Photography Nostalgia

[mdparthum]

Hey everyone! Today, during one of my yearbook classes, I was digging around an old camera bag and discovered some old end of the box tabs from film boxes that you could tear off and put on the back of your camera. There had to have been over 40 of them. That sure brought back some memories for me. Like the smell of film, the smell of the darkroom chemistry at college, the boxes of different grades of paper, and the color correction filters. There are a ton more. So, I was wondering, what things make some of you older photographers think of the way photography used to be? And for you younger photographers, what makes you think of the current mode of photography?

[Whumbahcumba]

I always got rid of the box tab when I was done with that roll of film. I actually have some Kodak and Ilford paper sitting in my photography box. It was a ton of fun developing my own negatives and prints, but boy did it take a long time to get the prints correct. That's the biggest change that I've appreciated from the change to digital. You can see your adjustments instantly and don't have to make a new print every single time you mess up.

[studiocygnet]

That kcheesh, kcheesh, kcheesh, sound of a motor winding the film to the next exposure sure triggers my nostalgia impulse.
I remember that back in the old days TV and movies always represented "pro" photographers as running around going crazy with their motor drives blazing, burning through film as if it were - well - digital.
I never used my winder like that. I might have taken 2 or 3 frames in a row on rare occasions, but if you burned a lot of film, then you just had to pay to print it, one way or the other, either with time and chemicals, or sending it off.

[MicWayWal]

Three words:
Fixer stained fingers.

[Whumbahcumba]

Originally Posted by MicWayWal

Three words:
Fixer stained fingers.

Ah yes. I just loved sitting down to eat, even after a thorough washing of my hands, and seeing them still stained. It wasn't very appetizing.

Originally Posted by studiocygnet

That kcheesh, kcheesh, kcheesh, sound of a motor winding the film to the next exposure sure triggers my nostalgia impulse.
I remember that back in the old days TV and movies always represented "pro" photographers as running around going crazy with their motor drives blazing, burning through film as if it were - well - digital.
I never used my winder like that. I might have taken 2 or 3 frames in a row on rare occasions, but if you burned a lot of film, then you just had to pay to print it, one way or the other, either with time and chemicals, or sending it off.

Neither of my film cameras are auto-finders. Both have the winding lever. I was decently quick with it when I used it alot, but now that I don't, I'm slow at it and don't always wind all the way. Luckily the shutter button doesn't work if it isn't fully wound to the next frame.

[newtune3]

I miss the thrill of that first Brownie Fiesta and the smell of the darkroom.

[Murph]

I love the smell of the darkroom in the morning, it smells like....victory.

[Big Dog]

Originally Posted by mdparthum

... what things make some of you older photographers think of the way photography used to be?

"Used to be?"

[mdparthum]

Originally Posted by Big Dog

"Used to be?"

In how it was then and NOT now!

[Big Dog]

Originally Posted by mdparthum

box tabs from film boxes
film,
darkroom chemistry
boxes of different grades of paper,
color correction filters.
There are a ton more.

So, I was wondering, what things make some of you older photographers think of the way photography used to be?

Um, thanks, Michael, I knew what "used to be" meant. I was trying to make a joke, but apparently I failed, so I'll be serious.

All of the things you listed, and the things mentioned by other posters, such as fixer stained hands, etc., still exist, i.e., NOW, and are used by tens of thousands of photographers. As an "older" photographer, I just wanted to make that point. But, in the spirit of the OP, I'll play:

flashbulbs

[ka5txl]

Originally Posted by mdparthum

In how it was then and NOT now!

with a limited supply of film (and budget) you had to put just a little more thought into each frame rather than just blast away and delete what you don't like

[TXFZ1]

35mm plastic film canisters
Kodachrome mailers, I think I may still have a few
Those little tweesers that you used to grab the film leader when you were a little too fast on the rewind
Kodachrome in the freezer

David

[ka5txl]

Originally Posted by TXFZ1

35mm plastic film canisters
Kodachrome mailers, I think I may still have a few
Those little tweesers that you used to grab the film leader when you were a little too fast on the rewind
Kodachrome in the freezer

David

Which reminds me of that Simon and Garfunkel line "Mama don't take my kodachrome away!"

[stephenthomas]

This thread brings back memories

[studiocygnet]

Originally Posted by TXFZ1

35mm plastic film canisters

Plastic? Bwaaaah, how about metal. Sometimes used for other things than film back then.