Negative Supply Spotlight: Bill Manning
We’re very excited to feature photographer, podcaster and YouTuber, Billing Manning on this weeks spotlight! Bill does amazing things for the film photography community and has been an early and ofter supporter of Negative Supply. We are thrilled to be showcasing some of his amazing work and hear his thoughts on how the Film Carrier 120 has helped improved his workflow!
Hi Bill! Introduce yourself to the Negative Supply community and give a brief biography!
“Hi there! I'm Bill Manning, and I am a photographer based in Atlanta, GA. I am also the creator of Studio C-41 and a cohost to the 1 Hour Photo Podcast with Jordana Dale and Steven Wallace. I have been a photographer for just over 10-years and the last five, including film in my workflow. While my workflow is primarily wedding and headshot photography, I've shifted my efforts into building Studio C-41 as a media-rich resource for analog photography.”
You can find us at studioc41.net! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!
Image 1: Fujfilm Pro 400H – Mamiya AF-D II, 55mm f/2.8, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 ©Bill Manning
Image 2: Ilford SFX 200 – Mamiya 7, 50mm f/4.5, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 © Bill Manning
Q: How did you first discover your passion for photography, and when did you start making photos with film?
“I got into photography when I decided I wanted to get a 'good' camera for my honeymoon trip through Europe. My wife purchased the Nikon D90 as a wedding gift. From that day on, I was hooked. I got into film photography in 2015 when I raided my dad's closet and found his old Minolta x700. My dad said if I can get it working, I can keep it. It turned out it just needed a fresh set of batteries!”
Fujifilm Pro 400H – Pentax 67, 55mm f/4, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 ©Bill Manning
Q: What do you enjoy most about shooting film?
“I enjoy the process of creating a photograph. We live in an age where we get instant feedback, and for me, I feel like it devalues the artistic process. For workflow purposes, digital makes sense, and I embrace it entirely. However, there is a sense of pride in crafting an image from visually seeing it in your mind to taking the shot, developing it, scanning it, and printing.”
Image 1:: CineStill Film 800T – Pentax 67, 105mm f/2.4, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 ©Bill Manning
Image 2: CineStill Film 800T – Pentax 67, 55mm f/4, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 @Bill Manning
Kodak Professional Portra 800 – Pentax 67, 105mm f/2, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 ©Bill Manning
Q: What are some of your favorite film stocks? Color or black and white, and why?
My heart is with Portra 800. There is a natural look and feel that feels more organic than Portra 160 and 400. While those stocks are fantastic, Portra 800 offers a different look. Generally, it is my go-to film with my Pentax 67.
“I have been into the new EKTACHROME E100 with the CineStill Film D9 developer kit. Initially, I hated how slide film scanned. You could never really get what you see in the scan. For some reason, slide just never interpreted well in a digital format. However, using my camera scanning set up with the Film Carrier 120, I had to bracket three stops to take advantage of this film's insane dynamic range, and developer combo has to offer.”
“I enjoy shooting black and white, quite a bit. Tri-X 400 is a personal favorite. It offers a grain structure that provides a look that is just timeless.”
“I can't say I prefer color over black and white. I think it comes down to the decision, as an artist, of your photograph's final look.”
Kodak Professional Ektachrome E100 – Hasselblad 500 C/M, 50mm f/4, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 ©Bill Manning
Image 1: CineStill Film 800T – Mamiya 7, 150mm f/4.5,scanned with the Film Carrier 120 ©Bill Manning
Image 2:Fujifilm Velvia 100 – Mamiya 7, 50mm f/4.5, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 ©Bill Manning
Q: Do you develop yourself?
“I used to have it done at the lab. However, with new product offerings for simple developing, like the CineStill Film E6 and C-41 kits, I find myself developing more and more at home.”
CineStill Film 50D – Mamiya 7, 150mm f/4.5, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 ©Bill Manning
Q: Are you working on any longterm body of work or photographic series you'd like to discuss?
“My ongoing project is not exactly a photographic project. Since starting Studio C-41 Podcast in 2017, I continue to put my efforts into growing the podcast into a media-rich resource for film photographers. With a new home base studio in Atlanta, I plan to build my YouTube and Podcast channels. Additionally, I intend to host live workshops to teach those interested in analog stills photography (and maybe motion picture!)”
Image 1 Kodak Professional Ektar 100 – Pentax 67, 105mm f/2.4, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 © Bill Manning
Image 2 Kodak Professional Portra 800 – Pentax 67, 105mm f/2.4, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 © Bill Manning
Q: What Negative Supply tools do you use, and how have they changed your workflow?
“I currently use the Film Carrier Mk I and the Film Carrier 120 on the pro mount. When I purchased the 35mm carrier, I knew this was a total game-changer. When I had the privilege to beta test the prototype, I did not doubt I would include it in my lineup. I backed it because I knew this was going to be critical to my scanning workflow.”
Kodak Professional Ektachrome E100 – Hasselblad 500 C/M, 50mm f/4, scanned with the Film Carrier 120 ©Bill Manning
We would like to thank Bill for allowing us to feature his phenomenal work, and for using Negative Supply tools when scanning his images. His Ektachrome images were developed with Cinestill”s CS6 “Creative Slide” 3-Bath Kits for color-timing chrome, reversal and e-6 film.
If you’re interested in being featured on our blog, please send us an email via contact@negativesupply.co We can’t wait to see and share work from more of the Negative Supply community! Click the link below to learn more about the 120 Film Carrier Bill is using to digitize his work, and feel free to reach out with any questions you may have!
Warmly,
The Negative Supply Team