Toronto Photography Meetup Group

I was planning another film photo walk too -- actually, these days, I am out with my 645 AFD anyhow. Shooting mostly C41, altough just got a bunch of expired E6

On your first point - I totally agree. A disciplined photographer doesn't go into a shoot firing and aiming at anything and everything that they see. When I am on a shoot, I analyze my surrounding, light conditions, weather, and adjust accordingly. I may not even take the camera out for a while until I see something I am interested in shooting. My style has changed vastly since I started.

On your second point -- you have obviously not been to a TPMG shooting event? The events that I organize, I often get someone asking me why I take a picture of something, and then they try to mimic what I just did. Some people would say its annoying, but as they say, "imitation is the best form of flattery"

Thirded

Mind you, I've met many a wedding photographer that feels it's "ok" to shoot 4,000 + images during a 12 hour day - personally, I can't do that.

I've really started editing before I even shoot.

As mentioned "why am I shooting this?" "why am I shooting 4 frames of the same thing?(no change in lighting, angle etc.)" etc. should be asked or at least considered before shooting off innumerable amounts of images.

I think that whole thing (firing away willy nilly) came out of the "early days" of affordable digital photography - film photographers who were "limited" suddenly became shutter happy..

Anyway, film is a good thing still - I don't shoot wildlife or sports or news so let them go nuts with digital - I'm happy to have my foot in both camps.

Cheers,
Dave

P.S. regarding walk arounds - they're ok but I find it certainly is intimidating to the general public to see a pack of wild photographers roaming around *LOL*

Suck it up buttercup...

Dave

It's spring and after a couple of weeks of warm weather I really don't want to go back to winter But fortunately not long to wait maybe early next week

35mm colour film rarely maybe twice a year in ideal lighting conditions.

I own a film scanner for my post processing.

I don't shoot 35mm film any longer because of cost and convenience.

For the APS digital cameras I use, I have attained acceptable dynamic range and have gained convenience of processing.

Very pleased to see all the feedback from film users here! (Sadly I haven't found a taker for the article yet; we shall see.)

On a side note, I think I'm getting closer to going DSLR -- I'm getting tired of dragging 45 rolls of film with me each time I go to Europe, and adding an extra $700 to the cost of each trip -- and never being quite sure you've "got the shot." (Or that the doofus at the lab won't mis-align the slide.)

However, my plan would be to keep using film for B&W and for time-exposures of star trails of 20 minutes or more. :S

Question about traveling with film. The film can go through the xray machine with no problem, right? Is it safe to have film already loaded in the camera before going to the airport? Or is there a very likely chance that the officers there will open the camera to see if there's a bomb inside?

Its not 100% safe..... especially for those of us shooting 120mm or larger format films. Ask for a non-xray inspection.

Carry your film in a clear bag in hand luggage and have at least one roll that is ISO800. The iso 800 film will give them a reason to hand inspect as they have been told that ISO 800 and above may be damaged while lower ISO film will not be damaged. Also the checked baggage goes through more powerful Xray machines. Not likely that a single trip through the xray machine will hurt anything.

Thanks metrix and lxdesign. What about pre-loaded film? Will they open the camera back?

If they can't xray they might.

Never had a problem with film being scanned at security checks. Checked baggage is no go. Travelled with large format across Canada and exposed and unexposed film probably got scanned about 6 times or so. No effects to the naked eye.

I try to ask for hand inspection if I remember to do so and I usually take all film out of boxes and put in ziploc or mesh bag. Doesn't matter if film is in camera or not.

As an example, coming back from Vancouver post Olympics, security was actually going around asking if anyone had film and if one did, it would get checked separately.

Just remember, you will NEVER win an argument with an airport security screener.

Yes, I remember the security in Van asking if I had film.... I only took digital with me, but I remember thinking - wow, that is so considerate, wish all the aiport security could be like that.

Haven't shot film since April 9, 2006. I continue to shoot exclusively digital because as a hobbyist I can get the results I want without the added cost of film, development or a darkroom. Things I don't miss about film were hauling several rolls on a 4 week vacation. One trip I had to SE Asia required 13 separate flights and pleading with x-ray inspectors for manual inspection - not all were successful. A trip in to Mali, Africa required me to carry several rolls for 3+ weeks in 30+ degree weather. Refrigeration is not an option in powerless Dogon villages.
With digital I really like the ability to switch ISO/ASA or B&W/colour any time I want. Plus I use the perspective controls in PS a lot as well as crop tool. But I am glad/thankful that I first operated under the film days when it was necessary to get exposure and framing/composition right the first time. Digital has made me lazier because of the ability to correct mistakes later. That suits my style as my shooting time is more limited due to the fact I have to work for The Man each day during the work week. Though I am not as meticulous as I was with film, I do have the basics down pat and draw upon them when I need to get the shot right i.e. on vacation in some locale I won't return to.

Hope this is helpful, Downtown Dan

@Philmar: Yes, I agree with much of that; I feel the same way.

As for airports, I've never had a prob w x-rays; I take the film as carry-on in lead bags, and usually they ask to open the bags, which is fine. (But the idea of purposely taking some ISO 800 is clever; I just ask for the manual inspection anyway.) If there's a roll in my camera, which there usually is, I just let them x-ray it. Never had a problem. (It would always be between ISO 50 and 400.)

I found the airport people are very accomodating for film in places where camera ownership is prevalent. In the regional airports of poorer countries you find staff that are poorly paid and don't know that film is harmed.

On another point. One other reason I favor digital at the exclusion of film is that it costs nothing to take multiple shots of the same thing. For wildlife photographers shooting without a tripod with long lenses with high ISO-low light then camera shake is a possibility. Several shots mitigate that possibility. So I spend too much of my life pixel peeping similar shots to determine the best critical focus. I imagine this would be the same for sports photography involving panning.