"Film photography alive as younger generation continues old artform in digital world"

Thanks a lot for posting this , I really enjoyed reading this and the link to that story about the camera restorer Mr. Ben Vang , story by Jessie Davies . C i a o !!
 
At my university (an average state university in the U.S.) I would estimate (since I am taking it) there are about 20 undergrads taking just the introductory film/darkroom course this semester, which I think is respectable.
 
Our local college and uni both have darkrooms and I see students walking around town with K1000s all the time. Horrible kit zooms but you can't ask too much =P
 
My access to a darkroom is the local Community College's Studio Art class, and it has a wonderful darkroom with about a dozen enlargers that will do negs up to 4x5. The Photo 1 & II classes seem to be well attended (enrollment is at least large enough to not have classes cancelled).
 
We had too high enrollment for the darkroom (a dozen enlargers) so the teacher had to scare away students (to drop the class).
 
I have had several experiences recently with younger people buying film cameras for the craft aspect as much as the art. Two young mothers met in camera shops or while out shooting have both recently taken up medium format and were keen to start developing. It's nothing huge, but certainly when out shooting my Rolleiflex and my Leica III the other day they got a huge amount of love.
 
At the lab I work with everyone is in their 20's or 30's including the owners.
They now process between 200-300 rolls on a good day. Go ask them if film is dead !
It's interesting to see a younger generation so interested in film photography.
 
It would be great if this is not a youthful fad like tattoos and nose rings. Here’s hoping.

The most perceptive observation by the 23 year old in the referenced article, in talking about her digital camera was this: “"It doesn't have the same effect and you can take the same photo with an iPhone."

Exactly. A crystalline summation, and more to the point than several multipage threads I have waded through on film vs. digital.
 
littleearth said:
At the lab I work with everyone is in their 20's or 30's including the owners.
They now process between 200-300 rolls on a good day. Go ask them if film is dead !
It's interesting to see a younger generation so interested in film photography.
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What city is this where they process 300 rolls of film per day?
 
Larry Cloetta said:
It would be great if this is not a youthful fad like tattoos and nose rings. Here’s hoping.
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Tattoos and nose rings have been around longer than film... so there's hope, I guess.
On a more serious note, I'm under 30 (just) and use the half-dead darkroom at my university, and there are a few others that use it, but not a lot for a big uni. I otherwise see very little of film users, young or old, but I have to admit I don't get around much. Rarely I see the odd Canon AE-1 that turns the users right off of film cameras again.
 
Ted Striker said:
What city is this where they process 300 rolls of film per day?
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All of the bigger labs in Germany for example. They have often even more.
Nation Photo, Paris, also said at last Photokina they have a similar amount, and their demand is increasing very fast.
The Darkroom in San Clemente, Richard Photo Lab in L.A. and Dwaynes are also in that league, in the summer they are even doing more daily. In Japan there are certainly also labs with similar size.

Cheers, Jan
 
There is a strong film user community over here.
Lots of labs doing anything from bulk C41 to small run hand developed B&W and the numbers are increasing.
The number of places (and the variety available) to get film and chemicals is also increasing slowly.
It's good news.
 
Also in Australia, in Melbourne, we have a few new photo processing outfits that have started recently and there is a film and film camera sales, sometimes after in-house refurbishment, shop called “Film Never Die”.
 
A convergence of increasing interest in film and the aging of film cameras is sure increasing film camera prices. Well that and regular inflation. In 35mm desirable bodies, especially backed up by extensive systems are now pushing the $100~$200 range, or more. But I ain't complaining, the increase in film users is keeping film alive and available for everyone.
 
It’s not millennials trying film that will keep film alive.....only Hollywood can keep film alive.
 
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