As many of
you know I have had an interest in photography since I was a kid. I had my
first darkroom in the basement of my parents house when I was in 7th or 8th
grade and continued to do film photography well through architecture school.
Along with another prized possession, my Bach Stradivarius trumpet, my Nikon F
and a bunch of lenses I had accumulated were stolen from my first house and for
at least a time put an end to my photography hobby. Photography in the
intervening years transformed and shortly after we started Oculus Inc., the
architecture firm I own with my wife Lisa in 1994, digital camera's such as the
Sony Mavica came onto the scene. For pure practicality and utility digital
imaging was the way to go as we could immediately share and use the images for
work. Photography for me had become both utilitarian and snapshots. Quick captures
of project information or kids, family and events. Not seriously working to
capture crafted artistic images. While I had been given a replacement film
camera it was already pragmatically obsolete as it was much easier to use, even
the sluggish, point and shoot digitals for taking work and family photographs.
In the intervening decade film sales plummeted. Mirroring the decline of their
analog devices/techniques such as hand drafting, typewriting, vinyl records and
such, the analog photo industry almost evaporated over night. The speed of its
transformation/decline has really been unprecedented in the history of
technology. Today while there are very likely more images than ever being
taken/captured film for most part is technically obsolete. Yesterday I
downloaded and App on my Iphone which is Kodak's limp attempt to promote its
very few remaining of analog film products. What was so immediately apparent
was just how irrelevant to the society and economy this product has become. The
last significant "volume" of film use/manufacture is for the movie
industry which will likely be essentially film free for commercial purposes by
2015. Certainly there are a hand full of users who will continue to use film as
their chosen media. Film is still capable of creating some of the best, most
powerful images. It for the most part has not changed, unless it is no longer
manufactured, but the world, technology and the society around it has. I have
been seriously considering purchasing a Graflex "Speed Graphic" as a
more convenient large format 4x5 camera to my Sinar F. I find the Sinar very
difficult to use in the field where most of my artistic photography takes
place. In the course of researching the Speed Graphic camera it has become even
more apparent that film is still declining. I was researching less expensive
black and white films to use for example
and I discovered that Photokemika or Efke had recently, August 2012, stopped
production. I had assumed, wrongly it appears, that smaller offbeat companies
like this would be able to remain alive serving a boutique market. It appears
there is not enough profit for them to repair ancient film coating equipment
and it was easier to just close up shop. With both movies and medicine making
their last moves away from silver based analog film will there be enough
product manufactured available for the dedicated art photographers to continue
to practice their art form?
Today I
came upon a serious photographer/writer who has been working on a project for
that last few years regarding the decline of analog film photography industry.
His name is Walter Burley. He has
just had a book published about the project "The Disappearance of Darkness". I hope anyone who reads
this does not think I am trying to predict the end of film or that I am
supporting it. Quite the contrary. I am saddened by this the way I would be
saddened by hearing of the passing of an old friend. But my sadness can't change
reality. I am wondering however if I should make a continued effort to pursue
film as a viable media. Should I invest more in one more camera that I may not
use or which film may not be available for? I have a bunch of gear based around
the use of film which would all become moot should the materials become too
limiting. Already my preferred film choice E100G has been discontinued by Kodak
and Fuji will base the continued manufacture of product on financial/commercial
viability. We might be artists but they are a company who's purpose is to make
money not art.
In any case look at Mr. Burley's site and his book. It is
serious work about a subject that I value very much. Walter Burley - The Dissapearance of Darkness
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