In 2018 I made a video entitled ‘Is it time to go back to film?”
In 2019 I decided to do a new version of the video using my new bilingual format, presented in English and German. The ratio is roughly 90% English and 10% German. This is part of my Campaign for Languages initiative. I want to promote language learning and incorporate foreign languages into my videos so that a wide range of people get to see them and experience them. The video is fully accessible to English speakers.
So here is the exact wording of the voiceover. All photos are by me, Aidan O’Rourke and were captured on film from around 1980 to the present.
In this video we look at Seven reasons to try analog photography and as part of my campaign for languages the headings are in German
Reason number one,
Film has a particular ‘look’.
Film hat einen besonderen ‘Look’
I first became interested in photography in my final year at TCD. I wanted the best picture quality, so I used Kodachrome because of its rich, saturated colours.
The positive image is captured within the emulsion of the transparency – das Diapositiv. There’s no print, you needed a viewer or projector to view them. But in the digital age, a scanner – ein Scanner – or even a smartphone – ein Smartphone – can be used to import them into the digital medium.
With a film camera, the depth of field – die Tiefenschärfe – is fantastic giving a background that’s nicely out of focus.
I continued my photographic explorations in New York. I taught myself photography from the book ‘The Complete Photographer’ by Andreas Feininger, (1906-1999) his father was the German-American artist Lyonel Feininger (1871-1956).
My first long exposure photo – meine erste Langzeitbelichtung – was of 9th Avenue, taken on the Fujica camera I bought in New York.
My first long exposure photograph, taken using my first roll of Kodachrome 25 film
Number two
Film photography can make you into a better photographer.
Filmfotografie kann dich zu einem besseren Fotografen machen.
I continued taking photogaphs on visits to Berlin, east and West. When you use a film camera you have to be patient and selective. It forces you to think carefully before you press the shutter – den Auslöser drücken.
In England I photographed my home region of north west England and wanted an element of nostalgia. That’s why I used Ilford HP5 with its grainy, atmospheric quality. Black and white film still has that effect.
It was exciting to scan the photos and open them in Photoshop and transform them using digital enhancement. Film and digital can be used together. They are not mutually exclusive. They are complimentary.
The Manchester Ship Canal and Trafford Wharf before the Imperial War Museum was built.
Number three
You can experience how photography used to be
Du kannst erleben, wie die Fotografie früher war.
It’s great to use similar equipment and materials to those used by the great photographers such as Lord Lichfield, Helmut Newton, David Bailey, Ellen von Unwerth and many others.
Whilst working in the Middle East, I used Kodak Ektrachrome as I was able to develop it at home and I used 35mm and medium format cameras.
Number four
A film camera will set you apart from others
Eine Filmkamera hebt dich von anderen ab.
Film will give your photos a different look – and a film camera is a talking point.
When I started photographing Manchester in the mid-90s, film was still the only affordable medium. I took literally thousands of photos on film, had them developed – or developed them myself, scanned the film and enhanced them.
It was a hybrid form of photography – capture on film, enhancement in digital. I went over to digital around 2000.
Number five
Good film cameras are inexpensive
Gute Filmkameras sind kostengünstig.
Today it’s possible to buy film cameras that used to cost hundreds or even thousands. In Manchester I went to the Real Camera Company where I got an Olympus OM30.
Number six
it’s fun to use a film camera
Es macht Spaß, eine Filmkamera zu benutzen.
Putting in the film – den Film einlegen – can be difficult at first. You’ll learn about the lens – das Objektiv – the aperture – die Blende and the shutter der Verschluss.
The large, bright viewfinder, the stunning depth of field, the ability of good quality film – such as Kodak Ektar – to capture subtle shades, these are some of the many plus points of using a film camera.
No 7
Developing and scanning are inexpensive
Entwickeln und Scannen sind kostengünstig.
There are plenty of places where you can have film developed. I used the online service Photo Hippo, based in Burnley in NW England. Or with a tank and some chemicals you can develop the film yourself – du kannst den Film selber entwickeln.
For my website Eyewitness in Manchester (1998-2005) took literally thousands of photographs . Many of the places and people – such as the Hacienda and Tony Wilson – are sadly gone.
In the early days of digital enhancement, scanning was slow and computers couldn’t cope with large file sizes, so I have many photos only at small size.
Dusk view of Manchester from Werneth Low, captured on grainy colour negative film
As digital photography became more established after 2000, I used film less and less. but recently I’ve partially gone back to film. I still like to take photos with a nostalgic quality, and for that, film is ideal – dafür ist der Film ideal.
There are Photoshop filters that emulate grain and the look of certain films, but I think in this age of fake news and digital dishonesty, it’s better to use the real thing. Oh, and I can’t stand the term ‘analog’ photography, for me, it’s film.
Not all film photos are technically perfect. There are spots, colour casts, but those imperfections can make the pictures unique.
I’m glad I had the opportunity to use film photography and I think everyone who is seriously intereted in photgraphy today should use it.
It’s not for professionals – in fact most professional photographers don’t use film any more – film is for everyone an additional format alongside digital.
So here again are seven reasons to use film photography
Sieben Gründe, Filmfotografie zu benutzen.
this time only in German!
Film hat einen besonderen ‘Look’
Filmfotografie kann dich zu einem besseren Fotografen machen.
Du kannst erleben, wie die Fotografie früher war.
Eine Filmkamera hebt dich von anderen ab.
Gute Filmkameras sind kostengünstig.
Es macht Spaß, eine Filmkamera zu benutzen.
Entwickeln und Scannen sind kostengünstig.
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Vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen – Many thanks for watching and Auf Wiedersehen.
On the Kings Road 1986, showing the out of focus background it’s possible to achieve using a 35mm film camera
Hi, I’m Aidan O’Rourke, @AidanEyewitness, language coach and YouTuber based in North West England, with links to Ireland and Germany. I offer German and English courses with individuals and small groups and run photo walks. I am building my AidanEyewitness YouTube channel, launched autumn 2020, focusing on Liverpool, Manchester and connected cities If you have any enquiries or would like to join me on a course or walk, please get in touch using the contact form or via social media.