Eddie Returns and Brings His Friends

  Last year I went on holiday with Jess and some pals to Loch Awe in Scotland.  We stayed in a lovely cabin by the lake and had a thoroughly good time.  We decided to go again this year so we eventually picked a week and I booked the cabin.  

  I fancied some new reading material for while I was away so I decided to have a search for some new darkroom/photography books.  I already have a couple of books, Creative Elements by Eddie Ephraums, The Negative by Ansel Adams, The Master Photographers Lith Printing Course and The Master Photographers Toning Book - both by Tim Rudman; but let’s face it, extra darkroom books are never going to be a burden.  So I logged onto Amazon and had a look around.  There were plenty to choose from but I settled on three, all of which are very very good…

Gradient Light – Eddie Ephraums

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gradient-Light-Variable-Contrast-Photography/dp/0952434601/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390485387&sr=1-1&keywords=gradient+light

  Yes, it turns out that Eddie has another book!  Much like Creative Elements Eddie discusses each image in depth from in-camera capture to final print, providing dodging and burning charts and composition notes.  Then he goes on to talk about procedures i.e. flashing & fogging, dodging & burning, fixing and washing etc.  The thing about this book is that it is entirely focused on using variable contrast (VC) paper.  So Eddie explains how to split grade print and how to use different grades to dodge and burn different parts of the print.  

  I got this book in used but good condition for £1.74. £1.74!!  It’s worth it just for that but it really is a useful and informative book.

Black & White Photographic Printing Workshop - Larry Bartlett 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Larry-Bartletts-Photographic-Printing-Workshop/dp/0863433669/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390485373&sr=1-1&keywords=larry+bartlett

  I bought this book on a bit of a whim and it turned out to be a winner.  As usual in these types of books Larry talks for a little about paper types, processing methods etc but then he goes through his printing procedure for a selection of images.  He basically goes through exactly what he did from the starting negative to the final print - dodging, burning, grade choice etc.  The thing i like about this book is that, even though the pictures aren't really my style (i rarely take portraits), he really shows what can be done with dodging and burning, be that whitening eyes using plasticine on wire, manipulating the tones of background walls to add mood and atmosphere to an image, or subtly changing tonality in small parts of an image to add balance.

  This book i got for, wait for it, 1p!!! 1 tiny, measly, piffling pence!  Worth it?  Yes!!  If you don't have a copy go out and buy it immediately!

Darkroom Dynamics: A Guide To Creative Darkroom Techniques - Jim Stone

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkroom-Dynamics-Guide-Creative-Techniques/dp/0240517679/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390485350&sr=1-1&keywords=darkroom+dynamics

  This book is probably my favourite of the three.  I am attracted more to alternative processes than straight up silver gelatin prints (although i still have lots of love for a straight print), i think that is why i do so much lith printing.  Not strictly speaking an alternative process but i love the gritty and different nature of the prints you get with lith.  I think that's why i love this book so much, Stone goes into depth about ways of expanding your darkroom skills and creativity.  He discusses the Sabattier effect, photograms, enlarged photograms, multiple printing, hand colouring, polaroid manipulation and so on.  Have you ever considered putting drops of oil onto pieces of glass, putting them  in your enlarger and making an abstract photogram?  Thought not!  

  This book just makes a really interesting read, and at £1.93 you can't go wrong really.  I can't wait to try some of the processes out.

  On a supply run to the nearest built up area to us (Oban) i decided to pop into a charity shop, and lo, i found...

Infrared Photography Handbook - Laurie White

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Infrared-Photography-Handbook-Laurie-White/dp/0936262389/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390482861&sr=1-4&keywords=infrared+photography

   I haven't had chance to have a good read of this yet but i'm looking forward to it.  It seems to go into plenty of detail abut using infrared film and how to get the best out of it.  Obviously it doesn't cover more recent films like Efke or Rollei infrared but the principles learned still apply.  Alright for a few quid from a charity shop.

  So, all in all a good haul.  Remember you'll need to pay £2 or so for postage costs, but for books this good that's a paltry sum to pay.  I haven't even read them all properly yet, just skimmed some interesting-looking bits but i plan on sitting down and having a good trawl through soon, i recommend you do the same.

  In the meantime i'll be working on some prints from the negative i shot whilst away (if Jess should ever give me the precious gift of free time that is) and scanning some polaroids i took.  See you soon.

Darkroom Record Template

  Well i still haven't got my scanner fixed.  I have done loads of prints over the past few weeks and im dying to upload them onto this blog and my flickr page.  My sister is coming up from London way for a visit this weekend and she's bringing with her a scanner i found on Gumtree for a decent price that should keep me going for now; so hopefully this weekend i will get some content uploaded.

  I have been getting very behind in writing up my darkroom records lately.  I normally just roughly jot everything i do down on a pad and then write it up later; but i spent about an hour over the weekend re-writing everything and frankly, it was time i could have used doing other things.  I decided to get myself organised and so in my free time at work i have created this template for you all to download.  Basically, its just a sheet for you to write down all your settings, processes and chemistry etc for each print you do.  Hopefully it will come in handy for some of you.

   I'm afraid i couldn't figure out how to get an image from excel to put into blogger so i have had to take a screenshot of it.  I'm not a member of any file hosting sites so if you want a copy of the spreadsheet just comment at the bottom of this blog with your email address and ill forward it to you.

Update: Ive managed to get it hosted on google docs so just get it from the link here.  Or you can still comment and ill send it you if you'd prefer.


  I should probably explain some of the sections on it.  First, film no and frame are just for how i personally store my negatives.  Each roll is cut up and put into dust sleeves, each sleeve is numbered as is each frame on the roll - so writing it on this sheet helps me sync up the print to the roll.  The process and chemistry section is just in case you are doing something other than standard black and white like lith printing; you'll be able to make a note of the chemicals used and the ratio of fresh developer to old brown etc.

  Anyway, hopefully some of you will find it to be of some use.  Once you have the excel file you can adapt it as you wish to fit your needs.

The Then and The Now

  It is a particularly slow day at work today and i find myself tired of looking at website after website.  My mind is drifting, looking back over the past year or so that i have been a photographer and thinking of the mistakes made, the cameras bought and the photos taken.

  I remember first getting into photography because my girlfriend (now my wife) was a keen photographer.  She had studied digital photography at college and i thought i would get a camera so we could go out on trips together, after all – she would come rock climbing with me, it was only fair i do things she is interested in with her.  I ended up with a Lomography Diana F+ as i liked the look of the lomo style photos and wanted a film camera.  I bought some rolls of film off Ebay (Fuji Provia and Ilford FP4+ if i recall) and got shooting.  I got my films developed at a local(ish) lab and started uploading my photos to Flickr. 

  As time went on i kept acquiring more film and shooting more rolls and i really enjoyed it.  Jess’ interest was starting to wane however, she very rarely picked up her camera anymore and when she did she just didn’t seem motivated to shoot at all.  As i got more and more keen i started picking up more gear.  A Jobo CPE-2  to develop C-41 film at home with, a Paterson tank for black and white developing, a Holga 120 WPC for panoramic pinhole shots, a Lubitel 166B, an Epson v500 to scan all my negatives and eventually my Bronica SQ-A kit.  The Bronica is my main camera these days, it’s just great to have a camera which i can change film backs/lenses on and which has apertures of f2.8 on the lenses.  Im getting into off-camera flash photography with it which is really interesting as it’s an extra avenue of investigation to take.  I feel like i have neglected my Diana lately though, perhaps i should shoot more rolls with it soon.

  I have also got into Polaroid shooting over the past 6 months or so.  I started off by finding an old Polaroid 100 integral camera at a local antique store for £5.  I got some Impossible Project film and got shooting.  Not so long after that i picked up a Polaroid 645CL 600 camera from the same store for the same price.  I stumbled upon a guy online who was selling 30 twin packs of Polaroid 600 film for £90.  Needless to say i bought it, kept some for me and sold some (mostly to pay house-related bills).  A few months later i discovered the Polaroid folding Land camera range.  Wow those cameras look great.  I scoured Ebay and found a 103 for £20 and bought it immediately.  I modded the battery and loaded it with some Fuji FP-100C and got shooting.  Not long after that i saw a 101 with case, flash and spare bulbs going in a local auction.  I placed my bid and won.  I have modded the battery but haven’t yet managed to load any film into it.  Hopefully i’ll get some soon and it will all be working fine; im looking forward to trying out the flash.

  It’s interesting to look through all my photos and see how i have progressed.  Some of my favourite photos even now are ones that i took mere months into my photographic career.  My favourite may well be this photo of Jess smelling a flower.  I took it with my Diana on some cross processed Provia 400 and i just love it.

  I think about all the technical mistakes i have made.  Developing black and white film in C-41 chemicals, pulling film out of my changing bag instead of the paper backing, shooting a roll without removing the darkslide-all mistakes i am sure many people have made.  But i guess we learn from making mistakes, even though we may feel stupid at the time.  I have got my black and white developing technique nailed now and im happy with how my C-41 negatives are coming out.  I’m still working on a definitive scanning process to improve the quality of my digital images though, and i haven’t even started to think about darkroom printing.

  Im not trying to brag about the gear i have or what i can do or anything, it’s just interesting to look back at where i started and where i am now.  The first time i picked up my Diana i had no idea that soon i would be developing my own film and shooting wide angle pinholes, swapping lenses on an SLR and doing emulsion lifts on Polaroids.  I can’t help but wonder what the future holds for me.  I would like to get a telephoto lens for my Bronica and maybe another flash and some extension tubes.  Maybe even a Hasselblad one day (those Zeiss lenses are so sharp).  I’d love to maybe even own a Graflex Speed Graphic one day and shoot some Collodion Plates.  Maybe one day ill even have my own darkroom and i will be able to do my own printing, which would open up a whole new world on toning, tinting and alternative processing. 

  Im thinking lately about getting shooting slide film normally instead of with a view to cross processing.  I have some Fuji Velvia 50 in my film box which i have cross processed every time i have shot it; perhaps it’s time i got it developed in E6.  I’ve also been working on some cyanotypes lately.  My wife bought me some Sunography paper, but i note you can get kits from Silverprint that you can use to coat your own paper; perhaps ill invest in a kit at some point soon.

  When im not shooting it’s nice to look around on websites like Flickr or THIAPS for inspiration, or the Strobist site for lighting technique.  Sites like APUG are good as well as it’s good to be able to advise others and get advice yourself from people who know what they’re talking about.

  But for now im content with what i have and what im doing.  Im happy being able to just go out and shoot with my different cameras and films; finding new locations and honing my skills, working on new techniques and improving my shots.   

  That’s my story so far anyway.  I’m sure that soon there will be something to add to it.

  I’d love to hear from you about your story, however long you have been shooting.  Feel free to comment on this blog or even email me about it.