Continuing my Thoughts
If you are reading this, and haven't read part 1, what are you doing, go back and read Part 1, you'll be kind of lost if you don't. Anyway, let's keep going down this recap of the past year of film photography.
Color vs Black & White
I have completed over 20 rolls of film this past year, not a large sample size by most standards, but enough to get a good grasp on the process. The mix has been primarily 70-30 color film to black & white film. As much as I love color shots, I actually have found that I love black and white film more. I recently had a series on my Instagram called A Beautiful World in Black & White, and I'll write something up more about that in the near future. If you want to go see that series, check out my Instagram at the bottom of this post.
Harman Phoenix
Film Labs
This is a part of the photography journey that was a new concept for me. Shooting digital was easy, you take the photos, take them home and start working on the files. Film however, you complete the roll, send it off to a lab to develop and/or scan, and wait for the negatives to return. The hardest part for me was trying to find a lab that was affordable, and efficient on their processing. Most local labs here in Texas weren't bad, but could exceptionally high quickly. The bigger name labs were competitive, but you would have to wait 2-3 weeks before your negatives would get processed because of wait times. During my search, I found a small lab in Florida called Reformed Film Lab that was incredibly affordable, and my negatives were back within two weeks, which was a no-brainer to me. Until another lab comes in and can beat them, I'm going to send everything to them.
Cinestill 400D
The Delayed Gratification
One thing I have noticed about our current culture is the instant gratification we have with just about everything. I know I've been steeped in it myself for a long time. When I started working in film, I had to wrap my head around the fact that I wouldn't be getting photos that I've taken for weeks to months, at times. I will say, that I have enjoyed the process of working hard to get the shots, and then seeing my results. There are definitely lots of misses, but when I get those hits, there is nothing more satisfying.
Lomography Black & White 100
The Final Results
The finished product, when shot well and scanned correctly, is definitely one of the most satisfying things I've done since I started photography. I have looked into it, and the aesthetic of the film stock is something that can be replicated digitally. However, some specific stocks cannot be replicated without extensive planning and acquiring specific accessories for your digital camera. At that point, why do all of that when you can just purchase the film for $15 and do it that way. I am definitely happy with what I have gotten so far, and fortunately I have only had a small number of unrecoverable failures, which has allowed me to see what I am capable of as a photographer.
Lomo '92
Lomography Black & White 400
ilfocolor 400
Wolfen nc400
Upon Reflection
I have completed over 20 rolls of film this past year, not a large sample size by most standards, but enough to get a good grasp on the process. After processing these rolls, I would say that film, as niche as it is right now, is absolutely worth pursuing. The development, the aesthetic, the delayed gratification, are worth the costs. I personally have benefitted greatly from doing this foray into film photography, whether it was the process of being selective with my shots, or spending more time preparing the exposure before I shoot. I have become better as a photographer by going through this adventure, and I'm not going back to just digital again. My aesthetic as well has changed to start looking more and more like film so that my images when I post to social media become more of a guessing game.
Looking for more content from me?
Did you know I have a book? I actually published my first book, Lone Star Roads, which is available now. Click the image here to order your copy today.
The End
Thank you for making it to the end of this post, there was a lot in this one that I wanted to share. If you're interested in helping me out, go look through my print gallery and consider ordering a print. These little things help me continue my exploration into this world that is film photography. Thank you again everyone, see you in the next one!
