Choices... - DPChallenge Forums

Olympus 17mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko

01/25/2011 12:52:29 PM · #1

So in a few weeks I need to chose what to do for A-levels in my next school.
I'm definitely doing photography of some sort, but not sure which one to pick.

Choice 1 is 50% digital and 50% film and a lot of the lessons are spent in the darkroom developing photos.
Choice 2 will be all digital, mostly photography and editing software but also some video.

I'm more swayed towards choice 2 but would choice 1 be interesting or do you think film is too pointless these days in the digital era?

Thanks in advance

Message edited by author 2011-01-25 13:02:25.

PennyStreet

OM System OM-5

01/25/2011 12:54:21 PM · #2

Choice 1 now and Choice 2 next year?

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

01/25/2011 12:55:50 PM · #3

Nope I can only choose one to study for two years :-(

KristinaG

Canon EOS-7D

01/25/2011 01:02:08 PM · #4

Have you done any film before?
I think you should try it out before you decide to do it for two years.
This is probably a rare case, but the chemicals in the dark room give me severe migraines if I stay in there for more than an hour. I did film photography for one quarter of school to try it out, and haven't looked at it since because of those migraines I would get from doing assignments.

Tiny

Apple iPhone 15 Pro

01/25/2011 01:02:32 PM · #5

Defo Choice 2.
Films all in the past in my view,........................why go there?

vawendy

Sony Alpha a1 II

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

01/25/2011 01:03:15 PM · #6

I think choice 1 will give you some interesting history and insights. But choice 2 would give you the (current) real world applications and probably more usable pertinent information. Though I'd have no interest in the video aspect, so it would depend upon how much time was spent on that. If it was also close to 50-50, I'd chose #1.

Message edited by author 2011-01-25 13:03:56.

01/25/2011 01:03:58 PM · #7

Originally posted by Fiora:

Have you done any film before?

I don't think there will be a way to try it out unfortunately but I will take that in mind when choosing.

Message edited by author 2011-01-25 13:04:58.

01/25/2011 01:06:51 PM · #8

Originally posted by vawendy:

Though I'd have no interest in the video aspect, so it would depend upon how much time was spent on that. If it was also close to 50-50, I'd chose #1.

I'm going to an open day there this Saturday and might be able to find out the course in a bit more detail. I have no real interest for video either but I wouldn't mind doing it as long there wasn't much.

SaraR

Sony Alpha a7R III

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

01/25/2011 01:12:34 PM · #9

Adam, is there any possibility that you might want to do photography at uni/college? I so it may well be that the entrance requirements require some film experience . If you think a photography degree is a possibility do a bit of research, but also ask the question at the open day.

Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical ED

01/25/2011 03:02:46 PM · #10

Originally posted by SaraR:

To be honest, I probably wouldn't go as far as doing it in Uni so I'm not THAT bothered by that aspect I guess. I'm ready to ask the teacher at this open day loads of questions to make sure I'm making the right choice. I know film would be interesting to do but like

Tiny said, I'm really only gonna be shooting in digital when I go out and take photos.

hojop25

Sony DSLR-A200

01/25/2011 03:05:29 PM · #11

Film is good, but trust me i chose 1 and it is soooooooooo boring... go with 2 :)

RamblinR

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

01/25/2011 03:27:43 PM · #12

I'd go for 2 (just digital) but that's me. Photoshop is your dark room.

bvy

Sigma DP1x

01/25/2011 05:05:55 PM · #13

Originally posted by RamblinR:

Photoshop is your dark room.

It's not the same.

To the OP: Don't be daunted by darkroom processes. They're easier and more fun than you (or anyone who hasn't tried it) might think. Not everything can be simulated by a Photoshop filter. I could never have done this with a digital camera.

Might turn out that analog (i.e. film) just isn't for you, and that's okay. But you should at least try it to find out for yourself.

ETA: Check out apug.org if you think film is dead -- or even dying. It's a hugely active community dedicated entirely to non-digital photography.

Message edited by author 2011-01-25 17:15:24.

Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS

01/25/2011 05:09:23 PM · #14

I can see why trying it out would be worth it but I'm not sure I want to try it out as a subject I have to get graded in over two years, I could 'try it out' in my spare time sort of thing. And the thing is, I just would never shoot film now, especially after I've just bought an SLR.

I'll talk to the teacher and post back what my decision is :-)

bspurgeon

Fujifilm x100

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/25/2011 05:18:32 PM · #15

Originally posted by Tiny:

Defo Choice 2.
Films all in the past in my view,........................why go there?

Because it's fun, and slows you down. There is value in learning the roots of a field. If you are interested in BW, you will come to appreciate the subtleties of contrast and grain.

I would encourage you to go with choice 1, currently there is very little opportunity to learn this, and it may be your last chance. Digital photography is mainstream, and, quite frankly, can be absorbed much more quickly due to the nature of the technology.

Pretend you are going to med school and learning basic science.

tph1

Fujifilm X-T1

01/25/2011 09:56:13 PM · #16

Hmm. Interesting choices. Don't discount the video aspect of choice two. IF photography was going to be a career pursuit, it might be helpful. My brother is a photog for a decent size newspaper and they are are expanding their video presence in their online edition. A trend, he says.

With that said, I would choose number one though. Working with film can be fascinating. It provides a historical background to the craft, and the whole process itself can be enjoyable. You say you will only be shooting digital? I carry both. Very good used film cameras are available for a song. Some of us film guys even shoot film, scan our negatives, and do some digital tweaking.

What would really be cool would be if the film portion included some historical processes like cyanotypes, gum prints and vandyke browns. If that was the case maybe I could enroll in the class too!

I would not pass up the opportunity to work in the darkroom. Either way, best of luck to you!

ubique

Olympus PEN-F

Olympus 17mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko

01/26/2011 09:25:17 AM · #17

Take the choice with some film exposure (pun intended).

Even if you later only ever work with digital cameras, knowing film will give you a better understanding of the great photographs of history. And if you want to be the best photographer you can be, you simply must study those seminal images, over and over again. $200 spent on books (assiduously studied) will do your work far more good than $2,000 spent on lenses. Or even $20,000.

I am also convinced that the disciplines of working with film, the enforced deliberation referred to by

bspurgeon, will inform your work forever, no matter what camera you use.

For all of the flashy image manipulation that is possible in a purely digital world, there was, and still is, far more genuine innovation in photography from the people working with film. Photoshop is to imagery as Spell Checker is to literature.

Message edited by author 2011-01-26 10:01:51.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

01/26/2011 11:39:39 AM · #18

I sort of feel that if you were already interested in shooting with film, you would have been dabbling with it before now. It's a great part of the art of photography, but putting yourself into a situation where you have to learn all about it , like it or not, may cause you to want to never go there again. It is good to know the techniques, and as the others have said, learning to slow down, think ahead, and make every shot count. If you can honestly feel that you would enjoy and appreciate learning about it, then go the film way.
There is a magic about exposing the paper, dodging and burning, then watching the image come up in the developing tray, that no other experience can duplicate.

If you want and need to become better equipped for knowing and using the current technology, go for #2. Learning the language and techniques of digital will help if you are aiming to be a working photographer, by helping you to get better images and with helping when you need to communicate with graphics people.
Though video is sort of "not what we do here" at DPC, you may find that you actually enjoy knowing about it, and seeing how your photography skills and techniques will spill over into shooting video. I can't even watch a movie or TV program any more without getting about as much out of dissecting the techniques and setups used to get the footage as I do from the plot.
You can always tinker with film if you can find the time and have the interest, by having a film camera and doing it on your own, or by getting involved with any local group that is keen on shooting and processing it.