Thursday 21 February 2013

My prints are dry. Got to go to Three Shires again soon.
For anyone interested:
Mamiya 645 with 55mm lens
Delta 400 (far too fast but that's all I had) Next time Pan F. The bridge and stream picture was taken at...
1 sec at f22 and I had to accept over exposure by about 3 stops (no ND filter available so had to sort it out in the darkroom).
D76 for the film, uni dev for the out of date Ilford multigrade (15 year old paper) off ebay.
Printed at a grade 3 adjustment on a Durst variohead.
Roganor 80mm f4.
Unfortunately, scanning to digital loses so much. Having said that, who could have ever imagined, only a few years ago, that one could actually do this and share?


Rather cold this morning. Even so, I decided to venture out and up the hills to the junction of Cheshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire to try and capture the beauty of Three Shires Head. (could be Three Shire Heads).
I took both my DSLR and medium format film cameras.
Not many folk around and a howling wind to contend with but I managed some nice photos.
Here are a couple of digital pics; I am just waiting for my black and white prints to dry.
The River Dane looking splended.


 

Wednesday 13 February 2013

 
All working well in the 'darkroom'. The kit I've bought is superb!
It has brought it all back to me. So many happy memories. Mixing D76, loading film on spirals, safelights, fumbling in the dark etc. But hey...the quality of the results!
I have spent virtually nothing on the darkroom, having scoured ebay for job lots and selling the surplus on. A lot of work but believe me, well worth the time and effort.
I was in the photographic trade for many years and this is a set up I could never had afforded in the past. I have even splashed out on a battered Mamiya 645 which must be over 30 years old but works perfectly on an equally old Manfrotto tripod. Add the Metz CT1 that came with it with old nicads that take an age to charge (but I have only 15 shots a roll) it is truly 'happy days'. 
Yes, film is expensive; so too is the paper and chemicals but it is teaching me to be more selective and careful. My first few results have gained me many compliments and raised eybrows.
 
 
I will put some examples on the blog soon, even if they have to be scanned and converted to digital!