Digital Saved my Sanity, but is it Love?

I have said this on here before, but I learnt my photography in the days of film. This was also the days of manual focus. As a result, I feel like I have a personal heritage in photography, which can be very nostalgic.

When auto focus was first available, I could not wait to get my hands on an AF camera. The camera that introduced me to this new way of taking pictures was a borrowed Minolta Dynax 7000, and I was hooked. I changed to an auto focus camera at the earliest opportunity. I alternated a bit between Canon and Nikon, although my final big purchase was with Nikon, partly due to an attractive deal that I could not turn down, but also because I liked the camera. The choice ticked all the boxes so to speak.

Then came digital, and that really rocked my world. My first proper digital camera, and by that I mean DSLR, was a Nikon D100. This was a truly monumental shift in my photography. I was a full time photographer and webmaster (so retro), so each day I shot I would typically expose 30-40 rolls of 35mm film. The AF saved me from being quite so mentally exhausted, and the digital work flow saved my sanity – quite literally.

My main business was web content, so when I was not shooting I was scanning transparencies. I was on first name terms with all the staff at the lab, so it was also quite a social relationship. The negative element (no pun intended) was the scanning.

I forget how many times I was up at midnight or later 'batch' scanning. There were automation options for my scanner; the manufacturer made a slide holder that you could load all your slides into and it would scan them one by one without user intervention. However, it still needed to be loaded and very often, despite my care, the scans were not clean or cropped as accurately as I liked. Computers were not as fast or refined as they are now, so everything took time, and time was something I did not seem to have.

This will not need much explanation, but to be able to take a memory card out of a camera and transfer the contents onto a hard disk was, quite simply, a gift from the Gods. Most of my work was studio based on or location, which meant the images tended to have pretty constant lighting. This meant I could do the basic edit on a few from each set from the day, and then batch process them. Suddenly I gained hours in each day, and with each hour a little of more of my sanity returned. I have lost count of the number of baths, showers and nice meals I was able to build back into my life while all this 'computer stuff' went on in the background.

The rest, as they say, is history. Digital progressed, and image quality improved. Computers became faster. Strangely, this is what brought part of my work back to film. Shooting a couple of rolls of film over a day or two is really enjoyable. Manual focus is not as slow or stressful as I remember it, although the circumstances now are much more preferable. I can still use AF with film, but tend not to. Most processing labs now provide a good quality develop and scan service, so this work is not omitted from being included in the digital world. My old film cameras have big, bright viewfinders and decent lenses. I have owned them from new, so they are all in excellent condition and were stored well when not in use. I never had the heart to get rid of them, which has turned out to be a good decision.

My love of film is partly nostalgia, but also a genuine love of the process. Everything seems a little slower, which is no bad thing. I also think because it is not part of every day or even every week, it means I can enjoy all the stages of the process from buying the film to sharing or doing something else with the images. There is also that slight element of worry that you have made a mistake in exposure or did not get the image you hoped for, but that is all part of analogue.

Camera Envy - Advertising or Desire?

Camera envy is a curious thing, and I think if affects us all in different ways.

There are some people who are obsessed (a strong word but accurate) with the buying the latest version of their camera or upgrade, while others seem content with the same one for years. I think the world of digital has a lot to answer for with this change in the way we think.

In the days of film, many photographers would buy new lenses or change their preferred film, but often stay with the same camera body for several years. Changes to the body were often linked to a change in requirements, such as a better built body to withstand heavy use or sadly after some fatal damage.

I have vivid memories from my younger years of looking at alluring camera adverts in the magazines. The camera did not even have to be really expensive, it was just made attractive. I distinctly remember the Practica B200 and Nikon EM adverts, and neither of those cameras were top of the range. I choose an American Leica advert from 1970 for this article, but this was before I would have started noticing such things.

In fact, as a teenager, various camera adverts and specifically the Lambs Navy Rum calendar are almost certainly what lured me into shooting models and the world of studio photography. To be fair, there was probably an element of teenage testosterone as well.

In the modern day, digital is an ever evolving world, and as such many of the manufacturers bring out upgraded or new models every year. This constant supply of new equipment can make some wonder if newer is better. In reality, I think they should ask themselves if newer is more suited to their needs. I do speak from experience, I was a new camera addict. There you are, I said it :-).

This ties in well with my experience of shooting film. This was what I cut my teeth on, but when digital was released I grabbed it with both ends and fully embraced it. The main reason for this was because at the time I was shooting web content almost entirely. Anything that cut out the need for scanning and produced the end result quicker was welcomed. This period instigated my own bout of camera envy as it was a rapidly developing world. It seemed that every few months something was improved, made quicker or brought down in price.

I think advances in technology are always going to be the big draw in digital photography, but pricing is as well as you get more for your money with each year. Talking about pricing, I will leave you with this little snippet. In or around 2002, I paid around £160-200 for 1GB IBM Microdrives. This was a good price at the time, but I think the present day price to capacity ratio is more attractive.

Instant Print Film - It was Fantastic

In the middle to late 1970's, I was immersed in my new love of photography. Not content with just taking pictures, I started to notice what other people were using and owned. Some may say that this was my first experience of camera envy, and I think to some extent it was, albeit on a much smaller relative scale to the modern equivalent. What I mean by that is that the price and specification difference involved in that early envy was negligible. Of course, as I got older and learnt more, the gap did widen.

Anyway, back to the '70's…

My cousin, who is my age, had a Kodak camera that produced black and white images by pulling out a sheet and waiting for it to develop before peeling off the top layer. This was fascinating, and I was always slightly jealous of her.

About a year later, I am pretty sure it was the heatwave summer of 1977, I saw a Polaroid 1000 Land camera (why were they called 'land' cameras?) hanging around someone’s neck. We were on our family holiday, and I realised that we knew the lady that owned it. Feeling very brave, I politely asked her what it was. She demonstrated and took a picture. To my astonishment the photograph was delivered from the slot at the front of the camera and started to develop in front of my eyes. The wait was far more exciting than the peeling sheet type version because it appeared in front of as you watched. There was something rather appealing about the design of this camera, and interestingly today it still has a certain style icon charm for many people into the world of design.

As part of my recent camera and photographic rummaging at home, I remembered I bought a Polaroid Image 2 camera in the late 90's. I used it for random snapshots for about 6 months, until I decided my snapshots were better serviced with 35mm film in a small camera.

Polaroid (or a trading partner using the name) seem to be selling film again. I did not think you could buy original Polaroid film that is in date any more, and as this camera has a built-in battery in the film pack, I thought expired film may be too much of a gamble. I also discovered this week that just like Lomo, there is also some new film available from The Impossible Project. I am really pleased to see they have taken the plunge into this revival, and I do hope it will prove to be successful.

They do a colour and black and white version for my camera. Sadly, I have to balance the result, experience and price in relation to everything else I do. I am sure I am not the only one in this predicament, although I realise without the customers buying the film The Impossible Project may die. It could be a fun nostalgic experience and make an amusing addition to a photo shoot.

There are modern alternatives to the above, so it looks like there is a bit of choice for anyone seeking something for the tangible instant print. Perhaps this is an area of photography that will grow if the interest remains.

My First Photographic Memory

Imagine the scene if you will...

It is a gorgeous Spring day in Kew gardens, the sun is shining and there is a gentle breeze. The weather is warm enough to not have to wear coats or sweaters, but not as hot as a true British summer's day.

I am 8 years old and my mother has just let me borrow her little Kodak 110 camera. I have found a group of daffodils and have just taken my first photograph. I distinctly remember the slightly audible 'snap' of the shutter and the 'crackle' as the winding slider wound the film in the cassette on. This memory is etched in my brain and I do not think I will ever forget it.

Over the years I have been lucky enough to immerse myself into the world of photography and had some exciting experiences. Sadly some of my photographs have been lost, and some have not survived very well, but I still have an enjoyable collection in albums to take me down memory lane.

I have decided to dedicate some time into rekindling my original photographic passion. Digital is fantastic and has many advantages, but I think it can be a little clinical. I read somewhere that Quentin Tarantino will only shoot on film stock as opposed to the digital alternatives, and I think the same is true of some record producers with their music. Some audiophiles hate CD's and MP3's and swear by vinyl records. They seem to crave that naturally occurring organic feel or sound.

While shooting film more in recent years, I have been reminded how it is a very different experience to digital. I shoot 35mm and medium format, but the latter slows down my process most. It is almost as if I take more care. The step back in time is an enjoyable one.

I have also noticed that when I shoot someone who has only ever known digital cameras and auto focus, I can almost see them getting bored in the few more seconds it takes to finalise composition with the prime lens (no zooming), focus, wind on or change a film. I would never have thought seconds could seem so long...