Digital photography and ‘special effects’, but some prefer to use film
I recently spoke with a young man who I discovered was very interested in photography. (He didn’t know anything about my own ‘Special Effect’ photography), and having told me that it was his main hobby, I was very intrigued and surprised when he explained that he preferred to use film rather than digital images. Even though it’s so difficult and expensive to buy movies these days. I mistakenly assumed that he was referring to black and white photography, but soon realized that he was buying color film.
All new cameras, even cell phones, are digital. Also, there are only a few small labs that will process color film, and home processing, while possible, is not easy. However, he told me that there are groups of photographers, like him, who prefer to use film and that their number is increasing.
I have searched the internet and indeed there are many discussions about the advantages or disadvantages of using film compared to digital.
Most claim that when using film, due to the need to be much more selective (taking far fewer pictures due to high costs)he has trained them to become better photographers.
Another claim was that good digital cameras are expensive and need to be replaced every four to five years since they are updated so frequently. However, buying a second-hand film camera will be cheaper, last a lifetime, and hold its value, even though film cameras are much bulkier and heavier.
Lastly, old slides and negatives can and always will be easily viewed, but who knows, with digital technology changing so quickly, whether it will be possible to view digital images in the future.
I was surprised to learn this, due to the incredible possibilities of digital photography that exist now. Cameras not only make image and exposure control easier, in many ways, which were previously much more complicated with film. There is the advantage of seeing the digital result immediately. But even after you’ve taken the photo, with the help of the software, the options now available for manipulating digital photos are simply fantastic!
This got me thinking about why I would rather use color reversal film. (for my own creative transparency) instead of negative film in the 1960s, before anyone had computers. What I enjoyed the most was seeing the large projected image, much more than a print, although there was no option to alter the image once taken, but I was using it for my own ‘special effects’. But having to wait at least a week to see the transparency was frustrating.
I preferred transparencies to negatives because color printing was extremely difficult for me to master as an amateur, so I always relied on professional processing labs to do my prints.
My ‘Special Effects’ pictures were imaginative (nothing like the usual photos) and I soon found that it was almost impossible, when they made prints from my negatives, that they would know how to get the color balance I really wanted. The advantage of slides was that you could simply tell them to match the color balance of the slide they could see.
My favorite film was the Kodak ‘Kodachrome 25’ which is sadly no longer available. The transparencies were much more vibrant than any of the prints, so I focused on what I could do with Kodachrome. By always using this film, I soon learned the best way to control it, even with my own ‘Special Effects’.
These days I’m excited about the digital option, rather than film. However, using my own invented ‘Light Painting’ technique of photographing projected images, I am able to create some effects that would be extremely difficult to achieve with digital software.
My own views have always been that the most important aspect of photography is the resulting image, composition, quality and choice of subject. Not questions of technique, brand of camera, lens used, film, etc. It’s only the resulting image that really matters; yet it was created!
After so many years using film, I am personally now totally sold on the digital system, but if any readers are interested in the special effects I achieved with my own ‘Light Painting’ technique, please take a look at my website https : //www.jncohen.net/Limited-Edition-Prints/Painting-with-light.htm
No Comment