Film Photography Inspiration

"Being free is a lot like being lost – lostinagoodway
My name is Tim and I started photography only two years ago. I grew up in a lazy, boring small town near Frankfurt, Germany. There was absolutely nothing to do other than to be creative to get out. So, I started playing the guitar in a pop/rock-band; it never quite fulfilled me, but it led me on the incredible journey to photography.
In 2010, the band arranged a photo shoot with a lovely and talented American photographer, my dear friend Allister Ann from Nashville. From that day on, I was hooked! I joined her Euro-Trip, bought my first camera in Berlin, and soaked up everything I could possibly learn from her on the road.
There was never a question about analog vs. digital. I just fell in love with film – the grain, the leaks, the perfection of its imperfections. I soon got my hands on an old Canon AE1 and tried out Polaroids, Lomography – pretty much everything you could imagine. My artist name ‘lostinagoodway’ is truly my story: photography set me free and I got lost in it – but in a good way." ~  Tim Dechent
exhibitions:
urban outfitters Frankfurt/Germany 2012
puplished:
Cliche’ magazine April/May Issue 2013
Sir magazine April 2013
resource magazine fall issue 2012
zeum magazine 2012
Cliche’ magazine December issue 2012
theprintspace blog 2012

For more film photography inspiration by Tim Dechent, you can visit his flickr photostream here.

Free Photography eBooks

• Freeze, I Have A Camera And I’m Not Afraid To Use It!
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• DigitalPhotographyExpert Techniques
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• Lighting 101
• Image-Space Lightroom ebooks
• Technique Layout
• StreetPhotography
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• LightRoom Tips and Tricks
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• Various Canon eBook Samples
• 17 VariouseBooks
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The resources above are courtesy of "Freephotoresources.com".  Enjoy!

Shuttermom University

Since 2004, Shuttermom.com has helped thousands of photographers start and grow their businesses. In 2009, Shuttermom University was created to give photographers advice, inspiration, and a community where they can learn more about photography and the business of photography.
Our community is made up of both men and women, pro and hobbyist. Whether you use photography as a creative outlet only, are thinking of starting a business, or have had a business for years, there is something here for you.

Here is just a sample of what's waiting for you on the member's side! The Portrait Party Success Guide - including a Success Manual, Hostess Manual and Brochure Book The Portrait Photographer's Ultimate Pricing Guide The Natural Light Project - Your Guide To Beautiful Natural Light Portraits Baby's First Year Portrait Plan Video The Boudoir Photographer's Marketing Guide And Marketing Postcard 12 Month Publicity Guide And much, much more!

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"Although I had been studying photography for a over four years, my lack of knowledge on how to start up my own business and my fear that I would fail was enough to prevent me from turning this passion into a career. It was all of the information, resources and ideas in Cindy's lessons that gave me the confidence and the tools that I needed to finally launch my own photography business. Cindy taught me that success in this field is not based on talent alone, but to a greater extent on how effectively you market yourself. In her courses Cindy teaches you how to market yourself and provides invaluable information in a step by step fashion that is so easy to follow and she does not hold anything back. She also provides references and resources so that you can get started so much faster without all of the confusion and frustration of researching everything yourself. Cindy presents so many wonderful marketing and promotional ideas but also goes into incredible detail on how to implement these ideas with samples of her own promotional cards and brochures which we can adapt for our own use. Shuttermom University is a one stop shop for those wanting to get into the business of photography and also has so much valuable information for those already working in the field."
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See more reviews from Facebook here

4 Reasons To Join

1) You want to improve your photography skills. Ready to understand your camera and how it works? Want to be able to shoot using the manual controls? Need to know more about good composition and getting sharper images? Want to know more about lighting? Shuttermom University will show you.

2) You want the freedom that comes from owning your own business and doing what you love! Once you get your portrait photography business booming, you'll never look back. The information I provide you can really change your life! Stop working for someone else and start enjoying life!

3) You want a personal photography and business coach who has "been there - done that." I'm sharing all of my secrets and won't be holding anything back! I truly want you to succeed!

4) You want a safe and secure place to ask questions, share experiences, post images, and interact with other people who are passionate about photography! Shuttermom University is the place for all of this and more.

Ready to join us? It is simple and affordable. A six month (Just $29) or one year (just $49) membership gets you access to everything the site has to offer, and you can cancel at any time.

Need help? Contact Cindy at Cindy@ShuttermomUniversity.com

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only.  I have NOT personally experienced, or benefited from this "University".  Your comments, good or not so good are welcome if you have learned by taking their courses.  Share with the rest of us who might be sitting on the fence about getting serious with Photography.  

Film Cameras for Advanced Shooters

For the purpose of this article, I’m defining “advanced” as photographers who are comfortable operating a wide range of film cameras. If you hand them a camera and they haven’t used it before, they’ll figure it out in a few minutes and produce good results. You don’t necessarily need to be a seasoned pro to be and advanced shooter — you just need a decent amount of experience and a good knowledge of how cameras work.
So here are a few types of cameras aimed at the advanced photographers.

Twin Lens Reflex

I considered placing the TLR in the intermediate group, but they have a few characteristics that make them worthy of advanced status. The main one being the age of most TLR cameras out there. The other being the amount of manual control due to the age factor and the typical design of these cameras. Even so, they’re not terribly difficult to operate, they just take a bit of getting used to. Most TLRs use 120 film to produce 6x6cm images, but some produce 6×9 with 120 film, 4×4 with 127 film, and a few take 35mm film. Most are fixed focal length and fixed lens cameras, though I know of at least one with interchangeable lenses.
A lot of these cameras originated between 1930 and 1970, so don’t expect too many modern features on them. Typically manual focus, manual exposure, and generally without a built-in exposure meter. This “fully manual” experience is mainly what makes a TLR more difficult to use than other cameras. If you’re comfortable with shooting fully manual using the sunny 16 rule, you’ll have no problem. They also have a quirky viewfinder that will catch you off guard if you’ve never used a waist-level finder before. The image in the viewfinder is flipped about the vertical axis — so left is right and right is left. The first few times using a TLR, you’ll catch yourself moving the camera in the opposite direction from where you intend. As you pan left, the image on the viewfinder appears to be panning right.
Aside from these little learning curves, the TLR cameras are a real blast to use. They’re very odd looking compared to a modern SLR and you’ll probably get a few old-timers commenting on your camera as you walk the streets. The image quality is generally very good if the lens has been taken care of — some of my sharpest images have come from my ’56 Autocord. Another great thing about a TLR is that the common 120 film is widely available today, so they’re not terribly expensive to shoot.
Here are a few examples of Twin Lens Reflex cameras:

Photo Credits: bea-t, Geoffrey Gilson, curlybob0161, Coleccionando Cámaras, pluzz

Large Format

Most of us know what a large format cameras looks like, but not many of use have actually used one. These cameras are big, expensive, and time consuming on many levels. The term “large format camera” is a generalization for cameras that expose a negative 4×5″ or larger. Most of these cameras are either monorail cameras, field cameras, or press cameras.
The physical size of a large format camera means that you won’t be taking one out for some candid street photography. They’re big, and you typically have to set them on a heavy duty tripod (though press cameras are more handhold-able). This also means extra setup time before you can pull the trigger. The camera systems can also be quite expensive, but there are some older sets out there for a decent price. The film is pretty spendy too — plus you have to take developing and printing into account. These cameras also bring a whole new meaning to the phrase “manual control”… introducing tilts, shifts, and swings that aren’t available on most other camera types.
But that level of control is what likely draws in most large format photographers. They aren’t limited to parallel lens and film planes, and they can control much more of the image outcome. Image quality is another perk of large format photography. The recording medium is so large, that even a small 4×5 is equivalent to about 200MP on the digital side. Large format cameras are certainly among the biggest and best out there.
Here are a few examples of Large Format cameras:

Photo Credits: Eusebius@Commons, Eusebius@Commons, amanky, Rafal Stegierski, gtrwndr87

DIY Cameras

I’m loosely associating DIY (Do-It-Yourself) cameras with the “advanced” group because they have such a huge range of complexity. You can have everything from a matchbox pinhole to a full blown large format. But the fact that you have to make the camera yourself is why I’ve placed them here.
Whether they’re made from everyday materials or manufactured raw materials, you still have to make them. Some amount of “how cameras work” knowledge needs to be there before you embark on your adventure. Sure, there are tutorials and how-to’s out there on the Internet, but that’s more of a kit camera than a DIY. A DIY is something that you design and build yourself, even if you take bits of ideas from other cameras or designs. Once your camera is built and operational, it’s likely going to be extremely manual (and somewhat limited) in the controls department.
The great thing about a DIY is the sense of satisfaction you get. It’s a proud moment when you expose some film, develop it, and find that it actually worked! The other cool thing is that a DIY can be built on a shoestring budget, so you’ll have plenty of extra dough for film.
Here are some examples of DIY Cameras:

Photo Credits: Miles Cave, makelessnoise, marcelaxavier, Random Acts of Photography, Goodimages
by: Brian Auer

(Partial) History of Photography

Negative to Postive Process

The inventor of the first negative from which multiple postive prints were made was Henry Fox Talbot, an English botanist and mathematician and a contemporary of Daguerre.Talbot sensitized paper to light with a silver salt solution. He then exposed the paper to light. The background became black, and the subject was rendered in gradations of grey. This was a negative image, and from the paper negative, Talbot made contact prints, reversing the light and shadows to create a detailed picture. In 1841, he perfected this paper-negative process and called it a calotype, Greek for beautiful picture.

Tintypes

Tintypes, patented in 1856 by Hamilton Smith, were another medium that heralded the birth of photography. A thin sheet of iron was used to provide a base for light-sensitive material, yielding a positive image.

Wet Plate Negatives

In 1851, Frederick Scoff Archer, an English sculptor, invented the wet plate negative. Using a viscous solution of collodion, he coated glass with light-sensitive silver salts. Because it was glass and not paper, this wet plate created a more stable and detailed negative.Photography advanced considerably when sensitized materials could be coated on plate glass. However, wet plates had to be developed quickly before the emulsion dried. In the field this meant carrying along a portable darkroom.

Dry Plate Negatives & Hand-held Cameras

In 1879, the dry plate was invented, a glass negative plate with a dried gelatin emulsion. Dry plates could be stored for a period of time. Photographers no longer needed portable darkrooms and could now hire technicians to develop their photographs. Dry processes absorbed light quickly so rapidly that the hand-held camera was now possible.

Flexible Roll Film

In 1889, George Eastman invented film with a base that was flexible, unbreakable, and could be rolled. Emulsions coated on a cellulose nitrate film base, such as Eastman's, made the mass-produced box camera a reality.

Color Photographs

In the early 1940s, commercially viable color films (except Kodachrome, introduced in 1935) were brought to the market. These films used the modern technology of dye-coupled colors in which a chemical process connects the three dye layers together to create an apparent color image.

By: Mary Bellis

Kodak Portra Films

Mat Marrash: Pushing Kodak Portra

5:00am : : Anonymous

Over the past 15 months, I’ve burned a whole mess of film, with formats ranging from 110 all the way up to 8x10! I’ve discovered firsthand the kinks and quirks of each emulsion, and have found myself coming back to certain favorites. Above all else, the film that I’m always shooting some of is the new Kodak Portra. It’s been quite an interesting year shooting it, so let’s just start from the beginning.
Last fall during PDN’s Photo Plus Expo in New York City, after doing a brief interview with these two crazy guys from New Jersey talking about film, I raced back to the show room of the expo, hunting for anything film-related. Much to my disappointment, many of the big names in cameras and photo stores had nothing to show the film world. Only a small handful actually talked film or had any new products to promote. But just as I was giving up hope, a heavenly beam of light lit up the midway as I approached the Kodak booth. Coming closer to the unforgettable yellow glow of the booth, I was greeted by a friendly Keith Canham and his monster 7x17” ultra large format camera! Things could only get better from here.

Duane Polcou, Kodak's Scott DiSabato, and Keith Canham @ PDN's Photo Plus Expo

Talking to Keith while still entranced with the deep-black carbon fiber beauty he had brought along, I got to asking him why he was there with Kodak. He was helping them promote not only ultra large format film orders, but a new film as well! “New film?!?”, I thought, “I’ve got to get in on this!” I said to Keith. With a smile, Keith guided me a couple of meters towards the back of the booth where Kodak was handing out samples of their newest emulsion, Kodak Portra 400.

With all this free film at Kodak's booth, who could say no?

Following up my trip out east, I was on a mission to test this film to its limits. I’d already seen what some of the very high-end wedding film shooters had been doing with it, pushing/pulling and such, and thought I’d give it my own try during the family holidays. At Thanksgiving, I shot two rolls of Portra 400, one underexposed at ISO 800 and the other at ISO 1600. Before sending off to Millers, my 120/220 pro lab, I consciously decided not to push the film (process it longer to compensate for underexposure). “Surely there’s going to be no usable images from these”, I thought. Much to my surprise, however, there were a whole bunch of interesting, decently exposed images, with grain finer than I’d seen shooting Kodak’s older Portra 400VC! Considering I still had no clue how to properly filter the tungsten and fluorescent light in this poorly lit conditions, Portra 400 still managed to handle scanning and color correct in post processing very well.

New Kodak Portra 400 shot @ ISO 800, no push processing.

Next came Christmas shooting. I already knew what Portra 400 could do with 1 & 2 stops underexposed, why not try a full 3 stops? Two more rolls were sacrificed to the cause, as I shot in fluorescent only light at ISO 3200. “Now there’s definitely not going to be anything there!” Again, I was stunned at the CD’s and prints that came back from the lab. Plenty of usable shots, all with 3 stops underexposed, and only 1 stop of push (25% extra C-41 processing time). What did this mean for me photographically? It meant I could now stick to one film and shoot at a range of 400-3200 with the confidence that a fine grained, usable image would be there!

"Crazy Aunt's Socks" New Portra 400 shot @ 3200, 1 stop push!

This is where the real abuse begins. Once 2011 hit, I was in full swing shooting Portra 400 whenever I got the chance. I found myself regularly shooting it at 1600 with no push, just to gain faster shutter speeds and sharper portraits. Heading out east a few more times for FPP recordings and the NYC meetup mid-March, I shot half a dozen rolls of the stuff, in 35mm, 6x4.5, and 6x6, with crazy ranges all mixed together! On one roll of 35mm Portra 400 in the trusty Olympus Trip 35, I took snaps of the FPP Meetup adjusting the ISO on the camera from 200-1600 to match the changing light, and ALL the shots came out great! When visiting Times Square with Lauren late one Friday evening, I captured this splendid portrait you see below.

"Lauren in Times Square" Kodak new Portra 400 shot @ 3200, 1 stop push!

By April, I had: shot it ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, processed it in 15 year old C-41 chemistry, left it in the sun for a week, and yes, even shot a roll at ISO 6400. Was there anything this new Portra 400 could not handle? With near “digital” ISO latitude, pleasing rendition of skin tones, and the ability to maintain stunning highlight detail, it was safe to say Portra 400 was my new go-to film. But just then, new Kodak Portra 160 hit the market! Just like its higher speed counterpart, Portra 160 quickly found its place in my camera bag.

FPP Gang at Macs Diner - New Portra 400 shot @ 6400, 2-stop push!

Going much easier on this “slower” emulsion, I didn’t do too many crazy things to the new Portra 160. On occasion, I did take some shots ⅓ to ⅔ overexposed (ISO 80-100), but overall, this film handled much the same way as Portra 400, with an even wider tonal range, and very soft, even skin tones. I think this goes without saying, but the grain/lack there of at 160 is pretty awesome too! Most of this summer, in fact, I’ve been shooting Portra 160 for casual portraits, backyard barbecues, and good ‘ole summer fun. On a nice, sunny day, one can always expect perfectly rendered blue skies, well separated highlights, and vibrant but not overly saturated tones. Again, I try not to leave home without some form of new Portra in my camera(s).

"Uncle Bob" on the Beach - Kodak new Portra 160 @ 100

So there you have it, all the nuts-n-bolts of my experiences with the new Kodak Portra 160 & 400 emulsions. If you haven’t tried it yet or are still on the fence about shooting it, I implore you to go out and try some for yourself. Whether you’re new to film or a long time shooter, there’s something for everybody in these beautiful color negative films. Even for those coming over from digital, Kodak Portra offers an easy learning curve, a wide latitude, and results that speak for themselves.
If you have any questions about these new wonder films, or would just like to see some more examples of this film in action, please hit me up via Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or email.
Happy shooting and long live film!
Mat Marrash co-hosts The Film Photography Podcast (Internet Radio Show)

Take Free Courses. Earn Real College Credit.

Most free courses don't lead to college credit. Education-Portal.com's free courses do!

• View full course list.

Here's how it works:

1. 1. Watch free video lessons.
2. 2. Pass an exam to earn real college credit.

Free Online Lesson, Course and Tutorial Info

Regardless of where photography training is found, students won't be able to earn college credit from any sources. Additionally, most of these sources expect that students already have a digital camera.

Free Online Photography Lesson, Course and Tutorial List

Basic Photography Tips at Geofflawrence.com

This tutorial program is broken down into 8 categories that cover topics in editing, equipment, exposure, lighting, composition, subjects and color. Additional topics include red-eye removal, shutter speed, depth of field, focus stacking, studio lighting and rule of thirds. Most lessons offer training through written descriptions, pictures and diagrams. This website also provides video tutorials for students looking to delve into photo editing.

Computational Camera and Photography at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

This program offers training though audio lectures and lecture notes. Most required readings are also provided through free online resources. Students can test their skills by working on homework assignments and a final project. Since this is a free online course, students won't be able to participate in any in-class activities, related presentations, guest lecturers or exams. This course covers topics in wavelengths and colors, optics, lenses, coded and infrared imaging, lightfields and hyperspectral imaging techniques.

Digital Photography at Stanford University

Students following this course can develop their skills by using interactive diagrams and educational text. They can also test their knowledge by studying midterm and final exam slides, completing weekly photograph assignments and answering final exam practice questions. Topics covered during this course include spatial convolution, thin lenses, gamut mapping, color matching, telephoto zoom lenses, phase detection and depth of field.

Digital SLR Photography Guide at Slrphotographyguide.com

This tutorial covers topics in understanding camera settings, proper focusing techniques, exposure compensation, RAW file formats and techniques for beginners. This website also provides students with lens reviews, camera comparisons, lens suggestions and photograph editing software suggestions. Most lessons are presented with photographs and training articles.

Online Photography Course at Nobadfoto.com

This course is separated into 5 lessons covering basic composition rules, exposure, photograph composition, camera lenses and histograms. Each lesson consists of diagrams, explanatory articles and a table of contents. Most sections also offer students assignments that can be used to develop and demonstrate skills.

Online Photography Lessons at Bestphotolessons.com

This website offers training through 12 lessons that cover topics in exposure, shutter effects, balance, negative space, subject selection, intent, depth of field, rule of thirds and diagonal lines. Each lesson consists of brief subject explanations. At the end of each lesson, this website provides exercises for hands-on training. If a student is new to photography, they can also find a section that covers camera basics.

Sensing Place: Photography as Inquiry at MIT

Most of the readings required by this course aren't provided to students. Students can find most of their education offered through 8 guest lectures. This course also offers students general assignment guidelines and student project examples. If the student obtains this course's required and recommended readings, they may learn about storytelling, lighting, landscape narratives, significant detail, site selection and landscape poetics.

Stories without Words: Photographing the First Year at MIT

This course was developed to show students how to document their experiences through photography. Since most of the reading assignments are offered through books, students may need to rely on concepts covered in this course's lecture notes. Students won't be able to participate in in-class lab sessions or meetings. This course also offers assignment files for students who wish to apply learned concepts. Topics covered during this course include image viewing, light and web design.

by: Education Insider

Why you should shoot film to learn photography

In the digital age, everything has been made easier. We can contact our friends in an instant with a cell phone, find all the nearby food chains in any place by searching the internet, and take photos with just the touch of a button. But sometimes this easiness can rob us of basic knowledge. For instance, even though you can Google all the food chains close to you, you might miss out on the mom and pop places that have the best food. Or you may go to the closest Burger King even though the one further away has a much shorter drive-thru line.

There are just some things that need to be done the old way for you to learn the basics, and photography is one of those things. If someone asked me the best way to learn photography, I would not quote them books or online forums or even specific ways of shooting. I would give them two pieces of advice: Get a film camera, and experiment by shooting a lot.

Nikon FM-10 | Nikon - N80 | Nikon F100 | Canon EOS-1V | Minolta Maxxum QTsi

This is not to say that you can't learn photography with a digital camera. You certainly can. But I believe you can learn more and learn faster with an analog camera. Even after shooting with digital for years, I felt like my photography improved after using a film camera and here are some reasons why:

Manual settings:

With many film cameras, you are forced to manually set the aperture and shutter speed by using a light meter. Having to do this every time you take a shot really gives you a good understanding of aperture, shutter speed, and exposure. And if you shoot enough in a variety of situations, you will be able to properly meter a scene just by looking at it.

Of course you can shoot in manual mode with digital camera too. But the fact that you don't have to makes a lot of people choose the automatic settings. There's nothing wrong with this, except that you won't learn the basic of the exposure triangle.

Shooting Black and White:

When most people start out in film, they shoot in B&W. Perhaps it's because it's cheap, or easy to get processed, or they just love the look it. Regardless, it's perfect for beginners because it teaches you how to see light. Color photography can often be distracting, but when you take all the color out, all your left with is light. Being able to see in black and white is very tricky, but what you're really looking for is highlights and shadows. Learning to see light an essential part of photography because, well, that's basically what you're doing is capturing light.

Again, you can do this with most digital cameras, but most people won't. If you convert to B&W in post-processing, then you're missing the whole learning process because you don't have to actively think about what the shot will look like before you take it if you're just converting it later as an afterthought.

Slowing things down:

Ironically, the biggest advantage of analog cameras is that that made them replaced with digital in the first place: Speed and convenience. Nowadays, you can just snap, snap, snap, take a dozen photos in a matter of seconds. No need to worry about how much space you have on your card. No need to worry if you mess up a shot because you can just take another one.

The most common way inexperienced photographers shoot with digital today is: shoot, correct exposure settings, shoot, correct composition, shoot, change angle, shoot, zoom in or out, shoot, change angle again, shoot. So by the sixth shot, you may have a decent photo. You may argue that this is a great way to learn photography. That, because you can instantly see what you've shot, you can correct it and shoot again to get a better photo. This is true, but most don't learn very quickly, if at all, with this method.

With digital, you can always shoot, look, adjust, and re-shoot your subject. ALWAYS. So why is there any need to learn why a photo looks bad if you can just keep shooting until you fix it. Most likely you will never remember why your first five photos looked bad, and you won't care because the last one looks good.

With analog, you have 36 frames at the maximum. So you're going to make every shot count because you don't want to waste any of those precious photos. It may sound like it wouldn't make a difference, but it does. As soon as you put that camera up to your eye, you will actively think about your exposure, about your composition, and about if the photo will even be worth capturing. You will think about everything before you push that shutter button because you won't get to look at it and correct it. In fact, you may never be at that certain spot or situation again. 

Nikon D600 | Nikon D4 | Nikon D800 | Canon 5D Mark III | Nikon D5200 | Canon 1D X

I promise you that this is one of the best things you can do to improve your photography, even if you've been shooting for years. I have thousands and thousands of of digital photos on my computer. But I often consider my film photos some of my best work and my favorite shots.

By: Spencer Seastrom