Adventures in Analog Photography

Welcome to the first installment of Adventures in Analog Photography! 

Who am I and why write this blog?

   I was talking to a friend who knew that I'm an avid film photographer (some would say nut) who wanted to get into film himself but didn't know where to start. He knew that I had amassed a ton of information over the years about  film photography mostly from taking workshops at The New England School of Photography (NESOP) and asked if there was a one-stop-shop where he could learn the basics. I immediately rattled off 10 or so workshops, websites, named Ansel Adams books on photography: I highly recommend The Negative by Ansel Adams  for a great intro on film and the Zone System. 

Suffice to say he was overwhelmed by all the information I was telling him and recommended that I put it all in one place. So, here we are, together on the web where I humbly submit to you a comprehensive overview of film photography, film cameras and the process I've come to love. 

What will we explore here and who's it for? 

To me, photography is the perfect confluence of art and science. I'm going to explore both of these topics. I'll start with the technical and intersperse artists, history and how different photogs have pushed the envelope technically and artistically to change the face of photography. I don't aim to give a comprehensive overview of photography but rather, a brief foray into those who photographers who have influenced me or my peers in a unique and profound way of seeing. 

A Word About Film Vs. Digital 

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Exactly - there will be no words. I don't want to engage in the conversation. Here's how I feel about the flame wars that often happen on APUG etc. Look, digital won the war, it's faster, better, easier for almost anyone who's got even a passing interest in photography. When the New York Times accepts iPhone images of major events you know it has won the war. 

Why then would you take a picture on a piece of silver gelatin? 

Because you love the process. It's physical and can't be easily copied/reproduced. Analog gives you a sense of history, place and context. 

That's it. To me, that's all there is to it. 

Here are a list of technical topics that I'm aiming to explore:

• Why shoot film in 2013?
• A Reading List for Film Photographers
• Who shoots film today?
• Let's talk about cost of film
• How film photography could get you more photo gigs
• How to find a cheap film camera
• Getting to know the negative 35, 120, 4x5 and 8x10
• Processing film an intro 
• More processing: Intro to B&W
• Intro to the Zone System I
• Zone System II
• Choosing a B&W developer and understanding the process
• Processing film: C41
• Processing film: E6 
• Alternative processes like Pt/Pd, Carbon, Wet Plate etc. 

And a list of Photographers:

• Daguerre/Henry Fox Talbot
• Edward Weston
• Ansel Adams
• Henri Cartier-Bresson
• Robert Adams
• Stephen Shore
• Joel Sternfeld 
• Bill Cunningham
• William Eggleston 
• Elliot Erwitt 
• Elliot Porter
• Mitch Epstein
• Eugene Richards
• Alec Soth

*Links to artists websites coming soon

Resources and other websites 

I'm going to try and post as many links to places that I learned all things film throughout the blog. One guy who's really been doing an awesome job is my friend Mat Marrash. He runs a very cool site called Film Photography Project that aims to educate the public via an internet radio show. It's very cool, I encourage you to check it out. The other incredibly cool projects I follow are Believe In Film  and Film Is Not Dead (it just smells funny ;-) ). 

For those that are more artistically inclined, I highly recommend Andy Adams, FlakPhoto website. I'm a huge fan of the project, "Looking at the Land" as I subscribe to a New Topographics style of seeing the land and man's place in it. take a look at this picture from Joel Sternfeld (my hero) to get a feeling:

Let's make this a conversation

I'd love to for this blog to be an active discussion about what you would like to learn, your own experiences with film photography, and resources you have found along the way to aid you in the process of making great pictures on film. 

Interested in contributing an article or two? Leave a comment below - I'm excited to talk! 

Leave feedback/comments below and I'll make sure to answer them the best I can.