LightSplash Photography

Film Is Not Dead!  No sir-ree!

Recently (November) I had the opportunity to attend an all film workshop.  Totally getting back to my roots here.  I started my photography career (it was more of a hobby then, but I was getting a degree in it, so it was always going to be my career) in film (I was in LOVE with 4×5 view cameras, which if you’re not familiar with here is a link a la Wikipedia) back in New York.  I carried my 35mm around everywhere I went (yes I still have that camera and yes I still use it from time to time) and the 4×5 when I felt like lugging that amazing and huge camera around.  I photographed mostly street since walked everywhere.  It’s New York!  You walk, take the subway, and yell “I’m walking here!”  Ok well maybe not everyone does, but I did yell that a few times.

In 2003 I switched to digital fully.  I jumped right in with both feet and set my trusty EOS3 on the shelf until this year.  (It still had film in it!)  I never intended to get rid of it, even when it sat there for 8 years.  It was always a “I’ll pick that back up someday and photography with it again.”  Eight years of that, people.  I finally had enough.  I’d been photographing digitally for 8 years and haven’t been as inspired with my work as I should have been.  Don’t get me wrong, I liked my work.  Still like the work I’ve produced digitally.  But I’ve felt I’ve been in a creative rut.  And there’s no other cure than to continue photographing.  So, I went back to film.

Jonathan Canlas is a film photographer.  100% film for all his weddings, engagements, corporate, etc.  I know what you’re thinking, “People still use that?” or even “Wait, do they still make film?  I thought those companies stopped film production.”  LIES!  Film is still alive and well.  Thank God.  Many photographers try to shoot digital and have it come out looking the same as film, and in some cases succeed.  Now, however the grain I fell in love with as a film photographer is now noise and you wouldn’t want that in your photos.  The workshop I attended is Film Is Not Dead, which shortens interestingly enough to FIND.  I went because I wanted to fall back in love with photography.  And what better way than to go back to the beginning, the medium that started me on this crazy adventure.  As I mentioned I was a view camera photographer (when my school’s lab would let me take the camera out) but there was no way I was going to buy a view camera to cart around the Island of Maui for 3 days.  Actually, that’s an awesome idea.  I might just go again to take a view camera with me instead.

I can’t say enough good things about this workshop.  If you are just dipping your toe into the film pool and want a taste along with some business and photographic instruction, this is the workshop that will help you do a full cannonball in (if you want to, if you still just want to dip your toe in that’s fine too).  No question is unanswered and hopefully unasked.  Jon is an amazing instructor, patient, excited, and in love with his craft, which is just what you want your instructor to be.  As in love as you are or want to be.  His excitement leaks into you and your work and your days, helping you learn more, create more, and experience the place you’re in in a much more fulfilling way.

Our days were structured with a meet and great the day before, which was a sweet BBQ on he beach.  Jon introduces himself with a hug (why do we shake hands instead of hug people?) and everyone grabs a drink and gets to know the people you’re going to be spending a lot of time with over the next few days.  The mornings of the next 3 days consist of instruction and info in the mornings, then photographing in the afternoons.

Because of that workshop, those very very short 3 days, I am consciously looking at the world around me again the way I looked at it when I was walking through the streets of New York, photographing anything and anyone that I thought was beautiful, interesting, exciting.  I’m consciously looking for that again.  I can’t thank Jon enough for giving that back to me.  His excitement and creativity helped me get re-energized about the craft and medium I fell in love with 17 years ago.

Obviously if you go, your experience may differ.  I went in wanting exactly that.  I also went in with no other expectation that to shoot a lot of film, see some amazing sites, and have a blast.  This was the best workshop I’ve been to on a personal level.  I’ve attended a few, for business, for my craft, but this one definitely touched my soul as a photographer.

Because of that, expect to see a lot more film on here instead of digital!  But of course there will still be digital.  Until I’m totally comfortable, I’ll be hybrid for a while.