Eighteen Percent Grey

Sherbourne Common Detail

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:35 -0400

I didn't get to scan the final print of this one, as it ended up framed and heading to my friend Bill's wall before I remembered I didn't scan it. Either way, you'll have to trust me that it made for a really nice platinum/palladium print -- at least I managed to snag a shot of it when it was hanging up to dry.

Lie Low

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 20:03 -0400

Curves, Platinum Print

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 19:30 -0400

Thom #2, Black Glass Ambrotype

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:02 -0400

Self, Platinotype

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 18:30 -0400

8x10 Platinum print made from an original half-plate tintype, using an inkjet internegative.

Thom #1, Half Plate Tintype

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 18:01 -0400

Eight Seconds with the new lighting setup(!), Quinn's Quick-Clear Formula, 250mm Projection Petzval

Bear #2, Brown Tintype

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:01 -0400

Bear #1, Tintype

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:00 -0400

Ipu Heke, Tintype

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 22:16 -0400

One of my first test shots using the new budget lighting setup. Eight seconds! Couldn't be happier. This one's on Old Workhorse. I also shot a second plate using Quinn's quick-clear formula, but I preferred this one just slightly -- the other has some rather distinct pouring marks. I'll be posting up a comparison on my tumblr tomorrow.

Guitar, Tintype

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:14 -0400

250mm F4 Petzval, Quinn's Collodion Formula.

So I ended up pulling the trigger on some lighting for shooting wet plate. I ended up going with a local supplier for a real budget setup -- a couple 9-bulb CFL heads, 5600k CFLs with stands with softboxes. It was a bit of a risk, but based on what little I was able to find I was pretty confident there'd be enough UV spectrum to do the trick for collodion. And it looks like I was right! I'm going to have to do some more tests with a willing test subject, but with both lights fairly close to the subject my exposure time is somewhere in the 8-15 second range. Woot! Its a little contrasty, but I figure I can get even better results if I swap out a few of the standard bulbs for UVA blacklights. Looking forward to experimenting. Either way, now I'm ready for that long, dark Canadian winter!

Three Pine Cones, TIntype

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 23:26 -0400

Soccer Tryouts, Black Glass Ambrotype

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:00 -0400

After filing down my holder to allow standard sizes to fit, I noticed I was getting a lot of contamination around where the holder comes in to contact with the plate. I'm much more meticulous now about cleaning the holder between shots as a result. A few squirts of spray varnish also seems to have helped quite a bit.

Storage

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 22:01 -0400

That Other Instant Camera, Wet Plate Tintype

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:30 -0400

One hundred years after Fredrick Scott Archer developed the wet-plate collodion process in 1848, Edwin H. Land brought a new kind of instant photography to the masses in 1948.

Testing out my 9" f4 Petzval on its jury-rigged cardboard, popsicle stick and elastic band lensboard. I got this lens for 5x7 or whole plate eventually, but in the mean time its hanging out on the Chamonix 45n1. Not so much on the swirlies at this size, but I'm loving it nonetheless. Great shallow DoF and nice sharp center point. Can't wait to try some portraits with it. Image inverted horizontally when scanning to flip the text.

Joanne, Tintype Diptych

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 11:00 -0400

Happy labour day! Suckered Joanne in to posing for a couple of practice shots on the balcony on Saturday. Wet plate collodion tintypes or "alumitypes" on aluminum plates from Lund Photographic. I had a helluva time getting these plates to fit in my Chamonix plate holder, but a little bit (ok, a lot) of elbow-grease sanding the holder down and now I can finally fit standard pre-cut 4x5 plates or glass rather than having to custom cut to fit. Still debating whether to just order an Ake holder, they look really nice and the ABS plastic might help prevent oyster marks.

Alcohol Lamp and Collodion, Black Glass Ambrotype

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:30 -0400

77 Howard, Black Glass Ambrotype

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 22:39 -0400

Old Workhorse collodion on black spectrum glass. One of my first passable plates. Starting to get the hang of pouring -- not exactly defect-free but at least its sticking to the glass! So much to learn still.

Sherbourne Common UV Water Treatment, Ziatype

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:57 -0400

Warm-tone (sodium tungstate) Ziatype on Revere Platinum. Fumed Silica added directly to sensitizer.

Under the bridge, Cyanotype

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:11 -0400

Ware Cyanotype with Fumed Silica treated paper.

Good Girl

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 22:07 -0400

Broken Heart, Platinum Print

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 21:34 -0400

I've been experimenting with adding fumed silica directly to the sensitizer instead of pre-treating the paper with it. Just adding in the powder doesn't work, and diluting it with water and adding to the sensitizer causes brush marks and unevenness. I think I've got a viable method for introducing the silica this way almost figured out, as this print ended up with a nice rich dmax and no visible streaks or blotchiness. Might just be a fluke, going to have to do some more testing.

Common Detail, Platinum Print

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 21:00 -0400

6.25"x6.25" Platinum/Palladium Print on Revere Platinum 300gsm paper. Paper pre-coated with dry fumed silica, developed in warm potassium oxalate.

A few minor brush marks on this one, still getting the hang of the fumed-silica precoat.

Secret Garden

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 15:00 -0400

Unchained, Ziatype

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 13:00 -0400

My first semi-successful ziatype that wasn't just a Chartthrob wedge ;). I'm having a hard time getting a feel for the ziatype process, in particular coming up with a set of usable curves for digital internegatives. It seems to respond quite a bit differently than my standard na2 pt/pd profile. This curve was the best I could get at in QTR, yet when I go to print an actual image its coming out way too dark. The original negative of this image is much brighter. I tried my hand at the athenatype process in this same printing session and was able to make a fairly nice first-try print (minus some unattractive brush marks due to poor fumed silica application) using my standard pt/pd profile and almsot the same time as a pt/pd image. Weird.

Forgotten Cross, Platinum Print

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:59 -0400

Springs, Kallitype

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:00 -0400

Kallitype on Arches Aquarelle Hot Press. Really pleased with the way this kallitype turned out on a paper I don't use too often. I didn't great great results with Pt/Pd on Arches Hot Press so I haven't been using it much for anything.

This is actually a double-coated kallitype. I spilled some water and a droplet got on the first coating, so rather than toss it I decided to try a second coat. A little difficult to get cleared, but I'm really pleased with the rich blacks and overall tonality. I used to think double-coating was a bit of a waste, but now I'm not so sure -- the results sure look nice. Based on this print I'm thinking it will be one of my go-to papers for kallitypes moving forward. Will have to compare with a single-coated kallitype on the same paper at some point to be sure.

Tiger Lilies after the Rain, Pt/Pd Print

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 18:00 -0400

8x10 Platinum/Palladium print on Bergger COT320.

Laundry, Norham ON

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:00 -0400

Shasty Daisy, Platinum Print

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 20:30 -0400

This Shasta Daisy was outside our B&B when we were up in Campbellford, ON visiting my sister. It had rained that morning, and I loved the way the raindrops clung to it in the morning light.

I had some Rollei Retro 80s loaded in my SQAi, and compared to my usual Acros its pretty contrasty in Rodinal 1:100. For this roll, I tried out a combo of Rodinal and HC110 to see if it would give less contrasty results. I'm pretty pleased with the result, it really seems to control the highlights. When it came to printing, my first attempt with this shot ended up with blown highlights, so I figured it was time for a recalibration of my process. A couple quick rounds of Chartthrob and the results have been great.

Juliet Balconies, Lower Jarvis St., Platino-Palladiotype

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 12:00 -0400

My first experiment with using hot potassium oxalate developer on Bergger COT320 paper. Definitely warmer tone in comparison to this print, which was developed at room temperature (although that one is also on Arches Platine).

Walkway, Bleeker St.

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 21:39 -0400

Yashicamat 124G, Acros 100 in Rodinal 1:100 stand.

Jarvis and Charles, Platinum Print

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:00 -0400

Bronica SQAi, 50mm S. 6"x6" Platinum/Palladium printed on Arches Platine paper. 15 minutes UV exposure, developed in Potassium Oxalate

Sasha, Cyanotype

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 12:28 -0400

Finally got the magenta print-head unblocked on my Epson 2200, so now I'm able to make digital internegatives again. I really didn't want to splash out on a new printer, especially considering how well-suited the old 2200 workhorse is for creating digital negatives. Testing my workflow, I settled on this shot of Sasha from my SQAi as a Cyanotype -- didn't want to risk wasting precious platinum on a workflow test! Not to say I don't love cyanotypes of course! I specifically chose this shot because I thought it would be complimented nicely by the process.

7"x7" Ware Cyanotype, developed in dilute mix of vinegar before wash. It's really supposed to be a stronger mineral acid, but vinegar makes for a workable substitute.

Viewing Station, Bloor Street Viaduct

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 21:00 -0400

Bronica SQAi, 80mm S.

Cages, $625/psqf

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 09:00 -0400

Progress II

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:00 -0400

Bronica SQAi, 150mm S Zenzanon.

Progress, Liberty Village

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:33 -0400

You'd never know we were in a down market based on the number of new development condo properties going up in Liberty Village. Why do I get the feeling that 30 years from now Liberty Village will be what St. James Town was in the 1990s?

Balconies, Bleeker Street

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 21:14 -0400

Rollei Retro 80S, Bronica SQAi.

Looming, St. James Town

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:15 -0400

Bronica SQAi

Lazybones

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 18:01 -0400

Another one of Sasha with the Bronica SQAi + 50mm S-Zenzanon. Fuji acros souped semi-stand in Rodinal 1:100.