Film Photography

A few days ago, Fuji unfortunately announced the end of one of its finest films, Reala 100. I've used it myself exclusively for a particular project -- very recently, in fact -- but now that the 120 format is kicking the bucket (35mm already did a while back), it's time to say goodbye to another film that will be remembered for its superbly accurate rendition of color.

Via Phoblographer

Today, Kodak released a new mobile application that helps film shooters pick a film for various occasions, giving hints on how to shoot it and where to get it developed locally. I love film and absolutely love that Kodak is taking a step like this. I think it'll help professional shooters while also making it easier to bring new photographers into the world of film. Check it out on iTunes!

We've featured Ian Ruhter before: his Silver and Light series was an incredible display of talent, ingenuity and originality. I'm glad to say that he's back at it again, this time criss-crossing the country, telling the stories of inspiring people with his portable darkroom setup. Watch as Ian shoots Madison, a young girl who overcame some serious setbacks, and creates a series of incredible portraits using his custom made (very large format) camera which is built into the back of a box van.

Check out Chris milk's interpretation of what a man's life flashes before his eyes looks like in Last Day Dream. Filmed in a 1st person POV, this intriguing video did a wonderful job of high lighting someones life and showing it in under a minute. I've always been fascinated by POV videos and this video has a such a awesome story line. This video shows that you don't always need a expensive equipment to create such a inspiring and unique video, but that creativity can go a long way. Chris filmed all of this with a Canon 5D mk ii and Lensbaby lenses.

SerialBox Presents is a live music project created by Texas photog and all-around creative, Ryan Booth. Serial Box produces music videos that are shot entirely on a few 5Dmk2s with audio tracked into ProTools. There are no overdubs, no cut-ins, and no pick-ups. What you see and hear is one time through, mistakes and all.

Stanley Kubrick was one of the most acclaimed producers and directors in American cinematography (the Shining is one of my all time favorites). Back in 1975, Stanley directed the three hour masterpiece Barry Lyndon. From a photography standpoint, the film is most noted for Stanley's use of Mitchell BNC cameras mounted with NASA Zeiss f/0.7 50mm lenses.

This is for all you film fanatics out there. Grab yours as its still in stock! Kodak announced that it is discontinuing the Professional T-MAX P3200 film due to "low sales volume". In the past few months Kodak stopped producing digital cameras, sold its sensor business, increased the price of film by 15%, and discontinued three slide films in an effort to reorganize its business.

In an attempt to create the best camera review video the interweb has ever seen, FCTN (Fiction) put the Phantom Miro up against Gallagher, 80's icon and nemesis to watermelons the world over. There's enough 80's power, shirtless old men, whacky hair, glitter and splattering in this video that some of you may confuse this for a Richard Simon's workout tape. But be certain, Phantom Miro + Gallagher = you're all going to watch this, love it and share it.

Be fair warned, this video contains SPOILERS for anyone who hasn't seen season 2 of Game of Thrones yet. Ok, the warning is out of the way. This video, while lacking any commentary, gives an awesome insight into the CGI effects used in this visually stunning show. The group who did this, Pixomondo, actually won a Creative Arts Emmy for outstanding special effects for this season. Check it out! (I just wish it was in HD)

Lenovo, a worldwide computer company that manufacturers laptops, have gathered fifteen of what they believe are the best college filmmakers for their 'Seize the Night' Alternate Ending challenge. One of the contestants is a graduate of the University of Alabama (now a film student at USC), Xavier Burgin. His entry into the competition is called 'Do'. Shot with a Canon 5D MarkII and a Canon T2i, this is definitely a forerunner in the contest.

Working as an investigative photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC), Lewis Hine (1874-1940) portrayed working and living conditions of children in the United States between 1908 and 1924. The Library of Congress' National Child Labor Committee Collection includes more than 5,100 photographs that came with the records of the organization. Many of the pictures are familiar, but others are relatively unexplored.

As the sad story of the fall of Eastman Kodak continues, news reports coming out state that Kodak is poised to see off its entire film division, looking to exit that segment of the market entirely. That division includes Personalized Imaging and Document Imaging departments which encompass digital scanners, picture kiosks, souvenir photo products, photographic paper, as well as Kodak's film businesses, the once bright and shining star of its core competencies.

This movie appeals to every photographer due to the stunning visuals. Shot entirely on 70mm film, Samsara is a movie that spans twenty five countries and took five years to make. Not only does it encompass the grand scope of humanity, the visuals are simply mesmerizing. Be sure to watch this trailer in HD and full screen to experience the full effect.

Some say film is dead. And while I have to concede that at times, it can seem like it's certainly on a few crutches, I can't say it's dead... Because in reality, it's the most live photography medium I know. And so, I still shoot film. If it's something you've been curious about or if you've been wanting to try it out but don't know how to get started, this is for you.

What started as an 18 month long tour of Africa, ended up lasting 23 year long but wonderful years. With his modest demeanor, we're finally hearing about his amazing journey across the World. He drove in a Mercedes Benz G Wagon and now has over 500,000 miles tacked on. The vehicle has traveled the equivalent of 20 times around the planet and the best part is that he took his cameras along with him! Gunther travels with 2 film cameras, including a Leica M6.

I have been learning a ton of video know how in the past few months from watching the tutorials over at VideoMaker. I recently shot a green screen video for some background compositing and didn't take as much time as I should have setting up the lights for the green screen (the subjects on the other hand were flawlessly lit, haha). I thought I was out of luck until I came across this video which showed me how to fix my beginner's mistake and also has a few more handy tips for other green screen screw ups. Enjoy!

This is a sad day. While I don't foresee the end of the world, the Mayans tell us we still have time...it can still happen. Certainly, this being the third post about discontinued film since I started on Fstoppers just six months ago, this is the start of the photographers' Armageddon. But don't go hang yourself just yet -- there's just enough good news to keep me going just a little longer.

Tom Antos is a freelance film maker who likes to share his tips and know how online with people just like you. In his latest lesson he addresses composition for film making and video. If you can get past the harsh audio you'll find that Tom really does have some great tips concerning composition and clues us in on when and how to use a certain camera angle or crop to get a certain feel, set a mood or to simply get your point across. Enjoy!

Probably the most anticipated movie of the summer, The Dark Knight Rises, is sure not to disappoint. I have always been a long time fan of Christopher Nolan's style of film-making and his practical approach to filming special effect scenes. In this in-depth 13 minute making of featurette Christopher Nolan and his crew talk about the scope of filming a movie this size, the scale of the locations and how important it is to them to try to film all of their special effects in camera decreasing the amount of CGI used in post.

FilmRiot has been quietly working on a series of educational behind the scenes videos over the last few months, and I think this one is definitely worth a mention (avoid the random skydiving tangent at 6:00). Aimed at beginner and intermediate videographers, this short video will walk us through some techniques for lighting people as they move through multiple rooms.

If you haven't seen the movie Snow White and the Huntsman, then you'll want to go see it after watching this video. Filmed with the Red Epic camera, the amount of detail that went into creating the Mirror Man is amazing. The guys over at The Mill Visual Effects Studio did many tests with liquid before deciding to use cloth instead. Cloth provided more control over making the sculpture appear seamlessly out of the mirror.

When we as photographers jump into movie making using our newly video-enabled DSLRs, there is a lot of new info to learn and an entirely new vocabulary begins rearing its head. For me frame rates, shutter speeds, interlacing and how digital video all relates were a mystery, but thankfully the good ol' folks over at the Videomaker blog have answered these questions for us already. Check out this short video that will certainly help any new video guy (or gal) understand frame rates and interlacing. Enjoy!

Filmed on a Super 8 camera without audio or narration, this is a clip for the true Star Wars aficionado. Created by Jeff Broz, this series of clips affords us a rare glimpse into the making of an incredible blockbuster film that is adored the world over. There are a number of recognizable iconic scenes visible in their rough and unedited form.

Being referred to as a "fingerprint of the photographic process", this video essay produced by Daylight Multimedia displays images of John Cyr's work, which are a series of stills of famous photographer's developing trays. Each tray has it's own unique look, and seem to provide a thoughtful display that makes one think about the iconic images possibly produced in them.

Skater Kilian Martin sets new standards in the world of skateboarding. Mb! joined forces with Killian and filmmaker Brett Novak to create his newest video "Kilian Martin: Altered Route". Aside from the fact that Killian does things with a skateboard that I have never seen anyone else do ... ever, Brett captures each trick and angle perfectly. I especially love the way Brett juxtaposed the nostalgic clips from the water park back in it's heyday to it's current ghost-townly state. Enjoy!

A modern take on the little black dress, Emily Steel has found a way to make film a fashion statement. This dressed is adorned with film and backed with LED lights that give the effect. The idea was to create a wearable dress that fuses the idea of technology and art. The end result is intriguing to say the least. Check out the images and more details in the expanded post.

Team Nine brings the greens, greys and sometimes blues of Iceland to you in the beautifully composed Shutter Ísland. Filmed with a Canon 7D, using a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens, the film short shows both the capabilities of DSLR HD video and the team’s eye for composition — proving one lens is all you need. For a photo-based tour, consider viewing Iwan Bigler’s Flickr set of photo stills here. I am already looking forward to their next trip. Great job Team Nine!

Here's a fascinating video of 44-year old photographer Qalam Nabi. He is one of two street photographers left in the capital city of Kabul. The son of a street photographer himself, he started shooting at the age of eleven. Watch as he demonstrates how to use his instant camera. He does all of the developing inside the box, and repeats the process to turn the negative into a positive image. If you'd like to know how to build your own Afghan box camera

Ten of Polaroid's former employees have created a new and improved instant film for your Polaroid cameras. It is part of The Impossible Project. Back in 2008, they purchased one of the last Polaroid factories in an effort to keep the art form alive. Two years later, they released their first films into the world. PX Cool is the latest Impossible film,