My foray into Large Format Pinhole photography

I'd been eyeing this camera for a couple of months. For some insane reason I have had this bug to do large format pinhole photography and have been shopping around for cameras. I have also been interested in zone plate photography so, hands down, the Zero 45 won the in the "WANT" department. So when I came upon some extra cash I bought it! It was a birthday present to myself. 

Since my Zero 2000 has the same wide angle as the Zero 45 without an extension frame I added one to my setup. I thought it would be nice to mix things up a little bit and have options. 

My very generous friend Jeff sent me an amazingly awesome magazine contraption that holds six sheets of film! And I received a pack of Arista 100 for my birthday. So I was set! 

I spent the week trying out all of the various settings. I shot a couple with the extension frame, without the extension frame. I shot a few using the zone plate settings. It didn't take long to get through six sheets. 

I ordered a Mod54 and developed them Friday evening. Since I don't have a scanner that will scan 4x5 I went to Newspace to make prints of them. 

The whole process has been fun and a great learning experience. I am not sure what to make of the actual photos concerning subject matter and composition. I suppose I will get a handle on this the more I use it. Practically I have a lot to learn. For example, I really scratched the negatives getting them into the tank and I will need to be more careful next time. Another consideration is to load my tank in a light proof room as the dark bag is a bit too small for all of the stuff inside of it. 

 

Pinhole, no extension  frame (25mm). 4 minute exposure. 


Zone plate with one extension frame (50mm). 4 minute exposure.

Pinhole. No extension frame (25mm). 1 min. 25 seconds. 

Sun, silence all around. No, no one around.

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This was taken at Bridal Veil falls in the Columbia Gorge, Oregon. This isn't the falls, just the creek that leads from the falls to the Columbia River. 

Also: this is another photo named by randomly choosing lyrics from the first song that plays on my iTunes. I am kind of having fun with this. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. This time it worked! The lyrics fit the scene perfectly. The song is one that I hadn't heard before, or if I had I don't remember it. It's called "Toe cutter/thumb buster" and it by a band called Thee Oh Sees. I know nothing about them except for this song, which is great. I have it on repeat in my "Current Faves" playlist. 

Camera: Zero 2000
Exposure time: 25 seconds
Film: Kodak Ektar 100
Pinhole: 0.18mm
Focal Length: 25mm
ISO: 100
Aperture: f138
Dev: C-41 by Lab
Scan: Epson V500

I'm feeling rough I'm feeling raw I'm in the prime of my life.

Oaks Park, Portland Oregon.

Oaks Park, Portland Oregon.

Having not had my coffee yet, I chose the photo title by choosing the first line of the first song that played on iTunes when I uploaded the photo. It was MGMT's Time To Pretend.

Today is my birthday and these lyrics are perfect. 

Camera: Zero 2000
Exposure time: 2 minutes 26 seconds
Film: Kodak Ektar 100
Pinhole: 0.18mm
Focal Length: 25mm
ISO: 100
Aperture: f138
Dev: C-41 by Lab
Scan: Epson V500

The truth is behind the kale and yogurt

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A few weeks ago someone on Facebook (I can't remember who it was now) linked to a tweet from someone else I can't remember. What I do remember is the tweet. It said (something like) "Checking Facebook has become the equivalent of opening the refrigerator and not finding what you are looking for."  I love that metaphor. Have you ever done this? Opened the refrigerator and stared into it and not finding that one thing that will make you happy? Isn't life like this sometimes? 

So this refrigerator metaphor had been on my mind for a few days when I decided to do a pinhole interpretation of it. Yes, I stood there with the door open for more than 8 minutes. I felt kinda bad about that. But it was for art. 

Camera: Zero 2000
Exposure time: 8 minutes 24 seconds
Film: Kodak Ektar 100
Pinhole: 0.18mm
Focal Length: 25mm
ISO: 100
Aperture: f138
Dev: C-41 by Lab
Scan: Epson V500

Sanctuary

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It has been awhile since I've posted on this blog! It is because I have been waiting for film to process. I've been shooting a lot of pinhole lately and I prefer color film when I shoot pinhole so that means relying on the lab to process it when I can get there. I like to save up a few rolls to justify driving into Portland to the lab. 

When I got these rolls back I was particularly happy with how sharp they were! One thing I did differently was using my finger as the shutter, as suggested by the folks at Zero Image. I opened my shutter and very quickly placed my finger over the hole then removed my finger, exposed the image, then replaced my finger and closed the shutter. I do this with my holga pinhole as well, except I use the lens cap instead of my finger. I notice a marked difference in sharpness!

This was taken at Bridal Veil Falls in the Columbia Gorge, Oregon. 

 

Camera: Zero 2000
Exposure time: 20seconds
Film: Kodak Ektar 100
Pinhole: 0.18mm
Focal Length: 25mm
ISO: 100
Aperture: f138
Dev: C-41 by Lab
Scan: Epson V500

You lead the way, I'll follow.

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Another taken at Wildwood park, one of my favorite places. And another one of those random song lyric titles. I really like this idea: putting random things together after the fact to come up with a story. 

Camera: Holga WPC
Exposure time: 23 seconds
Film: Kodak Ektar 100
Pinhole: 0.3mm
Focal Length: 40mm
ISO: 100
Aperture: f135
Dev: C-41 by lab
Scan: Epson V500

"I can't remember anything, can't tell if this is true or a dream"

The snow is all melted and long gone. It's like it was all a dream. 

The snow is all melted and long gone. It's like it was all a dream. 

I am not very good at coming up with titles of things. Photos are some of those things. I think titles are so important. As I move further into this hobby I am realizing this. I am realizing the importance of storytelling. I think the title is one of the very important elements in the story telling that goes on in photography. The viewer doesn't have much else to go on, there is the title and then there is the image. It is up to the viewer to create the story in their mind. The story is completely up to them. 

So I am trying to get better at titling things. 

With that in mind, I was looking at this image I took the day after our Ice Storm (this past Monday). I kind of liked it and thought I would upload it to Flickr. But, for the life of me, I couldn't think of a title. I thought of my standard "state the obvious" (ice on branch) but i'm sick of stating the obvious. I wanted to come up with something better than that. I decided to do something else, since my brain was being uncooperative.  I would let fate title this photo. 

I turned iTunes on random and thought, "the first song that comes on, the first line of that song, that will be the title of this photo. I don't care what it is." 

So I pushed play and Metallica's One came on. I listened to the beginning musical lines and thought "wow, if I could title this photo with music this would be perfect" because have you ever sat and listened to the musical introduction to this song? It's really beautiful and sad and it seemed fitting. But then the first lines played: "I can't remember anything, can't tell if this is true or a dream." It was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

 

Camera: Canon EOS Elan ii
Lens: Canon FD 50mm 1:1.8
Film: Fomapan 100
ISO: 100
Dev: Diafine (home developed)
Scan: Epson V500

Filmswap with Craoni

Craoni, also know as Tony, is a friend that I know from Flickr. I "met" him when he saw one of the film swap photos I did with Brendan. He was kind of blown away by the results and wanted to try it himself so I sent some film his way. I used Portra 800 and I really love the results of this film. I kind of feel bad that I "wasted" a roll of this film on a film swap because it is expensive and so wonderful. But it had been sitting in my closet for awhile and I felt like I needed to use it. 

I am very happy with how these turned out! They have a very dreamy quality to them. 

Mine were taken around Mt. Hood (Oregon) and his were taken somewhere in Australia. You can see more of our filmswap here. Find more of Tony's work on his Flickr. 

(click thumbnail for bigger.)

Let's go for a walk in the snow

Last week I found a camera in my closet that I'd completely forgotten about: A Praktika MTL3. I bought it last summer at at thrift store for $10. It came with another lens and some other extender thing that I haven't a clue what to do with. 

I hadn't heard of this camera before but I decided to buy it anyway. I brought it home and shoved it on the top shelf of my closet and forgot about it until last week. The weird thing about finding it when I did: It seemed like everyone on my Twitter feed was talking about the Praktica last week. In fact, someone posted a photo of the very same model that I had. So I decided that Fate was trying to tell me something. I loaded it up and took it with out on a snowy walk the other day. 

I really enjoyed using this camera! It is so old school but so incredibly easy to use. Very intuitive. I like the results from it too. My husband likes them too. He has decided that he wants this camera for himself. I think that's a great idea! 

Camera: Praktika MTL3
Lens: Pentacon auto 1.8/50
Film: Kodak Tri-x
ISO: 100
Dev: Diafine (home developed)
Scan: Epson V500

15

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Taken on a foggy day at Mt Tabor in Portland Oregon. You could barely see the reservoir. Here is another image taken at the same time with an SLR. I kind of like whatever is going on with the numbers here. I am not sure what happened. The film was expired. It was a happy accident. 

Camera: Zero 2000
Exposure time:15 seconds
Film: Fuji Velvia 50
Pinhole: 0.18mm
Focal Length: 25mm
ISO: 50
Aperture: f138
Dev: C-41 by Lab x-proed
Scan: Epson V500

reflected

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This is from the same roll as my last post. I had my Yashica Mat in my purse with me as I stepped into the grocery store. I passed by this game as I do everyday but this time I looked at it and I saw my reflection. I stopped and took this shot as passers-by got annoyed with me for blocking the foyer. 

I have been looking at Vivian Maier's work, as many others have, and love her reflection self portraits. I was inspired by her, as well as Jana Obscura, who did a series of self portraits with her Rolleiflex a few months ago.

Though I am not sure inspiration is really the right word here. I have been doing these since I have had a camera in my hand. I think it is a natural thing for us photographers to do because I am not the only one. I wonder why? 

Camera: Yashica Mat 124G
Film: Fuji Neopan Acros 100
ISO: 100
Dev: Diafine (home developed)
Scan: Epson V500

Produce Stand


This week I decided to take out my favorite camera, my Yashica Mat 124g. I bought this camera two years (ish) ago. It was the first nice film camera I bought - a step up from my Holga. So this camera is very special to me. When take it out it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. 

Over the past couple of years I've decided that for this camera I like using Black and White film. I also really, really wanted to try shooting portraits with it. So last September I loaded it up with film and it has been sitting on my fireplace mantle ever since. I decided that neglect needed to end so I shot the whole roll on Sunday in about an hour and then came home and developed and scanned the negatives.

I have to say, there is something really awesome about not having to wait for someone else to develop you negatives. That waiting game has taught me lots over the past couple of years but, wow. I really like the (almost) instant gratification of doing it myself. 

Here is a shot of an old building in the small town I live in. It's kind of quirky and i love it. 

Camera: Yashica Mat124G
Film: Fuji Neopan Acros 100
ISO: 100
Dev: Diafine (home developed)
Scan: Epson V500

My first pinhole photo

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Yesterday I learned that some of my pinhole photography friends started a podcast! It's called The Pinhole Podcast and you can listen here. I listened to the whole thing this morning and really enjoyed it. I know  these guys from the online world so it was fantastic to put voices to the names. I learned lots, just from this first podcast and it had me thinking about my own pinhole photography - something I will probably blather on about in later posts after my thoughts have percolated for a bit.

As a way of introduction, they discussed how they got started in pinhole photography. This discussion inspired me to post my first pinhole photo, which you can see above. It is a photo of the park near my house. i shoot this scene quite often with many different cameras. 

The pinhole camera  I used was a cardboard box that I made myself from a kit.

I came to pinhole photography the same way I come to many other things in my life - procrastination. It started with a seed planted 7 years ago. My Spokane Flickr friend, Nick, was shooting pinhole way back in the olden days of digital photography. I remember seeing a photo he took at Glacier Park and I was completely blown away. It looked like something out of a dream. I was so immersed in digital photography I didn't really know what to with pinhole so I filed it away in my brain. That seed sat there for years and years and years. 4 years ago my husband bought me a pinhole camera kit for valentines day and I remembered this little seed. I read the instructions over and over again and was overwhelmed by them so I put the box in the closet where it sat for three years. Then the time came. I took the box out last April and I put the cardboard camera together and I took the camera out for a spin. I found out later that World Pinhole Photography Day was two weeks later! So I took it out for a spin again. Unfortunately the Oregon Rain was too much for it and it pretty much dissolved after two outings. 

The rest is history! I took a class in June and I haven't been able to stop thinking about pinhole ever since. 

That's my pinhole story. 

 

I am an apparition

Having played with the 6x9 mask on my Holga WPC a few times, I was itching to try out the 6x12 mask. I took my camera with me on an adventure to Sauvie Island, and I ended up here, at Cathedral Park in Portland. I thought it might be fun to try a self portrait for the last shot on the roll. I have to admit, I do love the self portrait pinhole shots. I need to remember to do more of these when I am out shooting.

I really, really love these wide pinhole shots. Lots. I didn't think I would like the 6x12 ones but I love them. There is a lot of vignetting on the edges of the frame which I can do without, though. It's funny, in Lightroom there is an effect that adds vignetting to a photo. I remember the days when I liked that effect. 

Camera: Holga WPC
Exposure time: 47 seconds
Film: Kodak Ektar 100
Pinhole: 0.3mm
Focal Length: 40mm
ISO: 100
Aperture: f135
Dev: C-41 by lab
Scan: Epson V500

That bridge in Newport

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Yesterday was kind of a momentous day for me. I am still reeling from the happiness of it. I developed my first roll of black and white film at home! I have been procrastinating this for two years – at least. It is something that has been on my mind for a very long time. For some reason – fear- kept me from doing it. I spent lots and lots of time researching it and thinking about it and envying those who were doing it. Then last year I took a Darkroom class where I learned how to develop film as well as make darkroom prints. Since March of last year I have been going into Newspace a couple of times a month to develop film, using their developer and most of their equipment. They have a beautiful set up. I have had my own tanks and darkbag for a very long time (two years maybe?) and so I’ve been pre-loading my film in my tank at home and taking into Newspace for developing. After months and months of using their developer (D-76) I decided that I wanted to play around and try new things. So I took the plunge and bought the chemicals and equipment to develop at home.

I bought Adonal and was planning on starting with that doing stand development but while I was on a photowalk on Saturday,  a fellow film photographer sold me on Diafine. It sounded pretty fool proof and simple (like stand development) but with way shorter development time. I picked some up and mixed it the next day. I let it sit overnight and decided to go for it with the roll I’d just finished.

I read too much about it and debated whether I should or shouldn’t pre-soak. In the end I didn’t pre-soak but I ended up with some weird chemistry on some of the frames. After reading about it some more, I think I am going to try pre-soaking next time. We’ll see what happens. I can’t wait to try it again!

I am happy with what I have scanned so far, issues aside. I am loving the contrast, I think. I am not sure how easy these negatives will be to print in the darkroom though. That is the final test for me because my goal is to make my time in the darkroom efficient.

Camera: Canon EOS Elan ii
Lens: Canon FD 50mm 1:1.8
Film: Fomapan Creative 200
ISO: 200
Dev: Diafine (home developed)
Scan: Epson V500

Wahclella Falls

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My brother found an Electro 35 at an estate sale and offered it to me. I don’t have a rangefinder camera so I accepted. I had to do some doctoring on the camera, but not much. The camera was in surprisingly good shape. At first I wasn’t happy with the results using black and white film but a few people suggested I try color film before I closet the camera forever. I did and I think I am falling in love with it. On Thanksgiving I brought it with me on a hike to Wahclella Falls in the Columbia Gorge.  I love what this camera does with Portra 160.

Camera: Yashica Electro 35
Film: Portra 160
ISO: 160
Dev: C-41 by lab
Scan: Epson V500

Follow Me Into The Trees

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While 2013 hasn’t been the best for me personally and for my family, it has been a fantastic year for photography. Photography was the light in my life, the thing that kept me together through the tough times. I have met some really wonderful people all over the world because of my passion for film photography and I couldn’t be more grateful. This past year I have collaborated creatively with other photographers, learned how todevelop my own film, learned how to make prints in the darkroom, and became obsessed with pinhole photography. When I look at all of these wonderful things I truly can say that, while it was challenging, it was also a great year.

While one can never be certain about what the future holds, I know that I am looking forward to 2014.

May you and yours have a wonderful year!

Camera: Canon EOS Elan ii
Lens: Canon FD 50mm 1:1.8
Film: Fomapan 100
ISO: 100
Aperture: f1.8
Dev: D-76 by me
Scan: Epson V500

Uncertainty

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While 2013 hasn’t been the best for me personally and for my family, it has been a fantastic year for photography. Photography was the light in my life, the thing that kept me together through the tough times. I have met some really wonderful people all over the world because of my passion for film photography and I couldn’t be more grateful. This past year I have collaborated creatively with other photographers, learned how todevelop my own film, learned how to make prints in the darkroom, and became obsessed with pinhole photography. When I look at all of these wonderful things I truly can say that, while it was challenging, it was also a great year.

While one can never be certain about what the future holds, I know that I am looking forward to 2014.

May you and yours have a wonderful year!

Camera: Canon EOS Elan ii
Lens: Canon FD 50mm 1:1.8
Film: Fomapan 100
ISO: 100
Aperture: f1.8
Dev: D-76 by me
Scan: Epson V500

Sometimes the inexplicable happens

One day last summer my friend Inge alerted me and some other friends to a contest from Fluster Magazine. It was a film swap contest and she thought that I would be interested in participating. She was right (as you might have guessed). I was very interested. So I filled out the form so I could be partnered with a swap buddy. My buddy was a woman from Singapore and she would be the first shooter. I was really excited at the prospect of collaborating with someone from Singapore! However, two weeks went by and I didn’t hear a word from her. The person in charge of the contest emailed me to check in and I told her that my partner hadn’t gotten in touch yet so she said she would connect me with someone else.

A couple of days later I got a message from my friend Brendan. He said that his Swappa partner didn’t work out and they randomly partnered him with a person named Moni from the USA (me). I thought he was joking. I thought this was his funny way of asking to do another filmswap and so  I went along with the joke. My initial assumption was that his Swappa buddy didn’t work out and he was the first shooter, so he had this film swap roll needing a home (crazy how the mind works at  5:30 in the morning). Eventually it became clear that this was no joke. And, indeed, I checked my email and there was something from the organizer introducing Brendan and I as Swappa buddies and giving us instruction on what to do.

So yeah. That was weird.

It just so happens that three of our photos made it into the finals and are in a book.You can preview and purchase the book here.

Here are some of the results from our swap. They turned out really great. My shots were taken at Timberline Lodge and the Japanese Garden in PDX and his in and around Dublin, Ireland.