Film Photography
As a
landscape photographer, I exclusively use traditional medium-format chromogenic
film (120 Fuji Velvia 100 iso) for my prints, as it captures natural tones with
unmatched depth. When displayed, these prints blend seamlessly into an interior, complementing the surrounding
space rather than overpowering it.
Choosing the Right
Medium
Every artistic vision requires the right tools. For me, accuracy in detail, faithful color
reproduction, and a harmonious, immersive atmosphere are essential. My goal is
to translate into a tangible image the emotions I felt while witnessing a
landscape. Traditional chromogenic film excels at achieving this expression: it captures nature’s subtlety, intricate
textures, and fleeting light in a way that resonates deeply.
Film
photography is an organic process. The film itself contains layers of silver
halide combined with dye couplers. When exposed to light, each layer responds
to specific colors, which are then revealed through chemical development.
Unlike digital imaging, where colors are reconstructed through software, film
embeds color physically within the image, creating a tangible presence you can see and feel.
Digital
photography, by contrast, relies on sensors that detect only black and white.
Color information is reconstructed using red, green, and blue filters, then
processed through a process called Bayer interpolation. This method inherently
loses some fine details and mid-tones, which are artificially sharpened for clarity. Inkjet printing then applies
microscopic droplets onto paper, producing an image that, despite technological
advancements, lacks the material depth of film. Holding an inkjet print, I feel
a disconnection: the image is not in the paper but merely on it.
A Harmonious
Aesthetic
Digital photography is efficient and
versatile, making it ideal for high-impact, vibrant images suited for screens
and commercial displays. On social media, digital images are optimized to stand
out. However, when framed and placed in a home, the hyper-saturated colors and
excessive sharpness of digital prints often feel intrusive. Rather than
blending with their surroundings, they demand attention.
For my Interior Art project, I approach
photography differently. I spend hours observing a landscape, considering its
composition and emotional impact. Before I press the shutter, I ask myself:
Would I want to see this image every day in my living space? If the answer is
no, I don’t take the shot. This mindset makes the speed and convenience of
digital photography irrelevant to my artistic process. What matters to me is capturing the essence of a scene as I experienced
it. Chromogenic film, especially in medium format, allows me to do this
with remarkable depth and fidelity. Film offers rich, natural colors without
artificial saturation. Mid-tones are nuanced, highlights and shadows retain
their integrity, and fine details fade naturally into the distance, just as the
human eye perceives them. The image does not need heavy post-processing to
achieve an organic, lifelike quality: it is inherently there.
A
traditionally crafted film print, developed with expert techniques on
high-quality paper, becomes an organic extension of the space it inhabits.
Rather than overwhelming the viewer, it enhances the atmosphere. The colors
and textures are so true to nature that the image feels like a window to the outside world, evoking the
emotions and sensations of the original moment.
A Lifelong
Commitment to Film
Needless
to say, I am a film lover. I developed my first black-and-white film in 1983 and
since 1986 I have photographed nature exclusively
with chromogenic film and I have never stopped. Over the years, my spending
on film and processing could have easily covered the cost of a new professional
medium-format digital camera every year, yet I have remained committed to film.
Only medium-format chromogenic film can
truly capture the emotions I feel when contemplating the grandeur of nature.
I am currently exploring new projects using traditional hand-processed black-and-white film and look forward to sharing them with you. In the meantime, I invite you to explore my gallery, where the true impact of film photography speaks for itself.