More Caffenol! and Some News

Well... this one doesn't have nearly as many pictures as the previous one had.  In fact, this one doesn't have any at all as I'm tired and lazy. 

I did a roll last night that turned out, but with this weird spot where the dev and fixer did not go.  Because I decided to call an audible while loading the tank (and because I didn't have my ceremonial beer with me in the dev room).  I loaded the roll of film backward of what I had been rolling it.  Normally I roll it to the curve of the film as it comes out of the cassette.  So, it conforms to the natural bend of the film and will thus load easier... not sure why i turned it about, but I did.  Lost two pictures, not a big loss as they weren't the strongest of the roll anywho. 

Tonight I did a roll from my La Sardina (well Sardina 2, but Sardina none the less).  Did it the same ol' same ol' way and it turned out fantastically.  Was pretty much just a test roll, but there are some shots I would have missed had it not worked out.  I did have the beer and I did load it normally.

In other news!

So, I talked to my project director and he's letting me shoot on the site.  I let him know I'd be focusing on the people digging rather than the archaeology as we've got plenty of those types of pictures and I understand the sensitivity of the subject of personal photos.  Stipulations:  I was going to take off a few hours one day and shoot, he told me to fit it into my day, but my shots have to be available to the organization for their report and other publication uses.  I was fine with that as I'd planned on throwing that in anyways.  So, there's that.

Also, I'll be showing some pictures at a local gallery a few blocks from my house.  I met the curator during a street festival and we started talking art and then we met after and it just happened.  I brought some stuff of mine and he really enjoyed it.  I'll be showing in November (with an opening party in early Nov.) with two other artists.  Curator was really surprised to hear that I shot on film.  Was further surprised to hear that I developed my own stuff.  Granted some of the shots I'm picking aren't all self dev, some if not most will be.  I'm super excited and will have more info as it is made available to me.

Guess it's time for bed.  Lemon out.

Fun with Caffenol!

Well, the gamble paid off.  I got the recipe right and have been successfully developing film for a few weeks now.  I'm a few rolls in, I guess.  Here's a sample from that first field test:

After this run I was so impressed with the results I decided to go again:

Took some more at a local street festival this past weekend that didn't turn out badly.  Haven't gotten a chance to process (resize and crop out scanning mask) those yet.  To now, these have all been shot on the Mamiya/Sekor 500dtl @ 80iso and meter. 

I just got a new camera from Lomography.  The Sprocket Rocket.  In comparison to the 500 it's very limited.  Single shutter speed, no film speed setting, 2 f stops for "sunny" and "cloudy."  So, I figured, it wasn't too sunny the other day I'd shoot a test roll and develop it at home.  So, I set it to the "cloudy" setting for more light and hopefully a bit over like the 80iso set.  I was pleasantly surprised with the results:

The first thing I did when I got the Sprocket Rocket was pull out the sprocket hiding mask.  I mean... why would they even send that with the camera?  Anyways, I was very happy with the outcome.  Granted, it's a little more foggy than I'd like; I can live with it, I think.

Now, I just have to mix my HC110 and get some more Tri-X.  Looking at bulk rolling The Tri-X rebrand and saving myself a couple bucks.  Just need to get that equipment.

Anywho, that's all for now.  Oh!  Meeting with a gallery owner about a possible show in November.  We'll see how this transpires.

Sprockets!

Have you ever wondered how to get a picture like this?

Better yet, have you ever wondered how to shoot a picture like this?

Well, I have your answer.  Those little spots at the top and bottom of the image are called sprocket holes.  You'll find them on any of your 35mm rolls of film.  Typically an image will fall between those holes as they're more for function.  The sprocket holes are for advancing the film and keeping it on track within the camera.  But, some cameras are designed to keep the film on track and advancing but still allow you to shoot an image across the entirety of the film.

The Sprocket Rocket is a panoramic camera that shoots to the sprockets.  The Lubitel 166+ is a medium format camera with accessories that allow it to shoot 35mm film.  But, due to the nature of medium format the 35mm film shoots to the sprockets.  (These great cameras and others can be found at the Lomography site)

Now, for the second question.  For more information on how to shoot pictures like these:

Check out Lomography's new site!

DIY!

So, despite my previous thoughts of meeting a deadline and devoting more time here; I did not.  That deadline flowed into another and well... long story short, I'm doing my best.

DIY!  Yes, I've been doing it myself.  Had a few attempts at Caffenol developing of black and white film in the downstairs bathroom.  First with Kodak Tri-X, but with minimal success.  It seems to really achieve the shadows and midtones of the film's emulsion I'd need to order a dog sedative from the UK which well... isn't going to happen.

So, I took DIY even further and decided to start rolling my own rolls of film.  Got a bulk loader and 200ft of expired (2009) Fomapan 100.  Dev'd a test strip this evening and it's drying in the bathroom.  Negative looks a little thin.  Thinking a bit more coffee and the full 15min vs. the 12min. I went with, since I'm stubborn and I know best... sigh.

Looking at getting the DigitLiza for scanning sprocket shots.  Figured out the clicks for the Yashica 44a and may start shooting with it more.  But, w/ this new found information I have images much too close together to fit a bit of tape between them.  Hopefully I'll be able to do the same w/ the Comet.  That one has no click, though, so it may be a bit more difficult.

Have also been looking at new cameras (as this is a horrible horrible addiction and I just can't stop myself).  Thinking the Sharan 135STD pinhole and modifying the image mask to shoot 35mm squares to the sprockets.  And a 127 film folding camera for mas sprocket action.

Getting excited about Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park this month.  Should be lots of people to take pictures of.  Ordered a bunch of street photography books from the library to study up and just immerse myself in the style.

Anywho, back to the heating pad and bed.  My back is creaky tonight.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Need to send off the B&W roll.  That means going to Fairview and that would require putting on pants, effort... the lot.  It'll have to wait for the weekend.  Shot a roll of new Fuji 200 at the Botanical Gardens in St. Louis on Mothers Day.  Got some really great shots and miraculously every shot turned out.

I know I said all the shots exposed, but these were the keepers.

In other news, I'm on the brink of finishing my first pinhole.  Used a build write up from Chris Keeney, inventor of the "Mintycam" and will hopefully finish it tonight.  This experiment could go one of two ways.  Hoping for the positive.  Ordered my Recesky TLR and it should be here in time for the wedding.  Looking at the Sprocket Rocket or the Supersampler next.  Two completely different cameras with completely different final products.  Also on the wishlist is an Epson Perfection 40.  Not exactly "analogue," but as I primarily upload my images and seldom print them out it works.  As well, Victoria has gobs and gobs of negatives she'd like to digitize for keeps.

Anywho, that's that.  Going to load and prep my tin pinhole and will post the photos as soon as they're developed.  Then, I'll post photos scanned with the scanner we get, as the shots should go to the sprockets, but the 1 hour place can't scan past the sprockets.

New Beginnings

Many moons ago, when I was young, my friend Mark and I would go out to the local cemetery and shoot rolls of film with our fathers' old cameras.  In fact, they were the exact same cameras:  the Mamiya/Sekor 500DTL.  My father got his around the Vietnam war era and I forget when Mark's dad got his.  This was about ~2002.  We would drive out in my jeep with the wind in our hair and sneak about with hotboot flashes firing off shots.

Fast-forward to this year.  I found myself completely enamored with lomography.  I like the way the pictures look, it reminds me of how the photos Mark and I took looked.

In the beginning of my foray into this mystical art I was using an Olympus 600-UZ set to the pinhole setting.  I'd enhance the vignetting and then Photoshop the color changes to make it look cross-processed.  After a while I was playing with "multiple exposures."  And this was entertaining for me.  But... it didn't feel right.

Some time ago, maybe 5 years ago, I found myself believing that digital was this hot thing.  My wife was utilizing film at the time and we were trying to save money.  I calculated that spending a good portion of money on a digital camera would end up eventually saving money as we wouldn't pay for processing.  So, somehow I ended up with a digital camera and doing what I'm doing. 

Recently, since I've taken up the Diana Mini, my thoughts have changed.  With the Diana the film becomes a canvas on which to paint with light.  There isn't instant gratification.  I can't just shoot shoot shoot (if I'm in square format I can't, I guess.  But, if I'm in half frame on a 36 exp. roll 72 shots sounds like forever); there's thought that goes into a shot. 

So here I am, older... a little wiser maybe; realizing I made a mistake.  And this is my journey back to film.  This is my catalog of my adventures in analogue.