Hello Everyone! I hope everyone is doing well! The thought of this post was inspired by my History of Photography teacher bringing up the debate between Digital vs Film photography. We really didn’t get into it, but I will as I have worked with both digital cameras and film cameras. And through my eyes they are very much different and they both make an image unique in many ways.
Digital cameras are still advancing from DSLR to mirrorless while film cameras are now hard to find in good shape and if so, buying equipment and chemicals. My history of camera usage started with my Nikon D3300, I soon began film my sophomore year of high school. This is where I saw the difference between modern and old. Last semester I took an Advanced Black and White photography class where I truly looked at the two and saw major difference. In my class we took trips to places close to campus where we take pictures on our film camera and I also took my digital camera. I took an image on the film camera and standing in the same place and taking the same image as I did on the film camera. Once I developed the film images and looking at the film each image had their difference in detail and mood of the image.
I displayed three different images showing a lot of detail, texture, different lighting situations and some with Graffiti on the bricks. All these images were taken at Lackawanna Heritage Trail in Archibald.
When looking at three you can tell a very. Many people can have a lot of opinions on what they like better. but for me, I have to go with the black and white.
The Graffiti is one of my favorite images I have taken. I love them both in digital and film because they both each give a different vibe. The black and white gives a sense of eerie and scared, like you’re wondering or waiting whats going to come out the door.
The chair is my second favorite image. Again I live them both because they give a feeling like abandonment. The black and white shows a lot of detail especially in the leaves and the chair itself.
Lastly, the building is an interesting image. I like this image in black and white because how much detail there is than in the digital. You can see the white in-between each brick in the film than in digital. When looking at the film image I feel like I can stick my hand through it and feel the individuals brick.
This is an interesting read. I was active in photography when the switch to digital from film was happening. There was a similar debate among photographers about black and white versus color but just for film images. Digital quality hadn’t gotten to the point it is now.
Did you try making the color digital images black and white and make comparisons? That would be another good read right there.
Thank you! And no I haven’t thought of that! I will definitely do that! I have taken most of my images and turned them into black and white but as you mentioned turning my color into black and white and comparing to film i never had that idea! Thank you!
Do you shoot back and white film and color digital? I got the impression that is what you did in the article. I re-read my comment and it does sound a bit condescending. My apologies on that.
I don’t shoot film that much, I personally don’t have a film camera so I was borrowing one when I took a film class last semester. but i shoot a lot of digital color and I sometimes change my color images into black & white or use an filter on my camera that automatically changes my images into black and white.
Ah, that does make sense. Once I figured out how to do what I could in film on digital, I never looked back. Again apologies and happy shooting!!
No worries! Thank you for your feedback / liking the blog post! Thank you!