The Never Ending Search

I started using only one film and one developer for my important photography a few years back that film is Kodak Tri-x, the developer is D-76. I feel that if you use one film and developer combination you learn that film, you learn to read it in all lighting conditions. The film becomes part of who you are, you understand how to use it in all types of situations, all types of light, you control it like its a piece of you, you truly understand how to communicate with the tools your using.

The opposite situation occurs when you use multiple film and developer combinations. Many photographers spend years spreading themselves to thin and trying continuous never ending variations of film and developers. They end up learning 1/8 or 1/4 of all the variations, because there is just to much to learn, maybe with years of effort they could learn 2 films in a lifetime but 5 or 6? No way! They end up testing and testing and testing (in the darkroom, in the field) and learning a bit of this and a bit of that.

I have heard this rational for doing the multiple film and developer thing, they say that each film and developer does different things better so if you switch all the time it makes for better photographs (in some way, different light, different tones etc). I think this might be partially true but photography is about the photographer, he or she can make GREAT photographs with pretty much any decent film, the trick is to "know your film"!  When you know your film/developer you can use it to make great photos in any conditions, you do not need the multiple film crutch. No film or developer combination is better than the one you truly understand!

Learn your camera, learn your film, learn your developer. 1 camera, 1 lens, 1 film, 1 developer. If more people did less of the the cameras, films, developers thing and instead just made photos and learned how to use a single set of tools 100% instead of 10 sets of tools 10% then they would all make better photographs. Less toys more photography!

I cannot eliminate all my cameras just yet but I am learning my film and developer, 1 of each for me! Will keep on shooting Tri-x and using D-76 as long as it is available.