official photography thread

[Blix]

I know what you're saying. Truth is I am a bit sloppy and I do kind of like that style - depending on the subject of course. I am making a greater effort to work in a cleaner way though. How do you recommend avoiding those water marks though? I'm using wetting agent and i'm still being left with the stains. I've never trusted using a set of rubber thongs because when I used to use them back in school they always scratched the neg, which is much worse. hmmm

Hmm, I use Kodak Photo-Flo and never have marks like that, it could be you`re using too much or too little.. And for controlling dust, I find that running the shower on steamy hot a minute or two binds the dust and my films dry almost dust free. I dry my films hanging in the shower cabin.

[NJ Joe]

Bah. Time to contribute to this thread.

[lexx]

Hmm, I use Kodak Photo-Flo and never have marks like that, it could be you`re using too much or too little.. And for controlling dust, I find that running the shower on steamy hot a minute or two binds the dust and my films dry almost dust free. I dry my films hanging in the shower cabin.

it's getting better every time. it's been a long time since I developed B&W so just trying to get back into the right habits. The shower idea is a good one, I dry mine in the shower too but it's not a closed cabinet so I'm not sure how useful that tip'll be. I'll have it sorted in the next few films I'm sure


Love this shot

[NJ Joe]

I do all my B&W's in photoshop using digital photos. I love doing selective color, a la the building shot with only the red bricks colored

[VertigoJ]

Just a little reminder to always check that you have no film in the camera before opening it. *sigh*

[Mystery Bob]

Just a little reminder to always check that you have no film in the camera before opening it. *sigh*

I see what you mean; the shot's a winner...

[dcphotos]

If you are getting water spots you are probably not mixing the photo flo right. I used to work in a lab and process lots and lots of film back in the day, c-41, e-6 and B&W. Color films a stabilizer and B&W photo flo, both act as wetting agents. Never squeegee film, that is something that was really only intended for those that needed super-fast drytimes like press jobs. When I shot film at a paper we had a dryer that we put the metal reels in, blew hot air over them and dryed them quick.

Anyhow, to add to the nature shots:
Talledega National Forest, Alabama:

Lake Martin, Alabama:

Providence Canyon, Georgia:

St. Georges Island, Florida:

[lexx]

Bonus. My latest set of films aren't anywhere near as dusty or fingerprint ridden as the first set, the water marks are still a bit of a problem but again no where near as bad as before.

[dcphotos]

So tell us about this place you are shooing in Lexx.

[lexx]

So tell us about this place you are shooing in Lexx.

This is one of the abandoned mental asylums I visit. The one in the last photos I posted closed only 8 years ago but was built at the turn of the century. For almost a century up to 500 patients at a time were kept in these Victorian buildings. Changes in psychiatric policy have led to modernization and archaic hospitals like these being shut down and left for 'urban exploration'.

[TheFuzz]

Dude I would be scared of ghosts. I wouldn't go in there with my trusty jar of ghost food to lure them away from my shaved bawls

[VertigoJ]

I'm pretty excited by some recent aqquisitions of vintage cameras... I've got an old Argus Matchmatic (rangefinder) to clean up and I've for an Argoflex 75 (viewfinder like a TLR but basically a box camera) coming. Nothing fancy, but it's exciting to get to play with some old cameras, especially since I'll get to start on medium format for so cheap.

Film guys: do any of you shoot medium format? What is your opinion of Film for Classics? (Besides the obvious semi-high prices). The Argoflex is technically a 620 camera, and I could get some pre-spooled film from them to start.. unless I can find a way to trim down some 120 rolls.

[dcphotos]

120 and 620 film are the same size, you don't have to do anything to the film. The only difference is the sprocket hole in the spools. Most 620 cameras will wind 120 onto a 620 spool, just make sure you keep that spool when you process so you can wind the next roll onto it. If you have a 127 format camera that's another story.

How many of these places have you visited Lex? Where do you live?

[VulgarDisplayCFH]

I live in Wales which is a part of the UK which used to have a thriving coal industry, a lot of the places I visit are related to that industry in some respects. There are loads of industrial sites left abandoned, quarries and mines. There are sanatoriums, asylums and hospitals which were built at the end of the C19th or early C20th to service these communities, or simply built with money from the coal industry. They have since been closed down and no one has found a use for them. Mostly these sites are open to anyone stupid or brave enough to climb in and they are very popular with photographers and vandals alike. These hospitals are quickly disappearing though so we go to document them whilst we can.

Unfortunately we weren't able to get into the plant in the picture you've quoted because we met the security guard and his HUGE German Shepard first. He said he could let us in, but he wouldn't let us go in alone, and he wasn't going to go in without his dog, and he's the only person the dog's trained not to attack, so it wasn't really going to work. At first we thought he was joking and tried harder to let us in, but then he explained that the reason he needs the dog is people break into the plant to steal copper and lead. He showed us the knifes, machetes and ice pick he'd been attacked with and we agreed it was probably a bad idea. I've since met someone who claims to have been into the plant saying 'the dog only attacks if you run' but he conveniently doesn't have any pictures to show for his adventure - that said, he's given me directions to some awesome spots so he can't be completely full of it.

DC, he posted his story on the last page. Figured I save you and him some trouble. Pretty interesting place though..

[PuppY_K1ck3R]

DCPHOTOS your pics are great. Is that infared your using on the 2nd pic?
Heres some of mine. the sk8 pics were from an older thread.

[dcphotos]

Yes, it is a digital camera I converted to shoot infrared. I used to shoot a bit of HIE film, but digital IR is great.

Thanks for the quote from Lexx, I was wondering where he lives.
Here is one I shot with a Holga, been a year ago:

Another, about the same time:

I have an extensive amount of holga and dianna work, but none online. I need to scan some of that stuff up.

[VertigoJ]

Nice Holga shots, I love the skateboarders all lined up. I thought about picking up a Holga, because I'd really like to get involved in medium format, but it seems the Argoflex will be fine for what I'm doing, once I get the film spooling all sorted out. Definitely scan and post up some more Holga stuff!

[Mystery Bob]

Awesome work Lexx, NJJoe, DCPhotos, puppy_k1ck3r and all. I got these snapshots today of my friends at Kanaha.

[leighgriffiths]

more backyard stuff.



I bet you you can't guess what this is

[tomlarry@hotmail.com]

im guessing its really up close grip tape, or a wet roof shingle