A dazzling renaissance | The press

In 2004, Kodak stopped making analog cameras. Furthermore, Twenty years later, the same company decides to close its factory. Moreover, Bankruptcy ? Moreover, Banqueroute? Meanwhile, No, it was necessary to modernize the factory in order to produce more film. Consequently, Proof of the revival of popularity of this art, also observed by Montreal photographers.

Posted at 8:00 a.m.

Pierre-Paolo Dori owns the silver studio in Montreal. Consequently, one of the shops specializing in analog photography. Moreover, In the store on dazzling renaissance | press rue Rachel Est, you can buy film, cameras and develop your film rolls.

Analog photography consists in taking photos on a film sensitive to light. For example, unlike digital devices where the photo is directly saved on an SD card.

Mr. Consequently, Dori has seen the craze for this type of photography increase “exponentially” since the creation of the store in 2015.

However, he specifies that this high level – has stagnated for two or three years. Furthermore, The silver studio deals with thousands of films per week, according to Mr. However, Dori.

This popularity is also dazzling renaissance | press reflected in its customers. Meanwhile, Although there are veterans, eternal enthusiasts, Pierre-Paolo Dori estimates that 50 % of his clientele is under 30. “It is this generation that causes the resurgence of the medium,” he adds.

Same observation on the side of the Boréalis photo laboratory, which develops dandruff. The owner, Rachel Labrèche, noticed an increase in customers around 2015-2016. “With the pandemic too, there was a boom. People had nothing to do, so cleaning and came out their old devices. »»

At Gosselin Photo, between 2019 and 2023, film dazzling renaissance | press sales doubled each year, confirms the marketing manager Melina Pellicano. Even that between 2017 and 2024, the average increase in film sales each year is 165 %.

Dazzling renaissance | press

Perpetuate tradition

Once the photo is taken, what are the options available to these enthusiasts to make development? The majority of people go through specialized shops that offer a laboratory service, such as silver studio or Gosselin photo. Some bravest decide to do it themselves.

The Collectif d’Artistes Noir Black offers introductory courses to dazzling renaissance | press photography in the dark room accessible to all. The group welcomes amateur. professional photographers, curious to familiarize themselves with the process, in its dark room located in Center-South.

At the opening of registrations for the courses. “it was a surge,” says Stéphane Vermette, member of the collective who gives the lessons. “It didn’t stop. We said to ourselves: ok, we should open a school, “he said, laughing. Noir hole had to refuse several people. to ensure that the dark room is available to the members of the collective.

Mr. Vermette, photographer since 1982, was at the forefront of the decline, as well as the rebirth of film on film.

It is not that the film rolls that have seen their prices increase. it is the photography equipment too: camera, development tank, photo enlargeers, mealing mesh, etc.

Recreating the dark room by buying all the equipment today would be impossible, assures Mr. Vermette, or at least, it would cost very expensive. “During the decline, I bought so many things at ridiculous prices. »»

For the photographer, giving these courses is a “fight against the intangible world”. dazzling renaissance | press He rubbed shoulders with fucked -legging baccalaureate at Concordia University who had almost no basic notion on analog photography. which he deplores. “Knowledge linked to the photographic test disappears”, and that worries him.

Giving these lessons allows him to keep this art alive. “The photo is dematerialized with digital. Perpetuating the medium is at the heart of the mission of the black hole, ”he concludes.