MorseBlog

For the next phase I used my #5 filter test print as a jumping off point. As I said I was intrigued by the darker images represented by the 64 and 45 second exposures.  #5 test strip bottom to top, 16, 22, 32, 45, 64 seconds I started by making straight 64 and 45 second exposure prints in the #5 filter to judge the overall tonality.  #5 64 seconds #5 45 seconds These straight prints I find informative. The challenge with the #5 filter is that the transfer curve of exposure vs density is much steeper than the #00 filter. This means that on a very short range of exposures you can go from white to quite dark. In Part I the original test strip went from white to quite dark on the #5 filter in about 4 intervals (each is 1/2 stop)  or 2 stops while the #00 filter achieves the same range in 6 intervals or 3 stops.  In a low contrast negative this means it can be a challenge to see where the transitions between highlight and shadows are. In a normal or high contrast negative...

A couple of months ago I made it out on one of the last foggy days this winter. I chose Aversley Wood as it is reasonably close and I had been there only a couple of times before. It sits above Sawtry near where the monastery that gave Monk's Wood its name was located. It was a good day out. I got a couple of good images. I was out with my Mamiya 645 and shot mostly 150mm with and without 2x teleconverter and my 80mm lens. I shot Ilford FP4+ at ASA 80 developed in a HC110 dilution B at -20% of massive dev chart development time. I also shot some Fuji Pro 400H color film which is on its way to the lab. The delay was because at 15 images to a roll I didn't get through all the film rolls on that one day. I took the black and white film into the darkroom to print a couple of the better images. What did I learn?  Virtually Every Image Can be Printed in Multiple Ways This has been a recent theme ( see here... ) and has become an ingrained truth for me. This is especially true of blac...

If you have been paying attention to woodworking and building topics recently you will know that a Japanese wood preservation technique called Yakisugi  (sometimes misnamed Shou Sugi Ban based on a mispronunciation apparently) has become popular. The technique involves burning the surface of the wood which leaves it charred. Technically it is applied to Japanese cedar but can be applied to other woods. The burning has a couple key benefits in terms of  wood preservation. Burning removes nutrients like sugars and cellulose from the wood surface. The charred wood is also water water resistant. If you have hiked in an area where a forest fire had burned you may have noted how the charred wood surfaces retain their integrity. The technique is all over YouTube on woodworking channels as everyone is always scrambling for new content topics so a quick search will find innumerable sources of ideas.   I came upon this in a upcycling TV show where an oak desk had the tech...

I haven’t been too active photography-wise this past month. I had a long session in the darkroom in March but this ran its course and as I have learned I need to move to other activities to refresh the creative urges. As usual for me the genesis of my next project was complex, Last year I built a set of shelves I called my cascade shelves . The first Covid lockdown was in effect and I ordered some plywood for the project. It had to be delivered as the stores were closed. Delivery costs a lot so I bought a bunch of extra finish plywood thinking I would find a use for it and spread out the delivery charge.  Well I hate the plywood. The veneer is thin and brittle and makes an unforgiving material. So a bunch hung out in my garage until last September. Around that time I started ruminating on another woodworking project. I also really struggle with what to do with my prints when they are not framed and hung on the wall. They often sit in random piles and this lead me to think about a p...