I finally figured out how to scan-in this panoramic from our post-freshman year trip to Yosemite. This is on the peak of Clouds Rest. We hiked 13 miles an ascended ~3000 feet to make it here before sunset. It was one of the most exhilarating days of my life with an all-time 360 degree view to match, note half dome in frame 11...
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Saturday, February 10, 2018
Friday, February 9, 2018
Monday, February 5, 2018
First Time Developing at Home
Leila got a film developing kit for X-mas. It was finally time to give it a go this past weekend, so we went out on a couple of walks on Saturday and each shot through a whole roll of B&W. Leila with her Minolta slr and Tmax 400, I used my Widelux and Ilford Delta 100.
We had some powered developer, fixer and liquid stop bath, a thermometer, a couple of 1 liter bottles, the developing tank, and some scissors. I wont go into too many details but just getting all the liquids and titrations and dilutions ready and then at the right temperature (68F) is a huge ordeal. And then after all that setting up the bathroom to be pitch black dark and then trying to open the film canister, cut the ends and feed it into a tiny reel and seal it inside the tank was involved to say the least. The actual developing wasnt too bad after we figured out the steps with all the times and agitation intervals etc. We wrote it down:
Minolta (note half-frames and water marks):
We had some powered developer, fixer and liquid stop bath, a thermometer, a couple of 1 liter bottles, the developing tank, and some scissors. I wont go into too many details but just getting all the liquids and titrations and dilutions ready and then at the right temperature (68F) is a huge ordeal. And then after all that setting up the bathroom to be pitch black dark and then trying to open the film canister, cut the ends and feed it into a tiny reel and seal it inside the tank was involved to say the least. The actual developing wasnt too bad after we figured out the steps with all the times and agitation intervals etc. We wrote it down:
We ended up going through the whole process twice bc our films were different speeds and required different developing times. The rolls came out perfect from a developing standpoint. But, as it just so happens, Leila's Minolta shutter was only opening about a third of the way, so many frames came back small or not there at all. It always seems to be the rule for me with film photography, whenever I take one step forward, the camera or equipment or film or something will fail and take me a couple steps back. But I guess that is how to learn this art and science.
We were lucky enough that the Widelux worked. The one thing we did not have was water repellent, so as the film dried the evaporating water left behind residue, so that is something that will have to be addressed next time. But as for the exposure and developing time, it seems to be working. What a revolution it would be if we could stop going to the store to get our film developed...the entire process could be internalized: shoot, develop, and scan right from home.
Thats the dream for now.
Minolta (note half-frames and water marks):
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