get them, at some price.

I'm 52 and I plan on being here 20 or 30 years down the road. I plan on still shooting film and making prints in a darkroom, too, although frankly environmental regulations concern me more than economics in that time frame.

Mike

 

[Colin Corneau]

Soon as you figure that one out, go get me some winning lottery numbers.

Until then, get out and shoot. We live in the here and now.

 

[Kirk Keyes]

Perhaps you'd be interested in learning how to make your own photographic paper? There is a class at the Photographers Formulary his May that will teach you how to do it. And surprisingly, it's not really that difficult.


Denise Ross is teaching the class, and I've held prints that she's made on photo paper that she made and it looks as good as what you can buy.

See this thread for more information:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I see you're in Seattle, it's not that far to the Formulary. I'll be coming from Portland for it myself.

 

[23mjm]

If and when I make it to 2030 I will worry about my photographic paper avalibility then. Well I will only be 62 so I really hope I make it

 

[Vaughn]

I don't use the stuff. And if I ever go back to using it fulltime, I'll corral Denise and have her teach me how to make it. I'll be 75 in 2030, and the old saying about old dogs and new tricks is BS.

In the meantime, I make my own carbon tissue and carbon prints -- and platinum prints.

Besides that, I see no reason that paper in sheets would disappear before paper in rolls.

Vaughn

 

[DWThomas]

Since I'll be 89 then, I'm not losing sleep over the idea, but I think if people are still using paper, somebody will make it. It may cost more, and may not come in a fancy white box, but if there's a market, someone will address it.

 

[w9cae]

LOL worrying about paper in 2030. I worry more about tungsten light globe availability. Without a tungsten globe your paper is useless until someone figures out a new light source with LED.

If your worried about paper availability you could stock up ?

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I'm more worried about my health. Paper is one thing, I don't know how well I'm going to be! I'm a diabetic.

Jeff

 

[removed account4]

if worse comes to worse it is easy to make anthotypes.

 

[df cardwell]

Anthotypes. Had to look that up. Wonderfully cool.

Palladium, kallitypes, alive-alive-o.

If commercial papers go away, we can make all kinds of cool stuff. Easypeasy.

 

[2F/2F]

Do we need this old question yet again.

Ian

You forgot your question mark!

 

[Curt]

I'm 48 years old and I worry about availability of photographic paper much more than availability of film over the next 20 years. Chemicals can always be mixed from recipes. This issue with paper is a huge concern for myself. Is it safe to speculate that in 10 years I will still have access to (at least) 30+ inch wide rolls of warm and cool VC FB pager, from a major manufacturer? I assume small sheets will go first, then graded, then larger sheets and in the end we might be left with long rolls that would need to be cut down. I could live with rolls if it gets me an additional 10 years till 2030. When I'm 68 maybe I'm tired and develop new interests. Maybe digital printers start producing images equal to or better than traditional using scanned film.

The future is uncertain, no one can predict the future or what will be available. If you have determined that there is not going to be any paper in the future then why not buy a lifetime supply, you decide what that is, and put it in a commercial freezer?

 

[Existing Light]

I might be a little selfish, but as long as Slavic paper is available, I dont really care too much about the rest. If they die out, I'll probably stock up on enough to last until I've taken enough chemistry classes to coat my own paper

I'm hoping there's always going to be a factory in Poland* or somewhere manufacturing film, paper, and related supplies as long as there are people that use it

(*If you dont like Poland, insert the country of your choice )

 

[fotch]

What? Me worry?

 

[railwayman3]

Looking at the world news, I think that we may well have a lot more to worry about in 20 years time than the availability or otherwise of photographic paper.

In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my photography in whatever way is possible or practical with available materials....it should be one of the few things which we ought not to worry about.

 

[Prest_400]

But, hasn't B&W paper (and I believe most of B&W photo materials) been a niche market since a long time?
I suppose there will be still at least a few papers around. I should be 45 then. Well, well... I should be printing by then.
I believe that B&W manufacturers have been settled well for the market for a long time and produce according the demand of the small market. If Adox entered the paper market is because of something.
I'm more worried about the future of colour materials (specially E6) than all B&W. If I recall correctly, B&W doesn't have as much technological challenges for it's manufacture.

"Don't worry, be happy..."

 

[2F/2F]

What? Me worry?

AH......The Usual Gang of Idiots! My comic and political education in a nutshell. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been brought up with a huge collection of them from the early to mid 1960s and early 1970s (though nearly all of them were missing the covers). The newer ones just don't hold a candle to those ones.

 

[Shangheye]

I'm worried about the trees ....in fact come to think of it what happens when the water runs out??

 

[cmacd123]

LOL worrying about paper in 2030. I worry more about tungsten light globe availability.

Figure how many you use in a year, and how many years you expect to be arround, and buy that many. A couple of dozen PH-211 bulbs are a very small package, and unlike paper they are likely to be quite usable in 30 years.

 

[DanielStone]

if you're worrying about it so much,

just buy some more of your favorite brand, and be happy that you're doing your part to support that manufacturer.

the market will shrink, that's just the way that things are going. and if things stay like they are currently(which I predict they will), there will be even more belt-tightening to be done financially.

OTOH, we can ALL do our part, and purchase what we can afford, and do our part to enjoy great products, while they last. Heck, if you have the ability and the time, take a 2nd job doing something just to feed your "darkroom fund" .

and, if you were to register for a b/w class here and there, you could get 1. a student discount on the paper 2. a large(er) discount than normal if you buy in bulk, like in cases vs. multiple boxes for instance 3. you can write off ALL of those paper and film purchases because they could be classified as school expenses, b/c you're taking a class where you could use some of those materials.

for those of you who might naysay this, this ISN'T illegal, just might be slightly 'immoral' .

just don't go into debt to feed your hobbies, its not worth it.

-Dan

 

[jgjbowen]

But, Your Honor, Daniel Stone said on APUG I could deduct this stuff so long as I took a class.

Your Honor, what do you mean Daniel Stone on APUG isn't considered Substantial Authority for deducting photography supplies? Since it's on APUG it has to be true...

So Daniel, please provide a cite that would permit someone (other than a professional photographer) to be entitled to take a deduction under the facts as you have laid them out in your post.

 

[2F/2F]

Educational expenses are tax deductible if they are mandatory fees paid directly to the school, such as tuition and health fees. You would not be able to write off photo supplies for a class. Except in certain circumstances, you cannot even write off textbooks, even if purchased directly from the student store.

P.S. At the end of any year in which you have been a student, you will receive a tax form from the school in the mail that tells you exactly how much you can deduct.

 

[mikebarger]

John

When you ask for opinions, you get opinions. No one on the planet can say what will happen next year, let along twenty years out.


Mike