Sometimes I utterly hate film...

Love Helen's photos and arguments - agree with Richard.

I have mishaps with film, and the results can sometimes be serendipitous. I gave up angst about the mishaps and imperfections and decided to embrace them.

Those scanner bands at the top of the frame - does anyone know the cause or solution? Is it caused by dirt on the scanning head itself? I am having the same problem.. considering using a DSLR to scan once I find a neg holder that fits a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro.
 
In my experience, cleaning the scanner internals (especially the mirror) will likely get rid of the lines. Just a little rubbing alcohol and a dust-free applicator should do it.
 
Didn’t ruin the picture though. As I opened your post and my eyes locked on the image my first thought was ‘what sort of ship is that’ and ‘Patricia’, I’ll have to look that up.

Never noticed any reticulation until I read the post, and looked hard at the image.
 
Sorry you had the reticulation problems Charles. (It's not really the film's fault though). Solinar has the answer. Separate a container with H20 at the desired temperature. Once you have a process down, it's all generally pretty reliable though.
 
Thanks for the ideas, I've used the Ilford method before but prefer running water, but my workflow is going to change anyway in the new year when I start using the large darkroom locally. I am moving to print only with scanning of the one or two prints I may make.

But I do ask myself the following - take photos with a digital camera involves nothing more than inserting memory card, shooting, removing card, upload to computer, process.

Film - buy film, buy developing chemicals, choose film for the EI you might need, find you need a different ISO, shoot film (waiting for film to be used up), mix developer, check fixer, get everything to right temperature, process film, wash it, dry it, rigorously clean it and scanner, scan it, and only then are you back close to where you started with digital. I've already abandoned C41 development as pointless.

It's all a bit silly at times!
 
ZivcoPhoto said:
Why not just use a hypo clearing agent and then have a 2L container of water already at 68 degrees F standing by for the rinse? Constant agitation for three for four one minute water cycles will remove any chemicals left on the film.
Click to expand...
+1
Or (almost the same) use the Ilford method
Or find, purchase, and install a temperature-limiting thermostatic valve (some go down to 20°C), normally used to ensure that the hot water delivered at the faucet does not exceed, say, 50°C.
 
The last time I saw reticulation was at least 40 years ago. It had a crackled look. This doesn't look like that. I wonder if this is really reticulation, or some other kind of damage. Then again, maybe reticulation can take on more than one appearance?
 
Not sure why film has anything to do with wrong doing.
Here is absolutely no reason to use tap water for washing at any degree rather than it comes out from tap. +10 or +29 C it doesn't matter.
But it is easier to blame on film...
 
I suspect there is some degree of righteous self flagellation somewhere in the film shooters' souls.

(But not you, Helen...you seem to have wabi-sabi-ed your way to photographic mental health!)
 
CharlesDAMorgan said:
Thanks for the ideas, I've used the Ilford method before but prefer running water, but my workflow is going to change anyway in the new year when I start using the large darkroom locally. I am moving to print only with scanning of the one or two prints I may make.

But I do ask myself the following - take photos with a digital camera involves nothing more than inserting memory card, shooting, removing card, upload to computer, process.

Film - buy film, buy developing chemicals, choose film for the EI you might need, find you need a different ISO, shoot film (waiting for film to be used up), mix developer, check fixer, get everything to right temperature, process film, wash it, dry it, rigorously clean it and scanner, scan it, and only then are you back close to where you started with digital. I've already abandoned C41 development as pointless.

It's all a bit silly at times!
Click to expand...
Personally, being a bit of a masochist, I still find the whole process kind of interesting. That plus, film is the only medium the cameras I like take. If I could easily unclip the film back from my OM-1 and clip on a compact and affordable digital back (I’m not greedy, would settle for a 18X24 sensor) then I’d probably shoot digital more often.
 
Well I hit the jackpot here in Charle's Thread...hehehe



CharlesDAMorgan; said:
Lovely Helen! Sometimes just embrace the essential flaws of a process! All gorgeous.
Click to expand...

Merci Charles !
but I am in a similar camp. Since losing Eric, my Life is in total freefall, have no Idea who I am anymore.... I seemed to have lost my patience for shooting and developing/scanning. It takes a lot of 'looking' . watching, waiting to get that shot. Though when I look at film photos over the years they do bring a Smile to my face.

Larry Cloetta; said:
Sometimes I obsess about trying to get a long tonal scale with a lot of midtone separation, then I see something like this and say, “No, this is exactly perfect.”
Nice, Helen.
Click to expand...

Very Cool and Thoughtful of You to say, Thank YOU Larry !


Godfrey; said:
Helen:: I love your photos! :)

I have simplified my film processing to an extreme. ALL films are processed in HC-110 @ 1:49 dilution for 7-8 minutes @ room temperature. I fix for 8 minutes (again at room temperature) and I wash by exchanging the contents of the tank with fresh water six or seven times, one minute per change. Last water wash includes some photo flo, then the film goes to the hanger.
They please me... and that's all that I require of any camera/film or digital capture. :D
G
Click to expand...

Thanks Godfrey , very kind !!
Will have to give your 'recipe' a try. Great to hear it pleases You and thats all that counts!


PRJ; said:
You aren't the only one Helen! Loved that film. I still have a few rolls sitting around but I keep it for nostalgia. Shame. Nothing like it around anymore. It was just perfect.
Click to expand...

Agreed ! My all time Favorite... now I bounce between TMax 400 and HP6

jsrockit; said:
This one is certainly mysterious... and it works.
Click to expand...

Cool, Thank You John ! Now I have to master digital with some crazy breaking of rules

Richard G said:
Film defence from Helen completely unassailable. I remember that Porsche from a previous thread - those blacks. Such emotion in that picture, of just a car. (I know, not just a car.)
Click to expand...

Me loves that shot too Richard, Thank YOU !

lynnb said:
Love Helen's photos and arguments - agree with Richard.

I have mishaps with film, and the results can sometimes be serendipitous. I gave up angst about the mishaps and imperfections and decided to embrace them.
Click to expand...

Thank YOU Lynn, appreciated and very kind !
I will agree with You 'serendipitous' indeed !

Canyongazer said:
I suspect there is some degree of righteous self flagellation somewhere in the film shooters' souls.

(But not you, Helen...you seem to have wabi-sabi-ed your way to photographic mental health!)
Click to expand...

haha, love that my new word for 2020 , 'wabi-sabi'... Without Eric, my Life has spun into an esoteric wabi sabi, trying to understand life without him and what I can do with my Life now.

robert blu said:
Helen's photos are powerful, the use of film and her eye work well together. Love her style.
Click to expand...

Sweet Robert ! Thank You ever so much for your thoughts about my photography.
 
helenhill said:
Well I hit the jackpot here in Charle's Thread...hehehe

Merci Charles !
but I am in a similar camp. Since losing Eric, my Life is in total freefall, have no Idea who I am anymore.... I seemed to have lost my patience for shooting and developing/scanning. It takes a lot of 'looking' . watching, waiting to get that shot. Though when I look at film photos over the years they do bring a Smile to my face.
Click to expand...

A move in my case has slightly un-anchored me (but nowhere near to the awfulness of your loss - I lack the vocabulary to offer much consolation, but I hope that time at least helps) and that sometimes is a siren call to change things unnecessarily, and sometimes it's wise to embrace a change. Your photos are beautiful and it's great to see your past triumphs!
 
helenhill said:
...
Cool, Thank You John ! Now I have to master digital with some crazy breaking of rules.
...
Click to expand...

I'm sure you'll have a good time with it! Run ultra high ISO, smash the curves with a pathological tone curve in image processing, underexpose, tweak anything, overexpose ... Play with it!

Digital capture is very malleable and fun to bash around all over the place. :)

G
 
Sometimes I hate cameras, film & digital. But then tonight I developed & scanned a roll of Ilford Pan F plus + from my Leica M4 and remember why I love film.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom