Photography, from its humble beginnings in the 19th century, has undergone a fascinating evolution, leading to two main streams: analog and contemporary. Comparing both approaches, one can see both continuations and revolutions in the way people document the world around them.
Analog photography, which can be traced back to the times of European precursors such as the Frenchman Daguerre and the Englishman Talbot, used light-sensitive films and chemical techniques to capture images. This process was time-consuming and required precision, both when taking photographs and during their development in the darkroom. Photographers had a limited number of exposures on a film roll, which required planning skills and compositional precision. The results were often unpredictable, adding a unique charm to analog photography.
With technological advancements in the early 21st century, a breakthrough in photography occurred – digital photography was born. This revolutionary phenomenon allowed for instant preview of images, without the need to wait for film development. Photographers gained greater freedom to experiment with composition and light, as they were not limited by the number of frames on a roll. Additionally, digital photo editing provided them with the ability to correct imperfections and experiment with special effects.
Contemporary photography combines both analog and digital elements. More and more photographers are turning to analog cameras, appreciating their aesthetics and the distinctive, often vintage look of the photographs. However, they also leverage the advantages of digital technology, such as instant preview and extensive post-processing capabilities.
Another significant aspect of changes in photography is its accessibility. With cameras in smartphones, everyone can be a photographer, leading to a huge variety of styles and subjects. Social media has become a platform for sharing photos, changing the way we perceive and consume images.
In our analog photography studio at the Culture and Art Center in Łąka, we conduct workshops on traditional photography. In such classes, each participant has the opportunity to learn not only about working with light or models but also about processing such photos in the darkroom. They experience firsthand how tedious and time-consuming the process was and how much time passed from taking the shot to seeing the full effect. Developing analog photos also carried the risk of losing all the work. One small mistake when removing the film from the camera and the risk of exposing the film could ruin hours of work. The darkroom is dimly lit, with only weak light emitted by a red bulb. Additionally, there is knowledge of chemistry involved in how to use photo developing chemicals. After removing the film from the camera, it’s time to use the necessary chemical substances to develop the photos. As you can see, the whole process is not easy. In the era of widely available cameras built into phones, it might seem that analog photography has no place in today’s world. Nothing could be further from the truth – traditional photography is magic and sorcery that anyone can touch and feel on their own skin. In our studio, we encourage combining tradition with modernity by embracing both forms.
Our analog photography studio is dedicated to the memory of Roman Dacko, born in Łąka, a friend of the well-known folk artist Józef Rys. Roman Dacko, an engineer living in Łódź, was a passionate photographer who documented the rural life with his camera. He was the author of most of the photographs in the archive, depicting the hardships of peasant life. Thanks to him, the landscape of Wisłok and its surroundings from the past century will remain preserved for ages. The idea of the analog photography studio is to pay tribute to the memory of those people and that era. The oldest photograph from the Trzebownisko commune, which still exists today, dates back to 1925 and was taken in Łąka. The digital revolution of our times has displaced the historical cultural heritage of the village. The residents have no idea about the climate of creative unrest, the search for undiscovered things that prevailed in “their ordinary village.” Equipping the analog photography studio with the necessary equipment for organizing a professional darkroom and a small studio will bring the history of art that has long been functioning in this area, namely photography, closer to the residents of both Łąka and the Trzebownisko commune and its surroundings. All this is to educate and train those interested in analog photography. Black and white analog photography combining history with the present, the past with the future, people from the pages of history with contemporary residents. Without the basics of analog photography, one could not understand the principles of digital photography; everything started from there.
In summary, photography has come a long way from its beginnings, through the analog era, to the present with its digital capabilities. Nevertheless, the essence of photography – capturing and preserving the moment – remains unchanged, emphasizing the universality of this art of expression.