Analoguian comeback?

[Ulophot]

I'd like to offer a reading suggestion for those interested in the somewhat controversial topic of "analog's" future, which arises here naturally and concerns our photographic economy and access to film-related equipment and supplies. David Sax's The Revenge of Analog -- Real Things adn why They Matter is a worthwhile, well-crafted book. The author does discuss film photography in the course of covering a variety of technologies that are seeing some sort of return to popularity, and I suspect that there may be new developments on this front since publication in addition to Ektachrome and Kodak opening (reopening?) a couple of cinema film labs. Towards the end of the book, Sax goes a bit deeper into related matters of culture, which may be interesting to some; they were to me. In any case, here is the info.

The Revenge of Analog
Real Things and Why They Matter
David Sax
Public Affairs, 2016
282 pages

[John Kasaian]

I thought the Analoguian was a tribe from upstate New York :o

[Mark Sawyer]

I thought the Analoguian was a tribe from upstate New York :o

Funny, I saw the thread title and immediately though of the Analoguian Round Table... ;)

[Peter Collins]

It IS indeed a tribe having unusual beliefs and rituals. For example, the members believe that it takes half an hour to an hour to make a worthwhile photograph.

[xkaes]

These points are ALMOST on target. There is a tribe called the Algonquins, but they are not just in Upper New York -- anymore. More to the point, it can take them several DAYS to get a print "just right". They are part of what's known as the "Procrasti Nation", which today has spread out, all over the country.

[Peter Collins]

Xkaes +1!!

[Richard Wasserman]

To get back on track, I concur with Ulophot's opinion of The Revenge of Analog. It is an interesting take on modern culture, which shows that all is not lost on the analog front. Our son is—to grossly oversimplify—getting a PhD in board games, which puts him squarely in the middle of this movement.

[Willie]

I buy and use film. B&W and Color. Negative and chromes.
Have never seen a box of 8x10 analog in the stores.

[xkaes]

I buy and use film. B&W and Color. Negative and chromes.
Have never seen a box of 8x10 analog in the stores.

Obviously, you haven't been to the camera shop in downtown Killdeer.

[Willie]

Killdeer, North Dakota does not have a camera shop.

[Pere Casals]

NYT speaking about it: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/books/revenge-of-analog-david-sax.html

From silver to silicon something was lost in translation.

Digital has a lot of good things, but silver photography has a powerful cultural heritage that in part has been overlooked by the digital way. It is very dificult to make something sound like La Pietà (Michelangelo) with 3D edition software and a 5 axis milling system. For Michelangello it was straight, the sculpture was inside the boulder and he only removed the stone that was covering it.

So what's for art a bare hammer can be better than a supercomputer. Young artists feel a call when they see that they can catch light with silver. Because the image is in the light, they don't want algorithms between them and the light.

We can also talk about technical excellence. Talking about Hollywood, really I don't understand how Vision 3 can be so technically superior to top dollar digital movie cameras. And this is 2017...

[xkaes]

Killdeer, North Dakota does not have a camera shop.

Say it ain't so, Joe. Say it ain't so!

[Willie]

Say it ain't so, Joe. Say it ain't so!

The entire State has few camera shops. No Ilford anywhere. Nearest B&W film to me is 3 hour drive and it is only Kodak and a limited selection. No large format unless it is 4x5 for the local college classes.

The quality of the light and air and people makes up for it. A good reason Tillman Crane does photo workshops here.