PHOTO COMMUNITY FEATURES & TESTIMONIALS
COOL BRITANNIA ARTICLE IN PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER AUGUST 2012
5th July 2012
Alfred Hugh Harman was the founder of the original ILFORD company in 1879.
In 2004 a management buy out of the then ILFORD Imaging UK Ltd company, formed HARMAN technology Limited and secured the black and white business saving it from extinction.
Jessica Bracey from Professional Photographer magazine catches up on what's happening now when she visited the HARMAN technology factory.
COOL BRITANNIA
NOT SUCH A BLACK AND WHITE STORY
In an age where digital is king and traditional print is witnessing a sad decline, Harman Technology have stood the test of time and continue to thrive with their passion for black and white photography. Jessica Bracey finds out why they are such a unique British manufacturer
As a young photography student the brand Ilford became synonymous with my college education, and skinny weekend pay packet for that matter. So delving into my theoretical
backpack and taking a visit to HQ was certainly an interesting trip down memory lane. As
pioneers in black and white imagery Harman Technology have inspired photographers to
brave the depths of the darkroom and create something magical with their own hands, shot
on Ilford film, brought to life with Ilford chemicals and printed on Ilford paper, they are with you every step of the way.
Faith in the product
As digital is the dominant market leader it’s questionable how traditional photography manufactures can survive, with onlookers expecting Harman Technology to fall in the same footsteps as Kodak. Facing the highs and lows of business it has become a true British icon in the photographic industry. The brand was founded in 1879 by Alfred Harman who started out making dry plates, and it wasn’t until the following century that their famous rolls of film were developed in 1912, preceded by multigrade paper in 1940. It stood the test of time by surviving a blast to their former Essex HQ during the blitz, but it was the pressures of the press transforming their printed newspapers to colour that was the real blackout for the company. 2004 was the year that questioned the future .......
To read the full article and discover more visit the magazine website at
www.professionalphotographer.co.uk