wet darkroom

Sep

2020

CUSTOM PANO PRINTING EASELS

Custom modified 5.5 x 14 & 8 x 20 printing easels

Seems the more you do the more you need to do. Or, maybe more accurately, the more you do unique things, the more custom hardware you need. Either way, seems there is always some project that needs to be addressed.

Susan started working in the pano format exclusively about 11 years ago. She shoots only 4×10 and 8×20 film. This means she enlarges her 4×10 negatives to mostly 5 1/2 x 14 or 8 x 20. She cuts 11 x 14 and 16 x 20 paper in half when she prints. Not much of anything exceptional there, except you need some sort of non-standard printing easel when making such prints. For years now she has been using a modified 16 x 20 Saunders Speed Easel and an adjustable easel for 5 1/2 x 14. Thing is, these easels are very large and the way our 8×10 enlarger is setup, you have limited baseboard area. What she wanted was a custom easel for the 8 x 20 for sure and something similar to her modified 16 x 20 using an 11 x 14 Speed Easel.

This is not that difficult of a machining project. . . just requires a little thought, some metal and the magic ingredient. . . time! Oh, and a couple of spare Saunders Speed Easels to perform a modification upon. We did find the easels on eBay, and I had ordered the material. . . finally I found the time.

For the 8×20 easel the idea was to cut down the hold-down border to the correct size, then cut the base to match. This would make a custom 8 x 20 Speed Easel. The actual re-fabrication was not too difficult. It took more time measuring to make sure things worked out to the right print border size, since this is a cut once type of project. I machined a new cross bar for the hold-down, made sure it was a good fit and drilled and tapped the ends. Next I cut off the unneeded portion of the stock hold-down, drilled the side bars and assembled the new 8×20 border hold-down. It all fit just about right.

Next I needed to cut off the unneeded portion of the base of the easel. I carefully measured and marked the needed cut. The bandsaw did the rest. A little dressing with a large flat file and the new base was almost done. Since the larger Speed Easel has a locking mechanism to keep it closed, I needed to add a relief in the base to clear the latch. That required a little more bandsaw work, followed by some finishing up in the vertical mill and all was well.

Once everything was test fitted, all that was left was a little painting. Since all of the easel is steel, it is a good idea to discourage rust. I lightly sanded the newly fabricated border hold-down and gave is a luxurious coat of self-etching flat black primer. . . done. The base was a little different. I really didn’t want to repaint the whole thing and finding paint that matched the Saunders yellow was not really an option either. I decided to mask off the end where I had removed the excess base about one inch inward and only paint that portion with the black primer. That way I would get the bare edge of the exposed metal covered and it would not look that bad.

All that was left now was to wait for paint to dry and then assemble. I did have to remove the anti-skid rubber feet from the cutoff piece of the base and glue them to the new 8 x 20 easel. That was it. . . all done. . . ready to use.

For the 5 1/2 x 14 easel modification, I took a much simpler approach. Since the original 11 x 14 easel was small, there was no problem using it on the enlarger base. So, no need to cut the entire easel down to a smaller size. All I really needed to do was machine a new cross bar to cut the easel size in half. I also worried that if I did cut the easel down that the border bar assembly would not have enough weight to hold the paper flat.

I cut a new cross bar from a length of 0.25″ square steel bar and machined up a couple of bracket pieces from aluminum to hold it in place. A little drilling and tapping and six #4-40 truss head socket cap screws and all was ready for some finish work. The new divider bar, along with the brackets were cleaned and given a coat of flat black self-etching primer.

I know this is not a project for the average person to attempt with only a few hand tools. This is not complicated, but does require a degree of precision and tools suited to the task. There are those times you have to build what you need. This is one of those things I do to relax and unwind. I offer this little project as an example of what can be done. If you decide to modify your easel, do proceed with caution.

JB

Oct

2018

PRESTO, MAGIC AND SECRETS

It seems that working in the darkroom is magic. Developing film has little visual magic, that is to say, you see no magic, because most all film processing is done in total darkness. The magic is reserved for when you turn on the lights. But, printing is a different story. Under the dim glow of the safelight you can actually see the printed image appear, seemingly from nothing. It is a magical experience to see the photograph develop right before your eyes. No matter how many times I process a print, it is still magic to see the transformation. There is something that is otherworldly about what happens in that tray of liquid. But is it really magic?

It is well understood that a magician performing slight of hand or an illusion has many secrets. If you knew how a magic trick was done, it would ruin the experience. So in the world of magic, there are many secrets. And the working magicians guard those secrets well. Though photography seems to be magical, there are no secrets. There are no secret formulas, techniques or mystical incantations used when making traditional photographs in the wet darkroom. If you dig deep enough, you will find just about everything you would ever want to know about photography. There are no hidden secrets, only the basics of the process. Once these basics are mastered, there are many variations and techniques one can apply to achieve their personal vision.

I can say without reservation that I have no secrets. What I have learned over the years is the product of finding those techniques that work best for me and applying them as I see fit. Working in the wet darkroom and with film is about starting with the basics. You need a firm foundation of craft upon which to build your creativity. Next you apply different refining techniques and utilize them as needed to suit your vision. And what is so interesting about this is, you can do the same. You have to find what works for you.

I can also say that I never stop learning. Every time I step into the darkroom I push the boundaries of my abilities. I strive to continually learn new things that work for me. Interestingly enough, nothing I do is particular to me. Everything I do is something I learned from someone else, or an article, or publication I found. There just are no secrets. It is a matter of rolling up your sleeves and expanding your proficiency by doing.

My best advice to the newcomer to traditional photography is to come to the realization there are no magic bullets. There are no short cuts. You will only master the art form through seriously and continuously striving to achieve the results that suit you. Never stop learning and expanding your abilities.

Sorry, prestidigitation will not work. Don’t waste your time looking for that magic shortcut. . . it doesn’t exist. But the good news is there are no secrets. You only have to roll up your sleeves and learn the process, the old fashion way. You can’t say PRESTO and pull a beautifully printed photograph out of your hat!

JB

Oct

2018

FEELING & TOUCHABILITY; NOT NUMBERS

artificial intelligence (AI)

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

n. Intelligence exhibited by an artificial (non-natural, man-made) entity.

n. The branch of computer science dealing with the reproduction or mimicking of human-level intelligence, self-awareness, knowledge, conscience, thought in computer programs.

n. The essential quality of a machine which thinks in a manner similar to or on the same general level as a real human being.

n. a computer system or software package which is artificially intelligent

HogWash!!! Numbers can not quantify a feeling; I don’t believe that even the most advanced AI will ever replace human emotion. A computer only crunches numbers. . . and only ones and zeros at that. It doesn’t think, it just computes. AI may ‘mimmic’ human thought, but it is not human. It is not capable of emotional intimacy.

This is especially true when it comes to the appreciation, recognition and understanding of art. And in particular, photographic art. Photos have a LOOK, FEEL, PRESENCE. A quality that is extremely difficult to put into words, and impossible to mimic with numbers. You can run tests and plot curves forever, but you will not KNOW for sure what a film, paper, developer combination is really doing until you make a real photograph.

I keep coming back to the same point; you can not calculate feeling. There are some things that just exist and are not possible to be explained by a mathematical expression. They are emotional expressions. . . emotional responses. . . subject to any number of personal preferences of the individual. These preferences are the product of what make each person an individual. You cannot measure these things. . . they are subjective. Think about it; can art really be expressed by numbers???

It is about personal taste. . . Ford or Chevy. . . Coke or Pepsi. . . green or blue. One size does not fit all! What you may find perfectly acceptable in a film developer combination may not suit my taste at all. My father used to say, “that is why they paint cars different colors.”

Don’t get hung up on the numbers and technology. Believe it or not, the computer inside that camera cannot think for you. Let your natural intuition guide you. If the finished photograph looks satisfactory to you, then you are there. If not; try something different. Don’t expect some computer gadget to make that decision for you. And, while you are at it, do not be swayed by another person’s comments. Only you know when it is right. When it feels right; it is right.

JB

Sep

2018

Photo Arts Xchange 2019

Mark your calendar now to attend Photo Arts Xchange 2019, May 3-5!

Are you a serious photographer? Do you regularly make finished prints? Would you like to share your work with other like-minded and serious photographers? Would you like to see what other dedicated photographers are doing? How about a three day meet up to share your work, your passion and your commitment to the art form?

Photo Arts Xchange (PaX) is a unique, first of its kind event created just for sharing your finished photographs. Yet PaX is a different kind of event. This is not the usual technical gathering for discussing processes. There are plenty of workshops that teach photographic technique.

What PaX is about is taking the art of photography beyond the technical and exploring the more demanding aspects of artistic creation. This will be a gathering specifically for print sharing and digging deep into each photographers creative mindset. The focus will center around discussions of creativity and foster camaraderie with others that share your passion for photography.

This will be a three day gathering in Rocky Hill, Connecticut hosted by passionate photographers exclusively for sharing the artistic side of serious image making. Again, this is not a how-to workshop, but a multi-day event solely for the purpose of sharing work and discussing the why of the creation of an artistic statement within a printed photograph.

PaX is a free event. Your participation is simple, in that all you need to do is Register for PaX by going to the PaX website. Participants should bring a sample of their finished, mounted and ready for display images they feel are their best work. Be prepared to talk about and explain your artistic vision and what motivated you to make that image; then bring it to completion as a finished print. Again, this event is different in that the focus is not on the how, but on the why.

We invite all serious image makers to join us in Connecticut May 3-5, 2019 for a groundbreaking new type of serious printmakers weekend of sharing the why of creativity. For more information and to register, drop by the PaX website and follow Photo Arts Xchange on FaceBook.

We hope to see you there!

JB & Susan

Jun

2018

FILM; STILL ALIVE AND KICKING!

And they said it wouldn’t last! Hmm. . . seems that has been said before. What am I talking about? Well. . . FILM of course! It’s amazing to see the resurgence in the interest in and the use of the worn out old technology of photographic film. Sort of like vinyl records, tube amplifiers, buggy whips and saddles. What becomes old is new again. I honestly had this feeling something like 15-20 years ago when that tired old chant started; Film Is Dead. I didn’t believe it then and now it looks like I was correct in my assessment. I didn’t fall for the sell your film gear now while you can still get something for it. Truth is, we bought even more film gear. And what is happening now? The prices of film photographic equipment is once again rising. All of the manufacturers closed up shop and went chasing after high-tech gizmos. And now, suddenly there is a growing market with a finite supply of hardware. You have to choose what you can find used or refurbished. How could that happen? What is going on in the world of photography?

It’s all because of young people. They grew up with all that techno stuff and one day someone, like me, showed them there is something else. Something different. . . Wow! A different way of seeing, creating, photographing. . . making your artistic statement. The key word is different. Fred Picker used to say, “different is not the same!”

I hear all kinds of comments. Look at the size of that camera! You can still get film for that? You can get film that big? Oh, you make prints? And the look of them! That seems to be something else that is new to the younger generation. I grew up looking at photo albums put together by my family. You didn’t have a little screen to view your snapshots instantly as you made them. You had to send the film off and wait! And those prints you got back in that envelope had value. You didn’t make a thousand snaps and pick one to look at once and then discard. You kept real printed photographs and looked at them over and over. And if one was really special, you had an enlargement made!

Yes the story of film and film cameras has come full circle, just as I had predicted way back in the Film Is Dead days. I said there would be a mass exodus by film and film camera manufacturers. But I also said that film would not go away. There would always be someone out there that would keep making it. Because there are those of us that are not willing to give it up. I predicted there would be someone to fill the niche market. I also predicted the price of film would go up. . . and it has. But, what is the cost of what you love? How can you put a price on that which you have spent most of your life learning, exploring, refining and experimenting with?

Another thing I feel strongly about is knowledge and passing it on to future generations. I feel it is near a responsibility to preserve what you have spent a lifetime learning. This commitment led to the four book series that Susan and I put together and self-published 20 years ago. Those books have been revised and are now available in e-book format. Through our web site and this Blog we have further endeavored to highlight what we do and how we approach photography as an art form.

It’s been an interesting and fulfilling journey to this point and that journey is just beginning. I feel I can now say with confidence, FILM IS NOT DEAD!

JB

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.

Nov

2017

Print Your Legacy – John Sexton

I believe that every photographer, regardless of your skill level, chosen format or commitment to the medium, should watch this and listen carefully to what John Sexton has to say.

You can find more videos from other photographers on the Epson Print Your Legacy web site.

All I can add is: Don’t forget to Make Prints!

JB Harlin

May

2015

OVER 25 YEARS OF MPD & STILL GOING

Seems everyone has their favorite method for exposing and developing film. You do shoot film, don’t you? If not, you should! But I digress for sure. . . There are as many ways of working with film as there are opinions. . . maybe more. None are better or worse than any other, if they work; if they give you the results you insist on within your own vision, then you are already there. But, in this day and age there are a lot of people coming into photography and just now discovering film and the traditional darkroom. In the beginning film is a mystery and requires some time to begin to master. Of course, the most important thing is that you shoot film and make finished photographs. How you get there is a very personal thing and you need to choose what works best for you. But, you have to start somewhere.

For me, I prefer simplicity when I am out making photographs. I do not want to get bogged down with a lot of complexity. I struggled with film exposure and development, like I would speculate that most everyone has when they first start out trying to understand film photography. It was way back in the mid 1970’s when I realized I could process and print my own photographs. This was a big deal for me. It started a lifetime involvement with photography and the wet darkroom.

I stumbled around, trying this and that looking for that magic technique that would give me a negative that would print what I saw in my mind’s eye in the finished print. I read everything I could find on the subject. I even toyed with the idea of becoming a strict Zone System practitioner. Thing was, everything I looked into was just way too complicated. There had to be a simpler way. . . at least, that is what I thought.

Somewhere in the 1980’s I discovered Fred Picker and his “Zone VI Workshop” book. This was exactly what I was looking for. It made sense and contained a simple approach that I found worked! Having found someone that was also into simplicity, I subscribed to the Zone VI Newsletter. I remember really getting excited when I discovered the latest issue in the mailbox. Plenty of opinion and advice that really made sense. To this day I still have my complete set of these newsletters. About 25 years ago when I seriously decided to start working with large format photography, I read the entire set again. . . three times. . . every issue, #1 through #83.

I had experimented previously with what Fred called MPD (Maximum Printable Density) back in my early days in photography. I had very good results, but I drifted away from the darkroom for a while to concentrate on a career. When I moved back into photography after a brief hiatus, I dove right into large format. I needed to relearn my darkroom skills, at least to the point where I had left off and establish a sound working technique.

MPD is such a simple approach to exposing film that most think it will not work. It is deceptively simple for sure! I did some experimenting to get back into the groove and continue my experiments with simplicity. I found that MPD was just what it claims to be. . . SIMPLE. . . and well-suited for any film format! I am a big fan of ‘simple’ for sure. As with anything, it is ludicrous to use something that does not work. Why make it worse on yourself. I approached MPD with the idea, that as long as it works, I will use it.

It is funny how there are things that just seem to fit you and continue to do so. It has been over 25 years now and I still use MPD. Why? Because it works! My wife uses it and she is sold on the idea of simplicity also. If you have seen any of our original prints from LF negatives, you have seen film exposed using MPD.

Oh, guess I forgot to mention exactly how simple MPD is in practical use. Here goes, don’t blink; 1. Find your subject, compose as you wish. Not much new there. But, here it comes. 2. Meter the area you wish to render as a Zone VIII. White painted wall, snow, sand. . . whatever you wish to print as finely textured white (Zone VIII). Meter that area. 3. Open up three stops, or place the reading on Zone VIII if your meter has a Zone Dial. 4. Set your exposure and expose the film.

It is actually even easier than that;

1. Meter

2. Place VIII

3. Expose. . . DONE!

Now, don’t believe this is a haphazard way of working. First, you must do your film testing. You need to establish your working EI (Exposure Index) and your normal (N) developing time. You need to establish a proper proofing regiment. Your proper proofs are your control. They tell you just how you are doing with film exposure and developing. Study your proper proofs and make fine adjustments on the fly. Thing is, once you find a starting point, things get much easier. You do not have to engage in never-ending testing. Test once. . . find that starting point. As Fred Picker said, “Get one foot on a rock.” Then you use your proper proofs for fine tuning and a constant check on how you are doing. Simple!

Are you interested in making really good negatives? Want to understand proper proofing, personal film speed and developing times? How about getting started using MPD? Interested in getting the technical stuff behind you?

I was asked how to use MPD and what testing was necessary years ago. I wrote “THE FILM EXPOSURE WORK BOOK” specifically for those interested in learning where to start. This 44 page book is now available for download in e-book format from our online store. You will learn how to establish your working EI. Determine your N and N+1 1/2 developing times. Proper Proofing is covered and much more. You will also get a printable 12 page Work Sheet to record your testing results.

Is MPD right for you? If you are just starting out with film, it just might be if you are interested in a simple, reliable method for making the best possible negatives. Fred Picker had a large rubber stamp that said TRY IT. He used it to answer letters people wrote to him asking questions. You will only know if you TRY IT. It has worked well here for over 25 years!