My Plan

Ever since I was a very young man, I have harbored a secret and burning desire - to be a photographer.  A studio photographer, to be precise, working in medium and/or large format film, producing personal portraiture for discerning clients.  Black and White.  Silver gelatin prints.  11x14 or 16x20.  12x12 from medium format film.

I know exactly what I have wanted to do - but in recent years, film has all but disappeared and everybody has access to digital tools that allow them to explore their creative side, leaving me and my desire in the dust of dried up chemical baths and red darkroom lights.

But wait.

A 4x5 view camera is still out of reach, monetarily, but I own two cameras that shoot 120 film (medium format) and suddenly, film may be more accessible than it has been, recently.  Ilford (an English firm that produces excellent film) has opened a processing lab in California and they will process a)anyone's B&W 35mm and 120 B&W, b) any C41 process color film and c) any E6 color transparency (slide) film.  The prices are a bit more than they used to be, but they're not after the "Consumer" market so much as the niche "Artist" photographer, where higher cost for higher quality is not a hindrance.

The thing is (and my plan is) to use my digital camera to establish things like shutter speed, aperture and lighting for a shot and then take the shot with film once I have the shot I'm looking to get, in the digital camera.

The goal is to produce high quality prints on "real", archival photographic paper - silver gelatin paper - and to frame and sell the prints for an appropriate price.

I have no intention or desire to shoot weddings, family outings or sporting events.  Not with film, anyway.  Studio work - controlled lighting situations.  The very best work possible.

That's my plan.

Ndinombethe.