Savory Caffenol and Color Film

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 Fujifilm Pro 400H  NPH Caffenol-C-M plus 20g Table Salt - I could not resist the afternoon light coming through my office window and illuminating these chains... This high key subject was a good chance to develop some C-41 Process color film in Caffenol. I decided to go with the savory flavor of Caffenol, with a little salt in the mix, the recipe is as follows;
1 liter Water
54 grams Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
16 grams Vitamin C granules
40 Grams of Instant caffeinated instant coffee
20 gram iodized table salt
Add ingredients in order given, stirring in between until fully dissolved. Use immediately and discard.

Development time 20 minutes with agitation for the 1st minute and then 3 inversions each minute after.

The Caffenol/Color film did a nice job of stopping the highlights from getting blown out, due to caffenol's base fogging and staining. The negatives were a little denser than a would have liked, a 15 minute development time may have been more appropriate. We will see next time.

Scanned with an Epson V500 Photo using Epson's OEM software.

After Desert Coffee

Adox Golf 75mm f4.5 Cassar Lens Ilford FP4 Plus Cafenol-C-M - A shot from the Sonoran Desert just outside of Phoenix in Carefree AZ.. The combination of Ilford FP4 Plus and Caffenol-C-M, did an outstanding job controlling the contrast if the desert mid-day sun. Despite battling bellow pin hole issues, I love shooting with my Adox Golf, it remains my favorite pocket medium format camera.
Scanned using an Epson V500 Photo using Epsons OEM Software.

Rotten Peak

Kiev 60 Arsat Mir 45mm f3.5 20mm extension tube Fujifilm Pro 400H Asista C41 - An abstract exploring textures, tones and depth of field. The subject is the trunk of an old tree felled by lightning many years ago. It is now home to multiple colonies of ants and termites, a thriving metropolis of endless activity.
Scanned with an Epson Perfection V500 using Epson's OEM Software.

Waiting to emerge....

Kiev 60 Arsat Mir 45mm f3.5 20mm extension Tube Fujifilm Pro 400H Arista C41 - Waiting to emerge to join the invaders. Surprisingly the the expected din of this noisy army has not yet reached Lynchburg, being inland and at a higher elevation than coast, I am sure it will come later.
Scanned with an Epson Perfect V500 Photo using Epson OEM Software.

The Invasion Continues.....

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 20mm extension tube FujiFilm Pro 400H Arista C41 - Another cicada shot, this negative was roughly 1 to 1.5 stops under exposed, so I am very pleased with the scan quality. FujiFilm's Pro 400H has outstanding latitude. I love the tones and lighting of this image, courtesy of the diffused light of a rainy day.
Scanned with an Epson V500 using Epson's OEM software.

2013 - The Invasion Begins....!!!!

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 20mm extension tube FujiFilm Pro 400H Arista C41 - 2013 is supposed the be a peak year for the 17 year cicadas in Virginia, an event the media has dubbed "Swarmageddon." This may be one of the early scouts of the invasion. I did not have to go far to find him, there were several hanging out on my back porch.
Scanned with and Epson V500 Scanner using Epson's OEM software.

Around the House....

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 20mm extension tube FujiFilm Pro 400H Arista C41 - I just like the way the diffused light of a raining day illuminated this candle on the window sill. As always FujiFilm's Pro 400H did a beautiful job rendering the tones of the scene.
Scanned with an Epson Perfection V500 Photo using Epson OEM Software

A Slight Breeze

Lomography Society Diana F+ Kodak Tri-X Professional Arista 76 1:1 - The last of this "Dark Corners" series. There was very little wind this day. I squatted patiently, waiting for a breathe of life to lift the flag. It teased me... lift slightly then falling, until finally an exhale.
Scanned with an Epson Perfection V500 Photo using Espon's OEM Software.

A Mute Reminder

Lomography Society Diana F+ Kodak Tri-X Professional Arista 76 1:1 - Another from the Old City Cemetery, interesting shadows and tones. Many of the grave marks here are so old the marking have been lost to wind and weather, mute reminders.
Scanned with an Epson Perfection V500 Photo using Espon's OEM Software.

Coleman and Virginia

Lomography Society Diana F+ Kodak Tri-X Professional Arista 76 1:1 - Coleman and Virginia, there may be more detail buried beneath the surface, but this is all time has left visible. A loving couple? A Son and Daughter? We cannot tell. I could shoot for week in the Old City Cemetery and always find something new. There are some many layers, textures and new angles to explore.
Scanned with an Epson Perfection V500 Photo using Epson's OEM Software.

Tree of Stone

Lomography Society Diana F+ Kodak Tri-X Professional Arista 76 1:1 - An interesting Grave marker in the Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg Va.. Reminds me of the trees that come to life in the Lord of the rings, or a Hobbits lawn monument.
Scanned with and Epson V500 using Epson's OEM Software.

Dark Corners and Diana

Lomography Society Diana F+ Kodak Tri-X Professional Arista 76 1:1 - From a walk through The Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg Va. with 2 rolls of Kodak Tri-X and a Lomography Society Diana F+. Actually my first rolls of 120 film through my 3 year old Diana. I originally purchased the Diana with a Fujifilm Instax Mini Back and have used it as an Instant camera until now. I love the dark corners and focus falloff of the plastic lens. Perfect for the mood of this site.
Scanned with an Epson Perfection V500 Photo using Epson's OEM Software.

Doll Face Exposure no. 11

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 40mm ext, tube Ilford FP4+ Adonol 1:50 - My first roll of Ilford FP4 Plus,,, ever. I have never shot a lot of Ilford film, besides the a few rolls of HP5, XP1 and XP2, if for now other reason than I was happy with what I was already using. I know several photographers who shoot Ilford exclusively and swear by it, but for me Fujifilm's and Kodak's offerings were getting the job done. I felt it was time to give Ilford a series try. First up FP4 Plus; shot in the studio and developed with Adox Adonol at 1:50, a Rodinal equivalent, this film has nice even tones and somewhat muted contrast. It does an excellent job rendering the subtle tones of this hand painted doll. Grain is what I would expect from anything developed in Rodinal and detail is outstanding. I have more rolls to shot and look forward to seeing how Ilford's Delta films perform.
Scanned with and Epson V500 using Epson's OEM Software.

Piedmont Flour Mill, Back Door exposure no. 2

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 Kodak Tri-X Profesional Arista 76 1:1 - Tones of an old friend, I have had a lifetime love affair with Kodak Tri-X, for years it was my "go to" film for almost everything. My mantra for the 1980's was push, push push, I loved grain and contrast and Tri-X pushed to ISO 800, 1600 or even 3200 would give me plenty of both. I am older and maybe little smother now, so this is Tri-X shot at 400 and developed in Arista 76 (D76) 1:1. Beautiful tonal range, great sharpness and well controlled contrast, maybe I have mellowed with age, not likely, I have just gained more range.
Shot of the back door the the Piedmont Flour Mill, downtown Lynchburg VA..
Scanned with an Epson V500 using Epson's OEM software.

Alternative Energy Revisited

Mamiya Press 23 100mm f2.8 FUJIFILM Neopan Acros 100 Arista 76 Developer 1:1 - Created from a mistake during the shoot from my post Alternative Energy no. 2, this image contains a little more Photoshop work than I normal post here, but I believe interesting enough to share. I broke out my Mamiya Press 23 for the first time in many years and had for gotten that the film advance for this 6x9 rangefinder was a 2 stroke affair. Though I remembered after the 4th exposure, the 1st 4 frames were overlapped. What surprised me was the consistency and position of the overlaps. I used Photoshop to balance the exposure between the different sections of the overlaps, but decided not to blend the edges, as I believe the actually contribute to the feel of the image. I love the final result.

Below is the orginal "un-shopped" scan for comparison.

Scanned with an Epson V500 Using Epson's OEM scanner software.

Hey Bulldog exposure no. 10

Kiev 60 Arsat Mir 45mm f3.5 20mm extension tube Fujifilm Reala 100 Arista C41 - This stern looking fellow was a gift from my Mother when I was 10 or so, and it has been a favorite shelf siiter of mine ever since. I believe it was a flea market or auction find, and made the perfect treasure for a young boy.

Shot using single studio strobe shooting through a white umbrella. The Mir 45mm's mild barrel distortion accentuates his regal face nicely. Scanning the series was difficult, the red caused a dominant color shift to cyan in Espon's OEM Scanner software, leaving me unable to get an acceptable color balance. HP's Scan Pro software for my Scanjet G4050 faired better especially on the brighter shots of this series. Out of the 12 exposures for the roll 6 were scanned using the G4050 and 6 using an Epson V500 and Vuescan 9.0.96. This image was scanned using the V500.

Liquidambar Styraciflua Fruit

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 20mm extension tube K2 Yellow Filter Efke 25R Adox Adonal 1:50 - My wife brought these home, feeling they would make and interesting subject. Having grown up in Illinois, she has never been exposed the dreaded, foot torturing "Gumballs" of Southeastern United States. They are the fruit of the Liquidambar Styraciflua Tree, better know as the American Sweetgum, and are the Bane of bare feet everywhere in Virginia. "Gumballs" ares slightly smaller than a Golf or Ping Pong Ball and covered with spiked, bird beak like openings. They are sharp, skin piercing sharp. The tender arch area of the bottom of your foot always seems to find them hiding in grass, bringing a sensation similar to stepping on a cluster of upturned needles. I grew up hating these things, but in the end, my wife was right, they did make and interesting subject. Scanned with an Epson V500 Flatbed Scanner.
                                                 

Missed. Variations

Kiev 60 Arsat 80mm f2.8 FujiFilm Reala 100 Arista C-41 Kit - I approached the shot from my last post Missed. exposure no. 10, in a number of different ways, both Black and White Film and Color film. Though I chose a black and white as my favorite of the series, the color roll yielded some interesting results....

Exposure no. 3 - No filter tungsten front lighting and daylight back lighting...

Exposure no. 4 - An Ambico Tobacco Gradiant filter, tungsten front lighting and daylight back lighting...

Exposure no. 9 - An Ambico Sepia Filter, tungsten front lighting and daylight back lighting...

 Exposure no. 12 - Lens Arsat 150mm f2.0 with a 20mm extension tube, tungsten front lighting and daylight back lighting...

                                                 

untitled exposure no. 8

Adox Golf  Cassar 75mm f4.5 Fomapan 400 Arista 76 1:1 - Spring Hill Cemetery Lynchburg, Virginia. I repaired the pinhole on the bellows of my Adox Golf and needed to test it in daylight. Fomapan 400 is s beautiful film for it's speed and really shines with Arista 76 Developer 1:1. The quality of the Cassar 75mm is also apparent in this shot. I am slowly mastering the uncoupled rangefinder in this camera and the Golf may become my Pocket Medium format rangefinder for choice. That is, unless I track down a Original Mamiya 6 with an "unfogged" Zuiko Lens.

Finally Snow Exposure no. 3 and 4

Kiev 60 Arsat 250mm 3.5 Fomapan 400 Adonal 1:50 - The first snow of 2012 in Lynchburg, Virginia, and my first to use my newly acquired Arsat 250mm f3.5. The lens is a metal and glass monter, but feels good on the bulky Kiev 60. Also my first use of Fomapan 400. As expect the Adonal (Rodinal) plays up the grain. I deliberately shot a little under exposed to avoid blowing out the whit snow.