It’s been almost 42 years since I exposed my first roll of black and white film. I still get a thrill when I take a roll off of a developing reel and hang it to dry. Holding wet negatives up to a light source is an experience that everyone that wants to call themselves a photographer should experience. Chimping images on the back of a DSLR is nothing compared to looking at a freshly developed roll of film.
Every month another story appears about how film is making a comeback. Granted film will never make a big dent in the camera world but the resurgence is putting a smile on my face. Shooting film is not cheap but it is also not expensive. You can also process the film yourself and scan it to edit in Photoshop. Processing Black and White is easy. Mostly what is needed is film reels, processing tank, chemical bottles, a film thermometer, a measuring beaker, drying clips, and chemistry. Once the hardware is purchased replenishing the chemistry and film is just Starbucks type money. Learning the steps to processing film is just a simple Google search. Loading the reel with film is the hardest part and is best learned by just buying a short roll and closing your eyes and practicing loading.
The difference between a film and a CCD black and white image is like comparing oil and watercolor paintings.They just look different. Film images aren’t automatically better, there just different. One aspect of film that I have always liked is film grain. It is such a part of the image and I love how it gives an image character. The grain that can be added to a digital black and white image has been improved over the years to look organic but it just doesn’t quite feel like it is part of the image. It always looks like an added Photoshop layer. It is good, but not perfect.
I am good friends with the owner of a camera store in Los Angeles and we have been talking about the resurgence of film. He has owned his store since the mid 1980’s and for many years had his own mini lab. The resurgence has really surprised him. He says that each month he sells more film than the last. Film has always been popular in photography programs but it is growing again with artist and some commercial photographers. Of course there are the Hipsters that just want to be seen with a film camera but even they do expose a few frames now and then.When I was shooting commercially I processed and printed my own film. When I started doing documentary work I processed my own as well as the film for newspaper photographers. I can’t even begin to guess how many rolls I have processed. Adding in the film from my photography program it would have to be in the tens of thousands. I will admit when digital came along I was glad to not to have to soup any more film. These days I find it therapeutic to slow down and work with film again. Shooting and processing film then editing and printing digitally is a wonderful workflow. I was quite good at enlarging and making silver and platinum prints but digital prints can be massaged to get exactly the look that I want.
I’m not of the school that because the image is from film that it is automatically better. It is just a different way of expressing your vision. I also feel that more people should try film photography. Digital imaging has a sameness that makes all work look the same. Yes digital is better for most work. Especially when the time needed for turnaround is important. But there are a lot of people in this world who when given a choice they will pick work that has been shot on film.