The Philosophy of My Business

It's been a while since I started my little home business, and support has been great from people from all walks of life. Everytime a roll of film gets developed, it's really amazing. From plastic that is opaque and meaningless, you get something that meaningful, just through development.

Ilford Pan 400 shot at 400, VC 35mm f/2.5

I started my film development business because I needed the money to fund my own film photography, ironically. Certainly for someone who is still schooling, it would be extremely limiting if I didn't have that extra income to fund something relatively expensive such as film photography. I could have gone digital, but digital just looks different, and can never mimic Ilford or Kodak. It may come close, but never close enough. Digital is problematic if that's what you are looking for, but I digress. Anyway, it's the cost of film, developer and other materials that make film photography expensive. The scanners that I have ,and had, cost me over a thousand dollars. It's certainly not a cheap affair, but very rewarding.

Ilford Pan 400 shot at 400, VC 35mm f/2.5

So perhaps it would be great if I could share the joys of film photography while enjoying it myself too?

Of course, that's what this business is for. I cannot put up a good fight with any professional labs, certainly not. They have better equipment, and it's their full time job to handle film. It isn't mine, and my equipment is one that I would rate as for the "advanced hobbyist". As such, my business is focused at is the casual user. We're like apples and oranges, labs have their advantages, and I have mine too. My price is lower, and my turnaround speed is faster; I am highly flexible because of the nature of my business.

Ilford Pan 400 shot at 400, VC 35mm f/2.5

Of course, at times, time is the biggest problem for me. I have my priorities and if my time is limited, I would have to delay my business for other more pressing work. It's not my full time job, and therefore, if the price hikes have had a negative impact on you, or the increased turnaround time, I ask for your understanding. This trend is likely to continue towards November 2008. One guarantee is that I will keep my price competitive, and service too.

Thank you!
Yuen