Looking Up

So last weekend I tried something a little different for a change.  Instead of just looking at what is around me and in front of me, while in Downtown Toronto, I decided to try... looking up... for a different perspective on things..

The results I got were actually quite inspiring.  I think I like this idea of upward perspective photography.. It makes you really take a different approach to how you view things..

Canon T90 - Canon 35-105mm ƒ/3.5 - Kodak Tri-X 400 - SPUR-HRX 1+17

Canon T90 - Osawa 24mm ƒ/2.8 - Kodak Tri-X - SPUR-HRX 1+17

Canon T90 - Osawa 24mm ƒ/2.8 - Kodak Tri-X - SPUR-HRX 1+17

Canon T90 - Osawa 24mm ƒ/2.8 - Kodak Tri-X - SPUR-HRX 1+17

Canon T90 - Osawa 24mm ƒ/2.8 - Kodak Tri-X - SPUR-HRX 1+17

Canon T90 - Canon 35-105mm ƒ/3.5 - Kodak Tri-X - HC-110 Dil. B

Canon T90 - Canon 35-105mm ƒ/3.5 - Kodak Tri-X - HC-110 Dil. B

I'm really impressed with how everything turned out. I think I'll do a bit more of this whole.. shooting up thing. heh..

Anyway.. Until next time, keep those shutters firing!

Continuing The Tradition...

Today was a little different for me.  I was on my way home and I drove passed a local camera and film supply chain, known as Henrys.  (www.henrys.com).
I'm always a weakling when it comes to film and camera stores.  Well I decided to pop in and see what they had, and sure enough there was some Ilford MGIV 16x20 paper.  I thought I grabbed the Fibre based, but instead I grabbed RC.  Ah well, that's okay, I'll be able to work with it that way no problem, especially since I have a couple of photos I am dying to turn into 16x20 prints!
Now to find some 16x20 trays... Yes I bought paper I cannot develop yet, shaddup!  It's a smart idea, because now I have no excuse but to find some!

maybe I'll pop into a hardware store and improvise somehow...
ABS tubing perhaps??

Anyway, onto the main part of this post.  Although I am not shooting quite as much film this year as others, I am making up for it by getting caught up on printing.  I do not believe for a moment that a photo should live as a negative or a scan, or even on a computer, but should be finalized as a print.  If you want to feel something for that photo you love, make a print...

Well, my eldest (almost 7) he saw the big pack of paper and thought it was neat... Since he's learning to read and wanted to know what it was I had him sound it all out.

"ILFORD PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER"...

Took about 5 minutes of work and sounding it out syllable by syllable, but he felt very very proud of himself to be able to do it.

Sure enough they wanted to know what I do with this paper, so I told them.  BUT that wasn't enough.. Looking at the time I realized, yeah I have enough time before dinner... So I said, "alright, come with me, but it'll be really dark down there!"
Didn't phase them at all, especially the youngest who has no problem with the dark.  Eldest, well, he's a little scared of the dark.

Well they came down with their little flashlights to light the way, and waltzed over to my darkroom.  Sitting down on the milk-crates I gave them a dry walkthrough of how it works.
I showed them picking the negative and loading it into the holder, to how it looks projected down onto the paper.
They even looked through my grain focuser to see the image and how it is focused.

After a dry run with the lights off, they asked if they could see me make a print.
I took my youngest's flashlight (he doesn't quite understand) and let him pull the chain to turn off the light.
Flipping the switch on my Besseler 45MXT to turn on the safelight so they could see (and myself included) I filled the trays with the Developer (which is close to a year old, has been mixed with some Ilfosol-3 and D76, don't ask, and looks like really bad Guiness), Stop and Fix (fix at least is very fresh as I just mixed it less than 24 hours previous).
After that was done I told them to both stand up and see the image as I "stop down" the lens.  They thought that was neat, but thought it was even cooler to see the iris of the lens I was holding up (Schneider-Componen 80mm ƒ/5.6 for 645 and 6x6 negatives) to show them why the light was dimming as the iris closed.

After that was set (ƒ/8 on the lens) I set the timer on the enlarger (using my Bogens 69 Special for 35mm) to 30s.  I rarely do test strips, as I seem to be able to just look at the light and know the time required to make the print.. Don't ask, but so far I've never been wrong with RC paper (track record isn't quite as good with Fibre).
Under the safelight I showed them the 8x10 paper I was going to use (Ilford MGIV Satin RC) and how it has two sides.  The matte rough side, which is the back, and the smooth shiny side that is for printing.  They got to feel it and thought it was really cool!
Loading it into my Easel I turned off the safelight and said, okay now we do the print!

I flipped the switch on the timer and told my littlest to stand beside his big brother (who was still sitting) so he could see what was happening.
As the timer silently clicked down to 0 I told them that the next part will be like magic.
The room went black again....  I flipped on the safelight and pulled the paper out of the easel and told them to stand up and stand over beside the developing tray.

Here comes the magic....

I put the paper into the developer and started rocking the tray gently... back.... and forth..
10 seconds... back and forth...
20 seconds... back and forth...

Then the magic happened.... The image started to come to light and the kids expression... "wow!  I see it, daddy... I see it!"

30 seconds...

And for almost 2 minutes in the developer the image was finally done...

Into the stop for 10 seconds and finally the fix for 5 minutes...

The lights came on and the kids were amazed at the magic of the print..  After explaining to them how it all works and explaining to my eldest how two negatives create the positive image and why you get a negative when you shoot film (not that I really expect him to remember it) I dumped the chemicals back into their respective bottles and up to the bathroom to wash the print...

So I showed my kids the process that is more than a century and a half old, and still holds the magic for me today as it did the first time I ever saw a print appear in the developing tray....

This print will be a little special for me, as it is the first print I made with my two boys...

Made on Ilford MGIV RC Satin from a negative originally taken on Svema Blue Sensitive film shot on a Canon T90 with a Osawa 24mm ƒ/2.8 lens.  Film developed in Ilfosol-3 1+14 for 6 minutes...

Until next time, keep those shutters firing!

Svema BLUE

Recently +Michael Raso of the FPP sent me a tester care package... So, I got to testing the film!

During the winter months I find myself preferring to staying inside and printing and getting caught up with scanning my negatives.

Either way, as a FPP tester I get rolls of film regularly from them to test.
One of those rolls was known as Svema Blue Sensitive film.  I just call it BLUE for short.  It's a very slow (1.5EI) 35mm blue light sensitive film, which is essentially entirely blind to any other light but blue light.

I have a roll currently in my Olympus Trip-35 that is being exposed at EI4, but the one I am going to be talking about and showcasing on this post is the roll I put through my Canon T90 using a 24mm ƒ/2.8 Osawa MC lens.  The lens is really lovely, and quite sharp even basically wide open, however it does suffer from softness in the corners as expected for this type of lens.  However, it is rectilinear, so you don't get barrel distortion, which I think is one of the most important things for this lens!
A nice flat field, not curved!

Slow Motion - Canon T90 - Osawa 24mm ƒ/2.8 MC

Earlier this month I was on a photowalk with Alex Luyckx, John Meadows and Ori Carmona (not to mention several other Film-Shooters), and that was the day I had loaded my Canon T90 with some of this UBER slow BLUE film.
Although the film is Blue-Light sensitive, oddly enough, it is yellow in colour.

I wanted to finish this roll, but the light (and my camera) definitely weren't cooperating.
The light was dim, and the weather was cold... My camera didn't seem to like the low-light and cold temps and gave me a EEE error. Strange..
Tried it again after resetting the EEE... same error..
So I put the camera away..

A few days later (just over a week actually) I took the camera out again in much much better light.  Bright blue skies and yet even more bitterly cold.  When I had -2°C and dull over-cast to -11°C and super bright sunlight (yeah you see where this is going?) I thought I'd have the same problem.
Nope, the camera loved the day instead.  Guess it didn't like the over-cast!  I know I didn't, but I still got some rather impressive images that day.

The photos from the Sunday (a week later).. well...
Lets just say I quickly fell absolutely in love with this film!  Darn Michael Raso sending me this film for testing, but I tell you... The other 2 rolls that I have to play with are going to get similar attention to detail, and will be used under identical light conditions.  HOWEVER one will be saved for the summer light and warmth.  Sorry, but I can only take so many -11°C or colder days!

Boardwalk - Canon T90 - Osawa 24mm ƒ/2.8

Clutching Branches - Canon T90 - Osawa 24mm ƒ/2.8

Lakeside Bike Ride - Canon T90 - Osawa 24mm ƒ/2.8

I must admit that my favorite shot of the three posted (from Sunday) is the shot of the cyclist on the beach.  I saw him riding, I just timed it to the point where he was just about under the sun so that I can get the most out of the lens-flare and the reflection of the sun off the water...
Yes, this image will definitely be getting a print.  It's just too good not to print!

Now one of the hardest things to work with on these tester films is developing times.
Since there is essentially no listed times, you have to make up your own and go from there.
I really wanted these shots to work, and so I went with a good staple in my arsenal.  Ilfosol-3 1+14.. My (lately) go to developer!  Yes, I know HC-110 has been my staple developer, but Ilfosol-3 has slowly been taking over for my tester films...!
Well, there's one other thing.  It is not RED LIGHT sensitive.  I went into my darkroom, shut off the over-head and flipped on the safe-light.
However to be safe I loaded the film into the daylight tank in complete darkness.. No sense in possibly fogging it.. Never know!
Set my timer to 12:00 and got the developer all mixed up.
At the 50% mark I opened the tank under the Amber Kodak #13 Safelight and took a look..
Lets just say that at 6 minutes it didn't go back into the tank.  6 minutes was perfect!
I dumped the developer, poured some Ilfostop bath (I was in my darkroom and the Ilfostop was already mixed for prints) then fixed.
A perfect roll!

So until next time fellow shooters, keep those shutters firing!

Film Is Not Dead

Film... A concept that has been around for over 100 years, and has just gotten better and better over the years.  Sure, there have been trials with it.  Disc film.. 110.. Even APS film was tried and failed.  Strangely enough, 110 film made a comeback in 2013!
Many people shot 110, including myself when I was much younger, and really enjoyed it.
Some even considered it a serious enough format to use it at weddings.  Considering the Pentax Auto110 system, it was used at weddings, but I don't think it was a very common practice for all photographers.
Most 110 cameras were just simple snapshot cameras, like the Brownies of yesteryear.

I don't shoot 110 today, but 135 (also known as 35mm) 120, and 4x5.

Recently I made a contribution to a company known as "Ferrania Film" which is an Italian film manufacturer.  They made 110, 126, 135, 120 and even 4x5 films until they shut down half a decade ago.
Strangely they saved their mothballed machines from destruction and launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring their production back online.
A new E6 film in both 135 and 120 formats!
Unlike Kodak, who completely left so many photographers gasping as they completely axed their entire E6 lineup and gave the market to Fuji, who is also axing many of their films, Ferrania is re-entering the market with a Colour slide film right from the get go!

Then there's The Impossible Project.  A company in The Netherlands who purchased the last remaining Polaroid factory, and saved it from demolition.  After purchase, they had to literally start from scratch!  Their own formula, their own dyes, chemicals, process and packaging.  They had to reinvent... Polaroid Instant photography!
Yet they are another resounding success story!
From the venerable SX-70 series of cameras, to the P600s and even Spectras.  They survive, and sell well.  They are also manufacturing and selling 8x10 instant film!
How about that?  In a digital world, Instant Film is still being made, and sold in sizes that the average person doesn't even print at!

Then there's the Film Photography Project.  They have become a source of film knowledge, and a source of even film itself!  With rare types of film, like E6 Infrared, to Svema, and even Cinefilm types, like Eastman Double-XX, or Eastman 5363 High Contrast film.  Amazing stocks, and readily available in 35mm rolls (or 100' bulk rolls) from the Film Photography Project store!

Have you ever walked into a antique store and found an old Brownie camera that took 620 film, but didn't know where to get that film for it because, well, 620 film is no longer manufactured?
Actually, it is.  620 film never stopped being manufactured, but the spools did.  620 film is just 120 film on a smaller thinner spool.  If you purchase that 620 camera you can get a spool inside that camera.  Purchase a roll of 120 film, and by pulling the spool out of it (in the dark of course) you can roll the film up tighter and fit it inside the camera without the spool in place.
Then feed the 120 film paper into the take up 620 spool..
Line it all up, and close the camera up.
Flick the lights on, advance to frame #1, and you're ready to go!

Or there's another option.  The Film Photography Project is producing NEW 620 spools through a plastic extruder and loading 120 film onto it for sale to you!

There are even other companies starting out.. CineSTILL is growing, and putting the Vision line of films in 120 format!

Can you imagine?  They are phenomenal films, and in 35 are gorgeous, but 120? Stellar!

So before you count film down and out, think again.  It's here to stay, and so long as there are people buying it, it'll stay here!

Now get out there and support film.


ILFORD, KODAK, FUJI, ADOX, FERRANIA, ROLLEI, AGFA, SHANGHAI

Start shooting, and enjoy it!  Film cameras have never been as low of price as they are now.

A Mechanical Film Camera will last you a lifetime, giving you the same results as you can expect every time!

Imperfect, organic and tangible beautiful images!


Film.... Is.... Not.... Dead!

Eastman 2366 Duplication Film

I was given a couple of rolls of Eastman 2366 B&W Panchromatic film, which is a high contrast film for titles, and not actually intended for use as a pictoral film.  That said, however, it works very nicely in a 35mm camera, and will give you some serious contrast!  Of course, it also can be tamed using the proper techniques.  I have not yet managed to fully tame it, as of yet.

I am still working on that.

So I gave it a whirl in Rodinal 1+50 at ASA 6..

For some very smooth chromey silver type of look, it is excellent.  It has some of the finest grain I have seen, short of ADOX CMSII, and some incredibly rich tones.
Of course, this is not Polypan film, and seems about right with ADOX CMSII for gray tones at a similar ASA speed.
That said, however, it does have a bit higher contrast.
I shot the CMSII in my Bolsey B2 at the same speed, and found that the CMSII film's contrast was a bit more even, but barely.  It didn't quite clip to blacks or whites as quickly as this film does.  Then again, that could be a number of factors, such as light conditions, weather, and even just the time of year.
When I shot the CMSII at EI6 I shot it during the summer, while this film was shot in the winter, so you're going to get a little bit higher contrast, especially with snow on the ground!

Nevertheless, I will try this film again, perhaps a roll from my good friend John, who I managed to snag him into buying a bulk roll of this (sorry) after I gave him a roll to try out.
He absolutely loves the film.
Check out his blog post on it.

So far I am enjoying this film, and do have to try it behind some filters.  Perhaps yellow?

Until next time, keep those shutters firing!

All images taken using a Canon T90 35mm SLR using a 50mm ƒ/1.4 FD lens on Eastman Fine Grained 2366 film and developed in Rodinal 1+50 at 20°C with a 'slow' agitation regimen.