During my boyhood years during the 60s, photography was usually done using mostly black and white films. We were used to photographs taken in black and white. Eventually, colored films became more and more available and less and less expensive and with the coming of “instamatic cameras” — that is, point-and-shoot cameras — people everywhere used colored films more and more and became popular.
Film Photography
There was a time when one can make a choice of whether to buy black and white films or colored films. If you’re buying film in a photo shop, you would normally have a choice of whether you want it colored or black and white. I remember back then that one had a choice of buying a roll of film with 12 shots, 24 shots or 36 shots. Eventually black and white films became less and less common and I guess those who would be looking for such films would usually be artists who continue to be fascinated by black and white photography as an artistic medium.
Digital Photography
Well, with the coming of the digital age, even colored films eventually became obsolete. Films are no longer needed with the advent of digital cameras. It’s amazing to see the development of photography through the years. Who would have thought that we won’t be needing films for photography nowadays haha! It would indeed be a rare chance if one can still buy colored films these days. But I guess it would still be available. I just don’t know where. You’ve got to have an old film camera too if you want to use films. Additionally, you would need to have these negative films developed. I guess that would be a great challenge haha! And I would suppose that it would even be more difficult to look for and buy black and white films.
Well, no worries if we don’t have black and white films because with digital cameras nowadays, we can still continue to shoot in black and white if one so desires especially for artists who continue to love this medium. It’s maybe because black and white photos somehow evoke emotions of the past and a nostalgic feeling of bringing back “the good old days.” It’s just dramatic and artistic when photos are in black and white — somehow. Of course, I love colored photos too.
Model: Ayana Manriquez