On why I shoot film.

Film is not dead. There, I said it.

The digital photography world has exploded the last several years, and it's easy to get your hands on an top-of-the-line digital SLR and make high-quality photos. I still shoot digital. Sometimes it's just easier, and it is definitely cheaper than shooting film. But for me, it's also more frustrating. Yes, I can review my images instantly to check my exposures. I can upload them quickly to my computer and they are immediately accessible. There is a place for digital photography, to be sure. But it does not give me the joy that film does.

I learned photography on film. I learned proper exposure through study and practice, and each click cost me money. I got good at knowing my exposures, my film, my equipment, and how they all interacted with light to make my photographs sing. Then I got my first DSLR, and I got lazy. Frustrated that my images lacked the look of film, I returned to it after just two years of digital. Getting my scanned film back reminded me of the Christmas-like magic of watching my images appear in the darkroom. Finally reminded of the softness and light quality of film, I got re-hooked. I attended Jon's Film is Not Dead workshop back in 2009 and never looked back.

BW 400CN 35mm film

If you've been looking for a way to get back into film, or you're wanting to learn it but are nervous about how to go about it, look no further! Jon's gone and outdone himself yet again by writing a book. A film book. A book on everything you need to know to shoot film. And people, it's good. I've got it, and I am still devouring each page, looking for ways to refine my work and my vision.

A full review of the book will be up tomorrow, but I had to tell you about this amazing deal today! Until February 23rd, Jon is offering the book at the unreal price of $89. After that, the price goes up to $149, which is not as good, but still amazing.

Here's a link to purchase this bad boy. Full disclosure: I get a small percentage of each sale. Incentive to you: a coupla rolls of my all-time favorite film in your mailbox to get you (if you're one of the first 5 to purchase from the link above) started on your film journey. You won't regret it.

Now get out there and shoot some film!