LA Times Photographer, Jay L. Clendenin, took just about four weeks to drive around Southern California to shoot portraits of athletes that would be competing in the 2012 London Olympics. However, these weren’t your regular beauty shots. Clendenin photographed the athletes in color, with a digital SLR camera, and then in black and white, using a 4 x 5 field camera and Petzval lens over 100 years old.

When making these black and white portraits, each was exposed onto black-and-white photographic paper, and then processed in a darkroom, and finally, scanned onto a computer.

Clendenin says, “The process was cumbersome and filled with experimentation. I brought 23 film holders to every shoot, in addition to a bulky camera and tripod and two digital cameras and lenses. But shooting the large-format film was a relaxing, and most important, creatively rejuvenating experience. With no motor drive to capture three frames every second (as with my Canon 5d Mark II camera), I was forced to slow down and think about each frame.” (1)

We don’t know about you, but we’re excited to see film getting more public exposure, and hope this continues! #believeinfilm!

Southern California natives Phil Dalhauser, left, and Todd Rogers are photographed on the courts of East Beach Park, in Santa Barbara. The duo will be looking to repeat their gold-medal winning performance in Beijing at the London Olympic Games via.

 

Sparks star Candace Parker, photographed at Stewart Street Park in Santa Monica, will look to capture second gold medal in women’s basketball at the London Olympic Games via.

 

Joseph Diaz Jr., seen here at South El Monte Boxing Club, will be representing the U.S. in the 123-pound bantam weight class in the London Olympic Games via.

 

Former USC water polo goalie Tumua Anae, who looks at home in the dive pool on USC’s campus, will be representing the United States at the London Olympic Games via.

 

Tony Gunawan, left, and Howard Bach, show off their game faces at the San Gabriel Valley Badminton Club in Pomona. They will be competing for double gold in team badminton at the London Olympic Games via.

 

Kyla Ross, the youngest member of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team at 15 years old, will be competing at the London Olympic Games via.

 

Archer Jake Kaminski will be shooting for gold at the 2012 London Olympic Games via.

 

San Jacinto’s Sarah Robles hopes plenty of heavy lifting at her training gym in Mesa, Ariz., will make her a favorite for weightlifting gold at the London Olympic Games via.

 

BMX Supercross standout Connor Fields strikes a pose at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, where he trains in preparation for the London Olympic Games via.

 

Arcadia’s Erica Wu, 16, who will be competing in table tennis at London Olympic Games, is photographed inside the Gao Jun Table Tennis Club in El Monte via.

 

San Francisco native Alexander Massialas, seen here outside the Anaheim Convention Center, will compete in fencing at the London Olympics. Massialas’s father, Greg, a two-time Olympian in fencing, will join him as a coach in London via.

 

Kim Rhode, seen here Oak Tree Gun Club in Newhall, will try to become the first athlete to medal in five consecutive Olympics at the London Games via.

 

American rowers (from left to right) Scott Gault, Charlie Cole, Henrik Rummel and Glenn Ochal stand tall in front of Otay Lake at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. The team will look to win gold in the men’s four rowing competition at the London Olympic Games via.

 

Here’s some awesome behind-the-scenes footage of Clendenin photographing Kim Rhode: