Bronx Documentary Center: Turning Negatives into Positives - An ILFORD Inspires film

The first of four videos in our ILFORD Inspires Silver Stories series focuses on The Bronx Documentary Centre in New York City.
Founded by Michael Kamber, the BDC is a non-profit aimed at helping young people learn the skills needed for photography and darkroom printing and allowing them to tell their stories.
Featuring Lucki Islam, Anastasia Cardona, Jesus Emmanuel and Michael Kamber.
Learn more about the BCD at www.bronxdoc.org/
Filmed and edited by: Exploredinary (Sarah Reyes & Daniel Driensky)

[@Ilfordphoto]

We are so excited to share this first film in our new ILFORD Inspires Silver Stories series which tells the stories of the silver gelatin darkroom printing community in New York City. We're lucky to have worked with the super talented folks @exploredinary again on this series and to have met so many inspiring and talented silver gelatin printers. This first film tells the story of Bronx Documentary Center.

[@MARKLINMAN1]

I am from THE BRONX and still live here, i walk around with my M6 looking for all the POSITIVE, i must visit this place, thank you for this video.

[@mlseawell]

Loved this. Watching these young people inspired by what they can do through photography and the print inspires me. I wonder what they wil do with this gift....exciting to see.

[@irisjanuska6936]

This is so beautiful and encouraging, I'll make sure this is the first place I go if I ever go to New York! It sounds like a great and positive impact project.

[@Normanskie]

I see it as people proving themselves, having a self esteem, pride that they too can achieve, and most of all standing back and looking at THEIR creation. Having left school with no qualifications and very little education I went to college during a recession at the age of 44 years, OK so at the age of 44 I did fashion and design textiles 'O' level but finished going on to get my entrance qualifications for university (maths, chemistry and biology) where I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree at the age of 50 years old. You can't fail, not to try is to fail, kudos.

[@AdamTaubVideo]

Great video! I love the stories and perspectives shared by the students and the founder. Photography and the darkroom changed my life when I was in high school in the early 90's. I had a black and white print as well that won a gold key scholastic award, one of the students mentioned she won with the photo of her friend. Inspiring! I've done some video work in Washington Heights and the Bronx related to Dominican culture, Bachata music and dance and next time I'm in the city I would love and come see this place and meet the students.

[@tychomagneticanomaly]

Excellent project Ilford. Thank you. Dear Michael Kamber, you, your colleagues and students put out great, intense work. It is lovely how you built this around Tims memory.

[@ViaOjo]

The first photographic inspirational video I’ve seen in a long time. It is reminiscent of Robert F Kennedy’s words “Some see things as they are and ask “why?”. I dream of things as they could be and ask why not?” The world is a beautiful place but human nature has made it to see the ugly in mankind rather than searching good.

[@francisbombus3949]

Dear Ilford team, thank you very much for this great post. I had tears in my eyes....

[@normancacho]

My go-to film lab for b&w darkroom printing. Great Place.

[@Ilfordphoto]

Lucky you!

[@inkaststudio]

I got emotional watching this one 🥺 Thank you for featuring these amazingly talented youths 👏🏾 Much love Ilford ❤

[@david_davinci]

Incredible stories! I had not heard of the BDC until now. Photography changing peoples lives for the better... Thank you Ilford for highlighting these photographers...I really need to get back out there and get some printable shots. So inspiring!

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thank you for watching. Comments like these are fantastic to see and, if it inspires you to go out and shoot some film then print in the darkroom, even better!

[@leafrau2596]

I love the ILFORD Inspires Series and Exploredinary always do such a good job - but this film in particular is a masterpiece. Also the photos taken by the members of BDC are just incredible!!

[@Ilfordphoto]

What lovely feedback. Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and leave a comment

[@Exploredinary]

Thank you for your kind words, we’re so happy you enjoyed it! The BDC and it’s members have such a beautiful story, and we were excited to get to tell that story.

[@franciscovarela7127]

Excellent. I'm a Bronx native and so very glad to see people in the neighborhood doing such excellent work.

[@suzannepedersen1856]

Such a moving video, I am truly inspired by this series!!

[@jonathanraven5939]

Absolutely fantastic

[@ShawnPBruce]

Absolutely wonderful.

[@holyhoff8521]

Outstanding documentary. The quality of the photography these young people are producing is totally inspiring

[@eduardotovar-bestton1073]

What quality of photography.- Very good products.-

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and leave a comment. Do you do any darkroom printing?

[@Ilfordphoto]

@@eduardotovar-bestton1073 Thank you Eduardo - which is your favourite darkroom paper?

[@holyhoff8521]

@@Ilfordphoto I haven’t had a darkroom for a long time. Andrew Sanderson, who you know, is currently printing some of my work. Most of the time I’m living in Abu Dhabi where it is really difficult to get hold of darkroom equipment. Black and white looks so much better on film then digital. Film is where my heart is. Thank you Ilford for all you do

[@Exploredinary]

Thank you for watching! We are so happy to have gotten to work with ILFORD to tell the story of the BDC and the students they teach photography to!

[@dewaynecarver9592]

Inspirational. Whoever is doing these videos for Ilford, is doing a great job. These videos about art are art themselves! Keep 'em coming!

[@Exploredinary]

Thank you! 🙌❤️

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thank you so much. We agree @Exploredinary do a fantastic job

[@josesaraiva9566]

Good afternoon For 40 years between 1966 and 2006 I did photography with film, most of it in Black & White, I used several brands of film, but my favorites were always the films from ILFORD, FP4, HP4, HP5, etc, whether in 35mm format, or in 120 format, as for me and for the work that did mainly scene photography (ballet, theater, music, opera, etc.), ILFORD had the most versatile films, because normally it had to be "pulled" at 1600ASA , and it worked very well, still maintaining the midtones. I also used ILFORD paper - practically 100% - and also the ILFORD chemistry, interestingly, I also tested the material for the ILFORD distributor in Portugal at that time. I would like to go back to making photos on film, but I don't know the current materials. I will try to look for more information about current materials. As for me, real photography is chemical photography, this one has all the alchemy and allure of photography.

[@Ilfordphoto]

Wow. You should definitely take it up again. Have a look on Ilfordphoto.com for lots of up to date information on our products.

[@MichaelLloyd]

I finally got some time to watch this. I'm speechless. What a great project and it's presented very well.

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thanks Michael what kind feedback. The BDC do such fantastic work and we're thrilled that we are able to showcase it.

[@rogerfay6627]

Truly inspirational.

[@Ilfordphoto]

Make sure you watch the next one in this series which goes live at 4:30 today!

[@tedsmith_photography]

Great video, and a clever title! I assumed it was going to be about turning film negatives, literally, into film positives, literally, but obviously an educational and insightful piece. The story from the young lady about her homeless friend was especially powerful. Great to see her produce great work of a special but passed friend and to hear it was so highly regarded.

[@Exploredinary]

Thank you for watching and for the kind words! We really enjoyed meeting and working with the folks at the BDC

[@philipu150]

Bravo! Or, bravi -- plural -- to all who brought this to us.

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thanks Philip. Have you watched the earlier Inspired videos too?

[@philipu150]

@@Ilfordphoto This is the one I found most engaging. The content resonates most with my concerns and interests.

[@edysamayoa7316]

Amazing story! I love black and white photography.

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thanks for taking the tie to watch, What's your favourite black and white film?

[@Ricoimba]

This is Brilliant!

[@brianwilsonperkins178]

Wonderfull, thanks for share.

[@andrewnoden9117]

Thank you Ilford and team. Thanks to the BDC, this was a very refreshing documentary Andrew

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thanks Andrew

[@robertgordon6362]

Outstanding. Thank you.

[@ralphstark9961]

This is an amazing place.

[@Ilfordphoto]

We agree Ralph. The BDC is a fantastic place.

[@yolieramirez3453]

A Jewel in the Bronx❤

[@The35mmman]

Thank you Ilford and @exploredinary for this! I lived in the South Bronx from 2008-2014. I wish I had known about the BDC when I was there. The Ghetto Film School was near me (the moving picture equivalent of the BDC). The images and the stories shared were all still very moving and inspiring! I never understood borough loyalty until I moved to New York and settled in the Bronx. To this day it is my favorite borough. Keep these coming.

[@Exploredinary]

Thank you for watching, Scott- we appreciate your comment and are glad you enjoyed the film! Will have to look into The Ghetto Film School, sounds interesting!

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thank Scott. I love that this had a personal connection you.

[@followthe-Light]

What a fabulous idea, we need centres like that here in Canada.

[@Ilfordphoto]

I think there should be centers like this everywhere

[@followthe-Light]

@@Ilfordphoto sounds good to me :)

[@jeremyfielding2333]

Fantastic

[@pedrorosario]

this is so amazing, thank you for sharing!

[@Ilfordphoto]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you for watching

[@branislav3758]

Woah thats super inspiring

[@joseerazevedo]

Happy to see a place like this!

[@Ilfordphoto]

It's such a fantastic place

[@joseerazevedo]

​@@Ilfordphoto Wondering on the next ones now :) Thanks for such an amzing series!

[@breathestrongcycling3672]

Beautiful....

[@Juliane2412]

What a great video. Can't wait for more!

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thank you - More are on the way :) There are four videos in the Silver Stories series and we'll share them all over the next few months

[@crappfoto]

Great job !

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thanks for watching.

[@halilecat]

Beautiful story.

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it.

[@tonyparatore888]

Wow... Beautiful... Hope it keeps on going strong...

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thanky Tony. Make sure you keep and eye out for the other videos in the Silver Stories series which will be coming soon

[@tonyparatore888]

@@Ilfordphoto sure... I follow your videos... And have my own little darkroom in my bathroom... Been printing for over a year now... Your paper looks very nice... And I've been using Ilford films for a long time...

[@jasonblake5576]

❤❤❤

[@analog_process3156]

👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 Great episode! Great story! Great photos! Super project. Congratulations to Mike for this superb idea. Is it possible to follow them on social media and see their work? (I mean the BDC)

[@Exploredinary]

Thanks for watching, so happy you enjoyed it. Yes the BDC has an instagram account @bronxdocumentarycenter 👍

[@analog_process3156]

@@Exploredinary thanks! 🍻

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thank you. You can follow them on Twitter @followbdc as well as Facebook and Instagram @bronxdocumentarycenter

[@analog_process3156]

@@Ilfordphoto thanks! I am already following them. 🍻

[@aantonic]

good video, but if only they can take damn masks out. I love all film photography process, especialy wet darkroom. After i started shooting film i completely abandon my digital camera.

[@Ilfordphoto]

Thanks for watching and great ti hear that you're a committed film shooter. What's your favourite ILFORD film?

[@aantonic]

@@Ilfordphoto Fp 4 plus, great film developed in Microphen

[@arodrigueznyc1]

BDC only lets people use their facilities if they have covid vaccines