Promoting the analogue - Ilford @ Focus 2011 (UK)

Hallo there,

I went to the Focus on Imaging 2011 trade show at the NEC (Birmingham UK) this week, with the sole purpose of picking up the trial pack of Ilford's new 300 paper, fully expecting a tiny stand tucked at the back of the hall next to the doughnut concession.

For a niche producer in a (supposed) dying sector, Ilford had a very strong and visible analogue presence. I know there is a lot of doom and gloom about product prices and availabilty but this did not look like a producer financially riding the downturn to inevitable closure.

What came across very strongly was their attitude, love of the product/process and willingness to talk to even non-buying customers. Yes, they had inkjet papers on sale but a good two-thirds of the stand was devoted to analogue - papers/film on sale; process and print service; Holga, Zero One pinhole and a 5x4 field camera; college students shooting portraits of "volunteers" with the Print-out-paper; framed displays of the possibilities with the new paper with printed samples available to handle. Tim Rudman was on the stand talking one-to-one with people about the new paper and toning in general and our very own Mr Simon Galley was there too!

Yes, I know this sounds like a very non-critical posting and I am very biased (!) but in hall full of digital post-processing, inkjets and sensor cleaning I applaud the investment made in the presence.

Ah yes, I did buy some of the new 300 paper and the great thing is that having seen "real" prints in person I have a better understanding of the capabilities of the paper before even printing with it - the learning curve may not be quite as steep as without seeing samples.

Thank you Ilford and long live the analogue!

Sim2.

Well you know what they say about a positive attitude.
This is good to hear but I'm not that surprised based on the way Mr Galley represents the company here.

Glad you enjoyed yourself and again this is great to hear.

I think that other US film company was handing out free samples at WPPI here in the US just recently.
Maybe some other's could learn from this.

Sim2 said:

and a 5x4 field camera; college students shooting portraits of "volunteers" with the Print-out-paper.

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There is something on Ilford's Facebook page about this. It was an 8x10 camera taking portraits onto Ilford's new direct positive paper. They have posted a picture of Jon Bentley from The Gadget Show with his portrait print in his hands.


Steve.

I was going to go, today actually,I had a ticket and had planned to pick up the new Ilford paper and poke around any 2nd hand dealer's tables that may have been there. In the event I couldn't justify the train ticket cost and time it would have taken to get there and back. Did Kodak and Fuji have a film presence?

Steve,

I traveled from Norfolk to Birmingham and back on Monday and certainly think it was worth the effort. The range of exhibitors was surprisingly varied, although I was surprised how many sales stands were present. Neither Fuji or Kodak had a strong film presence.

Tom

I'm glad to hear that Ilford did such a great job. I would have loved to have seen some photos taken with the direct positive paper and the new 300 paper.

Here is Ilford's Facebook page with some pictures of the 8x10 direct positive camera and Mr Bentley: https://www.facebook.com/IlfordPhoto?ref=ts


Steve.

It's great to hear about Ilford at the trade show, wish I could go!

Jeff

Looks like a great trade show. Wish I could have been there, if only to lay my hands on some of that new paper of theirs!

Steve Smith said:

There is something on Ilford's Facebook page about this. It was an 8x10 camera taking portraits onto Ilford's new direct positive paper. They have posted a picture of Jon Bentley from The Gadget Show with his portrait print in his hands.


Steve.

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And here's one I prepared earlier

I was on the stand myself (promoting the new Crystaljet Elite and Harman by Hahnemuhle inkjet papers) and the excitement around the stand both for Ilford's analogue and Harman's digital products was palpable. It's already being said that it was the best show for Ilford/Harman in the last 20 years.

The combined sales of film and digital products exceeded last year's total before the end of the third day of the four day show and the new analogue materials were flying off the stand - without any high pressure sales techniques (or models in skimpy outfits).

Tim Rudman's prints on the new Ilford Multigrade Art 300 were quite superb : I particularly liked the finish on this paper, it's got a nice texture with a light eggshell finish which isn't too reflective in the shadows (like some other art papers). This allows the blacks to develop a real charcoal like 'punch'. Tim has persuaded it to produce some really sumptuous peach-like tones in the snowscapes he was exhibiting.

I was also impressed by Mike Walker's Titan camera, which I'd never actually seen before : The ABS has an interesting feel, warmer and easier on the fingers than metal - a real bonus for a field camera - but obviously much more robust than wood. I taught 3D design for years, but I really wouldn't know where to begin on such a radical project. I'd swap my 10x8 Sinar for one on the spot.

As for the Harman by Hahnemuhle papers I was promoting, you may not be interested in digital but these materials wouldn't exist without Ilford/Harman's expertise in coating technology. I was confident that I was showing people the highest quality inkjet papers in the room, I shall say no more.

On a more serious note, it's impossible to express to people here on APUG Ilford's passion for analogue ; they aren't in it for the short run - until the sales of digital products take off - they're absolutely in it for the duration.
I always find myself quite humbled by Steven Brierley's passion for silver. I've spent most of the last week with him and, honestly, he barely ever mentioned the digital products I was pushing for him. Put a pint of Bass into his hand and he literally goes all misty eyed talking about his analogue products, and that passion is matched by the rest of his team, Simon and all. I felt privileged to be amongst them. This isn't a company like Kodak, trying to extract itself from analogue photography with little or no regard for it's customer base, it's committed and forward thinking and it deserves APUG's wholehearted support.

Regards
Jerry

Further to my post above, do have a look at these photowalkthrough.com podcasts from Focus - Steven Brierley introducing the new analogue papers...

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Regards
Jerry

Hi Jerry,

It was good working with you, hope you enjoyed it....

To all Apuggers : On the second video the fat bloke accidently getting on camera is me!..in my mind I am so much more svelte...

Oh and my feet still hurt and I don't drink bass.

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

I had a fantastic time, thanks Simon, it was a privilege to have worked with you and your team. I honestly can't remember ever having worked with such a warm and dedicated group of people. Loyalty like that speaks volumes for the management at Mobberley.

Apologies for any confusion regarding the Bass. For the record, Simon drinks lager and lime

Did I hear correctly, that the new 300 paper, was process machine compatible?

If so, that is something incredible and something I would really be interested in.

Love the 4x5 pinhole, looks very robust indeed. Landscape and portrait tripod holes, coupled with a couple of bulls eye spirit levels, neat, functional and desirable.

The new positive paper seems a bit like a slow version of Polaroid, just slip it into a processor, in a couple of minutes you are looking at a wet print.

Mick.

Hi Mick,

We have tested it through processors and yes it most certainly does work...

But if you want archival permanence you will need to re-fix and re-wash.

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

Wow, a new paper for Fine-Art printing ... sure hope I can get my hands on some of that.

Tom Kershaw said:

Steve,

I traveled from Norfolk to Birmingham and back on Monday and certainly think it was worth the effort. The range of exhibitors was surprisingly varied, although I was surprised how many sales stands were present. Neither Fuji or Kodak had a strong film presence.

Tom

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Tom, I didn't see any film or evidence of film on either the Kodak or Fuji stands.

May be I didn't look hard enough

Martin

Martin Aislabie said:

Tom, I didn't see any film or evidence of film on either the Kodak or Fuji stands.

May be I didn't look hard enough

Martin

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Correct.