Late Night Photography: Our Picks

While the world moves towards HDTV we are firm believers that everyone looks better in B&W. There is something mildly intoxicating about photographs taken at night where the subject literally emerges from the dark smoke filled environments we inhabit – dinner parties, bars, lounges, clubs, backseats of taxicabs. It leaves something to the imagination even if the subject does not. Our pick for a night on the town is the Ilford HP5 B&W disposable camera. We’re not photo junkies but these cameras take some of the best photos we’ve ever seen – sharp, vivid and with incredible contrast.

The only photo lab we’d send our poster worthly photos to is Duggal Visual Solutions in New York. Open 24 hours a day and best known as a the lab of choice for professional photographers, it also does photo processing for non-industry clients as well. Duggal is not for your everyday prints but if you ever need photo blown up, mounted, cropped or miracles worked, they can do it – anything. We also like their slick ground floor offices which have an ever changing group of photos of celebrities and notable figures.

Update 1/2006: Ilford has recently been brought out of bankrupcy. After a brief hiatus, we have confirmed with Ilford that the HP5 Cameras are now on sale again.

+Ilford HP5 Plus Camera, $10.95 B&H Photo, 420 9th Ave, NYC +1 212 444 6769.
+Duggal Visual Solutions, 20 W 23rd, NYC. +1 212 924 8100.
+Photo Service, various locations, Paris.