09
Jun
2018
Film
23
May
2018
PYRO DEVELOPERS; SUBTLE YET DIFFERENT
When you go into your darkroom year after year and print your negatives, you slowly become acutely aware of the most minute changes in image quality. It’s this intimate contact with your craft and subject that allows you to see the minute changes that the materials and process make. The prints you made in years past may now seem to be lacking. Even those negatives you were never quite able to interpret into a suitable finished image may somehow come alive when you apply new wisdom and technique. Everything in the chain of events, from the camera to the finished photograph can and will make a difference. Some can make a vast amount of difference; others can be very small. Yet they all add together in the finished print.
When we first started working with Pyro developers it took some time to realize exactly how the different look and feel of the film would translate into the finished print. There are those that say there is no difference between different film developers. They may also say there is no difference in the film you choose. That is like saying there is no difference between Ford and Chevy; no difference between red or white wine. Maybe for some this may be the case. But for those that take the time to really look and absorb the image, there is always a difference. Fred Picker said, “different is not the same!”
Never let the opinion of someone else dictate your choices; either in life or photographically. You need to prove all things for yourself. Never fall prey to hearsay. Test everything for yourself. If you feel the need to explore Pyro developers, by all means take the time to do your own testing. To really know, you have to find the answers for yourself. A quick dabble will not do. You need to establish your personal film speed and developing time. Then go out and make photographs in the real world. And not just a few photographs, but a lot; over time; test; adjust as needed. Give yourself at least a years worth of real photography. Then you will have enough experience to make a really personal and informed decision.
Is there a real difference in a Pyro film developer? This is a question you will have to answer for yourself. Just do not fall into the trap of depending on someone else to make the decision for you. Pyro was good enough for Edward Weston, Morley Baer and many others. If we could only ask them their opinion.
Over the past 20 or so years Pyro film developers have again become popular, with modern reformulations for modern film. John Wimberley, Gordon Hutchings, Sandy King, Jay DeFehr, among others, have done a lot of research and have formulated numerous reincarnations of Pyro film developers, specifically designed for use with modern film. Steve Sherman, Bob Herbst, Michael A. Smith and Steve Simmons have written extensively about Pyro developers and their unique qualities. Susan and I have made our choice based on our own real world experiences. We join with the many others that are also Pyro developer users.
30
Apr
2018
ILFORD PHOTO ULF CUSTOM FILM RUN 2018
Time to order your Ilford ULF film. You have until Friday 25th May 2018 to place your orders with participating Dealers. Your order will start shipping in August and you should check with your local ULF reseller for expected arrival dates.
This annual campaign allows ULF photographers the opportunity to order selected sizes of ILFORD sheet film and other specialist products without the constraints of the usual minimum order quantity.
You will find more information HERE.
26
Mar
2018
ILFORD PHOTO; CALLING ALL FILM SHOOTERS
10
Feb
2018
IS A PYRO FILM DEVELOPER RIGHT FOR YOU?
The first time I used pyrogallol was unforgettable. During lunchtime on a hot summer day in 1970, I left work and climbed a hill nearby to expose some test negatives. That evening, I tray processed the 4×5 Plus-X in Kodak D-1, a classic version of “ABC Pyro.” When I turned on the light, what I saw made my heart pound. The negatives were beautiful: tones were spectacularly differentiated throughout the density range, especially in the highlights. And what sharpness! I knew I’d finally found my developer.*
-John Wimberly-
I believe that an artist is never satisfied. As photographers, we all started somewhere. For me it began many years ago; more than I care to count. I can remember when it was a thrill, almost magic, to just get something from the camera to a finished print. My early attempts now do not excite me that much but they were where I started and I cannot deny my vision and skills have changed over the years. My wife and I have continued to hone our photographic vision and skills and we continue to evolve. The journey through creativity is never ending.
So, what does this all have to do with developers? Film, camera, lenses, chemicals and process are all only a means to the end product; the finished print. Each item alone may or may not be of major significance, but everything plays a roll all the way to the end. For many years we used Kodak HC-110 film developer. I fine tuned the developing times and even had my own dilution that I called Dilution JBH. We have hundreds of LF and ULF negatives processed in HC-110. This is about the best film developer you can use if you are just starting out. I am not a practitioner of the film of the month club nor the developer of the month club either. I believe you choose carefully, then spend your time wringing everything you possibly can from your choices. But, as I say, an artist is never satisfied. There is always that little something more.
This drive for continually progressing forward is what led me to begin exploring Pyro developers. I did a lot of research. We both did a lot of real-world testing, using numerous Pyro film formulas. This quest turned into several years of experimentation, but we both feel we learned a lot and did find that little something extra. We both agree the effort was well worth the time we invested.
Pyro film developers are different. Though the difference is very subtle and really cannot be fully appreciated unless you have some experience with the more traditional developers. I would never recommend that a newcomer to film photography start with a Pyro developer. You need to refine your skills first with a non-staining developer, so you will see the minute differences a Pyro developer creates.
JB
* “PyroTechnics Plus: Formulating a New Developer” by John Wimberly, Photo Techniques Magazine, March/April 2003, p.34-37
22
Jan
2018
FROM THE ROAD; 2017 TRIP TO UTAH
We have returned home from another trip photographing in Utah. We did come home a couple of days early due to impending winter weather here in Texas. It was near warm out West, while everything from Texas Eastward was in the deep freeze. We did have an excellent trip and we had an amazing time finding new things and making new photographs of some of our favorite places.
Here are a few statistics from this year’s trip:
DAYS ON THE ROAD TOTAL: 29
DAYS IN BRYCE CANYON NP: 3
DAYS IN SPRINGDALE, UT: 16
DAYS IN MOAB, UT: 5
NUMBER OF DAYS PHOTOGRAPHING: 16
SUSAN 4X10 FILM: 87
SUSAN 8X20 FILM: 7
JB 8X10 FILM: 67
JB 11X14 FILM: 12
TOTAL MILES DRIVEN: 3,745
It will take us some time to get the film processed, sorted, filed and proofed. Hopefully we brought back more interesting photographs to print. We invite everyone to follow us on our Web Site, our BLOG and FaceBook. For those of you that traveled with us and followed our ‘FROM THE ROAD’ 2017 emails, thanks for traveling with us! We have gathered all of the emails into a PDF you can view here:
FROM THE ROAD 2017
Hope you enjoyed traveling with us, it is always fun sharing the ‘From the Road’ updates.
JB & Susan
24
Apr
2017
THANKS EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT!
We would like to thank everyone that attended our presentation last Thursday evening at the DCP. We had an energetic group of photographers and photography enthusiasts. A special thank you to the DCP for including us in their 2017 DCP Speaker Series, the Texas Photographic Society and Frame Destination! Here are a few photos from the evening courtesy of Courtney. . .
JB & Susan
03
Mar
2017
DCP SPEAKER SERIES; 04/20/2017
Hello Everyone; Mark your calendar for April 20, 2017 and join us at the DCP for an evening of traditional photography. We will be giving a talk titled “FULLY COMMITTED: MARRIED TO THEIR CRAFT AND EACH OTHER.” We will also have cameras and associated gear, along with a few original photographs on display.
Looking forward to seeing you at the DCP!
JB & Susan
17
Oct
2016
TRANSPARENT TECHNIQUE
“It is a truism that the more skillful the photograph, the more invisible the art of creation. If the photographer had done a competent job, his insights become so lucid, universal and accessible that they seem to belong to the observer of his work. What follows, then, is the assumption that the viewer could have produced the work. This, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, is why the myth endures that the photographer merely pulls out a picture as a dentist extracts a tooth.”
ZONE VI NEWSLETTER by Fred Picker, Number 45, December, 1985, p.8
I believe that people think I must spend most of my time building and testing. It is true that I do spend time in my shop building and modifying equipment. I spend a lot of time in the darkroom testing and experimenting with the photographic process. But believe me, I only do what is necessary to make my images say what I want. It is about finding what works, and making it work the way I want. I like to think of the technique as being transparent. I do not want the process to get in the way when I am out working. I want to concentrate, without distraction, as much of my working time as possible on my subject. I do not want to be distracted with the process.
We have had very few malfunctions on the road with the equipment. I attribute that to being aware, and up to date with keeping everything in proper operating condition well before we head out. Most problems we have had in the field are minor, mostly adjustment related and are taken care of once we return home. We do spend a lot of time in preparation for a long photography trip. Details are worked out well before we leave. Everything from a detailed calendar, hotel reservations, cleaning and testing equipment, loading film holders, even down to a packing check list. But that is all part of good planning.
This is what must be done before hand to help insure your creativity once in the field. You have to get all of the technical stuff out of the way. That is where you start. Learn the process. . . make it your own and do not let it get in the way of your creativity. Get all of the logistics organized and out of the way. Your technique should be as transparent as possible.
JB
NOTE: If you have a set of the ZONE VI NEWSLETTER by Fred Picker, read Number 45, December, 1985, for an interesting discussion of the art of photography. Also, I have an index available for download. Follow this LINK to our Articles area, scroll down the page and look for the “COMPLETE ZONE VI NEWSLETTER INDEX ISSUES #1 THROUGH #83.”
10
Jan
2016
THANK YOU, EVERYONE!
Susan and her 4×10, Zion NP
We spent the greater part of last December traveling in Southern Utah. We visited Bryce Canyon NP, then traveled to Zion NP and the area surrounding Springdale. Next we ventured to Moab, where we visited Arches NP and Canyonlands NP. Hope everyone enjoyed our random From The Road emails and thanks for traveling along with us! We will put up a travel album on our web site as soon as we get a little time.
Susan and her 4×10, Zion NP
Don’t forget the selfie! That seems to be the latest fad and though irritating at times, the preverbal ‘selfie’ has its appeal. We are no different, I guess. We did make a few obligatory selfies on our last trip. Saw a few people with those selfie sticks. . . some were pointed out car windows or an open moon roof while driving. Really wonder what kind of images they got? Having said all that, and not to be out done, we include a few here for your viewing pleasure. . .
Needless to say, we have quite a bit of film to process and that will take at least another month before we begin to see what we brought back. In a world of instant gratification (keep that selfie stick out of my face!), there are those that can’t understand how anyone could be that patient. This is one of the greatest attributes of LF and ULF film photography. It teaches you patience. You take your time when finding a subject. You spend even more time composing the image. Making that exposure is a one time thing. You make sure. . . then you make doubly sure, before you expose that one sheet of film. You know that you will not even get an inkling of what you captured for quite some time, so you give it your best and hope what you do pays off.