Why I shoot with film

[yel0wsn0]

Found Film by pdexposures, on Flickr

This photograph, and many others like it. Were part of a collection I came across at a flea market over this past weekend. The images are stunning, all shot from a member of the U.S. NAVY during the Vietnam war. Images include aerial shots of battleships, fighter jets taking off, and pilots. They also take a look at people of Vietnam, Tokyo, Singapore and the Australian Outback. It is an amazing collection of images. 8 rolls of Kodak Tri-X, approximately 350 images total. Thank you to everyone who is helping me to find out more information about the people who are shown in this set.

So far we have identified 4 pilots, including 1 who crashed at sea and did not survive. Thanks to these great people we are tracking down family and friends, and I will be offering them prints and digital copies of photographs that they may have never seen. Their loved ones may hopefully live again.

This is why I shoot film, for moments like these. In 50 years time, who will be doing the same with old Facebook accounts and hard drives? No one will. Save your memories, shoot with film.

[hi_racing]

Good topic. I have photos of my great great grandparents. We have boxes and boxes of slides (but the projector is tweaked and won't advance the slides). Reels and reels of 8mm film (but the projector motor is broken). Boxes and boxes of photos. We love to dig them out on long winter evenings and tell the kids stories about who the people are, what they were doing, etc. The walls in our house are almost completely covered with paintings, photos and drawings of or by family members.

We don't shoot a lot of film because we're missing the lens from the enlarger and we're too lazy to buy one because then we'd have no excuse to not print our B&W at home. We do print a fair amount of what we shoot though. Not too much of the landscapes and scenery around here but mostly family shots. Pretty much what we think our as yet to be grandkids would like to see. Some go in albums - some go in frames - some go on the fridge.

Used to discuss this topic with a guy at work because my cube wall was plastered with photos we took. He was a computer geek and seeking a "self-contained electronic photo display" that would keep all his photos forever, let him do facial recog and tagging AND work for "a hundred years". He's still looking and I'm still printing.

Thanks for the reminder, yel0wsn0. And good job on the effort you're putting in. It's really cool to see someone do something good just for the heck of it.

[peoples_car]

That's a great side project. Let me know if you need a hand with anything. I don't know what I would be able to help with but hey, the offer is out there.

And I agree with the longevity aspects of film. What happens when software companies stop making making programs that can read the RAW files from my D50 in 20-25 years? Whoops..that's 4 years worth of shooting right there..

BTW I'm probably picked up that Bessa R today

[zaYG]

That is awesome. Do you have more uploaded on Flickr? I can't check at work.

[valfaw]

to you sir for the effort you are going through to reunite people and their past...

[yel0wsn0]

That's a great side project. Let me know if you need a hand with anything. I don't know what I would be able to help with but hey, the offer is out there.

BTW I'm probably picked up that Bessa R today

Thanks! Once I get more uploaded I will be posting more of them online. I spent a good 8 hours yesterday scanning and at about 11pm last night got halfway done. I'll update this thread when I am looking for more help

Also that's great! You'll enjoy it!

[yel0wsn0]

That is awesome. Do you have more uploaded on Flickr? I can't check at work.

Only one other one I have uploaded at the moment is the pilot who crashed at sea.


Found Film by pdexposures, on Flickr

[Basscase]

And I agree with the longevity aspects of film. What happens when software companies stop making making programs that can read the RAW files from my D50 in 20-25 years? Whoops..that's 4 years worth of shooting right there..

Photo aesthetics/feel aside, I think it comes down to laziness. You can always print your digital photos. It's just easy not too when all it takes to share and "save" them is a few clicks of the button.

Oh...and awesome topic as usual Yel0. I envy your passion for the art!

[PintSized]

Interesting topic. One question - what do you use to scan with?

I just picked up an Olympus XA and have ran a few rolls through it. Really enjoying film and wanting to get more into it. Processing isn't very expensive but dang paying to scan or print them is not cheap!

I got a roll of slide film in my XA right now and starting to think I should save it for a special occasion unless I can find a better way to scan it.

[evosky]

film just has that incredible X factor that digital can't reproduce

good on ya for this project
these are some very inspirational shots indeed.

[yel0wsn0]

Interesting topic. One question - what do you use to scan with?

I develop, print and scan at home. For scanning I use an Epson V330 for polaroids/prints. It's generally **** quality. Gonna buy a nicer flatbed when I get a chance.

For 35mm I use a Nikon Coolscan IVED. It's about 10 years old but those dedicated Nikons are stunning. And I got a good deal on it which doesn't hurt

[SuperGroove]

very awesome. Please keep us updated!

[Mk1Racer]

film just has that incredible X factor that digital can't reproduce

good on ya for this project
these are some very inspirational shots indeed.

I'm curious as to what you think this 'X factor' is. With audio, there's definitely a difference between analog recordings (tape or vinyl) than digital, but I'm not sure about photos.

OP, You make an excellent point. I've got thousands of digital images, and I'm sure I've printed <100. And I've got boxes of old photos that I've taken. I always like coming across old photos. Not sure if my grandkids will ever have that experience.

And I have shot countless rolls of Tri-X, loved that stuff!

[jhayesvw]

great thread.
I do get where youre coming from.
I think that as MK1racer said, if we just printed our digitals we could have a similar experience.
Its just too easy to share them on our ipads, desktops, laptops, facebook, flickr, etc.

I guess I need to get to printing some.

[Stealth 993]

I got 6 film boxes full in the basement from my film days, & still even have a few tools of film that have yet to be developed.

I loved film, but the times made me change.

[panic]

I'm curious as to what you think this 'X factor' is. With audio, there's definitely a difference between analog recordings (tape or vinyl) than digital, but I'm not sure about photos.

OP, You make an excellent point. I've got thousands of digital images, and I'm sure I've printed <100. And I've got boxes of old photos that I've taken. I always like coming across old photos. Not sure if my grandkids will ever have that experience.

And I have shot countless rolls of Tri-X, loved that stuff!

Not to speak for someone else, but that X-factor could be the overall feel of film. Even Pan-F 50ISO has a grain structure to it, and grain CAN actually be a good thing. It's a desired effect, much in the same way Instagram filters are desired effects. Digital has taught us that noise, which is different than grain, is bad, and that we need perfectly smooth, sharp photos all the time. The other thing that can be said about shooting film is the ability to more easily make prints on fiber based papers. They have a different way of absorbing and reflecting ambient room lighting when they are displayed that is very different from digital printing. Even "professional" labs digitally print with wet chemicals, and inkjet to dozens of rad things like canvas, there's something about fiber paper that has a feel, texture and effect on people.

[Stetr24vw]

This is an awesome thing you are doing here Nate!