Celebrating Issue 25 of SilvergrainClassics

The Future of Film Photography in Beautiful Print

By Charys Schuler / SilvergrainClassics

We are celebrating The Future of Film Photography in Issue 25 of SilvergrainClassics! It feels like a real achievement, especially when we see where we started in 2018. But rather than looking back at the great stories and images we’ve had in the past, we choose to look to the future.

Our open Call for Submissions to represent The Future of Film Photography in Issue 25 was so successful, we could fill the next 25 issues from it! We had planned to choose just one portfolio, but ended up with 6 in this issue and plans to use more in the future. These 4 men and 2 women represent 8 countries, various styles, and many different formats, but all share a passion for film.

From the unique, creative slide film collages of Michael Stenta, to the traditional b&w panoramic compositions of Manuel Ruiz de Quero, these portfolios represent the way people are shooting film today. The community is thriving, and we are proud to have such talented members represented in our celebratory 25th issue.

Our regular contributors were also thinking about The Future of Film. Bruce Barnbaum and Marwan El Mozayen look into a crystal and let us in on their predictions. Both base their guesses on an examination of where we have come from. Barnbaum takes in centuries of art history when considering “The Future of Traditional Photography”, and El Mozayen considers what the developments of the last ten years can tell us about the future of film stocks and cameras.

We aren’t short on Gear & Techniques, of course! Many people hope that the future will hold high-quality equipment at affordable prices. But why wait? We bring you two great pieces of gear that won’t break the bank but deliver top-quality results. And if you’re feeling discouraged by the prices of new films and papers, why not try printing your existing photos on expired paper! Although most people will tell you to avoid old photo paper at all costs, Mike Crawford has creative ways to make wonderful art prints with what others toss in the garbage. And don’t miss our blog article about shooting expired film.

Today’s film community often shares connections virutally, benefitting by seeing what people all around the world are doing. With readers in over 80 countries, SGC is absolutely on board with this! But in-person exchanges are just as important. We have two stories about very different photography meet-ups. One is a local, informal group of people who get together for photo walks and other fun trips. The other is a multi-facetted, brand-sponsored event — the Leica Welt Experience Days. Another way to connect in a non-virtual environment is by reading print publications — like SGC! Our book review talks about the future of print and how it intersects with photography.

The final focus of Issue 25 is on slides. Just ten years ago, we were concerned that slide film might completely disappear… But thanks to the rebirth of Ektachrome and new emulsions like Harman Phoenix, slide film is thriving! Now ADOX has brought back the 3-bath E-6 development kit, making it easy for photographers to develop their own slides at home. We tested this simplified process in the SilvergrainLab, and found the results excellent — no noticeable difference to the 6-bath process! And what better way to enjoy slide photography than a projection. Just in time for holiday get-togethers, we look at equipment for putting on your own slide show, and the magic of this analog experience.

We started out by saying that we saw amazing portfolios in the Call for Entries, many more than we had room for. But we did put together a small taste of coming attractions, so stay tuned!