The EMULSIVE Santa 17 draw is getting close and I’m already at the mental stage of creating a possible checklist of what I would like to send my partner and where I can get it. Of course, our partners will have a wishlist, which acts more like a guided insight to what they’re into. In the end, it’s really up to you as to what you’d like to send. If you’re like me, my attitude is simple: if I were my partner, would I enjoy receiving my gift?
With all this talk of partners to send to and partners you’ll be receiving from, it makes sense to quickly cover how the event works – especially for those of you who are playing for the first time!
Everyone gets matched with two partners;
- one person you are sending to (your recipient)
- one person you will be receiving from (your Santa)
Back to the guide…
Everyone is working within a budget and we really don’t know what kind of situation our partners are in. So let’s all be supportive, appreciative, and just collectively enjoy the whole experience without putting too much pressure on ourselves. To help everyone, EM and I have put together some suggestions on where you can go to should you need ideas where to find the perfect gift.
While the usual suspects – the big stores such as BH, Adorama, Freestyle, Amazon etc – are all very reliable, they sometimes lack the personal touch. Should you want to support smaller stores in their passion driven business, here’s a generous list!
Here’s what’s covered:
North America
SHOOT FILM CO.
shootfilmco.com
Mike Padua has created an online store that caters to every film nerd’s desire to accessorize his/her life with witty stickers, patches, pins, and buttons. From $1.99 per sticker to pins priced under $10, it won’t break the bank to shower your partner with colorful film related sundries. Also, Mike is the creator of the PhotoMemo Journal that helps keep your film journey organized.
FILM PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT
filmphotographyproject.com
Michael Raso & his team have always stood for advocating film photography to the world in a friendly and engaging platform. But their website is also a one-stop-shop for all things analog, from film of many formats (including hard to find 620 and 110), to cameras. I especially enjoy shopping for obscure films there. They’ve opened my doors to experiment with brands such as Svema, cinematic film, and infrared.
LABEAURATOIRE
labeauratoire.com
Lance Rothstein’s LA-BOW-RA-TWAR is a quirky underbelly of hand-rolled rare, obscure, and the “most intriguing films available in the planet”. It was through Lance that I got acquainted with films such as ORWO, Perutz, old Gevaert, Ferrania etc, etc. Lance’s selection always encourages experimentation. And with his own fun labels, it’s like shopping in a film candy store.
BROOKLYN FILM CAMERA
www.brooklynfilmcamera.com
While they have very limited selections on film and some cameras, their apparel line is awesome! I reckon they would be reinforcing their stocks with Christmas around the corner.
OHSOCULT
www.etsy.com/shop/ohsocult
While they have positioned themselves as “specializing in Converted Film Camera Lenses for Filmless Photography”, their Etsy store still provides a nicely curated selection of cameras, lenses, and accessories.
STILLWORKSCLASSICS
www.etsy.com/shop/StillWorksClassics
During my hunt for a Pentax Spotmatic, someone through the twitter grapevine (I forgot), tipped me about an Etsy store selling “tested, repaired, and calibrated” cameras at “slightly higher prices, but is worth every penny.” The couple running the business was personable, communicative, provided a refund for the overcharge in shipping, and just overall a fantastic representation of what a small business in this industry should be. It’s also the only store of I know who provides shutter speed test results on every camera they sell.
EUROPE
NIK & TRICK PHOTOSERVICES
ntphotoworks.com
UK based, this online store is complete with film, darkroom supplies, cameras, and accessories. Not only do they have a nearly complete selection of film and chemistry, the folks who run it are also some of the nicest people to chat with online.
FILMISNOTDEAD
www.filmsnotdead.com
Another UK based company, FilmisNotDead is a fun little stop for cameras and film. Browse their selection of point and shoot cameras.
NATION PHOTO
nationphoto.com
Paris Based Nation Photo has a few lab/shops in the city (as well as an online store) with a healthy inventory of film. Their stores are at the center of town, friendly, and during my short visit there, I enjoyed the chat with the folks manning the front. It is really run by like-minded passionate analog shooters.
LABO ARGENTIQUE
labo-argentique.com
Located in Vicq-sur-Breuilh France. Shop in their online store, which is just COMPLETE.
ARS-IMAGO
ars-imago.com
You may have heard of Ars-imago, who made waves this past year with their successful Lab-Box Kickstarter campaign. Other than their online store, they have 2 retail locations – Rome and Zurich. Friends of mine who visit Rome often swear by their store and would often bombard me with photos of their cool space. Again, they carry a complete range of products for the analog junkie, including their own chemistry (which I don’t mind receiving myself so I can finally try it LOL).
ASIA
CAMERA FILM PHOTO
camerafilmphoto.com
CFP is the most established (and complete) online analog film store at the heart of Asia – Hong Kong. They’ll ship worldwide and offer expedited services. I know a few players last year used them to help fill stockings!
JAPAN CAMERA HUNTER
japancamerahunter.com
Bellamy Hunt aka Japan Camera Hunter isn’t all about gorgeous and highly sought after cameras and lenses. He also has his own range of JCH Streetpan film and of course, the now ubiquitous JCH film case!
FILMFOLK
i-need-your-damned-url-aislinn.com
This is my own little film and film photography accessory store and EM made me include it. This year we saw a small rise of participants in the Philippines. I remember the challenge of finding a gift for my partner last year. I ended up raiding my own stash and some help from CFP. So now, with FilmFolk it will be easier for me and my fellow Pinoys to access fresh stock.
[EMULSIVE: there was no way I was going to ask Aislinn to put this article together and let her get away without mentioning her own store.]
Husband and Wife Shop
https://husbandandwifeshop.com/
Based in Bangkok,Husband and Wife Shop was submitted by @gnarlykitty. She says:
“Husband and Wife Shop is my go-to online store locally. They also ship internationally and accept PayPal. They have a lot of darkroom supplies as well as a well-stocked photography book section. One of its owners is also a known street photographer.”
Australasia
Walkens
walkens.com.au
Based in Melbourne Australia, Walkens stock film, cases and accessories, including some gear from Mike Paduas Shoot Film Co above. If you’re in Oz and are looking for fast delivery times, give them a shout!
Ikigai Camera
ikigaicamera.com.au/store
Also I’m Melbourne is Ikigai Camera, who provide Polaroid Originals film, as well as some of the more weird and wonderful older film stocks side-by-side with fresh emulsions.
Photo Warehouse
photowarehouse.co.nz
In New Zealand Your best bet for fresh film is Photo Warehouse.
Anything else?
Did we miss a specialist store near you that you’d like to add to the list? Please let me know in the comments below.
Before we fully submerge ourselves in shopping, let’s also not forget some important things. Let’s be good partners please. By good, we mean thoughtful, organized, respectful, and considerate. Let’s only send gifts we ourselves would enjoy receiving in return.
Put some effort in wrapping and making sure that your present is suitable for the travel it’s about to take. It doesn’t hurt to triple check the information and if you can spare a few more dollars, opt for shipping with tracking (it protects you & your partner).
EM & I are always a click away if you need help. Let’s collectively end 2017 with a big smile, a light heart, and the best presents under the Christmas tree.
…and remember, registration for EMULSIVEsanta17 is open until midnight on Sunday 19th November 2017!
Thanks for reading!
~ Aislinn
Share your knowledge, story or project
The transfer of knowledge across the film photography community is the heart of EMULSIVE. You can add your support by contributing your thoughts, work, experiences and ideas to inspire the hundreds of thousands of people who read these pages each month. Check out the submission guide here.
If you like what you’re reading you can also help this passion project by heading over to the EMULSIVE Patreon page and contributing as little as a dollar a month. There’s also print and apparel over at Society 6, currently showcasing over two dozen t-shirt designs and over a dozen unique photographs available for purchase.
2 responses to “EMULSIVE Santa 17 buyers guide”
Hi! I’d like to suggest a store for Asia category. https://husbandandwifeshop.com/ is my go-to online store locally. They also ship internationally and accept PayPal. They have a lot of darkroom supplies as well as a well-stocked photography book section. One of its owners is also a known street photographer.
Added, thanks Kitty! Would you mind also adding their details to the Global Film Lab Map? https://emulsive.org/articles/global-film-lab-map