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As part of the continued drive to ensure that the creative photography market is well supported and, in particular to give Photo Education and Visual Arts users the support they need to explore the beauty of analogue photography, HARMAN technology Limited have launched HARMANexpress.com to make sure that ILFORD, Kentmere and HARMAN PHOTO products continue to be readily available at fair prices.

It’s almost impossible to think of photography without thinking of the ILFORD range of black and white products. Formed in 1879 by Alfred Hugh Harman, one of photography’s first pioneers, the brand enjoys near iconic status and is loved and respected by photographers all over the world.

Today, the 130-year-old manufacturer of films, darkroom papers and photochemistry is no longer part of a business with the same name. In 2004, after suffering from the surge in digital photography, it was put up for sale as a going concern. Rather than see such a photographic institution disappear, six long-term ILFORD managers stepped in and staged a management buy out. The ILFORD brand of black and white analogue products survived but the newly formed parent company had to change its name - adopting HARMAN technology Limited in honour of the original founding father of ILFORD.

Recognising that some photographers will always prefer to shoot film, and aware of the value of analogue photography from an archival perspective and in terms of teaching students the basics such as the importance of aperture setting and shutter speed, HARMAN technology remains as committed as ever to servicing the analogue market.

It plans to continue production of the ILFORD analogue range – even in this increasingly digital age. Understanding that product availability and film processing can be an issue, it has also formed supply agreements that see it distribute products on behalf of companies like PatersonPhotographic (who manufacture darkroom equipment) and introduced its own Process & Print service. It has brought Kentmere Photographic - a smaller manufacturer of black and white products - into its fold. It has even launched a campaign to ‘Defend the Darkroom’ which aims to promote the co-existence of analogue and digital photography, and to help photo-educators resist administrative pressure to give up their darkroom facilities.

Because progress is important too and aware its photo-imaging expertise can be of equal benefit to the digital photographer, HARMAN technology has also gone on to launch an inkjet media range. Sold under the name HARMAN PHOTO, these products draw on the same imaging expertise, the same coating technology and even the same paper bases as the ILFORD black and white range to offer digital photographers the convenience of digital printing with the tactile appeal, image permanence and visual vibrancy of a traditional photographic print.

For more information on HARMAN technology and its brands, visit:
www.harmantechnology.com // www.harman-inkjet.com // www.ilfordphoto.com // www.kentmere.com

Tags: Photographic Service,Camera Store