Film Photography Lives!

After hearing that his obituary had been printed in a New York journal Mark Twain said, “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” Like Mark Twain film has been prematurely declared dead and written off as a thing of the past. Thanks in large part to folks like The Lomography Society, The Film Photography Project and The Impossible Project, analog photography is not only still alive but prospering and growing. 

The inspiring story of the Lomography Society (http://www.lomography.com/ ) which was credited last year in a BBC news story with single handedly saving film photography from extinction is the stuff of legend.  Today the Lomography web site and their stores around the world stand as a profitable testimony to the enduring interest in analog film photography.

The Impossible Project (http://www.the-impossible-project.com/ ) resurrected the instant photography industry from the ashes of Polaroid’s demise and has become the hub of a worldwide cult of instant photographers who generally use old Polaroid cameras for their craft although Fuji continues to manufacture both instant film and cameras.

Fujifim , to their credit has never wavered in their support for film photography and continues to offer a wide array of film and analog photography products, including the instant film and cameras.

The Film Photography Project, (http://filmphotographyproject.com/ ) working quietly in the background with their biweekly film photography podcasts, frequent film walks & meet ups and their online store has remained a beacon for film photographers who might otherwise become lost in the shifting seas of digital photography. 

Kodak, in the midst of its bankruptcy struggles took the time at a trade show in 2011 to announce that film sales were actually growing after dropping and then leveling off as a result of the digital revolution that occurred during the first decade of the 21^st century.

Ferrania, the Italian film manufacturer that stopped all film production in 2008 has recently announced that it plans to restart production in early 2014.

The truth is that in spite of an obvious lack of flashy advertising campaigns and hardly any publicity at all, the film community is not only still alive and well but it is steadily growing. You can still buy new film cameras and there has never been a better time to buy used film cameras. Film and related items are readily available although you may now have to get some things online rather than in your local camera shop as they generally cater to the digital crowd. Many types of film have been discontinued but new and better ones have been released as well. 

Will film cameras ever again outsell the amazing new digital wonder-gadgets that are released almost daily – of course not!  But neither will they disappear anytime soon either. Some of us old folks will never abandon film and young people every day rediscover the mystique of film photography as they realize that there is something else out there waiting for them besides the digital cameras they grew up with. So do yourself a favor – try film. You won’t regret it!