Polaroid 100 Land Camera

Land Camera shot with a Toyo View 45E on Ilford HP5+

A few months ago I was chosen as a winner in the Polaroid Packtastic Giveaway over on the Film Photography Podcast. Michael sent me a beautiful, well-loved Polaroid 100 camera. It needs a bit of tending every now and then, but I don't mind showing it the extra love that it deserves. From the day I opened the package, I've kept this camera close by my side. It's one thing to get a new camera, but it's even better when someone hand picks a camera that they think you'll enjoy and they send it to you (at no cost). My excitement radiated as I tore open the box, read the enclosed note, and carefully opened the camera. And now, there's no turning back.

I've taken it everywhere, and tried nearly everything. Here's the first shot I took with it:

A Pineapple! on Fuji FP-100C

I had some help pressing the shutter. I slowly pushed my way through that pack of Fuji FP-100C, trying to conserve it until my new order arrived (you didn't think I would be able to live on just one pack of film, did you?). And the day that those packs of FP-3000B and FP-100C (from the Film Photography Store) arrived, I felt at ease and allowed myself to experiment with the film I had left in the camera. I did some sunset work, and a double exposure or two. My favorite shot from that day ended up being this one:

Grain on FP-100C

After the first box I was definitely feeling pretty confident with this trusty little guy. The obvious next step would be to toss some black and white film into the camera and see how that works out, which is exactly what I did. Since it was going to be a bright day outside, I opted for a box of hard to find FP-100B over the super speedy FP-3000B. I decided it might be a good time to start working with people in my photographs, so I grabbed a friend, sat him down, and snapped this:

On the Farm on FP-100B

I wasn't disappointed in the least. I love the tones it had (the scan doesn't really do it justice). And the black and white definitely worked well for this subject.

A few weeks later I did some traveling and found myself in Letchworth State Park in Castile, NY with the Polaroid 100 Land Camera at my side. I was a bit nervous as to how it would handle a really low light situation, but I placed it onto a tripod and took a few second exposure of the stove in my cabin. I have to say, it really impressed me. It gave nice deep blacks in the shadows and kept the highlights extremely clean.

Stove on FP-100B

The next day we went out hiking and again I brought along the Land Camera. It is light, portable, and never a bad companion. I was standing in the shade when I took this picture, and I was unsure whether or not the camera would have trouble metering for the land in the distance. But, it did alright.

Letchworth State Park on FP-100B

I am extremely surprised with the versatility of the Land Camera, especially since it is 45+ years old. It still gives me those excellent highlights and deep shadows that I am looking for. I was a bit wary at first when I considered jumping into Polaroid pack film cameras because I thought that the money spent on film could never be worth the image created. But, in hindsight, I would definitely say that I was in the wrong. I wouldn't trade this camera for anything (well, unless someone was willing to give me a ULF camera, and even then it would be a tough decision because this was given to me as a gift of sorts). I will keep shooting the Fuji instant film - I don't have much of a choice with 8 boxes sitting on the desk next to me pleading to be used. I hope you've enjoyed your Land Camera as much as I have, but if you don't have one yet, then what are you waiting for!? Get out there and find one!

Double Exposure on FP-100C

Fortepan 400 Film

In case you haven't heard, there is a tremendous thing happening, and it involves free film!

The Film Photography Podcast, headed up by the enthusiastic Michael Raso, has monthly giveaways of both 35mm and medium format film. I've been extra lucky in the month of July because I happened to be one of those few who received some film in the mail.

Mike sent me a roll of Fortepan 400 B&W and a roll of EasyClix 400 color print film (I'll be shooting that one soon and will write another review of it).

Over the weekend a couple of friends were participating in a 48 hour film project, in which they had from Friday night to Sunday night to write, shoot, edit, and create music for a short film. It was a tremendous undertaking and I am very proud of them for doing it. There will be screenings for all the films created over the weekend on Wednesday August 11 and Thursday August 12 at 7pm at the Market Arcade in downtown Buffalo. You should head out there if you have a chance.

But back to the roll of Fortepan - this is what it looks like:It even comes with that neat little spec sheet that gives development times for different chemicals and some tips on shooting the film.

The main reason I chose to shoot this film at this time was because of what I have seen others do with it. All the examples I found online were rather grainy and had a bit lower contrast, so I figured that since we were going to be on an old farm with a lot of different textures and excellent subjects it would make the most sense to shoot this grainy, organic film. The film also expired in 2000, so I expected even more grain. And, in the end, this was also pushed a little further because I processed the exposed film in Rodinal (that was the only developer that I had on hand at the time).

This is the first shot from the roll. And it sort of explains the rest of the farm. There is a lot of plank, a lot of deterioration, and a lot of beauty. The film looks the way I had expected, after looking at what other people had done. The grain is definitely noticeable, especially where the focus falls off.

I decided to shoot this roll with my Konica Auto S2 for a number of reasons. First of all, it is nearly fifty years old. It shares so much with the barns on this farm; unlike those barns, though, the camera has been given a second chance to live through a complete CLA. The barns haven't been so lucky. The smaller of the two is being slowly taken apart, plank by plank. It is starting to become a problem and it would be better to see it taken down rather than face ultimate collapse.

The second reason that I decided to use the Konica is that the gentleman that it belonged to before me traveled with it throughout Europe. The camera had been so many places and seen so many things, and I thought it would only be right to give it a chance to see a bit more. And, perhaps, it would be able to see something that it had never known before.

While the others were preparing to film, I decided to shoot a few behind-the-scenes shots on this film. I figured it wouldn't hurt anything, and at the very least, I might get a couple neat images out of it. The house in this image is an early 19th century farmhouse that has been meticulously taken care of by my friend's father. It is such a beautiful place that truly lends itself to the past. In the film, the man returns to his childhood home with his girlfriend/wife after his father's death. This is them standing and looking at it.

During filming I also took a couple of the Directors/Actors/Helpers aside to do some portrait work, just to see what would come of it. This was my favorite of all the portraits. It almost has a candid-posed feel to it (if that is even possible). The contrast was great, and I thought the framing worked well with the leading lines, subject, etc.

In the end, I'd say that I had a really great time shooting this film. It was everything that I hoped it would be, and as a sucker for expired film, it definitely met my expectations.

It is always a treat to work with expired or odd films, and when I can do it for free, it just makes it that much better.

I want to give a very special Thank You to Mike from the FPP for sending me this film.

Keep shooting that film!

More and More

Half, a photo by ChristopherFecio on Flickr.

This is a shot from Memorial Day. The rollers on the holder were messed up so they didn't develop the whole frame. I like it anyway. The Colors.

The Colors.

Just shooting more film, as always.

I just recently won a Polaroid Land Camera from the Film Photography Podcast's (FPP) most recent episode. How exciting! I was looking at buying one at several antique stores and on eBay, but now I won't have to. How great!
So now I'm looking at film for that and will most likely be buying a bunch of it in the very near future to play with.

My work has been on view at SPoT Coffee on Elmwood, in Buffalo, since June 1, and I think it will be coming down soon. I didn't end up selling anything, but the good news is that I received a lot of positive feedback on it. And that's always a good thing.

The darkroom is 99.96% finished. It's going really slowly, but it will be done very, very soon because I bought the last things I need for it. It's time to start printing and making cyanotypes. And developing black and white 4x5 film - my true passion.

So why not stay tuned and see how that goes?

Polaroid Fun

Dad, a photo by ChristopherFecio on Flickr.

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

This Polaroid film that had an expiration date of 1985 looks (nearly) brand new. It still has good color and I barely had to adjust the exposure.

Happy Father's Day to everyone out there. This is my dad - one of the greatest people I have ever had the pleasure to know. There are so many things I can say about him, but that would all take too long, so I'll just say this - I wouldn't be half the person I am today without him. Thanks for everything, dad.

New Work

Justin, a photo by ChristopherFecio on Flickr.

Finally received my scanner. It's a beaut. This is from the first roll I scanned with it, some Rollei Pan 25 developed in Rodinal.

The other day I wrote a pretty lengthy post concerning film and complained about Flickr, but for some reason it didn't post. It's floating around in the world wide web somewhere, and I can only hope that it might show up some day. I can't remember exactly what I said, and I have no interest in attempting to repeat myself, but I will say this: after shooting and scanning this roll, I am seriously considering shooting more black & white film in the near future. The look of it just reminds me of my beginnings in film photography and the first times I developed my own film.

Which does remind me - it's 4x5 season once again and with over 200 sheets sitting in my fridge, it's time to get out and have some fun!

Film, Photography, and a Podcast

As long as I have a bit of time, I thought I'd give a bit of a shout out to one of the only podcasts I've ever listened to. It is a little thing called the Film Photography Podcast, and is headed by the energetic Michael Raso. The link above will take you to the general website, and from there you can get on over to the Flickr site, the blog, and the store! If you have any sort of interest in film photography, the guys on this podcast really make it fun. They talk about a lot of really relevant things (lately it has been a bit Polaroid/Fuji Instant heavy) including darkroom tips, different cameras, films, and they just generally have a lot of fun. The sound effects and music make the show even more enjoyable. Why not jump over and take a listen?

I've finally processed my first few rolls of color negative film with my C41 kit, and they look great! I still have to scan all of them (I think my pile is up to somewhere around 23 rolls) but the negatives look nice and thick and the colors don't look so bad. I'm looking at finally getting a scanner in the very near future - it would be easier if I didn't shoot any 4x5 (and if I didn't just buy the parts for a 5x7 camera - but more on that at a later date) because then I could get a lower range one. But, alas, I am deciding between the Epson V700 and the Epson V750. It will be nice to finally have a scanner at home that I can use at my leisure for both the Polaroids I have sitting on my table and all that gorgeous film.

Tomorrow I may be heading to the Apple store (fingers crossed) and looking at - and perhaps purchasing - a new computer. The one I am using now is over 5 years old and the screen can't be moved without shorting out. I want to upgrade to an iMac - the colors are gorgeous, and they are absolutely wonderful computers. A bit pricey, but I am used to using them at school for all my photo stuff so it won't be anything crazy to learn. I'll just have to take it in stride and see if I can afford to get it now. It would be nice to get both the computer and scanner at a similar time so I can just scan right onto the new hard drive rather than messing with my old computer and then transferring everything. Wish me luck!

Keep the cameras shooting, and keep the film rolling.

Oh! And an odd, unrelated note - I finally bought a neck strap for my Mamiya so it's way more portable and easier to use. And not too uncomfortable!

I'll probably be cross processing my first roll of e6 tomorrow so I hope that goes well.

When you hold it in your hand,
you can see what I see.
When you press the little button,
you'll let your dreams fly free.

Just Keep Moving

I've been keeping up with my photography - shooting more rolls in the past few weeks than I could imagine. I hit double digits in Minneapolis and I've been doing a bit of shooting since I've been home. Yesterday I went out with my friend Justin, and he took some video footage while I did some shooting. I had a roll of Rollei Pan 25 in the Mamiya so the bright, bright sunlight was necessary to get good exposure times. I had a lot of fun, and I can't wait to finish off the rest of the roll with some strobes. This stuff is supposed to be really sharp. Can't wait.

Here's a link to the "final" video that he comprised of the footage.

I now have like 14 rolls that need to be developed/scanned. But more on that later.

Keep it real.

Scans

Tom, a photo by ChristopherFecio on Flickr.

I finally had a chance to scan in my backlog of film. Unfortunately, I also just shot three more rolls yesterday at the Film Photography meetup in Toronto. Just can't get head of the game.

I'm considering finally spending the money to buy my own scanner, as I won't be able to use the one at UB all summer while the lab is closed. I just have to decide which one I want and figure out how I'm going to pay for it. Maybe it's time to stop buying film and endlessly spending on unimportant things. And it's almost time to start riding my bike to work so I'll be saving some money there.

4x5 season is just about to be here. Time to lug out the beast and have some fun. I have a few projects in mind. We'll see.

I'll just keep editing and posting the scanned film so look for more uploads on Flickr.

Best.

Film Film Film

I have a couple rolls of 220, a couple rolls of 120, and now a roll or 35mm film to scan. And all this on the eve of my trip to New York City for a Film Photography Meetup (organized by members of the Film Photography Podcast). I'm going to be shooting and shooting and shooting film like it is going out of style. I think the most difficult decision I have to make regarding the trip is which film to bring and what order to shoot it in. I'm bringing the Konica Auto S2 and the Mamiya RZ67 (with the 120 and 6x6 backs). I'm looking forward to meeting some other people who really enjoy film. And I can't wait to see Mat Marrash's 8x10 camera in action.

See you after the weekend.

Love it or Leave it

Now this may just be a spur of the moment complaint, but what is going on with all this HDR photography lately? If you don't know what HDR is, then you may want to pop it into your favorite search engine and look it up (if you prefer your photography untainted, try not to look at any example images). Every photographer wants a full range of values in his/her image, but these guys are just pushing it way too far.

I want to make it clear, at this point, that I'm not talking about every single photographer who is creating digital HDR images. I have seen more than a handful that work extremely well and make me tip my hat. But, unfortunately, it seems that these are the exception.

The majority of photographers doing digital HDR just push and push and push until the photograph becomes less of a photograph and more of an eyesore. It just isn't practical to take 10 or 12 values and combine them all into one image. It will always look overdone. Always. And the worst part is that you can just import bracketed images into Photoshop or any number of other editing software and it will do it for you. Thanks, technology...

I could point you to a few very extreme examples, but for your sake, and mine, I think it is better if I don't.

If you want to get an amazing dynamic range, why not just shoot film? It is made to have a naturally high range. Why fake it? Why try to copy film instead of just using it?

If you enjoy your over processed, disgusting looking photographs, then go right ahead and take them. Just don't expect me too appreciate, or even look at them.

Konica Auto S2

Konica Auto S2, a photo by ChristopherFecio on Flickr.

It finally arrived back, all fixed.

I can't wait to shoot with it.

More, More, More

Dad, on a Sunday, a photo by ChristopherFecio on Flickr.

This is off my first roll shot through my 6x6 back for the Mamiya.
Mmmm, that Arista EDU 400.
Why does it look so good?

Dad!

I think I like the square.

The darkroom is coming along. Slowly, trickling. But it'll get there.

Cameras, Lenses, and Darkrooms

Beginning, Middle, End.
Easier said than done.

I guess I'll start with the most recent thing on my mind and then move backwards.

A little over a year ago my dad's friend gave me a camera; it belonged to his uncle - a photographer from Buffalo. At first I was unimpressed with the simple nature of the camera. I knew very little about what it was or what it could do. A few days ago I found the camera sitting in its bag on a table in my basement. Surprise! For some reason I instantly had to try it out. I played with the functions, moved the focus (which I had not understood before, but after playing with the Polaroid Electric Eye camera, it all made sense now), and just took in the simplicity. It is a Konica Auto S2 from the mid 1960s. The focus seems spot on and the lens is really great. The only trouble is that the shutter sticks at anything slower than 1/60. I already talked to a gentleman in Nebraska that specializes in cleaning, lubing, and adjusting (CLA) Konica cameras and he said he'd be willing to take a look at it and give me an estimate. Since the battery that they used is no longer made I am going to have him convert the internal settings so that it can accept a contemporary battery. It is going to cost a bit more than I would like, but from the pictures I've seen taken with this model and the way that other photographers talk about it, I don't mind putting a bit of money into it. And the best part about the camera is that inside the case I found a little notebook that described the places the photographer used it (including many countries throughout Europe) and what he photographed. It's a small slice of history. Thanks, Dan Hayes, for this opportunity, even though you don't know that you have handed it to me.

My next piece of good news is that I finally bought a new lens for my Mamiya RZ67. I've been shooting it at 110mm since the day I bought it and I was ready to take a step in a new direction so on a whim I bought a 65mm f/4 lens. The lens stated that it uses a floating lens system, which I'm still not exactly sure what it does. This thing is incredible, though. I was testing the focus range and was able to get something perfectly in focus when it was approximately 3-4 inches in front of the lens. Incredible! With the 110mm it had to be at least a foot or so away. I took a few test shots with it the other night, using a one light setup and a roll of Portra 160NC that expired in 2002. I don't have a picture of the lens yet, but maybe I'll include one next time when I post an image from the roll. Something is beginning to take shape.

The darkroom is still slowly marching forward. I haven't been as into it as I was at the beginning so it is moving a bit slower. Everything is finished aside from the insulation at the ceiling to block out the last remaining light and some sort of smooth surface to cover my table. I looked into laminate but it seems a bit expensive. If I am going to be spooling my own film on the table I want to make sure it is completely smooth (unlike the plywood that is on there now). I am going to be cleaning up and loading most of my supplies into the darkroom this weekend so I can see just how much stuff I have (too much!). I just have to work on a table to place my light box on.
Oh! And I also bought a Seal 210M Dry Mount Press so I can mount my finished prints and mount my paper onto a stronger surface for making gum bichromate prints. So excited.

If anyone has any suggestions on a good material for a tabletop, I would really appreciate it!

I also recently purchased a few new books on art theory and the way that photography as art may be developing in the future. I've been looking at them for some time and now I can finally sit down and look through them.

The idea of an 8x10 camera crossed my mind this past week when a few were being sold on eBay. I regret not buying the one (maybe regret isn't the right word...) but I'll leave that to a future time. I know that I am going to eventually buy one. It isn't even a question. I just have to wait for that time. I think I want to try glass plate negatives and a few other things before I weigh myself down with ULA. I have too many rolls of film sitting in my fridge, and too much film waiting to be spooled. I should get some of that under control before I jump ship to try something new.

If I had any words of advise, they are too lost below a layer of photography to come out now.

And before I end this post, I just wanted to share that I have been working on a bit of a poem/short story. It is a bit of a project I've been contemplating for a while and a few standout lines popped into my mind the other day so I finally began writing. Wish me luck.


"The creative act lasts but a brief moment, a lightning instant of give-and-take, just long enough for you to level the camera and to trap the fleeting prey in your little box." - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Vintage Camera #1

Tom
Originally uploaded by ChristopherFecio

So I finally got around to shooting and developing the roll of Kodak Verichrome 620 film that expired in 1967. Let's just say I was pleasantly surprised. The film all came out great, and all the flash bulbs fired as they should have. I couldn't have been more happy.

This image was taken in front of a white backdrop so it allowed for a good comparison between Tom's hair/shirt and the background. The flash is so powerful and so bright that it left a great shadow on the back drop.

It's safe to say that the Duaflex, despite it's age, still makes great photographs. I'll be happy to experiment with it more in the future - I have 3 more rolls of Verichrome and a few rolls of Kodacolor X in my fridge, all 620 format.

I also plan on using these preliminary shots as a jumping off point for both the rest of the black & white film and another project I plan on creating using the negatives. I'm very excited to move forward and begin printing in my (almost finished) darkroom.

Cheers to success and progress.

Updates to the Darkroom

This one is going to have a lot of pictures. Updates updates updates.

This first one was the left wall.

This one is the right wall.

And here is where the pipe was.

And the hole after.

And the best news so far is that the light box is finally finished. I just have to get a couple power strips and string the cords into each other so that all the lights can be used on one outlet. I'm really glad with the way it turned out, and it cost me less than one third of what it would have if I bought it from a dealer already put together. Yes.
I guess that's all that has really happened so far. Well, I did shoot the roll of 620 through the Duaflex using the flash bulbs, so I'm excited to see how that turns out. The stopbath arrived today so I can develop it as soon as I feel like it. Maybe tomorrow evening. I also shot some of the Type 47 in the Polaroid 900 Electric Eye - the results will be posted shortly.

Hopefully the rest of the actual construction will be completed this weekend (I have two and a half days to work on it), and then I just need to find the faucet I want and hook up the plumbing and install a fan. Not bad. There'll be another chemical order going out soon to get all the stuff I need to mix some of the New Cyanotype formula. Mmyes.

Oh! And. Good news. The Mustaches for Kids campaign ended up raising $8500ish. It's the largest amount they've raised to date. Also, I was voted the Porniest Mustache at the 'Stache Bash on Saturday, and I received an awesome little gift bag full of goodies.

So all is well on my end. How's life?

Artists Wanted 2010

This will just be a short post.
I'm putting myself out there and hoping to get some results.

If you get a chance, take a look at my portfolio and vote for it. Thanks in advance!

Notes on Film - A New Direction

I'm still considering directions with which to take this blog. And I just may have fallen into one just a few minutes ago.

While trying to compose a new Facebook status, I thought about the many different films that I have shot and plan to shoot. And this is what I came up with:
Test different films, in different cameras, and see how they match up both to their historical use and contemporary probability.

Not all films last forever, and not all films are meant to. But, today while searching eBay (as I do much too often these days) I ran into something that I could have only imagined possible. Old instant rollfilm. An old useless artifact for some, but a gold mine to me. I've wanted to shoot some for so long, and this was my chance! But not to get ahead of myself - there are still days to go before the auction ends.

I have some film and cameras waiting to be used. Among these:
Kodak Verichrome 620 film (expired 1967, 1980, and 1981) and Kodak Kodacolor X (expired 1970, 1973, and 1980) to use in a Kodak Duaflex IV with Flash
Kodak Verichrome 616 film (expired 1977 and 1978) to use in a Kodak Monitor Six-16 camera
Polaroid Type 59 4x5 Color sheet film (expired 1985)
Polaroid Type 53 4x5 B&W sheet film (Expired 1997)
Kodak Vericolor II 4x5 sheet film (expired 1982) which I have used a few sheets of

And, if all goes well, I'll also be adding some Polaroid Type 42 rollfilm (expired 1956!) into the mix. I have a lot of work ahead of me. A lot of time, a lot of shooting, and a lot of fun. In a way, it's like bringing the past into the present. Like taking a slice of yesteryear and experiencing it like many people just couldn't imagine. I just can't wait...

The Polaroid film is self developing and the 620 film will be able to fit on the developing reels I already have (and use the developing chemicals I just ordered today), but the 616 and Vericolor film have to be taken to Praus Productions in Rochester, NY. I'm sure there is probably somewhere closer, but I trust the owner, Edgar, with my film almost more than I trust myself. He has been more than helpful to me when i had questions concerning my film.

Anyway, I plan on using this blog to help me share my findings with all of you. Will the films produce beautiful images or just a bunch of blurry shapes? I guess we'll see. As soon as the flash bulbs I ordered arrive I'll be shooting the first roll of 620 Verichrome (the 1967 stuff). And I'll be playing with the Polaroid 4x5 soon as well. Maybe I'll toss some 616 in the camera and give myself a reason to go visit Edgar.

(And speaking of new film, I have 10 sheets of Fuji Velvia 50 coming in the mail. This is perhaps the best color landscape film available. And I love the colors it produces. It might have to wait until spring to expose, but I'm sure I'll be posting some images and links on here when I have it ready to go.)

If you pick up a camera this weekend, remember that there were days when only memories could be saved and cherished. Don't take it for granted.

Mustaches and Darkrooms

Good News!

Mustaches for Kids is now heartily under way and the hair on my lip is starting to grow back. It's been two weeks and I'm starting to recognize myself again. You have until January 29 to make a pledge on my behalf to the Make-a-Wish foundation. All money raised will help a less fortunate child receive their wish. You can read more about the event over at the Buffalo Mustaches for Kids page and you can make your donation on this Make-a-Wish site. Make sure to include my name in the comments section at the bottom of the form so that the donation is added to my quota. Also, you can see the progress of all the growers (pictures taken each Wednesday) on the Facebook page. You won't be sorry!

Although it's been a bit slow, the darkroom is coming along. With the help of my father I built up the side wall. The studs are finished; all that is missing is the plywood and finishes. Either tonight or tomorrow I am going to fill in the hole in the wall with mortar - to make sure that it is ready to go. I'm searching for a decent faucet to place on the sink that I already have - something that can be mounted on a vertical board.

I bought some containers to wash the film in once it is processed, and I'm waiting for them to ship (eBay!).

I also bought some more 4x5 Polaroid film so I can start shooting that once it arrives. Let's just say it's been a busy week on eBay.

Probably my best purchase of all, though, is a 120/220 6x6 back for my Mamiya RZ67. Although I love the 6x7 format that the Mamiya flaunts, I've been itching to get my hands dirty in a nice solid square format (not to mention I'll be getting 2 additional frames on each roll since the size is smaller). It was either the 6x6 back or I go out and get a nice TLR, preferably a Rolleiflex. But, alas, the Rollei was a bit more expensive so I'll shoot with this for now and maybe upgrade in the future when I finally decide to dump everything digital and sell my Nikon D200. But, that won't be for a while.

Here's to advancing and moving up in the world. I'm beginning to get more ideas in my mind as to what I want to shoot. Keep your chin up!

Best.

Vivian Maier

I ran across this video earlier today on Twitter and have been under a spell.

Her work is amazing. This guy started posting all the scans over on the blog that he dedicated to her.

Please, please, please check it out!

Progress

The darkroom is finally under way. The door is where it is going to be, and the sink is in place (it just needs the plumbing hookups. Anticipation.


There was a pipe in my way that had to be taken care of, so my dad grabbed the grinder and now it's nothing more than a memory.


I have the floor planned out and taped. There will be a section for the enlarger(s) and then a few tables and shelves. I should be able to store everything I need right in the darkroom for easy access. And with any luck, the light box will fit in there as well.

And on that note, I finally went down to Twin City Glass and ordered the glass for the light box. It wasn't as expensive as I thought, and the service was fantastic! Let's just hope the finished product looks perfect. My next minor build/purchase is going to be a Contact Print Frame. It's the best way to keep the negative completely flat against the printing paper to avoid a blurry image. Just trucking along. Keeping things interesting.

Haven't shot in a while, but I do have a roll of Portra 400 UC to get developed from when a few friends came to town to visit. Did some strobing with it. I'm excited to see the results. I may have to drop it off tomorrow after work.

I suppose that's all the progress for now. Hopefully I'll have more to share at the end of the weekend. I'll be working on coating the walls and perhaps building the tables/shelves. Busy weekends are good weekends.

Special thanks to Tom Schaefer for photographing the process.

Time to Get Started

Well, it's been a great few weeks. Things are finally coming together.

I now have most of the things that I'm going to need to build my darkroom.
Oh, didn't I tell you?
I'm building a darkroom in my basement.

I'm tired of shooting all this film and only being able to scan and share it. What fun is it if I'm only working with it digitally?
I'm shooting film to work with it manually. I already have a pair of gorgeous Photographic Enlargers, a huge 2 foot by nearly 8 foot sink, plywood, 2x4s, safe lights, and more ambition than necessary. Cleaning out the area for it this weekend and drawing up a set of plans so I can finally put this project into motion. I know I might be jumping the gun, but it is going to feel amazing to get back into the darkroom and make some prints that I will be completely proud of.

In order to pay for some of this building and maintenance, I am selling some of my previous prints over on Etsy.com. The exact site for my shop is Here. If you see anything you like, I'd appreciate the purchase. Every little bit counts. I'm trying to get myself out into the world through my art, and I see this as a great first step. And once the darkroom is built, I'll be able to print more, and hopefully sell more and show more.


On a completely unrelated note, I am doing some fund raising during the month of January to help support the local chapter of Make-a-Wish. It is a thing called Buffalo Mustaches for Kids, in which I will be growing a mustache from December 29 to January 29. The point is to grow a mustache and look ridiculous throughout the entire month in order to get pledges and raise money. They've been doing it for years and I decided to jump aboard this year. So, if you have a bit of extra money and are willing to make a donation, you can send it to me by January 25th and I can write you down on my pledge sheet and pass it along to them (make checks payable to "Make-a-Wish Foundation of WNY" and include my name in the memo area; or you can send cash and I can pass it along).
Every little bit counts. I'll also make sure to post photos and links as the month goes on to keep everyone updated on my progress and the progress of the other growers.

I hope everyone enjoyed New Year's Eve and the day. A new year, a new chance.