Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
A day or so ago I posted some pics in the gallery that looked like this ...
... a couple of people asked me how they were processed, if you're interested in finding out read on!
The film was Kodak VC 160 Portra shot at box speed in a dark and mixed light environment in an old shed and the charming model was our local real estate agent and post master/mistress the fair Linda.
I also shot two rolls of black and white during the couple of hours she posed for me ... Tri-X and some Fuji Acros. I don't generally shoot much colour, I don't seem to visualise very well with it and am often disappointed with the results. I'd processed the two rolls of monochrome and liked what I saw but procrastinated with the Portra because I couldn't make up my mind whether to mix up a fresh batch of C41 chemicals or go with what had now done twelve rolls of film and had been stored casually on a shelf in my darkroom over a long hot summer.
HUGE MISTAKE ... I went ahead with the old chemicals and processed the roll using standard times and temperatures. When I removed it from the Paterson I nearly choked, there appeared to be nothing on it and when it dried and the emulsion fog cleared it looked even worse ... almost totally clear. I was very close to screwing it into a ball and tossing it but did notice it had a few very faint shadows visible and thought what the hell I'll scan it anyway and punish myself visually for being so stupid! Cutting the film for the V700 holders was guesswork as there was no apparent division between the frames ... the results of the scans were virtually black and looked like this ...
In the post processing software I use there is an auto exposure funcion which I generally don't bother with ... it has a silder to increase the amount of compensation applied to an image and is there for those who just want to quickly liven up a dull pic without getting overly complicated I guess! When I pushed the slider a long way to the right the photos suddenly came to life along with all the spots scratches and other abuse I'd given the negative during my disappointment at this disaster before I eventually stopped sobbing and hung it to dry.
What can I say ... I love the weird colour casts as I do the spots and scratches and the generally distressed look that the images have. I was thinking of tossing that batch of obviously exhausted C41 chemicals ... but now I'm not sure!
... a couple of people asked me how they were processed, if you're interested in finding out read on!
The film was Kodak VC 160 Portra shot at box speed in a dark and mixed light environment in an old shed and the charming model was our local real estate agent and post master/mistress the fair Linda.
I also shot two rolls of black and white during the couple of hours she posed for me ... Tri-X and some Fuji Acros. I don't generally shoot much colour, I don't seem to visualise very well with it and am often disappointed with the results. I'd processed the two rolls of monochrome and liked what I saw but procrastinated with the Portra because I couldn't make up my mind whether to mix up a fresh batch of C41 chemicals or go with what had now done twelve rolls of film and had been stored casually on a shelf in my darkroom over a long hot summer.
HUGE MISTAKE ... I went ahead with the old chemicals and processed the roll using standard times and temperatures. When I removed it from the Paterson I nearly choked, there appeared to be nothing on it and when it dried and the emulsion fog cleared it looked even worse ... almost totally clear. I was very close to screwing it into a ball and tossing it but did notice it had a few very faint shadows visible and thought what the hell I'll scan it anyway and punish myself visually for being so stupid! Cutting the film for the V700 holders was guesswork as there was no apparent division between the frames ... the results of the scans were virtually black and looked like this ...
In the post processing software I use there is an auto exposure funcion which I generally don't bother with ... it has a silder to increase the amount of compensation applied to an image and is there for those who just want to quickly liven up a dull pic without getting overly complicated I guess! When I pushed the slider a long way to the right the photos suddenly came to life along with all the spots scratches and other abuse I'd given the negative during my disappointment at this disaster before I eventually stopped sobbing and hung it to dry.
What can I say ... I love the weird colour casts as I do the spots and scratches and the generally distressed look that the images have. I was thinking of tossing that batch of obviously exhausted C41 chemicals ... but now I'm not sure!
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