British Merlin Made

Another on the Shed Series - from the good ol' days when you could actually tinker on car and bike engines yourself.  From the look of it I had a Softar filter on the lens.  On old Kenthene fixed grade paper, toned in sepia and selenium:

Old spanner, Hasselblad FP4+ on Kenthene fixed grade paper, toned

I'm still not out & about much at all even though I've received another letter saying that I can now leave the house and meet a friend outside (due to the medications I take for my ankylosing spondylitis I'm classed as 'vulnerable').  I can't say I've missed driving one bit - my body is feeling the benefits of not squeezing into a car & sitting in an unnaturally cramped position every day, even if only for the school run.  I've even been able to see what few family members we have, since we have a big enough garden to sit in.  On occasion they've even been in the house over the last month or so - but at a distance.   Northern Ireland hasn't seen too many COVID-19 cases and most are in care homes or in/near the major urban area of Greater Belfast, about 50 miles to the South East.  I think up here on the north coast we've got away fairly lightly...so far, anyway.  I suspect the near constant wind washing over us from the Atlantic has probably helped.

I did venture into town on Friday last and was surprised by how many people were around.  Big queues for Next...clearly people have missed buying clothes.  I was also surprised that virtually no-one (except me!) was wearing a face mask - the only other people I noticed with a mask were the ones organising the line into and out of Next.   

At the start of the lockdown we did a few online grocery shops but lately either my wife or I have been doing a big weekly shop at one of the local stores.  The online shops were OK...but you never receive exactly what you're after and while Yes OK it's a First World Problem when you get a smaller box of Corn Flakes that you requested we seemed to be spending about twice what we usually do.   I think the big stores have done a pretty good job with things - hand santisers and sprays/wipes for the trolleys at the entrance, capping the number of people in the store at any one time, a one-way system (which people are starting to ignore) and large screens at the checkouts.  Personally, I'd like to see all of those things kept even if the current virus disappears. 

Flora

This one was lurking on a film in a camera for a good long while...I think it was the Pentax ME Super, same roll as the tea-drinker lady was on.  There were a few keepers on that roll.  Maybe like wine, good negs take time to ferment - perhaps I should leave them all in a camera for a year or two...

Anyway, it's some flora stuff, the sort that grows in yer garden.  Although I'm not sure this was in my garden, or even anyone's garden...perhaps a forest somewhere local.  Printed on my new paper, Foma 133, bleached back and toned in sepia.

Some plant things

I'm not sure anything is sharp here, but since when did that matter, eh?  I must admit to quite liking this print...

Back in the workshop with Foma 133

Another print from 'the workshop' series, which I'm still playing around with (see here for an earlier version).  This was taken on the Hasselblad with the 60mm lens.  This was printed on Foma 133 Velvet fibre paper - a new one for me:

The workshop, old FP4+ on new Foma 133 Velvet fibre paper, 10"x8"

I'm always excited when I get a new paper in.  The Foma 133 is a chlorobromide warmtone paper and I used fairly dilute WT-10 developer (about 30ml developer in about 600ml water) which should accentuate the warmth.   Foma says it's 'specially designed for portraits and retro-style works'.  And the best bit?  It's supposed to be suitable for both lith and Bromoil processes.

Of course I had to see how it toned.  Interestingly, in the bleach it didn't appear to be reacting terribly enthusiastically, so I left it in a good bit longer than usual (I normally only bleach a short time before pulling the print so the overall effect isn't too noticeable).  But as you can see, after the print hit the toner (which again I have well diluted) the effect was strong.  I like it.  The scan does the print no justice whatsoever - the paper is really lovely with very rich, deep tones and when you get some light on it, it really sparkles.

The other West Bank

Another shot from Derry's Walls - this time looking over the Fountain Estate.  For a bit of fun I printed out the film rebates, so you can see what a Hasselblad full frame shot looks like - its signature are the two notches along the left side and the corner ears:

"The other West Bank", Derry/Londonderry, 2018

It's worth clicking on the image to read the message on the wall.  Notice the one Ulster Flag flying.  The Fountain Estate is I think the only Protestant area now in the Cityside part of Derry.  During the late 60s and early 70s there was a mass exodus of Protestants to the Waterside, across the River Foyle.  Similarly, Roman Catholics living on the Waterside migrated in the other direction.  For some reason, the residents of the Fountain Estate dug in and for them, the city is definitely called Londonderry.  This shot must have been taken early summer - before July 12th.  That I know for sure, since there are large numbers of wooden pallets stacked along the road and the beginnings of a bonfire on the waste patch in the foreground.  For the Annual 12th July celebrations there are many bonfires erected across Northern Ireland - largely made from pallets.  Some are big - very big!  They are traditionally lit on the 11th Night.

What this shot is missing is a human.  I ran out of patience and typically, as I lowered the camera after taking the shot a youngster on a bicycle came around the corner and pedalled up past the flag.  That would have made the shot, I think.  Next time I shall stay a bit longer and hopefully get what I want. 

From Derry's Walls

An old shot, from a couple of years ago on a walk around the Walls of Derry (which I've covered a few times before, see for example here).  This one is looking North-West over the Bogside - the long straight road on the left is Westland Street.  That's St Eugene's Cathedral on the right and the hills of Inishowen in Donegal beyond:

The Bogside&St Eugene's Cathedral, Derry c2018

It's a straight print this one, HP5+ on Kenthene fixed grade paper.  Taken on the Hasselblad, but cropped to 35mm proportions (there was a lot of empty foreground space).  I like the clouds.

Thankfully the Bogside is a much quieter place than it was a few decades ago.  Most of the old apartment blocks along Rossville Street have long gone although as you drive up Westland Street you are left in no doubt as to the history of the place and the people - many murals adorn the gable ends of houses and any spare wall space.  The history of the civil rights marches of 1968 and 1972 are well documented as is the conflict which lasted for the best part of 30 years.  A lot of young people left the country as soon as they could - I was one of them, going to University in England when I was 18.   Sixteen years later when I returned to work in Derry peace was finally settling in the City and elsewhere across Northern Ireland - the Good Friday Agreement was signed in April of 1998.  Then there was Omagh, which changed things forever. Today, thankfully, we have a much changed place - for the better.

Paper negatives

Something I've always fancied doing - using paper negatives.  Simple enough idea - use regular photographic paper instead of film and even easier when you've a few boxes of Barclay paper in 4"x5", the perfect size for loading into the Sinar holders.  Different to the Direct Positive Paper I tried a while back (here), the result is a negative image on the paper, which can then be developed normally and either contact printed or enlarged to produce a positive image.  The result, in the right hands, is something akin to what the photorealist photographers achieved 100 odd years ago, somewhat soft and ethereal.

It took a couple of goes to get the right ISO for the paper and I settled on about 1.5...so yes, it's slow. Unfortunately there was strong sunlight the day I was messing around with it, which I realise now is not really the best kind of light for this process.  Still...I got something:

First attempt at using paper negatives; enlarged onto Barclay paper

Unfortunately the Barclay paper, while convenient, probably isn't the best choice for this process, since it's a resin-coated paper.  From what I read, fibre paper is best as the structure of the paper adds to the look we are trying to get. 

A couple of observations.  First, when loading the paper into the sheet film holder there's a moment when you pause and think, What side should facing outwards?  Sheet film is notched to tell you which side is the emulsion surface but obviously paper isn't.  You can load under safelight conditions which helps a little but it's really a case of going by the feel of the paper.  If it's glossy paper it's easy enough to get a shine off it from the safelight but with matte, or semi-matte it can be tricky.  And...when enlarging, the hardest part is trying to get the negative focussed, since there's no grain. 

The result isn't spectacular, but it's OK for a first attempt and shows promise, I think.  Next time I'll try it on an overcast day and sacrifice a sheet of fibre paper to see how it goes.

In a strange place

Understandably, we're all a bit of out sorts at the the minute.  Everyone's feeling very drained, physically and emotionally...gradually coming to terms with the situation.  The way things panned out, it was a bit of a blessing that Nanny didn't linger too long - once your health deteriorates beyond a certain point you want a quick, painless and dignified end, and that is what happened.  For the rest of us, life goes on - photographs and memories are there to remind us of what was.

I haven't picked up a camera in the last week or so and therefore I'm posting scans of prints that were made a couple of weeks ago.  This was taken in full afternoon sun, which wasn't the greatest of ideas, but I was excited to try out a new-to-me 16mm extension tube for the Hasselblad.  This was taken on the 150mm lens:

Old watering can and flower, FP4+ in R09 1:25 on Barclay fixed grade paper.

The Hasselblad has its quirks - and if you forget them, it can get expensive.  The main thing to remember is that the lens and body can only be attached and detached when both are in a cocked state.  So, the golden rule is always advance the film (which automatically cocks the shutter in the lens) after taking a shot and especially before removing the lens. For safety, I also try to remember to insert the darkslide before removing a lens, to prevent accidentally tripping the shutter release button on the camera body when the lens is off. With extension tubes, extra care is required.  The tube must be mounted on the body first, then lens to tube.  Removal is the opposite - remove lens from tube first, then tube from body.  It's the removal when problems are likely to occur, I think, since by that stage it's easy to forget you have the extension tube fitted and just unmount tube and lens together.   Pretty much every other aspect of the Hasselblad system I love, but that is something that sooner or later, in the heat of the moment I can see myself forgetting.   If you are brave, you can fix a jammed 'Blad yourself, but it involves inserting a long screwdriver through the back of the camera body to manually cock the shutter in the lens via a screw.  Not a problem in itself, but you are using a sharp metal screwdriver in close proximity to a very expensive Zeiss lens back element.  One slip is all it takes...

The watering can was another find from my mum's shed.  It was from before the days of plastic everything and boy is it heavy, even empty.  It takes a nice photograph, though, so I'll try it again on a less contrasty light.