OlinBost Loc: Marietta, Ga.

This semester my granddaughter is taking a photo classes in high school. Last semester it was a digital class. This semester it is a film class. Part of the class deals with developing the film. Also a large part of the classes deal with long essays and not much on the camera and shooting specifics (lighting, subject, camera settings, lenses, etc).

Now: how many still use film (she is using my old Nikon N75 and I still have some film)? And how many still develop B&H or color film?

I am disappointed with what she is telling me that the teacher is teaching or rather not teaching.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I wonder what the course description said. I can understand introducing them to film and developing, but 99% of them will not be using film, so that time could be spent on post processing. As for the essays, do you mean reading or writing? There is a large intellectual aspect to photography, as you have seen here - lots of words and explanations. If there are "long essays," they must have something to do with photography.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

He's probably a young guy who doesn't know much about shooting or developing or printing film, was stuck into teaching the class (school systems do that), and is doing the best he can under the circumstances. I'd cut him some slack and elaborate on what he's doing yourself.

Kuzano

I shoot film and digital.

The niche market for film is growing strongly.

The community college where I teach has had film classes throughout the digital revolution. Three classes per quarter and a wait list continuously.

Exposure, lighting, composition and creativity is universal to both film and digital. The film camera's are much simpler and drawing some back from digital.

I won't make any comments on whether you can make a career out of film, but some pros are still shooting film, while others are succumbing to the immediacy of digital.

I would hope the cross-over fundamentals would be taught to your granddaughter.

As far as processing goes, the chemicals and film are still available and film production is growing from it's low points of the last ten years. Kodak is still producing. Ilford from England has created a presence on the US continent. The Impossible Project is recreating Polaroid, and a Type 55 Polaroid project is starting up. Fujifilm is strong.

I keep my film costs down by buying refrigerated, recently expired film from good sellers on eBay. There are high count positive feedback sellers who do cold storage and sell nothing but film on eBay. I frequently shoot film that has been cold stored and expired for ten to fifteen years, with no color shift. 1-5 expiry is somewhat better, and current date film is also available on eBay.

I have local processing for 35mm film available locally from 5-6 processors, and I can get Medium Format film processed by Fujifilm Professional Labs, with the middle man being Walmart and the prices absolutely minimal. (more on this if you PM me)

Digital is cheaper, but film is a hobby. People spend money on hobbies.. ie golf, sailing, betting on horse races. No accounting for hobby tastes and expenditure.

Young and old alike are attending those classes.

I wouldn't expect a lot from a high school class, but there will still be more advanced classes available for film in higher education.

Daylight film processing equipment has eliminated the need for a dark room. A light tight closet for loading the tanks suffices.

I'm having a great time using the Caffenol process. That's using daylight equipment (cheap) and Folgers Instant Coffee, Washing Soda and Vitamin C to process both film and paper prints. Look it up... Caffenol. It's all over the internet.

Furthermore, I have been making a nice side income buying and selling film camera's 35mm, medium format and Large Format for the last 15 years on eBay. Activity in film camera's and prices are rising for some equipment, while serviceable equipment is dirt cheap.

I have more than paid for ALL my photographic expenses, including gear... lenses and bodies, and counting both film and digital by my selling film equipment on eBay for more than the last decade. None of my photography expenses come out of household income.

I don't deal in much digital. The depreciation on digital equipment is measured in hours, and profit in gear is not a word synonymous with selling digital cameras.

Film is not going away.... In fact, it's doing quite well.

Give the young lady your blessings and don't try to sway her direction. Her interests are not your interests. In fact, your's may need some dusting off, when digital becomes boring and that old film camera beckons.

And please read my SIG line below!!!

:mrgreen:

DrWilk Loc: .

An essay doesn't necessarily have to be in written form, it can also be verbal, or in this case, photographic. You can tell a story or give direction with photos. Maybe, hopefully, this is what is intended in this course.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

:shock:

I frequently shoot film that has been cold stored and expired for ten to fifteen years, with no color shift. then why 1-5 expiry is somewhat better :?: :hunf:

If there is no color shift in the first place, how is it possible that 'younger films' are 'somewhat better'? :|

If 'younger films' are better there is a problem with older stuff. :evil:

Kuzano

Yes, I recognize the contradiction in my terms, but I think it's just an emotional comfort level the "younger the film" and the pricing is often nearly the same.

Perhaps I should have said, minimal color shift, but as the film gets older, one becomes cautious about how often it's been handled and out of the fridge. Doesn't bother me too much, because I have a freezer full of 135, 120 and 4X5 film, which I may never make it through.

Glad you caught that. You're brain seems to be working better than usual today??? Been eating right and taking your vitamins?

OlinBost Loc: Marietta, Ga.

From what little she has told me is that the instructor is not that interested in the class to begin with as this is only a secondary subject to her. Also she is not teaching any post processing.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

A total waste of time then.

Moving on.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

By PP you mean WHAT?? They scan and do it digital??
I would suggest if your daughter is not happy that she drop the class and take volleyball, it's better exercise!!
I'm not sure what you want to know or what your question is.
Some schools have better film teachers than others. It is, after all, a dying art.
The teacher is going to teach how she teaches and your not going to change that. hopefully whatever she IS taught she learns very WELL!
Why don't YOU teach her all about the light, the camera, lenses etc.
Does she have a textbook?
OB, I'm taking a film class right now. It doesn't matter how I'm taught, I have and will learn a lot, regardless.
Sometimes at the HS level a teacher will take on a class, not because they are experts, but so that the programs DON'T FOLD!!
That doesn't make them bad teachers, it makes them HEROES! :thumbup:
SS

n3eg Loc: West coast USA

Kuz, if you're looking for film equipment for resale, you might take a trip to the Goodwill on 6th in downtown Portland. They have a good selection of later model film SLRs in the $10-$30 range, along with the usual assortment of cheap 70-200mm zooms.

MW

Agree. Film has its place as an advanced elective for fine arts students. Digital has an advantage in that it should be possible get a basic set of technical matters out of the way and move on to composition and other aesthetic matters.

More advanced technical issues can be introduced later. In fact I think they may be easier to absorb because their value to the worth of an image will be easier to understand if a student has developed ideas about what manner of image interests them.

OlinBost Loc: Marietta, Ga.

I am still learning myself. Pure novice.

EdM Loc: FN30JS

a school will teach a coarse in buggy whip manufacture and use of someone will sign up and pay for it....

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

If you find one and they have satellite campuses or on-line courses, I would be very interested. I have a market for them.