I might be crazy, but I did it

Andrea Taurisano said:
Inspired by a few photography bars in central Tokyo (ex. Nagune and Kodoji at Golden Gai), frustrated by the lack of dedicated gallery spaces and meeting places for photo geeks in this little city of central Norway, I started my own place, knowing it's going to lose money. I did my math, and even if I sell ZERO, a year of this madness, all included, will cost me less than a new Leica M body. We live only once. And some times way too shortly.
Click to expand...

Congrats!!! Excellent stuff indeed. Would love to check it out some day. You've got way more photographs on the wall there than Nagune does 🙂
 
Now I have a valid excuse to visit Norway (Trondheim). If this were last year, I'd seriously consider the trip. But alas, my employment is ending and $$ is once again a concern.

Now, I wonder why no film sales? Hassle? It would be in the spirit of this place to offer bulk-rolled films of your favorite emulsions. I like the film swapping idea but you could end up with a lot of consumer-grade C41 films pretty quickly. I guess it depends on the local photo community...

Providing for a community of photographers is such a great idea. I'd give them plenty of incentive to come hang out at your cave. The espresso idea is wonderful. Discussion groups (pick any photo topic, and advertise it with a date/time) would be something I'd attend. Speakers, demonstrations, and what not. Doesn't have to be world-class; My local photo club recently had a demonstration about pinhole photography - put on by a local guy and it was quite informal and relaxed. Nothing earth-shattering, but local photogs got together and socialized, and possibly learned a bit about pinhole. You get the idea.

Renting darkroom time should be attractive.

Here, a local store set aside a smallish portion of their display space as a "free for all" display for local artists (not just photographers). Folks could hang a print/piece (there are posted guidelines, limitations on size, etc.) and have their work seen. If I remember correctly, selling works from this space was not allowed, and for obvious reasons. If someone seemed to be generating good interest on the free zone, they could rent formal gallery space and sell works from there. Commissions are said to be very reasonable, but I've never participated in this.

...and Vivaldi mood music?

Sorry. I get to brainstorming and the post gets long and verbose. In any case, I love this idea. Wish it were near me! I personally relish the idea of a hangout for photographers -- Er, kind of like RFF, no?
Bon chance!
 
rfaspen said:
Now, I wonder why no film sales? Hassle? It would be in the spirit of this place to offer bulk-rolled films of your favorite emulsions. I like the film swapping idea but you could end up with a lot of consumer-grade C41 films pretty quickly. I guess it depends on the local photo community...

...and Vivaldi mood music?

Sorry. I get to brainstorming and the post gets long and verbose. In any case, I love this idea. Wish it were near me! I personally relish the idea of a hangout for photographers -- Er, kind of like RFF, no?
Bon chance!
Click to expand...

Thanks for all these interesting thoughts. The reason why I don't want to sell film is that it's just not worth it here in this city. First, Trondheim is actually a barely 160.000 people town, i.e. tiny market, and yet it hosts already one of the most serious and reputated film photography dealers in the country (where I myself buy film and chemicals). I just don't want to compete with them, especially when there is so extremely little margin on each sold roll.. However, if a tourist who's desperately running out of film should drop in and ask to buy a roll, I'll sell him or even give him for free one or two of mine, as I did a couple of times in the street (both as desperate begger and as a rescuer). That's the spirit that I believe should animate us few photographers who still swear to film. But I'm no "store", if you understand what I mean..

I did think about the risk of ending up with a fridge full of cheap C-41 and with less and less good BW film. But I wish that was a real problem..! In reality, I'd be surprised if I had to swap as many as one or two rolls a month..

Finally, yes, there's always some good music playing there, Vivaldi and much more. For myself, since I'm alone there most of the time..
 
You're a gem Andrea. I love the film comraderie I feel here. I do honestly hope I find myself in Trondheim. I will visit the cave. I promise to bring some good Tmax 3200 (I have just a few rolls left), some PanF 50 (hard to find here, don't know about elsewhere) and my prize film, original Agfa APX 100. Again, just a few rolls left. I've been shooting Adox Silvermax as its replacement and Tmax 100 (sometimes 400) as my everyday film otherwise.

Any scientific conferences in Trondheim? Climate change, geomatics, biostatisitics, ecological? I need an excuse...

BTW, my town, 50,000. Not enough to support film sales with the typical American throwaway culture. I'm one of a handful here 🙁 At least the few of us dedicated film users stick together and have a great supportive digital counterpart. 🙂 Still not enough of us (collectively) to have a real camera shop in town. That closed down several years ago and it was not a pretty end. Now we're left to mail order/internet for film and chemicals. At least we have that.
 
rfaspen said:
You're a gem Andrea. I love the film comraderie I feel here. I do honestly hope I find myself in Trondheim. I will visit the cave. I promise to bring some good Tmax 3200 (I have just a few rolls left), some PanF 50 (hard to find here, don't know about elsewhere) and my prize film, original Agfa APX 100. Again, just a few rolls left. I've been shooting Adox Silvermax as its replacement and Tmax 100 (sometimes 400) as my everyday film otherwise.

Any scientific conferences in Trondheim? Climate change, geomatics, biostatisitics, ecological? I need an excuse...

BTW, my town, 50,000. Not enough to support film sales with the typical American throwaway culture. I'm one of a handful here 🙁 At least the few of us dedicated film users stick together and have a great supportive digital counterpart. 🙂 Still not enough of us (collectively) to have a real camera shop in town. That closed down several years ago and it was not a pretty end. Now we're left to mail order/internet for film and chemicals. At least we have that.
Click to expand...


Hmm, let's see.. How about "Biodiversity Monitoring and Assessment" (6th - 9th October this year, deadline for registration 15th Septbember)? Or something about measures for the protection and conservation of species and habitats (19th - 21st January 2016)? Both from www.ospar.org

Or, even better as far as I understand your scientific interests, Via Nordica 2016 in June 2016?

But really, Trondheim has got one of Europe's most active technical universities (NTNU), so workshops and conferences here happen almost all the time.

BTW, it seems we may even have some vaguely common background: I did 6 - 7 years of research within polar glaciology (mass balance changes & climate) and snow physics, before turning back to my current (official) work with landslide and avalance hazard mapping.
 
Good luck with your adventure Andrea.

Looks like you have a little space for a small table, stools, and espresso maker inside. How about clearing away the weeds from the front and putting out two or three small tables and chairs. Might help pay for film, framing, rent...🙂
 
What an amazing idea! Good luck to you. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
If I ever happen to come to Trondheim (I've been there once), I will definitely come and visit you.
 
Gratulerer Andrea! Stort dette, veldig stort, og ikke minst vågalt. Håper du får noe igjen for innsatsen!
 
Fantastic place and great photos, congrats!

The picture on the top left, where you see the film perforation: is that a negative scan or did you photoshop the perforation into the picture?
 
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