Lecture Course «Analog Photography - back to the future» by Stanislav Ostrovs

So, why does analog photography continue to exist in the modern digital world? Why do some photographers, despite the significant, seemingly obvious advantages of digital shooting, use "traditional" analog technologies?

Firstly, analog photography involves predominantly manual processes that allow control over all stages of image creation, from deciding which film to use to self-printed prints. This approach enables a full sense of being a creator. Against the backdrop of the mass influx of digital photography, analog photography looks more noble and attractive. Of course, shooting on film requires more attention and responsibility—the limitation of frames and the inability to see the result immediately fosters appreciation. The value of each frame increases, enhancing the photographer's skill. While it's undeniable that the technical level of digital technologies has significantly increased (this is obvious and requires no proof) however, this hasn't led to a substantial artistic growth in photography overall. On the contrary, the ease with which one can create a seemingly good snapshot diminishes its value.

Secondly, analog photography allows working with larger formats. If the "digital" has mastered the 35mm segment, the medium 120mm format remains the privilege of higher-level professionals, and the price of such cameras remains unaffordable for most enthusiasts. Therefore, if you have a desire to work with a medium format camera, analog photography will give you this opportunity. Moreover, even larger format cameras remain exclusively analog.

It's worth noting that when buying a new digital camera, its "monetary value" immediately decreases. After a year, it's worth about half of its original cost, so the "free" nature of digital frames is an illusion—it disappears along with the camera's value. Analog equipment, on the other hand, becomes more expensive with each passing year as it is no longer produced. Therefore, buying a good branded film camera is also a good investment. The storage of an archive of taken shots is a separate story. How many of you have faced the challenging task of finding the necessary frame among terabytes of information? Sometimes the entire captured material disappears, horrors! And how many people do print their photographs? They permanently disappear with broken hard drives!

So, friends, let's immerse ourselves in the alluring, magical, and mysterious world of analog photography. We will talk about other advantages of film, look at examples, and discuss nuances. You will be able to load film into the camera yourself, take a few shots, remove the film from the camera, load it into a developing tank, develop it, and see what comes out of it. Honestly, to this day, I am overwhelmed by a strange feeling of something unreal when I see how, thanks to my efforts, an image appears on a transparent piece of celluloid. It's real magic, and in our times, there's very little left of it.