Search results for: 'this tradit'

HARMAN technology Limited, trading as ILFORD PHOTO, is a global market leader and the only manufacturer in the world to provide a full range of black & white film, darkroom paper, photochemistry and ancillary products. For over 137 years, generations of customers have demanded the very best. And this is why they continue to choose ILFORD. Operating from our manufacturing headquarters in Cheshire, UK. Our products are shipped around the globe and into the discerning hands of beginners, enthusiasts, stud...

26th July 2016 ILFORD Photo (HARMAN technology Ltd) are delighted to introduce 'ILFORD inspires’, a series of events aimed at broadening the appeal of black and white film photography to a wider audience. The first of these events takes place on August 4th in Philadelphia, PA and features an insight into and showcase of the incredible work of artist, educator and master printer Chuck Kelton. Chuck’s feature talk will describe his experiences working with some of the most iconic photographers of...

Tuesday 17th May 2016 “LOVE IT – FRAME IT” -  ILFORD LAB DIRECT LAUNCHES NEW BLACK AND WHITE PRINT FRAMING SERVICE Building on the success of its already popular black and white printing service which offers film processing, scans and real black and white silver gelatin prints in sizes up to 50” wide, ILFORD LAB DIRECT is thrilled to announce the launch of its new black and white print framing service. Neil Hibbs, Manager at ILFORD LAB DIRECT commented, “Our customers have been requestin...

30th January 2015 The results are in from the ILFORD PHOTO film survey and they are positive. At the end of 2014 we conducted a comprehensive international survey to help us better understand film users. Thousands of users from over 70 countries completed the survey for us and the results were inspiring. Our belief that support for traditional film is growing was confirmed by the 30% of respondents who were aged under 35, with 60% of them using film for less than 5 years. For many of those the...

20th August 2014 ILFORD PHOTO confirm no plans to discontinue XP2 SUPER Film following the recent announcement that Kodak Alaris is discontinuing KODAK PROFESSIONAL BW400CN Film.   ILFORD PHOTO can confirm that there are no plans to discontinue ILFORD XP2 SUPER. This product continues to be in free supply throughout the world from ILFORD PHOTO Distributors and Photographic Retailers, and is available in 35mm and 120 formats as well as a 35mm Single Use Camera. ILFORD XP2 SUPER is an ISO 400/27�...

8th April 2014 Further expanding its capabilities and services, California based ILFORD LAB US now offers Silver Gelatin Prints from digital files with a specially commissioned Fuji Frontier digital laser printer optimized for printing black and white images. This ILFORD LAB US printing service draws on 130 years of ILFORD PHOTO expertise, producing the finest quality Silver Gelatin black and white prints; achieved using traditional ILFORD black and white chemistry and genuine ILFORD silver gelatin photog...

4th December 2013 BORN, ESTABLISHED, DEVELOPED! … A NEW ILFORD MULTIGRADE FIBRE BASE FAMILY ILFORD PHOTO announce a new range of variable contrast Baryta Fibre Base papers, a completely new and improved MULTIGRADE FB and a new COOLTONE FB paper to complement the existing MULTIGRADE FB WARMTONE. For 20 years the best selling ILFORD MULTIGRADE IV FB paper has been the product of choice for creative photographers and printers the world over. BORN following extensive R&D, significant improvements hav...

19th November 2013 Buy fabulous real silver gelatin black and white framed wall art photographs from the new House of ILFORD on-line store House of ILFORD is a new and exciting addition to the services available from the well-established ILFORD LAB DIRECT photographic process and print service based at the HARMAN factory in Mobberley, England. HARMAN technology Limited is the company behind the famous and iconic ILFORD brand of black and white photographic products. The House of ILFORD is the pl...

Film and single use cameras How long after exposing can I leave my film before processing? For best results, we always advise processing soon after exposure although in practice most films can be left for several months. One exception is ILFORD PANF Plus, we would always advise processing this film as soon as possible and certainly within 3 months of the film being exposed. How do I account for film reciprocity during long exposures? This information can be found in the Film Reciprocity Failure Compensa...

The first stage of making a darkroom print is to determine the exposure time. If you have already created a contact sheet of your negatives, and they appear correctly exposed, then you should have a rough idea of the necessary exposure (provided you haven’t moved the enlarger head or aperture setting after exposing the contact sheet). Note: If you change the degree of enlargement you will also need to adjust the exposure. Some enlargers have scales printed on their columns to make this easier. Another...

Silver halide has been used in photographic film and paper for over 150 years and remains a vital ingredient found in all high-quality products. Silver halide crystals in gelatin form part of an emulsion which is used to coat the paper or film. On exposure to light (i.e. in a camera or darkroom), the crystals react turning into silver and forming the image. Silver halide prints There are many ways to produce black & white prints with options varying in quality. Traditional black & white silver ha...

ILFORD PHOTO offer an extensive range of black & white photographic paper. A photographer's choice of paper is a subjective decision based on personal tastes and preferences. It can also be impacted by the type of images you shoot and the final look you want to achieve. Papers all have different characteristics and purposes and so this guide will walk you through the terminology and choices available to help you pick the perfect paper for your darkroom printing. Base: Resin coated versus Fibre base...

All ILFORD Inspires content has a common goal: To inspire people to try traditional analogue black and white photography by showcasing the power and potential of this highly creative medium. New York Silver Stories Working with the talented team at Exploredinary, this series features four short documentaries telling the stories of silver gelatin darkroom printers in New York City. The Bronx Documentary Center - Turning Negatives into Positives Founded by Michael Kamber, the BDC is a non-profit aimed at ...

This competition is now closed for entries. You can view all of the International winners here and see all of the finalists in our competition gallery   Welcome to our 2017 black and white film student photography competition 'Lyrically Speaking'. Please click on the relevant link below to download the entry pack for your country. This includes posters, the brief, entry labels and the terms and conditions.   Argentina Hong Kong Kong Kong (English) Italy Philippines Por...

Man of science I love alternative photographic techniques like dry plates and brushed on emulsions. I am a darkroom fanatic – always exploring new ways to mash up digital with traditional analog techniques. I love all kinds of print processes – cyanotypes, salts, van dykes to name a few. I shoot all formats right from 35mm half frames up to 8×10 large format. I am also an avid camera collector but prefer to be a user rather than an admirer of my cameras. I currently use a Nikon F3, Leica M-A, Hasse...

Self-portraiture as Catharsis My photography is a form of therapy, a personal, emotional and sometimes turbulent struggle with the complexity of emotions. I feel my life and art have become intertwined and to bury this mental state deep within would only allow it to thrive but through my use of photography, I am offered a sense of catharsis. My self-depictions manifest within the same four walls, my bedroom. The room I believe is the keeper of my trapped and repressed emotions. This often heavily constr...

A family of photographers It’s difficult for me to imagine my family members without their cameras. I grew up in a family of photographers. This seemed so natural to me, that, as a child, I thought all my friends at school had photo labs at their grandparents’ house. For years, underneath my bed, sat my great grandfather’s wooden photographic chamber, along with its imposing tripod. Ilford FP4 Plus / Hasselblad 500CM / Sonnar 150mm Fujifilm Acros 100 / Hasselblad 500CM / Distagon 50mm &nbs...

Thank You Thank you to everybody that took the time to enter our #ilfordxmas competition this year. We're really looking forward to getting the finished Christmas cards back from our printer. There were so many images to choose from, and they ranged from traditional Christmas scenes to some that were a little more unusual. You can see the winning image and those that made the final shortlist here

#ilfordxmas Thank you to everybody that took the time to enter our #ilfordxmas competition this year. We're really looking forward to getting the finished Christmas cards back from our printer. There were so many images to choose from, and they ranged from traditional Christmas scenes to some that were a little more unusual. Those shown below are the ones that made our final shortlist. @chardy Christmas prep is off to a good start now that we have an awesome Christmas tree hat. #ilfordhp5 #ilford...

It is my opinion that some photographers mistakenly regard ILFORD HP5 PLUS and its predecessors to be a somewhat cheaper, lower quality response to Kodak’s Tri-X. I hope to demonstrate in this review that this assumption simply isn’t the case. There’s much more to HP5 PLUS than meets the eye – something that regular shooters of this film will be more than aware of (you folks can leave now, nothing new here). For those of you who haven’t shot this film before, this review will give you my tak...

Project Statement Since the 1950s, over half of traditional orchards in England have disappeared. This is due to development, conversion of land to other uses, and intensive farming. The Orchard Project is dedicated solely to the creation, restoration and celebration of community orchards. Working in collaboration with the national charity, I visited sites under restoration. I created pinhole cameras out of apples at each location. Utilising these site-specific cameras, the work captures team members, v...

An experiment in chemical possibilities When I took up a camera after a few years’ hiatus in 1990, I was surprised to discover that I could no longer get a black & white film developed through the nearest camera shop, never mind through the local pharmacy.  If memory serves, I was told it would cost $40 for a single film. Naturally, I returned to processing my own film just I had done when I first took up a camera in the early 1970s. The world had moved on, and colour film was the default medium f...

The Outlaw Project shooting portraits with a large format camera The Outlaw Project, was inspired by Edward Sheriff Curtis, the 19th Century photographer, known for his portraits of native Americans, shot with a large format camera. In 2011, Peter acquired a giant copy camera, made by Sidney R. Littlejohn Co., in the East end of London circa 1926. The camera, though having been used heavily in the newspaper industry for copying documents, was generally in working condition. With its inner mechanical str...

It looks like there are a lot of you who are proud to be films photographers and rightfully so! These are our favourite shots from the ones that you shared with us for this week's #fridayfavourites #pride theme. @hejrevell Two Pub workers taking a break in Kotor, Montenegro. ? ILFORD HP5 Plus Film ? Leica M7 | 50mm Summicron lens. #ilfordphoto #fridayfavourites #pride #35mm #leica #AnalogPhotography   @keithdmercer #HP5Plus - ideal for the conditions! #fridayfavourites #pride #CoxwellBarn #...

We have really struggled this week to choose just 5 images as there were so many that we liked. We couldn't agree on a top five. So with a couple more than usual, here are this week's #ilfordphoto #forgotten #fridayfavourites.   @scottsphoto1218 #fridayfavourites #forgotten @ILFORDPhoto "Death Row" Old Idaho State Penitentiary. 35mm Ilford FP4.The men/women who resided here and were hung have long been forgotten. The facility itself looks as if society has completely wanted to forget what they h...

Beginnings I came to analog photography late. I enjoy being able to feel the film and create with my hands, and the suspense of not knowing how the final shots look until you develop the film. Shooting film changes the style of how I work.  I take less pictures and think more. It is more immersive, I have more time to feel their characters, their experiences. I shoot all my projects in medium format film.  I do use digital, but only for commercial photography or for working on reports. Materials ag...

An honest representation Two souls one vessel is a documentary project focusing on capturing the lives of drag queens, trying to tell their stories and create an honest representation of who they are in and out of drag, this series includes male, female and transgender drag queens. Attracted to the surface glamour of the world of drag queens, I’ve explored the performance and behind the scenes to show the emotion and reality. Alfie-Ordinary Altering perspectives Thinking about the project and th...

HARMAN technology Ltd, the manufacturer of ILFORD photographic film, darkroom paper and chemicals, has announced the ILFORD SIMPLICITY range of photo chemicals designed for convenient, easy-use film processing. The ILFORD SIMPLICITY range of film processing photo chemicals have been created for convenience and ease of use. These sachets are ideal for photographers who want to try processing their own film but have until now been apprehensive about the process and/or may not have required the larger volum...

Of course, we see in color - but vision is just one part of how we sense the environment and moments. In the mountains I see tremendous peaks, I feel and hear the storms, freeze, and feel emotions from success, failure and intense personal experiences. All that black + white can convey more intensively - for me this is not a reduction over colour photography, but an amplification of impressions.  This is the translation of a short text I wrote a few years back for the German Schwarzweiss Magazine. Si...

Mindtraveller Technical info Film Used: ILFORD HP5+ (pushed to 3200) Format: 120, shot as 6x7 Camera : Mamiya RB67 Pro SD Lens: Sekor 50mm f4.5 Exposure time: 20 minutes Other equipment: Tripod Location: Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada Tell us the story behind this image. What inspired you to shoot it? In the Canadian Arctic, we are gifted with the otherwise-evasive Aurora Borealis on almost a nightly basis.  On many nights, the spectacle is nothing more than a faint gre...

ILFORD PHOTO’s annual student competition has once again unearthed some incredible talent from within the UK’s schools, colleges and universities.  In the competition’s 9th year students were tasked with creating a black & white image that encapsulates an inspiring line from a book, film, poem, quote or song. The image had to be shot on ILFORD or Kentmere film and printed by themselves in a darkroom. And the winner is... With over 630 prints received from 40 different colleges, this is the ...

Sharing the skills and the passion My name is Hank Webber and, together with my wife Marie, we own and operate Webbers Photography Within my family, I’m a third generation photographer. It all started with my Grandfather in the 1920’s who then passed the skills and passion to my Dad and his brother, my Uncle Joe. They, in turn, blessed me with the same passion; skills are ever evolving. Each of them believed that as they triggered their camera shutters, they were capturing a moment in time that woul...

In the midst of ever more sophisticated technology we live with the illusion of saving time by doing things with more speed, and increasingly relying on computers: programmes work out difficult problems, they plan for us, think for us. Files, servers and systems store information for us, including photographs - hundreds of millions of photographs. A Slow Practice Samburu warriors, Kenya Rob Fraser is drawn to photograph people whose lives are shaped by traditional practices rooted in specific lands...

We recently had the pleasure of turning the tables on one of the stalwarts of the film photography community when we asked Em if he'd be the first of our interviews in the 'Lockdown Sessions'.  We're so glad that he agreed. What made you set up Emulsive.org and what were your initial plans for it? My-first-roll...-Of-35mm-film-Fuji-Superia-X-TRA-400-by-EMULSIVE EMULSIVE started as an idea in early 2015. I thought I should put up a blog where I could post a few photos and blog about stuff that I'd lea...

Worldwide Pinhole Photography falls on Sunday 26th April this year, so an #ilfordphoto #fridayfavourites theme of #wppd2020 celebrating this seemed apt. We really hope that some of you will take a pinhole shot on Sunday and then upload it to the WPPD website. @mparry1234 Roman Baths, Bath 1 on Delta 3200 in the @realitysosubtle 6x6f #wppd2020 #ilfordphoto #believeinfilm #fridayfavourites   @thoobill The Parkes Dish is an Aussie science nerds Mecca. Shot on FP4 plus, October 2019 (those we...

When we held our first Lockdown Session with Emulsive, we asked him who he'd like to see us interview in future and he suggested the very lovely Aislinn. (AKA The Film Pusher). SECTION 1 - THE BEGINNING SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE / PRINT SHOT ON ILFORD FILM AND TELL US WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU? I have tons! But let me share my recent favourite, the one that I had printed and hung on my wall. It’s a pinhole image of the Natural History Museum in London. It means a lot to me, as the NHM is a favourite visit ...

We first met Ray nearly 2 years ago when he agreed to be part of our 'Legends of Skateboarding' ILFORD Inspires YouTube series. We were blown away by not only his talent as a musician, photographer and artist but also his genuine humility as a person. He was one of the first people that we reached out to, to take part in the Lockdown Sessions and we were so pleased when he agreed. Read on to find out how he has been spending his time. SECTION 1 - THE BEGINNING SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE / PRINT SHOT ON...

Shooting Infrared film Infrared photography has always been a unique and niche art form, allowing a photographer to capture images seemingly from another dimension. I say niche because capturing that "perfect" image requires a different approach to pre-visualizing your scene, an understanding of the limitations of infrared and the ability to adjust your settings effectively for changing conditions.  For these reasons many photographers are reluctant to give IR film a try. This article will not only demo...

In our 14th and possibly final Lockdown Session (before we move to a new format), we are bringing you Kit Young who was nominated by Ashley Carr back in week 9. We've followed Kit for a while on Instagram. He's a fantastic darkroom printer and is always happy to share how get gets to the finished prints from his negatives. SECTION 1 - THE BEGINNING SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE / PRINT SHOT ON ILFORD FILM AND TELL US WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU? There are a lot, so I’ll pick this relatively recent print o...

We have loved finding out more about photographers in our community over the last 3 months in our Lockdown Sessions and hope that you have too. As we move towards less restrictions here in the UK, we felt it was also time for a new focus (sorry).  So we are launching the new series 'In Focus' this week by interviewing professional portrait photographer Craig Fleming. Background Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you? I love this shot that I took it...

When we saw that Kit Young had chosen Tyler as his nomination it definitely made us smile. We've shared several of Tyler's IG images in the past and enjoy browsing his feed when we get the chance. Background Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you? Picking only one is an impossible choice! A favourite of mine is a contact print made from an 8x10 negative using FP4+, Ilford MGFB Glossy paper and selenium toned. I used my Chamonix 810V field camera and the ex...

Earlier this year my go-to black and white film of choice had its priced hiked astronomically, making it an un-affordable option for my daily choice. I set about exploring some different options, which included revisiting HP5 (a film, I must confess heretically that I have never gelled with), pushing FP4 to 400, Foma 400 and 200 pushed, and - the film for this short piece - ILFORD’s XP2. I might not have even reached for a roll of XP2 had I not discovered the experiments of another analogue photogr...

Our DELTA Professional films have a different grain structure than our more traditional PLUS range giving them exceptional sharpness and a cleaner look when correctly exposed. This week's #ilfordphoto #fridayfavourites theme focused on the middle film in this range with images #shotondelta400. @paulasmithphoto Devils Marbles, Australia. For this weeks #ilfordphoto #fridayfavourites theme #shotondelta400 #believeinfilm #blackandwhitephotography thewarneraesthetic January 24th, 2020 Mamiya 7ii, Ilford...

Rocking the tray! My journey with photography began as a child while spending wondrous hours with my father, a gifted portrait photographer, in his darkroom in the amber glow of the safe lights. It was astonishing to watch an image blossom to life in the developer, sometimes I even got to rock the tray! The magic of making a photograph had a life changing impact on me and when gifted a Brownie Hawkeye on my 7th birthday my destiny was etched in stone... I'd become a photographer! Later I was privileged ...

When you hold a hand printed FB darkroom print there is something special about it. It has been so amazing to see how many of you are making FB prints in your darkooms today. It was hard to choose just 5 images for this week's #ilfordphoto #fridayfavourites #fbprint theme but we got there in the end. (Nearly)! @Virgil_Roger @ILFORDPhoto makes the nicest paper, it was my go-to choice for my first ever hand printed solo show a while back. Let's throwback for the #fridayfavourites! Collages, a composite ...

It's week 25 in our In Focus interview series and this time we set our questions to Arkadiy Shlein who was nominated by Lina Bessonova back in August. Arkadiy is a Russian large format photographer and analog printer with a classical style. BACKGROUND SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE / PRINT SHOT ON ILFORD FILM AND TELL US WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU? I’ve got so many favourite photographs that I don’t have a single one hanging at home (yes, couldn’t decide :). This is one of them. I photographed this beech gla...

The passion My passion for cycling has fuelled this project, Riding the Boards surveys cycle velodromes across the United Kingdom, these spaces are a hallowed ground for cyclists. Memories Competitively the race depends on a good start, it can be won or lost at the first corner. However the curves on the circuit; the corners, the banking, the lines, are the vital parts in the making of a velodrome track. The projects main interest became the view of the first corner, from the start line. Framing the ...

As well as being a photographer and darkroom printer, our 27th 'In Focus' interviewee Max Bedov also custom makes darkroom equipment based on his years of experience. Background Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you? This frame was taken in Provence on Ilford film Delta400 exposed as 640. Generally I am not keen on an astrophotography but this particular shot is very memorable to me for a several  reasons. 2016 -Alpa SWA 6x9 -DELTA 400 -Provence - MG...

A chronic case of GAS To cut a long story short. In a previous life, i.e. before kids, I suffered a chronic case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) and ended up as the proud owner of a Richard Ritter 7x17” Ultra Large Format View Camera. As every GAS sufferer believes, buying your way out of limited talent is the only path to follow. The plan was to produce stunning panoramic negatives for Platinum/Palladium contact printing. The combination of huge negatives, old school contact printing and expensive em...

Nominated originally by Keith Moss back in November of last year. David Collyer is the 31st interview in this series.  A documentary photographer who chooses to shoot around themes or projects. David's is probably best known for one of his recent projects All in a Day's Work which received international recognition. Section 1 - Background SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE / PRINT SHOT ON ILFORD FILM AND TELL US WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU? Blimey! That’s like being asked to choose your favourite child and then expl...

HARMAN is pleased to announce a dedicated* ULF campaign for our ILFORD ORTHO PLUS film in Spring 2021. This represents a short but exciting window of opportunity to source non-stock sizes of a unique and wonderful film with a variety of applications.  ILFORD ORTHO PLUS is an extremely fine grain, sharp, orthochromatic film that is used in both technical and photographic applications. This including medical and scientific use, the copy of negatives and the creation of stunning images. As a well-establish...

Even when you have a love of film and traditional darkroom practices, there’s always room for alternative photo process experimentation as ecological photo-artist Josie Purcell knows well. OVERVIEW I am a photographer, but trying to explain that I specialise in photographic processes that may not include a camera has led me to describing myself a photographic artist. My passion for photography began in secondary school. There was a darkroom in the art class, but it was never used; it acted like a bea...

A chance for those of you who prefer non-traditional methods of film development to share your images for this week's #ilfordphoto #fridayfavourites #alternatedev theme. @DavidNee6 #ilfordphoto #fridayfavourites #alternatedev - "Gunner and Cade" on #fp4 developed in Caffenol CM. #pourthecoffeeandCwhatdevelops   @dmbloor Taken, developed and scanned yesterday for @ILFORDPhoto #fridayfavourites Camera #lomography Supersampler Film frames #ilfordphoto Harman Kentmere 100 at 800 ISO Alembic 2 h...

Taking Risks Through a series of what felt like small and inconsequential life choices I have found myself recently in positions where the logical course of action involved putting my health and even my life at risk, in service of making photographs. I, like many others I'm sure, want to be a great photographer. To me this means that I look with a respectful eye over my own body of work, and accept it for what it is: (hopefully) the absolute best I can accomplish. A retrospective This is something I r...

Three Exciting New Products We are pleased to announce the launch of 3 exciting new products. Two of these products support our goal of encouraging and enabling film photographers to take the next step in their analogue journey and experience the creativity and magic of darkroom printing. The third is the perfect holiday season gift for film enthusiasts. ILFORD Pop-Up Darkroom – Coming Q4 2021 The ILFORD Pop-Up Darkroom is the perfect solution for film photographers who want to print their negatives an...

In our digital age, film photography can appear to be expensive and risky but it has challenged me to learn the process involved in taking a photo that captures my intent and tells a story, creating a real sense of achievement. Over the past year, my confidence in using the medium has grown which is driving me to experiment more. In a world where the media can manipulate colours to affect the audience’s perception, black and white film uses alternative techniques. For example, in colour, red often conn...

Rule breaker The chemigram process allows any photographer to be experimental, free and a little bit of a rule breaker. As a photographer who is passionate about the traditional printing process, I was always taught that my prints should be clean and crisp. So, coming across a process that allows you to be messy, hands on and experimental makes me feel like a child again. My wonderful friend introduced me to this technique and I have been completely blown away by the atmosphere you can create. Also, thi...

Time to go green? As the threat of the climate crisis grows each day - we must strive for sustainability in all aspects of life. But when standing atop a cliff shakily clutching your 5x4 camera, or working under the red light of your local darkroom - sustainability can seem like a distant concern, reserved for those in stuffy offices or holding placards outside of parliament. As analogue photography has always been eager to embrace innovation in the face of change - is it time to go green? My name is...

There are so many of Ari's images that we have admired over the past 12 months so asking him to take part in this series was an easy decision. We're just glad that he said yes! Section 1 - Background Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you? As we age, time becomes more and more valuable. Every new second is a bigger portion of our future life than the one before. Time is the only thing we cannot buy more of, but we can freeze it with photography. A photog...

A regular contributor to the film and analogue community and always helpful and encouraging to other photographers out there. This week's In Focus interview is with "photographer” Morag Perkins who, "just takes pictures". Section 1 - Background Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you? I’ve chosen this one because it’s represents a process that has been very special to me recently. Over the last 2 or 3 years I’ve found a way to use photography to ...

A regular contributor to conversations on film and analogue photography and always happy to share her knowledge and support other photographers. This week's In Focus interview is with Paula Smith. Section 1 - Background Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you? One of my favourite images. This was taken in New Zealand on a crisp sunny winter’s day. The light was beautiful and I loved how it picked up the chicken wire on the jetty. It brings back great memo...

We hadn't seen much of Asa's work when she was nominated by Melanie King but we're so glad that she bought her to our attention. We hope that you enjoy her images and finding out more about them. Section 1 - Background Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you? I use a large format monorail camera and shoot on Ilford HP5 Plus 5x4” sheet film. This photograph was shot in Italy during an artist residency at the British School at Rome in 2016. I went there to ...

Our 56th In Focus interview is with Brazilian experimental photographer Breno Barros. Nominated by Clara Araujo, Breno shoot underwater portraits on film searching for experiential processes that defy traditional photography boundaries. Section 1 - Background Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you Multiple-exposure for the project “La boutique de l’âme” using Mamiya M645 and Ilford HP5+ My favourite image using Ilford film is due to an experimen...

In March 2020 we issued a statement in relation to instances of spots / mottle affecting a small percentage of 120 roll film negatives. The quality of our products and the satisfaction of our customers is paramount and something the ILFORD name has been built on for over 140 years. Our R&D team were tasked with resolving this issue and so we would like to update you as to what they have been up to. With your help we have been able to more accurately track and identify instances of spots / mottle o...

Dave's photograph received so much engagement and interest when we shared it to Instagram, we had to get in touch so that we could ask how he created this shot. - Technical info - Film Used ILFORD XP2 Super 120 Format 6x6 Medium format Camera Mamiya 6 Lens 55mm f4 Exposure time 4½ minutes Other equipment Benro Tripod Location New Brighton beach lighthouse, Merseyside.     Firstly, tell us the story behind this image. What inspired you to shoot it? I ...

As a child I fell in love with the magic of the darkroom and of making Gelatin Silver prints. Watching a print develop fascinated me. In high school I had access to a darkroom working with 620 film (2.25 X 3.25 inch roll film.) and, consequently, I studied photography at Rochester Institute of Technology, School of Photography & Syracuse University School of Journalism. Studying with art-photographer Minor White opened my eyes to using photography as an art form. Minor helped me see beyond the objective...

Film Photography is nothing without the community of passionate photographers and printers who are always willing to share their knowledge and experience. Without the lecturers and technicians who are passionate about teaching the next generation. And, without those pushing the boundaries and creating projects using film and traditional darkroom techniques. We want to reward this community spirit  ............ ILFORD Photo Analogue Community Grant We will be awarding up to £500 of our products to a d...

Our 57th In Focus interview is with Simon Smars from Stockholm who is a professional fine art photographer. Simon works exclusively with limited edition handmade black and white silver gelatin fiber prints, using traditional darkroom techniques. He creates a mixture of minimalistic scapes paired with a melancholic somber, with scenes often stripped to its bare essence. SECTION 1 - BACKGROUND Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD Film and tell us what it means to you? C I G (1: f.13 · 10-sto...

This is a story about serendipity, generosity, community, and several rolls of Ilford FP4 film. It begins in April 2020, during our first Covid-19 lockdown when a request from a sibling for an old family photo led me to dig around in my messy 35mm archive. I discovered quite a few forgotten negatives and slides from my life during the 1970’s, when I was young and single. They had been randomly stored and dragged around in house moves whilst I focussed on marriage, motherhood and a career in Social Work. E...

We are pleased to announce another dedicated* ULF campaign for our ILFORD ORTHO PLUS film this Spring. This represents a short but exciting window of opportunity to source non-stock sizes of a unique and wonderful film with a variety of applications. ILFORD ORTHO PLUS is an extremely fine grain, sharp, orthochromatic film that is used in both technical and photographic applications. This including medical and scientific use, the copy of negatives and the creation of stunning images. As a well-establi...

These Dark Mountains I grew up in a small valley town surrounded by the Alps in North Italy. I have always wondered what it feels like to live and work up there in the mountains, in such a stunning but also dangerous and rough natural environment. Especially after moving to Berlin in 2015, my fascination for a life still tied to nature’s rhythm started to grow. The natural landscape which I left behind, and which used to be what I would call “home”, turned into something distant. I began to question ...

Community Grant Shortlist We received hundreds of applicants for the grant and choosing just 5 for you to vote on is always difficult. Once the new submission window closes at the end of February 2026 we will shortlist the projects here for your vote. Shortlist VOTING FORM WILL BE HERE The first award of 2025 went to Sebastian Machado Batenero fro his 'Ashed from the Riverbed' project. We ar in the process of shipping his prize and will cath up with him later in the year to see how the project is pro...

Introducing our 61st In Focus interview with Torz Dallison. Torz started shooting when she was a teenager, but it wasn't until she started developing and printing that she became hooked. Through her work, Torz explores life's traditions and connections which reflects on her own personal stories and events. Section 1 - Background Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you? The Robin - 2019 This is the central image to my project The Robin. I began the proje...

Portrayal Of Musicians I’m not sure which came first, my love of photography or my love of music. Growing up in the Boston area, I was fortunate to be immersed in both. Whether it be standing in awe at the beauty of Alfred Steiglitz’s work on display at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts or being immersed in the local music scene, spending time with the likes of Bonnie Raitt or Aerosmith, these two passions seemed to run in parallel for me. As time progressed my photography, and music connections led me...

For our 68th In Focus interview, we speak to landscape photographer Bill Brooks. Bill enjoys photographing the landscape. He is particularly interested in how it has been affected by those who have gone before us and how it impacts the lives of those who occupy it today. His work is influenced by painters and writers as well as other photographers. Section 1 - Background Share your favourite image / print shot on ILFORD film and tell us what it means to you? A recent favourite is Sullington Yew, from my ...

«If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored. One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things. » Henry Miller Community Of Male Bathers Lanterna “Beach” is a long-term project (2015-2022) that documents a community of male bathers in a town in Southern Italy, where I was born and raised, before leaving my country. The work explores the relationship between this peculiar community and the nature of the Pier where they sunbathe...

“I’ll just fix it in the darkroom.” is the motto I’ve lived by for decades. I Was Too Deep Into Analog Studying photojournalism in the late 80s, I was taught to print well but never learned advanced printing techniques because we were being prepared for quick turn-around journalism assignments. Commercially available digital photography was in its infancy, so it wasn’t on my radar, and even when it became standard, I was too deep into analog to have any interest. I shot for a local paper for se...

Camera And Us Once I started shooting film, I decided to start creating some photography projects. My first photographic project was called: 'Camera and Us.' This project documented people on the street and which camera they used. I chose to use a film camera to capture all kinds of people with their cameras on the street. Once I approached them, I told them my photographic intentions. We would have a simple chat to make them feel comfortable and more importantly, for them to consent to be photographed. ...

We are now heading to HARMAN Lab to speak to Charlie Hill , our 16th Behind the Film interview. Charlie works as a Photo Lab Technician here at HARMAN Technology. Find out more about what his role entails. WHO ARE YOU? WHAT’S YOUR JOB TITLE AT HARMAN TECHNOLOGY AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED HERE? My name is Charlie Hill, I have worked as a Photo Lab Technician since April 2023. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR DAY TO DAY ROLE. My day-to-day role revolves around Harman Lab where we offer B&W and colou...

The Greatest Gift In 1984, at age of 10 my foster parents, to whom I was never close, gave me a camera. It is the greatest gift they gave to me. Since then, I have photographed the world to make sense of it and my place in it. Now, forty years later, I respect photography to the extent it should be respected. It has become an integrated part of who I am, it has shaped me into what I am and I have shaped it - we are one and I would arguably feel nothing in life without this powerful mechanism. I come from a...

Inheritance The thing nobody really tells you about when it comes to inheriting a legacy is the weight of it, and what follows the inevitable acceptance of it. My late grandfather Hendrikus Goris was an avid film photographer in his early 20’s - much like myself. I recently had the privilege of scanning and archiving some incredible images from his earlier years, 30+ rolls of film documenting family life with some rather editorial styled portraits sprinkled in. Most of them were shot on ILFORD film in ...

Is a Photograph a Photograph if it Was Not Made with a Camera, Lens, or Negative? The ethereal color palette and expressionistic qualities of the work I have been making with ILFORD's photographic paper seemingly resemble the representations of light and color as seen in many landscape paintings (think J.M.W. Turner, Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Cole); however, the work in my on-going project, I Thought You Left / I Wish You Were Here, are lumen prints—a form of camera-less photography where objects or a neg...

I Instantly Fell In Love My photography journey began while I was studying graphic design. My course tutor handed me a camera & a roll of ILFORD HP5+, and sent me out, with no real brief, to ‘take some pictures’. Armed with a macro lens I roamed around the cities’ botanical gardens and became lost in a close-up world of symmetrical patterns, found in the plant life. When I returned, with my roll of film, to the photography department darkroom, I instantly fell in love with the process and the res...

  Wilber (@ccs_wilber) wheelies down a hill in Medellin. BikeLife The first time I learned about Bikelife was at Parque Nacional, Bogotá’s most emblematic park. It was a Sunday and there must have been at least a hundred of them. They almost all fit the same profile: very young, baggy clothes, no helmet. A disproportionate number sported ‘El 7’, a kind of neo-mullet that’s popularity in Colombia predates the current mullet resurgence in the rest of the world. 12-o’clock wheelies...

We're thrilled to announce our ILFORD Photo USA Student film photography contest. With both darkroom printing and scanned film categories (along with a fantastic teacher prize), and some amazing prizes to be won from both us, ILFORD Photo, and  our amazing sponsors, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation, UsedPhotoPro, Peak Design, Negative Supply LLC, The Darkroom, Photogenic Supply Co and SISSILU, there are plenty of reasons to get involved and start shooting! Contest Dates: The contest is now open for...

A Revelation Just south of Sydney sitting on one of Australia’s most pristine coastlines you’ll find the regional city of Wollongong. Nestled within this city of surfers, coal miners and steelworkers you’ll find a group of students creating big things in a small darkroom. ‘Mez, I’ve been thinking a lot… I want to be a fine art black and white film photographer.’ These words from one of my TAFE NSW students, Sara, were delivered with a shakiness in her voice, utter passion in her heart, ...

We're thrilled to launch our brand new 'Community Focus' series! In this series, we shine a spotlight on community darkrooms around the world, celebrating their contributions and exploring the stories behind these spaces. Our first interview in the series features Newport Film Lab from South Wales, a darkroom that began as a passion project and has since grown into something truly special. Section 1 - Background Let’s start easy. Tell us A little about the darkroom, what it’s called and how it started...

La Santísima Tragedia Fanesca: A Celebration of Cultural Syncretism Through Fashion and Photography. Fanesca: Una celebración del sincretismo cultural a través de la moda y la fotografía. Latin American Society Fanesca is an evocative body of work created by London-based photographer Lucho Dávila, exploring cultural syncretism and the evolution of identity in contemporary Latin America. Through this ongoing autoethnographic project, Dávila reflects on his Spanish and Ecuadorian heritage, cap...

The Essence Of My Home Hello everyone! Today, I want to open the doors of my soul and share the essence of my home: Las Negras and Cabo de Gata. A piece of land that not only saw me born and grow, but also shaped me as a person and as a photographer. Through my lens, I want to show you the magic that emanates from every corner of this paradise in southern Spain, but I also want to reveal the wounds and contradictions that afflict it. I am a native of Las Negras, a small village in the heart of Cabo de Gata...

A black and white journey into the depths When I leave home for a day of diving, I always feel a mix of excitement and detachment. A moment alone at dawn, when everyone is still asleep, becomes a kind of quiet ritual: methodically packing my gear, performing last checks, loading film and setting off towards a world apart. My photography was born from a simple desire: to share those moments — their quiet magic, and the subtle mix of lightness and oppression that comes with the depths. Swallowed by ...

How it all began “So what’s your next project?”, my friend David asked me over lunch one day in the spring of 2024. Unprepared for the question, my focus still on my second book, Fragments, which had just been published, my answer was quick and nochalant. “I think I’m going to dig out my 4x5 and shoot some street portraits of total strangers”. I surprised even myself with the answer. It was as if I was sitting in his chair and hearing that response for the first time. I can remember the conv...

We are delighted to announce the winner and runner-up of our 2025/26 Student Photography Competition. Open to student photographers from around the world, it attracted hundreds of entries from students across Asia, Europe, the USA, Australia and the UK. This showcased an inspiring breadth of creativity and technical excellence in analogue photography and darkroom printing. Winner: Jamie Plater, Stamford College The overall winner is Jamie Plater from Stamford College. Jamie’s striking wildlife image w...