Film Photography

Nick Carver is no stranger to going big. Not only does she shoot big negatives on big cameras, but he's immensely passionate about printing and framing and making sure work both fills and compliments a space. In this video he goes through the process of scanning a panoramic 6x17 Portra 160 film negative, sizing up a space on the wall for the final 6-foot print, and even building a custom frame for it.

I love color. Black and white photography holds a special place in my heart, but 90 percent of the time I gravitate toward color imagery in my own work. When I started shooting film again, I decided that I would most definitely learn to develop my own black and white film. From choosing your film stock to mixing super-secret developer cocktails guaranteed to make your images sing, there are tons of resources out there for the aspiring hobbyist. When it comes to color, however, I had always heard that the machines needed were expensive, the process complicated, and the chemicals harmful. Not so!

The debate surrounding the relevancy of film cameras is an ongoing one; the opinions about which vary from photographer to photographer. The resurgence of digital camera technology in recent years has meant DSLRs are now widely used by the masses, pulling the future of film photography into question somewhat. Is it now just a novelty? I chatted with Howard, one of the owners of a North England-based camera shop that shunned digital cameras in favour of film... and found that business is very much booming.

In this moving film, Italian Pianist and Composer Ludovico Einaudi performs his piece, “Elegy for the Arctic," while on a floating platform in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. The moving and haunting film and music are augmented all the more by a fortuitously timed moment that captures everything Einaudi is trying to convey.

If you ask many filmmakers, or any video production companies, coming up with video ideas and concepts is not always the easiest thing to do. Especially when you're trying to make a series. However, through abstract story telling, Penzoil has successfully made a video series that so far, has kept viewers coming back for more with each iteration of the series. The first, a powerful trip through a city, the second a high speed trist around a race track before breaking back onto the streets, and with this last one, a high velocity excursion through the desert.

We're conditioned to associate certain colors with thoughts, emotions, or situations, a fact that directors take advantage of constantly. "COLOR PSYCHOLOGY" illustrates just how deep the effects can be.

Tintypes continue to fascinate us. Despite the process being over 150 years old, its methodical, almost meditative procedure and striking results have kept it alive. It's also a fairly scientific process that involves a good bit of chemistry. Check out this video to learn more about the technical and practical aspects of the practice of shooting tintypes.

Making a film takes many talented people working in varied areas, a fact I've recently come to fully appreciate as they film "Fast and Furious 8" here in Cleveland. The Foley artist is one of the unsung heroes, for if their work is done well, we don't notice it at all. This film is a lovely look inside the world of Foley.

It's truly incredible what they can do with film today, especially with the advancement of visual effects and motion graphics. When I first heard they were remaking Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I was incredibly sad; all those years growing up watching the original live action films featuring the puppets crafted by Jim Henson's. It was brilliant and really well done for a movie of its time. Then came the almost 100% CGI filled epic by Michael Bay himself, yet it works and it's fun.

I'm not prone to hyperbole, so when I say "this is amazing," I mean it. We all know there are some brilliant filmmakers out there, and when they push a new technology to its limits, the results are remarkable. Check out this montage of some of the best of the past year.

In my last article, Adventures in Large Format: A Beginner's Perspective, I talked about some of the things I noticed upon purchasing and attempting to use my first 4x5 large format camera. As fun as fiddling with some knobs and taking a photo of a stool was, it was time for me to point my camera at some actual people. After lugging the camera upstairs and taking portraits of some of the awesome characters that work at the bar, it was time to see how I did.

Slowly but surely, I find myself shooting more film. It’s getting to the point where my digital cameras are almost strictly for video. They may offer better resolution and more versatility, but there’s a look to film and a fascination with the cameras that pull me to it. The one man that took me into the bottomless hole in my wallet that is film photography is Mat Marrash, a coworker and an avid large format photographer. It's some of the most gorgeous landscape photos of the Ohio Valley I've seen. A few weeks ago, Mat, myself, and the good folks at Rooted Content traveled to Hocking Hills, where Steve and Kyle from Rooted created this short of Mat’s work.

Flying a drone indoors is always a challenge. You have to remain absolutely calm and collected, and generally, I highly recommend not flying a drone indoors, especially if you're new to them in general. That's also the warning that Filmmakers Guillaume Juin and Joris Favraud give anyone wanting to recreate this feat. They are a pair of rather brazen drone operators if I've ever seen any, coming together to form their company BigFly. Normally, the risk of flying a drone inside of a structure is already high, but usually, the highest risk is to the safety of your equipment, as the ease with which your drone could come into contact with any number of disastrous endings is increased exponentially.

It happened. After years upon years of drooling over large format photographs in books and on the internet, I finally pulled the trigger. I got a 4x5 camera. Many of the masters I've looked up to used large format for their portraits and I've always wanted to try my hand. Here are my first observations of trying to tame the beast. First thing I noticed: this isn't easy.

In November 2015, my mom came up with some old photos of my deceased grandfather, which were negatives printed on film. She said that she had asked several photography studios if it was possible to get normal prints from the printed negatives, but the answer was always no. As those were some of the only photographs left of him, she had kept all of them with a hope. Years after, it was my turn to try. The process to get some decent prints and move my mom to tears was ever so easy.

Kodak made big waves at this year's Cannes Festival announcing 12 features shot on Kodak film. Including Olivier Assayas’s film "Personal Shopper" staring actress Kristen Stewart, where he took home the award for Best Director and was given lengthy five minute standing ovation. This was a huge milestone for Kodak since the rise of digital technology combined with the ability to shoot 4K footage film looked to be a medium of the past. Kodak defied the odds and not only secured film as a viable creative choice, but has rebranded themselves into a thriving film market once again.

The guys over at Cooridor-Digital just released this sweet video using a combination of drones and visual effects to create an awesome dogfight between an X-wing Starfighter and several TIE Fighters. Drones + Star Wars = Nerd Love.

Photographer Mark Zimmerman creates some stunning tintype work. For the making of one of them, he strapped on a GoPro, allowing us to follow the entire process from the photographer's point of view. It's a slow, methodical, and deeply satisfying video to watch.

No visual trickery. No rapid-fire editing. This film is simply elegant, organic camera work coupled with strong storytelling. It's a great reminder of the subtler side of our craft.

Slowing down while taking pictures is not always an easy thing. For those of us that learned with digital, the idea of shooting only a limited number of frames per session seems unthinkable. However, doing with what we have, and pressing the shutter only when we are sure to have a picture we are going to appreciate, is a very refreshing approach. Having just recently started shooting film, here are five tips I could give a digital portrait photographer to get better results, spend less time working, and slow down a bit.

Bro, sick shot! We all know those iPhone photographers (yeah, we are looking at you, Andrew Griswold) who may sometimes take their photoshoots a little too far. The team over at AwesomenessTV perfectly captured what it's like to get a cup of coffee with an Instagram Bro. Please Bro, quit embarrassing us, and just drink your coffee.

Not too long ago, I remember going through a phase when the process of building up a camera rig was, for me, the most exciting part of owning gear. My decisions were based less on functionality, and more on the question of “will this item make my rig look more like a cinema camera?” Big and bulky was the order of the day, and if people ever advised cliches like: “the best camera you have is the one that’s on you” or “it’s not about what gear you have, it’s about how you use it,” their advice was taken with a pinch of salt.

The choice of colors in a scene can be one of the most influential factors in giving a film its signature identity. Whether you're looking to recreate an iconic look or simply seeking new inspiration, Cinema Palettes is making it incredibly easy to replicate your favorite films.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a video editor? Well, look no further. The team at Lixi Studio created this informative, and flipping hysterical how to video, so that you can learn what it takes to edit film.

It seems like everyone is a photographer nowadays, and with technology getting cheaper and cheaper, it seems like every which way you look you are seeing another person snapping away on a DSLR. The question is how do you separate yourself from the masses. It can be a daunting task to do something different. But It’s not as hard as you think. It might be something you stopped using a long time ago.

In this video, Filmmaker Matt Mangham runs down five important traits that every great director of photography should have.​ A director of photography (DP or DOP), also known as a cinematographer, directs the camera crews and is responsible for determining the overall artistic and technical aspects of a film.

The world is filled with presets. Everywhere you look, you can find presets that promise to give you a certain look. Hipster, soft skin, blue sky, Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One — today, filters promise to do anything and everything. But what happens when a company like Totally Rad! promises to emulate film? A one-click solution to turn your raw files into Kodak Portra 400 shots? Is it possible? Let’s find out.

Matt Workman is a cinematographer and the founder and host of the Cinematography Database Show. On this particular episode he offers an in-depth analysis of the cinematography of Quentin Tarantino’s "The Hateful Eight," shot by Director of Photography Robert Richardson.

After recently buying 200 tintypes from the deep archives of estate sales, eBay, and Etsy auctions, I became transfixed by seeking out if there was still anyone making imagery using this 160-year-old process. I found a wide range of Instagram accounts ranging from those just starting out to those with thousands of followers. These are the top 10 tintype photographers that stood out with their compelling visuals and dedication to keeping this lost art alive.