When did you last promote film use?

I told a classmate that her D50 would likely cost more to repair that it would be to replace, and told her she can borrow an AE-1P, and should take a film class at the school. Not much, I know...but maybe she will do it.

I answered lots of questions about film photography the last few days while I was shooting 4x5s of covered bridges. I pointed some who were interested to APUG.

Steve

I had the 645 shooting b&w at Bandelier National Monument today. A man walked up with a 645 and his eyes lit up seeing my camera. Turns out he was also shooting b&w film. He was from Arizona and I asked him if he knew about APUG. He had not heard of this site so I gave him the address. He was quite excited to find there is a place on the internet devoted to film.

At a local annual photography-related "garage sale" today a vendor was selling bags of misc. 120 and 35mm film. In one of those bags of 120 - 7 rolls of Verichrome Pan, supposedly frozen since purchase.

Naturally I was ecstatic, bought the bag (at $1/roll) and kept raving how good this film was supposed to be Several other vendors saw my bag while was walking around, and had a couple of nice chats about film.

I recently was up at an overlook where you can look out and see the mountains in each direction and the valley stretching out below. I went up there to get a nice shot of the sunset. I had a 500 mirror on one tripod and my 645 Bronica with 35mm panoramic back and 40mm lens on the other. So I was working both ends of the scale. I had K64 in each.

Some people came up, digishooters, interested in what I was doing. One guy, very surprised, said "He's shooting film!" A young woman saw the box end on the back of my Pentax and said, "Wow, Kodachrome!" Next thing I know I'm being asked if I'm a pro, what's my website, etc. I said I'm not a pro, no website, just am happy with what I have been using for a long time. They asked a lot of questions, marveled at the clarity of the viewfinders, asked about exposure, etc. A guy sort of sheepishly showed me his Pentax Kx digital and I remarked that I had heard good things about it, and we discussed it for a moment. Everybody had a good time.
More and more, when people realize I shoot film by choice, they respect it. Digital is so commonplace now, I think people realize that I'm not just someone who doesn't know better.

I have gotten "Why don't you get with the program", but I shut him up by saying "I do what I want. I don't get with programs".
I got a lot of practice with that attitude when the Harley craze was going full force and some guy that had bought his Harley so he could feel cool would rag on me because I rode a Honda. Just one those of things.

Whenever I bring up film cameras with a digital photographer they usually become defensive. Same with the guys who sold their old vinyl for CDs at great expense and are now clutching another redundant medium. Nobody wants to think their investment may be a fleeting phase to something else. Best to smile sweetly and say nothing.

lxdude said:

I have gotten "Why don't you get with the program", but I shut him up by saying "I do what I want. I don't get with programs".

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I like that answer. Can I use it freely or do I have to pay royalites on it?

Steve

does paper count ?

whenever i take out the 11x14 box their eyes get really big

Sirius Glass said:

I like that answer. Can I use it freely or do I have to pay royalites on it?
Steve

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Be my guest, Steve.

Just thought i'd chime in with my experience. I've been shooting digital(photography actually) for a year but after a year or so of it i've found that not only image output but the whole philosophy of digital 'snaps' to be an already unexciting prospect. Despite it's ease of use, yes sometimes high quality pictures etc.

The concept of time is ever present on my mind ever more frequently when I take pictures, cameras are a time machine and that's their magic. Shutterspeed, moments etc. And I just find something about the process of film gets me more in touch with the actual workings and time of photography. The (now cheap) metal bodies, hand on a manual focus ring/aperture, the winding of film. It's a process and it gets me focussed on what i'm doing as a process.
And now as I move forward to soon start developing my own film I get to be more in touch with that process.

Yes digital is great. I use it for my high magnification 1-5X+ insect photos.
But there's nothing (for me as I haven't experience 4x5 other than polaroid instant on a calumet 4x5 studio camera I found in the garbage) like shooting 120 color/black and white film. Better image quality (highlights - shooting into the sun, long exposures etc) and just in general a better feel.
I have already given away some cheap 35mm cameras (a couple Olympus Trip 35s) to friends to enjoy but I do already get the 'is that film!' comments.

I have to say though being a music lover that I never got onto the whole vinyl over CD thing although many of my friends have. After a few plays of vinyl any quality it'd have over CD is mute point. BUT I don't mind vinyl on certain recordings (especially pre 60s) that were made on completely analogue equipment (be-bop, blues etc) where it makes sense.

To make an analogy between the two I would say that music is made for different rooms (Talking Heads lead singer has a discussion on this on TEDtalks and i've long thought about it), for example Be-Bop was made in small jazz clubs and Led Zeppelin rock arenas. It doesn't make sense to see Led Zeppelin at some tiny folk bar. Vinyl for some artists, digital for others. I would make the same argument about digital/film/film formats.

But one thing is for sure is that film needs a revival, it almost needs a Ghost World (Steve Buscemi is in it and weird collector of old jazz records) where today's generation can reconnect with it in my opinion. Be it a movie, an exciting product release (please polaroid?) or we can just start with our own word of mouth. And I think that passing on film knowledge, excitement and so on is really important. Since i'm a bit of an alternative person i'm already here and interested and doing it on my own but others need a bit of a helping hand .

-Brendon

Yesterday, at the ceremony in Ottawa commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

I had my two Nikon Fs, with F-36 motors, loaded with Neopan SS, and my Leica M4-P loaded with my seventh-to-last roll of Kodachrome. Only one of the fauxtographers noticed the yellow filters on the F's lenses, and asked if I was shooting B&W film.

He was one of several of those who were of the digital persuasion, who remarked, "...gee, I USED to use my film cameras, but now they're in a drawer/closet/given away..."

FWIW, there were two really cool flypasts. I got to see a Corsair, a P-40N Kittyhawk, a Mustang Mark IV, and of course, the venerable Lancaster.

I was at the Owls Head Transportation Museum saturday with my daughter. One of the employees noticed my Tiltall tripod and inquired whether it was one of the original ones. Not many random people know what a tiltall tripod is, much less that were multiple makers over the ages. Then his boss got involved. They were thrilled to see a speed graphic and Yashica TLR in my case. They fondly remembered darkroom work, using a graflex monorail camera, shooting polaroids, buying cool gear from photographer's widows, market conditions on ebay, etc... I explained that most of this stuff is fairly affordable right now and is picking up in serious popularity as people tire of digital.

Then later on, I opened my case to get my TLR and photograph my daughter doing a craft activity. The volunteer overseeing that area noticed and his eyes popped out of the his head when he looked into the case. "A speed graphic! I have one of those somewhere, I bought it new in 1960!" He also marveled at how much the Yashica looked like a Rolleiflex.

Film photography is a very intergenerational-friendly activity, much like antique autos.

.
I was at the Post Office last week, reached into my pocket to get change.
And pulled out a roll of film, and the Postwoman was amazed to see film.
We talked for a while, and she told me all about her fathers' cameras, and
how they used to take pictures together. I told her to get the dust off
of Dad, and the cameras and go take some pictures together !!!


Ron
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Ron LarFor4X5 said:

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I was at the Post Office last week, reached into my pocket to get change.
And pulled out a roll of film, and the Postwoman was amazed to see film.
We talked for a while, and she told me all about her fathers' cameras, and
how they used to take pictures together. I told her to get the dust off
of Dad, and the cameras and go take some pictures together !!!


Ron
.

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I really do hope her Dad is still alive.:confused:

Back to work TAing. This term it is for Advanced Color Photography, which is a conceptually-geared class (Beginning Color is more for learning the raw techniques). Plenty of fresh young minds to pervert with analog ideas of film and silver paper, actual knobs, standing on your feet, delayed gratification, and the like. I hate to say folks, but it is a losing battle. We'd better enjoy ourselves while we still can, because the number of film photographers is only going to go down – especially with color materials.

Also of concern to me is the very small number of people who do shoot film, but who do not shoot anything other than 35mm.

Analog color is indeed losing. It's more of a niche medium and most of it's challenges are easily solved with DSLRs and software.

B&W film has serious differences from standard DSLR work in terms of dynamic range, results, etc... And it's fun to do in the darkroom.

Color darkroom printing is difficult compared to B&W and you don't get to see the magic in the trays. It goes into drums or machines usually. My only color analog photography is fujiroids.

2F/2F said:

Also of concern to me is the very small number of people who do shoot film, but who do not shoot anything other than 35mm.

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The impression I've gained is rather the opposite, that medium format is still perceived to have a technical, not merely sentimental, superiority over digital. I still take my point and shoot films to one of the last UK supermarkets that still run a C41 line and as well as providing a cosy glow of nostalgia, it surprises me with how many envelopes of prints await collection.

I suspect most belong to art students, buffs like ourselves and older folks who have Christmas either end of a film and summer holidays in the middle.

.
At the Post Office yesterday, a different Postwoman
asked if I was mailing anything fragile. Told her it was
just a Chintzy Canada-bound Chaotic Camera !
Then she asked about learning about digital photography.
I probably held up the line for five minutes, as I warned
her about the perils of using a digital camera. Hopefully,
she will she will take my advice ...


Ron
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today ... i had a neighbor and her 2 daughters look in the back of a 11x14 camera and
see what the world looks like upside down

I try to promote film everywhere I go. I work at Target so I give film and APUG a heads up.

Jeff

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Nice work Jeff !


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Just been on holiday to Scotland (Isle of Skye mostly but also a trip to North Uist and Harris). I shot 20 rolls of film (7 x 120 and 13 x 35mm) and about 30 digital shots with my D700.

I had a long "discussion" with a lady professional photographer near the Old Man of Storr as she was being slightly disparaging about film and how it'd "had its day" and she now only uses digital for her portraits / wedding business.

A week or so before I went on holiday, I was approached by an older, Indian gentleman who commented that he "loved" my old camera (Hasselblad 500 c/m) and knew what it was - having seen it from a hundred yards away. He looked at my wife's camera (my D700), sniffed and walked on. My wife's reaction was priceless as she just stood there lost for words. Now that's a rarity....

Recently photographed a local band performing in a bar with my F3 and Nikkor 55mm f/1.2, and had the opportunity to discuss photography with the guitarist/lead singer. I explained that I dislike the spray-and-pray approach of DSLR photography (that usually results in several hundred nearly identical frames). When I explained my feeling that if I couldn't take two rolls of 36-exposure 35mm film to a show and come away with good images, I didn't need to be there, she got my meaning.

Jeff Kubach said:

I try to promote film everywhere I go. I work at Target so I give film and APUG a heads up.

Jeff

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Hi Jeff,

Thanks for promoting film usage !
I've started taking my film to Target.
It's close to home, and I'm paying $2.99,
to get a roll of 36 developed, and a Disc !
I was paying $11.00 at the digital camera shop.

I went to the Islip Nature Center yesterday.
I met some birdwatchers, on the trail.
I Kinda startled them, they usually have the
place to themselves during the week.
We talked about photography for a while.
Told them about APUG, and the Ektar 100
that I'm using, and that I was on the way to
Target to get my film developed for $2.99 !


Ron
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Paul have you posted that in the ITAH thread ? Skye, Uist and Harris are lovely, aren't they? [took a Trip to Sth Uist myself a couple of weeks ago to climb Beinn Mhor and Hecla...the views are amazing!]