Why Film Photography Is Regaining Its Popularity

By Noah Gardner

Motlow Buzz Reporter

            In a world where photographs are primarily taken digitally, there is a growing popularity amongst photographers for the film formats of the past. But why would anyone in our society of technological advances still return to shoot with  

            In the early 2000s, the world of photography as we knew it changed forever. Though digital cameras were made in the ‘90s, the high quality results came with the 21^st Century. Companies went from processing film to just simply making scans of a digital photo. However, after about 10 years of a crashing market, recent studies have shown that film is regaining its popularity.

Kodak Ektachrome

According to Kodak Alaris, a spinoff of legendary film manufacturer Kodak, sales of Kodak professional film grew more than 5 percent worldwide between 2013 and 2015. Kodak has taken note of the resurgence of the film world and announced that it is rereleasing one of their most popular 35mm films known as Kodak Ektachrome. This stands to show that film is a growing trend amongst amateur and professional photographers.

            What a lot of people don’t understand though is that film takes a bit more time and money. In order to develop film, you must take it somewhere that has the appropriate equipment, like a local camera store such as Durys on Murfreesboro Pike. Also, chain stores like Walmart or Walgreens have photo departments in their stores where they can send your film to be developed.

Photo taken with Kodak Ektachrome

Instead of doing either of these two things, you can do the much more difficult task of developing your own film. To make a long story short, there are a lot of chemicals and tools involved that you have to buy just to get the photos developed. Not to mention a space to set up your own darkroom. This is why I prefer to take my film to a place that will do it for me. I might pay a bit more, but it is worth taking to a professional rather than possibly destroying the film on my own.

            That all being said, a lot of professional photographers defend film photography because it allows them to have complete creative control. While digital photographers have to take hours to edit their photos, film photographers would argue that this is showing a lack of control over their own photos.

 Walter Rothwell, a professional photographer who regularly uses film said, “Necessity is the mother of invention; there is no point staring at the back of a film camera after taking a shot—that time and energy is already going into the next one. Not knowing immediately what has been captured is a creative advantage,”

Photo taken by Walter Rothwell

What he is saying is that film makes the photographer more creative because he or she isn’t sure what the picture looks like immediately after it is taken. Shooting film is a process that makes you appreciate the photo more, wherein digital photos can be much more forgettable due to the incredible volume of a similar image.

            I can understand both sides. I have a digital camera, but I still would prefer to shoot film. To me, film makes photography seems like more of a job, which I like. With digital, you can take hundreds of photos in a matter of seconds and forget about them in an instant. Also, film has a grain quality that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. This whole debate is very comparable to the vinyl versus digital download debate. It is all about what the photographer is planning on doing. There is a time and a place for either digital or film, and that is up to you to decide.

            Ultimately, this is not to say that everyone should immediately discard their digital cameras and switch to film, but rather that film still has a very real and serious place in the world of photography. Alongside digital, film photography can continue to strive and thrive, offering a different approach to taking a picture. The rebirth is just that however. Companies will need to continue to respond to the resurgence of the market and innovate as much as they can to stay safe. Whether they can or not, remains to be seen. For now, though, film is alive and well.  

http://www.kodak.com/us/en/corp/press_center/kodak_brings_back_a_classic_with_ektachrome_film/default.htm - An article about Kodak bringing back Ektachrome.       

                

https://shop.lomography.com/en/films/35mm-film?country=us – The different kind of films that you can buy.

https://www.thespruce.com/film-vs-digital-photography-2688470 -The comparison between digital and film cameras.

Local Record Stores Celebrate Music

By Noah Gardner

Motlow Buzz Reporter

            NASHVILLE, Tenn.— All-day music events happened at various record stores in Nashville on April 16, celebrating Record Store Day.

            Record Store Day occurs once a year and is celebrated around the nation. It is a day that supports music in record form, which has made its comeback among music listeners. Individuals use this day to celebrate music and local record stores.  For the record stores, it is the biggest day of the year, generating thousands of dollars in record sales.

Bands and major record labels from across the country use the day to release or re-release some of the legendary acts’ most-sought-after albums. Some of the big names this year included David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Madonna, Outkast and Metallica. Record collectors grabbed some of these rare and limited records before they were gone.

Wray at Grimeys (photo by Noah Gardner)

            This day was especially important in a town where music is so prevalent. The big record stores across town such as Grimeys, Third Man, The Groove and Fond Object staged all-day events. The day started at 10 a.m., and the weather couldn’t have been better. Located on Eighth Avenue, Grimeys had Mayor Megan Barry perform a DJ set where she spun some of her favorite Nashville records. Also, some up-and-coming acts such as Wray and Los Colognes played behind the store to a music loving crowd.

 “There has been a great turnout and I am really happy to see this many people still interested in records,” said Josh Walker, the assistant manager of Grimeys.

Right down the road on Seventh Avenue, Jack White had some of his own special RSD releases at his well-known Third Man Records. In addition, local punk group Faux Ferocious energized the line of people waiting to get in the store with their catchy riffs and Southern charm.

 Others ended up in East Nashville, where The Groove and Fond Object had many all-day festivities.

At The Groove, there were many new and used records that the East Nashville culture looked highly upon. There was not a sad face in the crowd as everyone watched the local sweethearts Ornament while munching on food truck tacos and soaking them down with craft beer.

Fond Object not only celebrated Record Store Day, but also its third anniversary. At the Fond Object backyard, there were many booths from local stores selling their own antiques, shirts and art. The day ended with the sun going down as everyone listened to the harmonious Nashville based group Promised Land Sound. They lived up to their name by playing twangy folk music to a big crowd behind the store.

Ranch Ghost at Fond Object (photo by Noah Gardner)

“We are really proud to be living in a city that cherishes music as much as we do, and we are especially honored to be playing on a day that celebrates the best format of music,” said Promised Land Sound’s front man Joey Scala.

            As a whole, the day was filled with great music and great records. Although a lot of people now have holes in their pockets from the exclusive records that they could not live without, the day was filled with an energy unlike any other. A sense of community was spread throughout each store and a shared love for music.

For more information about Record Store Day, visit www.recordstoreday.com

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