Originally posted by Tony Belding 
This is the kind of talk that I have trouble getting my head around. I've never had a darkroom or a light table or a photo loupe, nor do I picture myself getting access to those any time soon. Assuming I did actually shoot some slide film and put it on a light table and was then greatly impressed by its jewel-like beauty. . . Then what would happen 20 minutes later after the novelty wore off? It's not like I'd be showing it to anyone else in that form. Then I would be back to scanning into Aperture and posting the images online, or, in a few special cases, getting large prints made.
I think photography used to be very narrowly defined in the past, especially in a technical sense. There was a prescribed methodology for taking pictures, developing the film, and making prints. Over time photographers began to infuse some artistic flare into their work. Most of the effort was put into the subject matter, lighting, etc while the technical methodology remained relatively static. Eventually people began playing with the technical side of photography too. Pushing/pulling film, filters on enlargers, dodging and burning, etc. When color films became available photography's definition expanded further. Now with digital technology in our hands I feel like the doors of photography have been blown wide open. "Prints" vs. "photographs", "film" vs. "sensor", etc. Photography is now as creative as it is technical - if not more. There are so many tools available to us! We pick the ones that make sense to us for whatever reason they do. Perhaps the reasons are historical. Perhaps they are technical. Perhaps they are emotional.
I love shooting film and scanning it with K-30 and a macro lens. It sounds foolish in many ways. Someone could rightfully ask me why I don't just take the pictures with my K-30 start with. I could explain that I am trying to achieve the "film look" and that I'm not satisfied with the digital based simulations. That would be partly true but the biggest reason is that I just love working with film. The tactile process of manipulating the film is just as exciting to me as taking the picture to begin with and finalizing it on my screen. I also love creating the positive image from the negative and working through all the variables like color inversion, white balance, tint, etc. All of it is a creative expression and it exercises my soul. The process asks me to examine how I see the world around me.
As an artistic outlet, you should follow your heart and your passions when it comes to the exact medium. Just like some artists work in oils, pastels, and/or watercolors some photographers work in negative film, reversal film, and/or digital. It's all a matter of taste and style. There is no right or wrong. Just enjoy what you do and do what you enjoy.
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Post #5 by tuco
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