OldSchoolPhotoLab.com to Sponsor 'Analog Ambassadors'

Online, September 22, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Toward bridging the gap between the digital and analog photography communities, OldSchoolPhotoLab.com plans to sponsor several 'analog ambassadors'-photographers who have up until now worked mainly in digital, but who are interested in shooting film. OldSchoolPhotoLab.com will provide five photographers with everything they need to learn the medium of film photography: an analog camera, several different kinds of film, and free processing and scanning. In return, the analog ambassadors will blog at least once a month about their experiences shooting film.

The hope is to promote exploration of the distinctive strengths of both digital and analog photography. "Digital and analog are being styled as enemies, which does not benefit anyone," says Steve Frank, owner of OldSchoolPhotoLab.com. "It's not about which one is 'better'-it's about how to get the effect you're looking for. We hope to bring people back to what photography is all about-the images. " Frank, who has been a photographer for more than forty years, will also be providing critiques and tips of ambassadors' film, to be processed at OldSchoolPhotoLab.com.

You can apply to be an analog ambassador via a post to your blog. In your post, introduce yourself briefly as a photographer, explain why you want to be an analog ambassador, upload a photograph (digital or analog) you have taken, and link to www.oldschoolphotolab.com, where the contest details will be posted. Then submit a link to your entry to [email protected]. The contest deadline is 1 October. Five ambassadors will be chosen, four by jury and one by voting. If you are interested in learning to shoot film but do not want to enter the contest, you can buy a starter kit similar to the one the analog ambassadors will receive at www.oldschoolphotolab.com/welcometofilm.

Though the medium may be 'old-school,' OldSchoolPhotoLab.com hopes the analog ambassador program will provide decidedly of-the-moment exposure for the ambassadors via its social networks. In fact, the exposure starts with the contest; in October, finalists for the last slot will be featured on www.believeinfilm.com for voting. "We're hoping to encourage people to reconsider film photography at the same time that we promote some talented photographers and their work," Frank said.