MorseBlog

Introduction I want to start fresh on my Black and White photography. This is part of my effort improve in all areas of my photography.  In this post I want to concentrate on large format film exposure and developing. I want to follow a zone based system of exposure and development that utilizes my spot meter (as that is the meter I will mostly use) my choice of medium speed Black and White film (Ilford FP4+) and single shot developer (Kodak HC-110). My rationale for single shot developer and choice of HC-110 is laid out in this  previous pos t. First I need to create a zone-based test pattern. I reasoned that if I could do this all in camera it would be cheaper and easier than using a specific target. The methodology I figured out on my own though I doubt I am the first to think of it. The methodology is to aim the camera on an artificially lit uniform surface of uniform brightness. I then use the darkslide to progressively expose the entire sheet of film. I do this u...

Tad Nichols (1911-2000) While in the US on holiday my wife and I visited one of our favorite bookstores in Bonner's Ferry Idaho  Bonner's Books . Highly recommended if you find yourself in the vicinity. This is where I picked up the book The Glory of Our West that I used as the basis for a series of posts here . On this visit I picked up Ansel Adams’ classic  Yosemite and the Range of Light in paperback for $6.00 used hank you very much. One has to be careful in buying photography books because some are printed in truly appalling ways. There were two more books in the bookstore featuring Ansel Adams, one I did not purchase as the tonal range in the printing was awful. The other was better but it featured an identical print to one in  Yosemite and the Range of Light  and I didn't even recognize them at first as the same print so poor was the reproduction in this other book. I also stumbled upon an Eliot Porter book  Down the Colorado; diary of the...

I just returned from holidays and brought back a supply of Kodak film. My recent use of Colorperfect SW and successful use of it has renewed my interest in color negative film. This should last me awhile!

I bought a Cibachrome daylight print processing drum a few years back when I experimented with Cibachrome using expired film and chemicals I bought online. Since then I have used the drum to process 8x10 and 4x5 large format film. It works well; already dimensioned for 8x10 print film, it has a light tight top where chemicals can be poured in an out without losing the light tightness. This means once the film is loaded it can be processed in normal room light which is a huge advantage. I have seen them sold for as little as $8.00. Drum-based developing has other advantages in that it is less likely you will scratch the emulsion compared to tray developing and can achieve more uniform development compared to tank developing. They can also be used in a water bath to regulate temperature if needed. The nature of the tank is also such that it does not immerse all the film all the time and so uses less chemicals. The lid is unscrewed and in the dark the film is loaded on the inside wal...

I sometimes watch Tim Layton's YouTube channel. Tim grows his own flowers and makes very large prints of the flowers; he uses an 8x10 large format camera to capture them and then prints on silver gelatin up to 30x40 inches. The prints look impressive online and must be more so in person. Now I don't have quite so nice a setup but noticed that some gladiolas in bloom in our garden and thought I should give this a shot myself on my 4x5 camera. Tim speands a lot of time getting the lighting setup correctly and while I don't have the dedicated space and background for this I made a small setup in our hall where a skykight two floors up casts a very diffuse light from the ceiling. I wasn't sure if this would be good or not but let's see what results I get! I placed a piece of white card behind the flowers and one underneath to reflect some light upwards as well. The simple lighting setup I used. I already had some pre-loaded Fomapan 100 film in film holders ...

On a short business trip to Japan. Can’t help but spend some time in Shinjuku. Stopped by Map Camera to look at all the old cameras. Map is a palace of Leica with some Rolleis and Hassleblads thrown in as well. Well worth the visit to the basement. For new camera a colleague informs me the prices are better at Map than Yodobashi.  The other stop was Yodobashi and their film department. Here you can get great deals on fresh Fuji (other films as well Iford, Kodak, etc.) Everything available from Fuji from 35mm up to 8x10 large format film. You can also get 220 film here as well. The import film prices for Kodak and Ilford are not as good a deal os course. (Coals to Newcastle).  Yodobashi Large Format Fuifilm Selection I picked up Acros B+W, Velvia 50 in 120 and 4x5, Velvia 100 in 220, Provia in 120 and 4x5. On the way home at the airport found some good prices on Velvia 100 120 film I couldn’t resist as well.     The Film Haul from Odabashi I also pick...