You`re all by yourself. The darkness around you is challenged by a dim, red glow. You stare expectantly into the plastic tub, which you are gently moving to and fro. It is half-filled with chemicals and a single sheet of white paper.
And then it happens!
At first, you cannot be sure. But then, before your eyes, the piece of paper transforms and various shades of grey emerge. The shapes are still indiscernible, but as the chemicals continue to wash over the paper, a recognisable image appears as if by magic.
To bulk load black and white film, use it to shoot your precious pictures, develop the negatives and finally print the images in the darkroom is painstaking, nerve-wracking and often incredibly frustrating. But it is also an entirely enchanting process.
I have a distinct feeling that it may be difficult, one day, to explain the delights of film to future generations who are familiar only with a digital photographic age. How does one convey the delight of printing your first black and white images when, in an era of instant gratification, it would be far quicker to simply change a setting on your digital camera?
To recount my memories of the darkroom, and my introduction into the world of photography, is to speak of a chemical imaging process, which may already be described as outdated.
Some believe that, with the end of film, we will forever lose something, whether this is quality, archival endurance, or simply a certain tradition of preserving memories.
Jacqueline Cochrane, photography intern, ITWeb
The frightening thing is that this was a mere two years ago. The advent of digital photography dealt the deathblow to the film industry with unprecedented swiftness. Every year, the digital imaging landscape is advancing exponentially. The first month of 2006 has not yet passed, and already we have seen some dramatic changes in the photographic industry.
Last year, Agfa`s inability to keep up with the digital evolution led to its liquidation. The death of film was emphasised earlier this month by Nikon`s shocking decision to cease the production of most of its film products.
Konica Minolta`s resolve to withdraw from the camera and photo business altogether further added to the shock of those who have yet to accept that analogue photography will soon be a thing of the past.
It is, of course, unlikely that film will disappear entirely in the near future. Certain international publications still refuse to accept anything but prints produced from slide film. It is also difficult to imagine that any self-respecting photographer would turn down an old medium or large format film camera. These cameras deliver unsurpassable quality, and have already proved their ability to stand the test of time. It is, however, not difficult to see how film photography will become something rare and specialised, practised by only a few.
Some believe that, with the end of film, we will forever lose something, whether this is quality, archival endurance, or simply a certain tradition of preserving memories.
At the same time, it is important to embrace the unimaginably exciting possibilities that lie ahead of us in the future of digital imaging.
With information technology expanding with such speed, one can expect digital photography to soon become a more integrated technological experience. Images will be instantly shared across the world. We will be able to send them straight from our advanced mobile phone cameras to the printing lab. To start off with, that is. Beyond that, the sky is, indeed, the limit. A blessing or a curse, these are exciting times for photography!
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