The Science Of Film And
The Cult Following It Has
I want to preface this email and say that I am really excited for this week’s edition of It’s Cleb. You see, I studied photography at a private institution filled with people who weren’t divided by social caste, but rather by a social media caste. It was despicable, and ultimately is what qualifies me to speak on the topic of film and its irritating users.
You see, because I scientifically understand the way that film works, I am an exception to the nuisance. For I am not shooting rolls and rolls of film purely to post them on Instagram (mostly because I forget that I can take pictures whenever I want). In college, I did a project where I compared digital photography to film photography side by side in an effort to understand the differences between the methods of photography. It was really fun, and I loved that project, sadly it was lost in time and all I have left to remember it by are the film images (reply to this email and I will send you the pics to look at if you want)
To briefly summarize how it works, film photography basically burns an image into a small piece of light sensitive film. Where digital photography basically allows a sensor that does the same thing. The major difference here is really in the processing of the film. The softer effect you get with a film camera has more to do with the way the film actually etches the image into the light sensitive gelatin, and then the chemicals burn it into the film. Where as digital photography is basically just pixels. So it’s impossible to have softer edges because the pixels are just little microscopic squares.
TL;DR: Analog film photos have softer edges because the images is microscopically softer and digital images are microscopically square specks and are incapable of being as cool as film.
So that being said, film junkies that aren’t developing their own film are really only getting half the story and they shouldn’t be allowed to be snooty about how cool they are for shooting film. Like yeah your film looks good, a professional laboratory / machine prepared your film perfectly and then scanned it into a computer. I would HOPE it looks good.
Creating a good image (in the world of film specifically) is so much more than keeping the image in focus and properly lit. If you aren’t paying your mf bills (and/or developing your own film in a dark room) when shooting on film you don’t get to have an ego about the photos you take on your little SLR / point and shoot film cam!
Shitty Business Ideas:
Hello Sharts,
I’ve hacked into your little iPhones and I have access to your darkest secrets (I wouldn’t share their nudes because revenge porn isn’t ethical) and business dealings. In exchange for your data’s safe passage, you need to call up Tim Apple on the phone and convince him of the following:
- Release the foldable iPhone: I cannot live like this anymore. I need a foldable iPhone. I need something innovating, and the size of both an iPhone and an iPad. I don’t care what it will cost.
- Fix the iPhone Camera: We all know that the camera on the iPhone hasn’t been hitting the same since they released the iPhone X. We gotta get on that chef. I don’t know what y’all need to do in the lab, but I miss being able to shoot absolute bangers on my little phone.
- Do Literally Anything: I am so SICK. I cannot take another minuscule hardware leap every year. I came from a time when iPhones were literally going fucking insane every year. Remember when someone found the iPhone 4 in a case that made it look like a 3GS in a bar. That’s the shit we need to be on again.
I have TMZ on speed dial and I will leak your address Kevin… don’t fucking try me.
I Got An Old Timey Portrait (Vlog Style)
Fun fact: Starting this week, newsletter subscriber (that means you) get access to these videos a week before people who are just YouTube (read: losers).
Enjoy This TikTok.
With Film and Toxic Chemicals,
Clebbie ❤️
P.S. I am really hoping to get 100 subscribers this month (I am at 75 right now), if you could share this with a friend, I would be so happy.
