Remembering George Eastman

George Eastman, the man who made photography accessible to the masses was born on this day in 1854. A high school dropout, Eastman would go on to create the largest photography company in the world, and literally the entire photography industry from the ground up.

Initially just wanting to make the photography process a little easier for himself, he eventually perfected the roll film process which is the way film is manufactured and processed to this day.

George Eastman: 1854 - 1932

Eastman has left an indelible legacy both as a businessman and philanthropist. To learn more about his life and legacy, go to the Eastman Museum here.

"Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography."

"You push the button, we do the rest."

"What we do during our working hours determines what we have; what we do in our leisure hours determines what we are."

Happy National Camera Day!

Like we really shouldn’t need to remind any photographer to go out and use their cameras, but if you’ve been lacking for inspiration, all you need to know today is that it’s National Camera Day!

Grab a camera, any camera... Mine are always packed and ready!

So grab your closest camera (yes, even your phone will qualify!) and make some image magic. And don’t just stop there. Share your work on your favorite sharing platform, and you can even, (dare I say it!?)… PRINT THEM!

So go ahead, get crazy. You all have our permission.

 

 

 



It’s Another Great Day for Film Photographers!

Rollei, through their distribution partner, Macodirect have announced a new slide film to be available for pre-order soon. Called Vario Chrome, it’s designed to be especially versatile, with an ISO rating which can be set between 200 and 400. According to their announcement:

Rollei Vario Chrome 135-36 is a medium to high-speed color reversal film that is intended for photography under low-level daylight illumination or under other light sources using proper filtration. Rollei Vario Chrome has a medium degree of sharpness, its image results are characterized by a slightly visible grain and a warmish image tone.

As the name of the film suggests it has a broad exposure latitude from 200 to 400 ISO (DX coded at 320 ISO). If you intend to project the slides we suggest to shoot the film at 200 ISO whereas 320-400 ISO is preferable for scanning applications.

If this film does all that Rollei claims film photographers will have another excellent tool to add to their arsenal.

Creative Inspiration: Ruth Bernhard

If we're open and aware to the world around us, inspiration will find us in many different ways. Too often, photographers, like many artists, become so enamored of the work that they and other members of their tribe are creating, they fail to notice how rich inspiring the work of other artists can be.

Those that work with other media and other fields can shine light on to paths we might never have discovered on our own. We'd  do well to remember that creating art is just half of the equation. The other, and equally important half is creating an artistic life.

Ruth Bernhard offers us a recipe for doing exactly that...

Never say: "Never"! The Holga 120N is Back!

For photographers that appreciate all that's soft and dreamy, for those who understand that less is more, for all who understand that plastic is fantastic... your prayers have been answered...

That's right: The Holga 120N is back!

Many film photographers who were saddened by the demise of that wonderful little plastic miracle that is the Holga can now rejoice at it's return. For reasons that were not clearly stated at the time, the company that made the Holga announced in 2015 that the camera was going out of production and with the molds and dies being destroyed, would never return. Now, however, with the backing of Freestyle Photo in Hollywood, CA, the plastic classic returns.

The classic Holga 120N

The Holga camera was initially introduced to the Chinese public, in 1982, as an inexpensive camera for everyday use. Shortly after its introduction, it became an underground artistic phenomena. Using the Holga is an exercise in breaking free from dependence on technology, precision and controllability. The slight softness of the images, vignetting and random light leaks produce dream-like, one-of-a kind images. There is simply nothing else like it.

Don't pass up this opportunity to make some photo magic. Locally, Holga's are available at Peace Camera in Raleigh. If you're farther afield, they can be found at Freestyle Photo here.

Impossibly Good News!!!

Polaroid announced today that they have been acquired by a new ownership group led by the Smolokowski family, majority shareholders in the Impossible Project. The Impossible Project purchased the last remaining Polaroid factory in 2008 and continues to make instant film for the legacy Polaroid cameras.

2017 marks the 80th anniversary of the company's founding and the purchase would seem to indicate that the instant film and camera market is far from extinct.

For more information, visit the Polaroid website here.

Celebrate Polaroid Week! April 16th - April 21st

If you've been thinking about trying out or getting back into instant photography, now would be the time! From the days when instantaneous meant you had the patience to wait 2-3 minutes, Polaroid film was the ticket.

Sadly, Polaroid film is no longer readily available, but the Impossible Project has reimagined analogue instant film and brought the joy of holding a real physical print in one's hands to a new generation.

From the archives, shot on Polaroid PN55
(c) Ray Pfeiffer

 

If you thought that you would never get to use your old Polaroid camera and gave it, or threw it away, fear not! There are several new instant formats on the market. A quick trip to your local camera store will allow you to explore the possibilities.

 

So put down your digital disposable, and find an instant camera, grab some film, and make some magic!