Film, silver gelatin printing & alternative process
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Film, silver gelatin, Polaroid prints and experimental alternative processes are alive and thriving. In fact there has been a recent strong up-tick in film sales as more fine art photographers return to or discover the delights and incomparable beauty of film photography. TRI-X remains the king of monochrome film. Fuji Velvia 50 is back. Film and silver printing are here to stay.
The discussion is not about whether film or digital is better it is about what qualities you as a creative artist wish to portray in your personal and professional work. Aware and open photographers understand that film and digital photography are simply different media much like watercolor, acrylic and oil paints are to painters. Film, digital and alternative process are equally powerful tools in the hands of the creative artist. Here are a few selected resources about Film, traditional and alternative process.
- Photo.net's black & white film processing forum - one of the best resources for B&W film processing information
- Photo.net's B&W printing forum - a fabulous resource for monochrome printing information.
- Digital Truth's Massive Dev Chart - This page provides a fantastic chart where you can research film and developing times for any combination of film and developer. Regardless if you are shooting TRI-X or Ilford HP5, Agfapan or Fuji Neopan and want to develop any of them in Diafine, Rodinal, Microdol-X, D76 and more, you will find answers here.
- Luminous-Lint - a site full of information about traditional and historical photographic printing processes. Have you ever wondered what an Albumin or Carbo Process print is? Click on the "Techniques" link on the left to get the answer.
- Alternative Photography - an outstanding resource for film and digital alternative photographic processes.
Polaroid transfer process how to page - here you will find a great description of the Polaroid transfer process.
- Ivey Photo - Seattle WA - the Pacific Northwest's last high quality pro lab standing. Here you can have your large, medium or small (35mm) format film and transparencies processed, prints made, dupes made, negatives/transparencies drum scanned and more. Send them your film by mail or UPS. The turnaround time is 3 to 4 days door to door.
- Efke True Infrared Film available through Freestyle Photo in Hollywood CA.
Kodak recently dropped their legendary monochrome infrared film. Efke came to the rescue with their new true 820 nm spectral sensitivity infrared film available in 35mm, 120, 127, 3 1/4 x 4 1/4, 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 formats
- Fuji Film USA - Fuji continues to support film and film photographers at a very high level. This site is a gold mine of information on Fuji film, silver gelatin B&W and color printing papers and more. Velvia 50 is back, learn all about this classic film's reincarnation on this page.
- Kodak Professional - a great resource for Kodak film, silver gelatin printing papers, technical data sheets and tons of other helpful information. Learn more about Kodak's new enhanced Portra line of color negative film on this page. If you are shooting Kodak film this site is well worth visiting.
- Polaroid USA - instant film is here to stay. Polaroid film and process is used by fine art photographers world wide. Our own SVCC member and president Lewis Jones works in the medium of fine art Polaroid transfers.
- Ilford Photo Ilford is a long standing United Kingdom based maker of fine black & white film and traditional process materials. Ilford also produces a highly respected line of ink jet printing papers.