Do you think you would have made the cut?

11 years 8 months ago #239471 by Baydream
I agree with most folks here. My first experience outside of the "Brownie" type era was using 8x10 sheet film cameras and learning darkroom in university (with the instructor our ill most of the semester). He asked me to "teach" the class in his absence. Talk about a fast learning curve. Gave me a great appreciation for those that do their own darkroom work.
I was leery about shifting to digital but once I did, the film cameras sit very idle most of the time. The flexibility of changing ISO on the fly has been great plus I get to experiment as I go along. It makes me better when I take out the film cameras.

Shoot, learn and share. It will make you a better photographer.
fineartamerica.com/profiles/john-g-schickler.html?tab=artwork

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11 years 8 months ago #239499 by John37
If it were film only I'd be way back. All in all, I probably would've only been a decent shooter that never stepped inside a dark room, limiting myself bigtime. But in the digital world I actually have a hunger to keep doing it, learning as I go.

"The most endangered species? The honest man!"
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11 years 8 months ago #239515 by KCook

John37 wrote: If it were film only I'd be way back. All in all, I probably would've only been a decent shooter that never stepped inside a dark room, limiting myself bigtime. But in the digital world I actually have a hunger to keep doing it, learning as I go.

For Black & White work you had to at least produce your own prints. The services always butchered my B&W stuff. This meant you were out some $$ for an enlarger. But the rest of the equipment for B&W processing could be done at a pretty modest cost and less effort than color printing. I did have access to enlargers (never bought my own) but this all drove me away from B&W photography in the end.

I never inhaled

Canon 50D, Olympus PL2
kellycook.zenfolio.com/

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11 years 8 months ago #239533 by John37
I did dark room... Once! It was back in the late 80's at a Jr. college. I hated it! :lol:

"The most endangered species? The honest man!"
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11 years 8 months ago #239562 by KCook

John37 wrote: I did dark room... Once! It was back in the late 80's at a Jr. college. I hated it! :lol:

I told you ... don't inhale! :sick:

Canon 50D, Olympus PL2
kellycook.zenfolio.com/

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11 years 8 months ago #239586 by Rob pix4u2
My Father taught me B & W darkroom as my first experiences with 120 roll film on a Twin Lens Reflex camera I loved it- seeing my prints appear on the paper was like magic. I fell in love with color and the convenience of dropping the film off for developing and printing in the early 1970s and never looked back. Film was a joy. Digital is easier and it took me a long time to make the switch. I'm hooked on digital now and will use my film bodies only occasionally now.

Remember to engage brain before putting mouth in gear
Rob Huelsman Sr.
My Facebook www.facebook.com/ImaginACTIONPhotography

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11 years 8 months ago #239645 by EOS Man

Studio Queen wrote: There are pro's and con's to just about everything, I for one and thrilled for digital :P


Amen to that! :beerbang:

5D Mark II | 50mm f/1.4 EX | 24-70mm f/2.8L | 70-200mm f/2.8L | 430EX
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11 years 8 months ago #239697 by Jeanne Merlo
I've seen film getting processed and there is no way I would have the same interest if I had to go through all that. So I'm another vote for digital.


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11 years 8 months ago #239712 by icepics
I first did some darkroom photography in high school when I worked at a summer camp program where the director took pictures and had her own darkroom set up at home. Maybe years later when I took a course on B&W photography and darkroom techniques I didn't find it that difficult because I'd had some experience at it when I was younger.

I guess it's like anything, if you like it and have a knack for it, then it's fun and doesn't seem that difficult. Once you learn darkroom work it's not particularly harder than other types of crafts, there's a certain amount of set up/clean up etc. and as you 'practice' and develop your skills you get quicker at it (at least I did). Doing darkroom work isn't necessarily practical for all purposes, I've done mostly my own B&W prints but send color film out to a lab and have been doing some of my own prints of some of my digital photos.

And Kelly, I inhaled... I've lately been doing lumen prints, which are sun prints using expired photo paper, and you run them thru some fixer and I like the smell of it! :rofl: Right now I have a couple of smaller darkroom trays, a small Kodak measuring beaker, a ferrotype plate and my Kodak squeegee sitting along one end of the kitchen sink.

Sharon
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11 years 8 months ago #239755 by KCook
The stop baths were really nasty. Didn't help any that I have sensitive skin either. :sick:

Canon 50D, Olympus PL2
kellycook.zenfolio.com/

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11 years 8 months ago #240066 by icepics
I wasn't being completely serious, because you do need ventilation in a darkroom, and I usually wear rubber gloves handling the photo chemistry. At home I'm setting up a 5x7 tray of diluted fixer so that's different than a full darkroom set up.

But I do like the smell... up to a point! I didn't like it when I'd go in the university darkroom right after the beginning of spring break when apparently they all took off and didn't empty or clean up anything - whew that was a little too potent!

Sharon
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11 years 8 months ago #240070 by Scotty
I would have done just fine. I'd be in the dark room a lot. I'd also be finding a lot of masters do reverse engineer.

When the last candle has been blown out
and the last glass of champagne has been drunk
All that you are left with are the memories and the images-David Cooke.

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11 years 7 months ago #243767 by Waz323
Film and digital are just different media and creative people will always be creative. I used to spend about 12-15 hours per week in the darkroom. It seemed like a lot at the time but I wish I only spent that long on PS and LM now.


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11 years 7 months ago #243773 by Joves

KCook wrote: The stop baths were really nasty. Didn't help any that I have sensitive skin either. :sick:

So I am guessing you were not the type to taste the chemicals to make sure they were still right. :lol:


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11 years 7 months ago #243791 by NikaTraveler
I think I could have done as well, but I couldn't have afforded it. Digital has opened photography up to more income levels.

That being said, I shot and processed B/W film in high school and it was a lot of fun. I'd love to do it again one day. It's a totally different feel and set of controls.

changetheverb.com ~Learning to Live Differently
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