PhotoMFA.com and OldSchoolPhotoLab.com Announce Photography Contest

Online, July 17, 2011 (Newswire.com) - There is a widespread return to film, in photography; photographers are rediscovering in 'analog' the control and expression that drew them to photography in the first place. Indeed, film photography is part of a broader movement rebelling against the constant updates and impersonal perfection of current technology-compare, for instance, the rebirth of the typewriter and persistent interest in vinyl records. To celebrate the renaissance of film photography and the move 'back to the future,' PhotoMFA.com and OldSchoolPhotoLab.com are co-sponsoring a photography contest, offering a prize free developing services for the most accomplished photograph of something 'old-school.' The details of the contest are available at http://www.photomfa.com/content/old-school-photo-contest; the deadline is August 15.

Because of the 'digital drought' of the last decade, many labs have gone out of business, and film services are hard to find. Ironically, photographers are turning to the Internet to find the information and services they need for their 'pre-digital' work. PhotoMFA.com is a crowdsourced directory of analog photo labs worldwide, helping photographers locate the services they need to process and print film. In less than a year the photoMFA.com analog photo lab directory has grown from 3 photo labs in New Hampshire to more than 100 different photo labs in over 10 countries. A newly-launched venture of Photosmith, which has been in Dover, NH for the last thirty years, OldSchoolPhotoLab.com offers film processing, scanning and printing via the Internet. The business has donated $50 worth of photofinishing services for the best photograph of 'something old-school.'

Steve Frank, owner of OldSchoolPhotoLab.com, remarked, "The contest is a fun way for us to give back to the analog community, and for us all to remember and be inspired by the nuances and rhythms of an earlier era." For his part, Gordon Boddington, founder of PhotoMFA.com, says. "I enjoy sponsoring photo contests because not only do contests encourage people to spend money on film and developing but they also showcase the creativity and vibrance of the film photography community."

Seeing in the Internet a way to foster the growing film movement, both PhotoMFA.com and OldSchoolPhotoLab.com are highly involved in the online community of analog photographers. Both organizations have presences on Twitter (@filmdevelop and @oldschoollab). Frank maintains a blog about film photography and photofinishing (oldschoolphotolab.blogspot.com), and Boddington has begun work on a new project, believeinfilm.com, which will expand upon the successes of photoMFA.com to build a community-driven marketplace for film-centric goods and services. In addition, believeinfilm.com will also serve as a gallery to showcase the work of the many talented film photographers who still believe in film.

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If you'd like to write a story about www.OldSchoolPhotoLab.com, we'd be happy to offer special pricing for your readers. For more information, or to schedule an interview with Steve Frank, owner of the Photosmith, please contact Stephanie Frank at 312.730.6602 or [email protected].