A photographer has launched a worldwide campaign to save Kodak infrared film following news that production will cease by the end of this year.
James C Williams, an American photographer specialising in infrared film, said he has emailed hundreds of photographers since Kodak announced the demise of HIE-135 film last month.
He praises the film for its ?fine art? qualities and claims he has already had ?responses of support from all over the world?.
In an email to Amateur Photographer (AP) he wrote: ?This campaign has also become a banner for the need to save films of all types from vanishing.?
In a letter to Kodak praising the unique quality of infrared film he wrote: ?Its initial and major commercial purpose has been for scientific and security purposes. However, aside from these mundane applications, a much more visually appealing application is fine-art photography using infrared film.?
He added: ?Many fine art photographers recognise the great benefits of using film and prefer film to digital. In the case of infrared photography there are many people trying different approaches to using digital cameras, but that system has problems to be solved and the results are not nearly as good as those produced by HIE-135.?
Williams told us that, in response, Kodak contacted him to say: ?We will shortly be making a statement and posting to various forums.?
The photographer claims that among the film?s chief benefits is its ?greater sensitivity to the infrared spectrum? compared with other infrared emulsions and its ability to deliver images that evoke ?surreal and ethereal properties that no other film produces?.
Williams is attempting to garner support by posting messages on web-based photography forums and is encouraging others to do the same.
?Kodak was responsible for the popularity of photography and needs to be responsible for safeguarding the future of it as well,? he continued.
At the time of writing AP was awaiting comment from Kodak.
James Williams can be contacted at nighthawkjw@gmail.com
For details of his campaign visit https://photo.net/shared/community-member?user_id=1712479
