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Showing posts from September, 2018

Film Development Test for Black and White Large Format (4x5) Ilford FP4+

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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 using the

Obscure Landscape Photographers: Tad Nichols (1911-2000)

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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 first trip

More Film:Kodak

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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!