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  #1  
Old 17th May 2014, 11:04 AM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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Default Why do you use film? = Q for my Uni thesis.

I'm sure most of us have been asked this at least once but I am soon to start the third year of my photography degree and am writing my 10,000 word thesis around the following question, which I put to you all...

'In such a highly used digital world, why do people ie yourselves, still use film?'


A very open ended question and I'm sure that we all have different reasons, so please be as open as possible please.

Many thanks in advance.

Terry S
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Old 17th May 2014, 11:22 AM
Paulographic Paulographic is offline
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Because I like working with my hands and enlargers don't make me tired like computers do. It's to me like doing etching or lithography, or even cooking.
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Old 17th May 2014, 11:26 AM
paulc paulc is offline
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Short answer: Because I can.

Longer answer: For various reasons, I use film because:
  • I spend much of my working life using computers and wish to avoid the reminders when I am persuing my hobbies.
  • I struggle to focus through the tiny viewfinder found on a typical 35mm format camera - Going digital in medium or large format is not an option financially.
  • Electronic devices fail - This could be due to a flat battery, early life failure, or ingress of moisture. Having carried dead cameras across the landscape in the rain, I would rather use a fault tolerant technology (i.e. Purely mechanical cameras).
  • There is a degree of friendship and helpfulness within the analogue community that is lacking with digital camera users - The latter group are often more concerned about the technology and manipulation via software than actually making a photograph.
  • Travel to foreign places with a large format camera encourages interaction with the natives - An old looking camera is a good conversation piece.
  • Finally, I think I enjoy the slow process of creating a photograph using "traditional" methods.
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Old 17th May 2014, 11:26 AM
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David Nimrod David Nimrod is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulographic View Post
It's to me like doing... cooking.
Totally agree! a very accurate analogy in fact

I love cooking, and do it pretty much everyday...

Digital is more like using a Microwave (which I never will).

Film photography is tactile, emotional, and a real craft...
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Old 17th May 2014, 11:32 AM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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Thanks for the replies so far guys.

Please everyone, keep your thoughts coming as I have about a year to finish writing my thesis.

The more comments the better!

Terry S
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Old 17th May 2014, 11:46 AM
DaveP DaveP is offline
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Mainly:

- the inimitable look of film.

- the more hands-on workflow

- film is more restrictive, and from restriction comes creativity. With digital you can do anything, too much choice, too much of a blank canvas.

- film cameras are nicer to use.

- quality film gear doesn't depreciate at a rate of knots.
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Old 17th May 2014, 01:34 PM
Eriktheviking Eriktheviking is offline
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I moved to using film because photography isn't the clean quick process that digital photography portrays but is a mixture of physics and chemistry which needs the expertise of the darkroom processor to make the image appear and then to create the finished photograph. The original process is not just visual its visual, tactile and aural.
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Old 17th May 2014, 01:36 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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why do I use film, I enjoy the tactile nature of working with film and darkroom printing, in a digital world I like the difference that film gives my photogaphy, the differences are subtle, but I can choose different film for different results, I can process film in different chemestry for different results, for instance Fomapan developed in d76 is different to the same film developed in rodinal, and printing in a darkroom no matter how many times I print the same negative I get a slightly different result, no matter how much I try to be the same.
Richard
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Old 17th May 2014, 01:54 PM
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CambsIan CambsIan is offline
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Why do I use film?

I don't think, in my case, there is a real or definitive answer.

I guess there are so many little things that make the whole, the weight and feel of an old camera, the satisfying clunk of a shutter/mirror, being able to stop old cameras from dying, the romance of holding a piece of kit that is the best part of 100 years old just one in a long line of users, looking through the same piece of glass as others that have gone before.

The hands on "messy" nature of the darkroom. Who did not like making mud pies as a child ? The solitary nature of the darkroom, just you the radio and the dark, a peaceful oasis in the Hurley Burley of modern life.

You get the idea

It just feels right.


Ian
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Old 17th May 2014, 02:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry S View Post
I'm sure most of us have been asked this at least once but I am soon to start the third year of my photography degree and am writing my 10,000 word thesis around the following question, which I put to you all...

'In such a highly used digital world, why do people ie yourselves, still use film?'


A very open ended question and I'm sure that we all have different reasons, so please be as open as possible please.

Many thanks in advance.

Terry S
I can't paint or draw very well so I make photographs...

RR
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