Category: Film

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Ilford get bought out

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There are not many film manufacturers left. Ilford in the UK, Kodak in the USA and Fuji of Japan are basically all that’s left for traditional silver photography.

Not sure if I should worry or not but Harman the parent company for Iford has been bought.

14th September 2015

HARMAN technology, manufacturers of the famous ILFORD Photo range of Monochrome Photographic products, have been purchased by Pemberstone Ventures Ltd for an undisclosed amount.

Pemberstone, a UK based investment company have been tracking the performance of HARMAN for some time.Mark Anslow, CEO of Pemberstone Ventures comments:“We are very excited by the potential of the Analogue Photography movement and believe that HARMAN is uniquely placed to drive the resurgent Film market into the future”.

Peter Elton, Managing Director of HARMAN concurs.“Film has become an interesting medium for young photographers to work with again.We are seeing this very clearly. Our new owners will assist us to connect more effectively to this younger generation in the future, and we will prioritise this as our main goal over the next five years.”

“We remain totally committed to Analogue Photography, and indeed to all forms of Imaging.Our Product Range is uniquely stable and of the highest quality, and we can assure all of our customers that we will continue to support them in our customary way for the foreseeable future”

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What film on a film Friday

Leica M4 35mm Summicron
Leica M4 35mm Summicron

What film is a question now that many film photographers will argue over.

For colour I tend to shoot Fuji, with Velvia on large format being one of my favourites but tricky to use due to high contrast.

For Black & White i have generally stuck with Ilford and HP5+ rated at 400 ISO and have never used Kodak Tri X which many rave over.

So I have placed an order and got a pack of Tri X to have a go at.  It might be sometime before I show any of my work with it as my film use is only occasional but I look forward to giving it a go.

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Large Format Developing

Processin Insert Paterson-3-reel-tankWhen one hears about people developing their own film one imagines that for most people this is just not an option. Who has the space to create a darkroom, or as used to be common black out the bathroom.

Well it’s traditional printing you need a darkroom for not developing. I taught Caroline how to develop 35mm film in the kitchen using Patterson developing tanks.

We have all the gear for 35mm developing and I want to start again but the driver is large format.  The picture above is an insert for Patterson three reel tanks, I have been waiting for a number of months for them to come back in stock, well now they are, so together with my scanner I hope to do a lot more large format Black & White as well as giving my Leica M4 a workout. 

The question next is what film?

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Film Friday – Grave Stones

Grave in the Grass, Ilford HP5 Plus ISO400
Grave in the Grass, Ilford HP5 Plus ISO400

Its another film Friday! Yes, one of the downsides of me having a new scanner is that I get to show you some of my old work. This was taken about ten years ago and is from a period where I was teaching Caroline how to develop Black & White film, something that we enjoy but have not done in at least eight or nine years, but is something I want to get back into.

I hate the argument about what is best film or digital, its like asking a painter what is best, water colours or acrylic, there different and both a valid art form and craft.

The camera I think was a Nikon FM2n, the film was Ilford HP5 Plus rated at its standard ISO 400.

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Film Friday – Lincoln Bailgate

Film Friday - Bailgate Whisky ShopAs I continue to refine my scanning technique heres another Film Friday for you, this is the Bailgate area of Lincoln.  I don’t believe the Yorkshire TV shop is there any more but the Whisky Shop definitely is and is worth a visit if your after a fine Whisky from all over the world.

 

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Film Friday – Simple Nude Form Study

Nude Girl's Back This week I have been going through some of my very early work, this film shot was taken in 1995 I believe with a Canon A1.  So twenty years old.  I have certainly learnt a lot since then, and also forgotten a lot.

Soon i’ll have my own studio ready (getting ready to put the new floor down at the moment), and I think i’ll be going back to simple studies like this, working simply with a single light and getting back to the basics.

Sometimes keeping it simple is all that is required.

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Film Friday – Vintage Bicycle

Leica M4 24 Elmar, Ilford Delta 100
Leica M4 24 Elmar, Ilford Delta 100

I am photographing a vintage fair this weekend for fun using my little old film Leica M4, as I was loading my film I thought it was time for a film Friday so here we are, a picture taken with my Leica M4 earlier this year.

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Film Friday – Chimping on Steep Hill

Leica M4, Summicron 35mm Ilford Delta 400
Leica M4, Summicron 35mm Ilford Delta 400

Time for another film Friday, on one of my regular excursions up Steep Hill in Lincoln I spotted this gentleman taking photographs of the old Jews House.  I could not resist getting a shot of him ‘chimping’ at the results.

As usual for my 35mm film work it was taken on my old Leica M4.