"Photographs Gain Importance as Tangible Objects"

RattyMouse · Jul 23, 2014

That quote's from an interesting project going on at Fujifilm. Lots of digital images lost in the Tsunami, lots of film images salvageable.

http://www.fujifilm.com/support/photo_rescue/10.html

Poisson Du Jour · Jul 23, 2014

Very noteworthy, if a touch sad too. The making, or striving for, a 'tangible image', is by and large lost in this digital generation, and as analogue photographers, don't we know it. The 'print' — something to show around anywhere, any time, is now a PC screen, an iPad, iPhone, phablet or whatever else — none of this tangible nor reliable, or expressing character, texture and finesse of a printed image. The world has turned a corner, and I don't like the path ahead.

The stand-up and take notice bit is at the end:

"In 20 or 30 years time, when today's technology has been replaced, your memories will remain the most important legacy of your life. In order to prevent the disappearance of such memories, we would like to share the importance of making physical photographs [...]"

pentaxuser · Jul 23, 2014

Well we all at APUG could have told Fujifilm this but while interesting it would seem that Fuji is simply encouraging people to make paper images from their digital files while they can. I don't think it has much to do with the revival of film or chemically processed paper. Indeed if the images had been shot on film in the first place then it wouldn't matter if there were no prints as the negatives would exist.

Nothing in the article even hints that a return to film photography is the answer. It might be one answer but the article doesn't even make this connection.

This of course may not be your point in drawing our attention to the article.

pentaxuser

snapguy · Jul 23, 2014

then again...

While it is true many people may just make photo prints of their electronic images, this might in the long run make people think harder about film. I have met many electronic image photographers who are very fond of film images and remember their old, or first, film camera well. Perhaps more will drag out an old film classic camera and help keep film alive. Those electronic boxes are quick and handy to use but let's hope more people start using film for landmark family gatherings, recording the old homestead or whatever.

RattyMouse · Jul 23, 2014

snapguy said:
While it is true many people may just make photo prints of their electronic images, this might in the long run make people think harder about film. I have met many electronic image photographers who are very fond of film images and remember their old, or first, film camera well. Perhaps more will drag out an old film classic camera and help keep film alive. Those electronic boxes are quick and handy to use but let's hope more people start using film for landmark family gatherings, recording the old homestead or whatever.

Yes, exactly. A shame that Fujifilm does not hint at this.

polyglot · Jul 23, 2014

Fuji makes most of their (photo) money from RA4 materials. Of course they want you to print digital stuff, that's their main market.

Doesn't mean they're wrong, just that we should recognise where they're coming from and not assume that they're advocating for film just because they speak of tangible products.

RattyMouse · Jul 23, 2014

polyglot said:
Fuji makes most of their (photo) money from RA4 materials. Of course they want you to print digital stuff, that's their main market.

Doesn't mean they're wrong, just that we should recognise where they're coming from and not assume that they're advocating for film just because they speak of tangible products.

Well, anything that keeps RA41 materials in high volume is good for film shooters, right? So Fujifilm's efforts can have a tangential benefit for those shooting color film.

removed account4 · Jul 23, 2014

rattymouse

thanks for posting this
tangible is good ...
it is too bad more people don't make prints of their images
whether they are film scans or digital images ...
as that guy who had that podcast about photography used to say
its not a photograph unless it is a print ( or something like that )

i feel bad for all the people after the cosmic storm when the power surges
and everything is erased .. its gonna be not only anarchy, but visual anarchy

MattKing · Jul 24, 2014

Sounds exactly like what Kodak Alaris is trying to emphasize.

The profits are in the RA4 world.

Simon R Galley · Jul 24, 2014

We have said it for years...and we mean it.

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology LImited :

AgX · Jul 24, 2014

Well, in that article it is not said how those digital files had been erased.
Nor is it said how images on paper (of any kind) or on film would have come out better from those circumstances.

One could argue that material photographs may have been spread and thus safed, but this comes true for digital files too. Spreading is even easier.

I do see the advantage of film as archival means. But not in this case.
I just don't see the point in this whole matter.

DREW WILEY · Jul 24, 2014

Digital imagery is tangible. And storage discs are one of the best inventions ever. Ask any skeet shooter. Dogs love to play fetch with them.
Heck, ultimate frisbee might be in the Olympics someday. Why not some ultimate disc sports? And now that so many pictures are being taken
with cell phones, those tangible devices are coming in mighty handy too, just in case you can't locate a nice flat pebble to skip across the pond.

"Photographs Gain Importance as Tangible Objects"

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