16 replies to this topic

[Bart]

most of us frown upon powerlines.

Yet, next to the valuable power, they also bring patterns that can be interesting.

 

Berlin Kino 400

 

1.

 

2.

 

3.

 

4.

 

5.

[Merco_61]

When something gets in the way of a conventional photo, make the irritant a feature instead. A great series, as usual.

[lightcapture]

I love the symmetry of your last photo. Have you considered a higher contrast version w/ whiter whites and blacker blacks?

[g4aaw pete]

They do have a certain charm!

I wouldn't want to live under one though.

[Bart]

When something gets in the way of a conventional photo, make the irritant a feature instead. A great series, as usual.

 

Thanks, Peter! Appreciated!

 

I love the symmetry of your last photo. Have you considered a higher contrast version w/ whiter whites and blacker blacks?

 

Thanks!

I have but with scans from film, I'm always weary to get too far away from the specific look of the film 

 

 

They do have a certain charm!

I wouldn't want to live under one though.

 

They do, don't they.

 

Regarding the living under one, there has been a very strong discussion regarding a new massive powerline that will bring the power from the windmill parks just off the coast further inland.

Understandably a strong "not in my backyard" reflex was triggered.

Lots of communities wanted an underground solution. A study showed this to be technically unfeasible now and in the nearby future.

Which surprised me. 

It will now follow one of the highways.. 

[g4aaw pete]

 

 

They do, don't they.

 

Regarding the living under one, there has been a very strong discussion regarding a new massive powerline that will bring the power from the windmill parks just off the coast further inland.

Understandably a strong "not in my backyard" reflex was triggered.

Lots of communities wanted an underground solution. A study showed this to be technically unfeasible now and in the nearby future.

Which surprised me. 

It will now follow one of the highways.. 

 We have a new estate being built at the moment, about 5Km from me. They are also building under powerlines.

 

At one time, money lenders wouldn't even consider doing so on a property under a powerline.

Market forces have changed their rules somewhat.

 

I can see that the feed from your windfarm would cause problems for people.

I'm sure the installing company would have known they'd need a distribution line.

 

It's all about who's doing it, rather than if it should be done.

[Bart]

 We have a new estate being built at the moment, about 5Km from me. They are also building under powerlines.

 

At one time, money lenders wouldn't even consider doing so on a property under a powerline.

Market forces have changed their rules somewhat.

 

I can see that the feed from your windfarm would cause problems for people.

I'm sure the installing company would have known they'd need a distribution line.

 

It's all about who's doing it, rather than if it should be done.

Government    

[lightcapture]

 

Thanks!

I have but with scans from film, I'm always weary to get too far away from the specific look of the film 

 

 

I appreciate you purist approach. Even Ansel Adams did a lot of darkroom manipulation to get the look he wanted. The difference is that today we do our darkroom work on the computer. My 2¢

[Bart]

I appreciate you purist approach. Even Ansel Adams did a lot of darkroom manipulation to get the look he wanted. The difference is that today we do our darkroom work on the computer. My 2¢

 

ow but I don't apply that restriction to my digital files. there, I go as wild as I feel the image asks 

it's just that when you lay out the money for a film, I find it a pity to not keep as close to the character of the film as possible.

[Merco_61]

ow but I don't apply that restriction to my digital files. there, I go as wild as I feel the image asks 
it's just that when you lay out the money for a film, I find it a pity to not keep as close to the character of the film as possible.

I understand trying to keep true to the emulsion. What I don’t understand is letting this keep you from the tweaks we did in the darkroom with litho masks, varying grades of paper, different papers and developers, various toners etc.

[Bart]

I understand trying to keep true to the emulsion. What I don’t understand is letting this keep you from the tweaks we did in the darkroom with litho masks, varying grades of paper, different papers and developers, various toners etc.

 

I'm afraid I didn't explain myself very well, Peter.

I did make adjustments to the scanned jpg's. Quite a few even:

 

[Merco_61]

I really like #4. It showcases what the Berlin Kino film does best. Grainy and soft without going mushy.

 

What developer did you use?

[Bart]

I really like #4. It showcases what the Berlin Kino film does best. Grainy and soft without going mushy.

 

What developer did you use?

Thanks, Peter.

 

I don't develop myself. I never did so, growing up. At that time I exclusively used slide film and I don't think it was possible to develop that home then.

At least as far as I now, only b&w was developed at home. My godfather did so.

As a result, I have zero experience. Perhaps I'll look into it in a few years (retirement)

For now, I have found a Lab in Brussels that seems to deliver good work (Mori FilmLab) and they recently opened a drop-off point in Ghent.  

[Merco_61]

Mori FilmLab uses Xtol, which isn't ideal if you are after that 60-s look. It gives a bit harder contrast and finer grain than Ilfosol, D-76 or Rodinal.

 

 

I will have to get some rolls of Berlin Kino and try it in Fomadon R09 or Adonal. I think that would be as close as possible to the Adox 320 in Rodinal my mother used 50-60 years ago for her horse portraits. She used a Triotar 8.5 cm f/4 on a Contax rangefinder, usually @f/5.6 according to her old notes. I wonder what lens I can find in F-, M42 or K-mount that comes closest to a pre-war Zeiss triplet? It would be a fun project to try to continue her series of about 20 equine portraits today.

[Ron]

I don't develop myself. I never did so, growing up. At that time I exclusively used slide film and I don't think it was possible to develop that home then.

At least as far as I now, only b&w was developed at home. My godfather did so.

As a result, I have zero experience. Perhaps I'll look into it in a few years (retirement)

For now, I have found a Lab in Brussels that seems to deliver good work (Mori FilmLab) and they recently opened a drop-off point in Ghent.  

 

Film development and printing is yet another black hole that can suck in all your time and money if you let it.

 

Aside from some E4 slide film, I used to only do black and white development and printing. And, even way back then... with prices for film and chemicals much lower (Tri-X under a dollar US for a 36 exposure roll, and even cheaper in bulk), I spent at least as much time and money as I do now for digital post processing.

 

But the experience was more than worth the effort and expense. I'm far from the first person to say this, but there's something magical about watching a photo that you exposed and processed from start to finish appear on paper in a tray of developer. It seems to connect you to the process of photography in a way that digital simply can not reproduce.

 

If you do decide to dabble in a wet darkroom may wish to rethink your photographic methodology. Since you're already deeply into B&W, you've probably already read Ansel Adams' holy trinity. If not, they're well worth the sometimes considerable effort to digest.

 

Oh, and I also really like #4, even though I probably would have applied the equivalent of a yellow photographic filter to it in order to make those clouds pop a bit more.

 

--Ron
 

[Bart]

Mori FilmLab uses Xtol, which isn't ideal if you are after that 60-s look. It gives a bit harder contrast and finer grain than Ilfosol, D-76 or Rodinal.

 

 

I will have to get some rolls of Berlin Kino and try it in Fomadon R09 or Adonal. I think that would be as close as possible to the Adox 320 in Rodinal my mother used 50-60 years ago for her horse portraits. She used a Triotar 8.5 cm f/4 on a Contax rangefinder, usually @f/5.6 according to her old notes. I wonder what lens I can find in F-, M42 or K-mount that comes closest to a pre-war Zeiss triplet? It would be a fun project to try to continue her series of about 20 equine portraits today.

 

The Meyer Optik Görlitz trioplans 100m or 50mm come to mind. These are described as having 3 elements.

There's also a 35mm trioplan but that one has 5 elements 

The originals would be better but I don't know if these can still be found in reasonable condition

 

Film development and printing is yet another black hole that can suck in all your time and money if you let it.

 

Aside from some E4 slide film, I used to only do black and white development and printing. And, even way back then... with prices for film and chemicals much lower (Tri-X under a dollar US for a 36 exposure roll, and even cheaper in bulk), I spent at least as much time and money as I do now for digital post processing.

 

But the experience was more than worth the effort and expense. I'm far from the first person to say this, but there's something magical about watching a photo that you exposed and processed from start to finish appear on paper in a tray of developer. It seems to connect you to the process of photography in a way that digital simply can not reproduce.

 

If you do decide to dabble in a wet darkroom may wish to rethink your photographic methodology. Since you're already deeply into B&W, you've probably already read Ansel Adams' holy trinity. If not, they're well worth the sometimes considerable effort to digest.

 

Oh, and I also really like #4, even though I probably would have applied the equivalent of a yellow photographic filter to it in order to make those clouds pop a bit more.

 

--Ron
 

 

Yes, I understand about the 'black hole' aspect, Ron.

That's why I'm not committed yet. Furthermore, my intention has been to use but a few rolls per year. So, I doubt that worth the investment in study, material and time.

We'll see 

[Merco_61]

I think the Trioplan 100 is a bit too soap-bubbly. The old Zeiss had a busy bokeh, not soap bubbles. The Petzval 85 would probably be a better choice, even if it consists of two doublets rather than a triplet.