Innholdsfortegnelse for #6 Landscapes i Improve Your Photography

Digital photography offers numerous advantages over film but there is still something magical about traditional photography that can’t be replicated by electronic pixels. Unlike digital images viewed on a screen, which cease to exist when you turn off the power, film has a physical presence that makes each picture unique. Film cameras may lack the convenience and instant gratification offered by the latest photographic hardware but they are wonderful to use, and the process of shooting film feels more like a craft and less like a branch of computing. The great news is that you don’t have to make a choice between one medium or the other. Many photographers now carry a classic film camera with them, alongside their digital one. You don’t necessarily need a darkroom to enjoy film…

Not so long ago film photography was on the verge of becoming a forgotten medium. But, despite being cast aside by a tidal wave of digital technology, a shrinking number of film manufacturers, photographers and printers refused to give up on this traditional craft of image making. After years of treading water, careful nurturing and an analogue renaissance sparked a new lease of life for film in which many young photographers discovered it for the first time and generations of former film users rediscovered a new passion for it after cutting their teeth with digital. Those who persisted with film could feel vindicated by their faith and now graciously impart their passion, wisdom and expertise. The re-emergence of film has piqued the curiosity of many photographers who want to see…

For many film photographers, 120 is the ideal format. It offers high-quality negatives, relatively portable equipment and prior to digital, was the standard for many professional photographers. The variety and types of cameras produced since Kodak launched the format in 1901 is extensive and the interest and revival in 120 continues to grow among today’s analogue photographers. Different formats When referring to 120, unlike 35mm or 5x4 inch film, a specific format is not immediately suggested. Although the most popular 120 cameras produce 6x6cm or 6x7cm negatives, other possible sizes and ratios include 6x4.5, 6x8, 6x9 and 6x12. My very first 120 camera was a second-hand Yashica 635, a popular budget twin lens reflex, which I know installed my love of the square format. Twenty-five years ago I upgraded to…

1 Before you start (in light) Until the film is developed it cannot be exposed to light. Make your work space light tight or use a changing bag (beginners may find these slightly awkward to use at first). 2 Preparation (in light) Processing a film requires several steps, so get your equipment and work space prepared and organised – especially for the parts that take place in darkness. 3 Mixing your chemicals (in light) Find the required volumes and temperature (normally 20°C), and then mix your developer, stop bath and fixer solutions into labelled containers. 4 Opening the cassette (in darkness) In a light-sealed room (or in a changing bag) open the film cassette with your end cap remover (or film retriever) and find and cut the film’s leader. 5…

1 Budget vs high price Film scanners come at different prices. The more you pay, the better the results. Here’s a budget-priced Digitnow that’s powered from the USB port to record images onto an SD card. 2 Load the negatives Load the film into its tray, according to whether you are scanning negatives in strips or transparencies in individual mounts. Then slide the tray into the scanner. 3 Start scanning Turn on the scanner. Use the menu to choose the film type, resolution, exposure compensation and picture orientation. Check the image on the screen and press scan. 4 Edit on computer Remove the SD card and place it in your computer’s card reader. Open, adjust and tweak it as needed in your usual image-processing software.…

Light source A light source is required to illuminate the negatives. This should be evenly lit, diffused and bright enough not to slow shutter speed. It could be as simple as an iPad/tablet that is set to a white screen, an LED panel light or even a standard light box. Or you may have some other kind of lighting in your kit collection. Digital camera Most modern digital cameras with interchangeable lenses will do a great job. If you don’t own one and will only use it for scanning, look for a cheap second-hand Canon model like the 550D as it has native macro lenses and tethering capabilities. Macro lens A macro lens that can achieve 1:1 magnification ratio is essential for optimal scanning results as focus needs to be…

A cyanotype is a photographic process that involves exposing a chemically coated paper or material to the sun (UV light) with an object, objects, or image over the top to create an artistic result. The two main chemicals used in the process are ammonium ferric citrate and potassium ferricyanide. What you’re left with is a rather gorgeous blue-tone effect. A man called Sir John Herschel invented the cyanotype process, and his discovery came about while experimenting with some old pieces of chemical paper. However, it is Anna Atkins, a botanist and Herschel’s daughter, whose name we still associate with the medium today. Anna spent years recording different species of plants and flowers, documenting their sizes and form using the cyanotype method. Some of these amazing cyanotypes are still in the…

1 Coat the paper Mix solutions of ammonium ferric citrate and potassium ferricyanide (diluted as per manufacturer’s instructions) in equal parts. Lay your paper on a board or glass and apply the solution with a foam or hake brush. You can do this in a uniform or more artistic manner. If you are using pre-prepared paper, spritz with water to wet the surface. 2 Apply your negative Create your composition by laying your subject on the wet paper. Cyanotype is a contact printing process. Where you cover the paper will not expose and the areas exposed to the sun will colour, although with the wet process leaks and chemical reactions take place and fresh botanicals may also leave colour and add moisture. 3 Add a little extra I like to…

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How many and what kind of exposure modes does your camera have? Program, shutter priority, aperture priority and manual; portraits, sport, landscapes, night and macro photography… maybe even more? What about metering? Does your camera offer average, spot, centre-weighted, matrix, multi-segment? How about autofocus? Single, continuous, automatic, manual, hybrid, dynamic? Can you change the sensitivity from shot to shot or have it automatically changed for you? Now imagine you have none of these aids. Welcome to the world of second-hand manual film cameras. Using a second-hand film camera is a great way to learn, or relearn, the fundamentals that newer photographers have never needed to know, or others who have been around a few years more might have forgotten. Using a manual film camera with no automatic functions can be…

Over the years there have been many formats of film that have fallen away and now only exist, if at all, as expired film. This includes 116, 616, 126, 220, 828, and the relatively recent APS (1996 to 2011). Three main formats remain that cater to the vast majority of film cameras in circulation, while a small number of older formats are still available but usually hand cut, spooled and rebranded from other films. 135 cassettes 135 (35mm) cassettes are lightproof and contain perforated film long enough for either 24 or 36 exposures of 24x36mm frames. This is the format most people associate with film and is the most widely used with approximately 150 different options currently available. 120 roll film 120 (medium format) roll film, dating back to 1901,…

C-41 black & white film Lab-processing options are more limited for black & white film than for colour. One exception is Ilford XP2 Super, an ISO 400 chromogenic film that can make use of the wide network of C-41 colour-processing labs. It also has the unique ability to be shot at different speeds between ISO 50 and 800 on the same roll and still be processed as standard. It can utilise Digital ICE technology, making it perfect for scanning. Buy from over 100 UK dealers (www.ilfordphoto.com/storelocator) or via ilfordphoto.com. Infrared film The infrared effect is particularly popular with black & white landscape photographers – skies become a deep black and green vegetation becomes white. Options include the Rollei Infrared 400 and Ilford SFX 200. Both films can be used with…

I have never really considered myself that interested in cameras, and as a photographer, this might initially sound like a surprising confession. There are certainly favourites, appreciated and used for different reasons, but I very rarely buy new equipment unless there is a specific requirement for a project. I do however use different cameras and film formats depending on the series of work and thought it might be interesting to write a series of articles based on these formats: the equipment used for projects, their strengths and limitations and the work I find inspirational. Naturally it seemed appropriate to begin with the format which most of us start with, 35mm. My 35mm journey My interest in photography began in the mid 1970s on joining my school’s photography club. We read…

1 Many 120 cameras use a waist level finder, offering a different viewpoint than holding the camera up to the eye to focus. It can also help the photographer appear less noticeable when working which is always an asset and especially useful for street photography. 2 Hasselblad, Bronica and some Mamiya cameras use interchangeable film backs that are ideal if a photographer wants to switch from black & white to colour mid roll. One of the photographic assistant’s main jobs used to be keeping the 120 backs loaded during a shoot. 3 While Holga and Diana cameras are popular for the ‘creative’ look provided by their low quality plastic lenses, cheaper alternatives to consider are the older Box and Folding cameras such as the Kodak Brownie. These can be bought…

Cassette end cap remover These are moulded to the top of a 35mm cassette and allow you to quickly remove the end cap. A bottle opener can work just as well. An alternative is a film retriever to pull the film back through the felt opening. Household items A number of household items will come in useful, including scissors to cut the film from the spool and pegs/clips to hang the film. Specially made film clips include a hook. You will need two clips/pegs per filmstrip. Developing tank and spiral This is a light-tight container that allows you to develop film in daylight (once the film has been loaded into it in the dark). The tanks come in a variety of sizes to fit single or multiple film rolls (including…

When compared to 35mm and medium format, shooting with a 5x4in camera is certainly not as straightforward, but it has many advantages. Primary is the quality of the larger negative or transparency. Approximately 14 35mm negatives could fit on to just one sheet of 5x4in, so when enlarged, whether in the darkroom or from a scan, the fineness and detail of the photograph can be breathtaking. However, while it does demand a more time-consuming approach to taking photographs, it can be a very rewarding experience. 5x4in studio cameras A wide variety of 5x4in cameras is available, both new and second-hand, with the two main types being the studio and field camera. Studio cameras, often known as a monorails or view cameras, are study instruments with the lens plane and focusing…

If your interest in photography was born and bred in the digital age you probably have all your pictures saved in folders on your hard disc or in the Cloud. But if you are a photographer of a certain age, it’s likely that somewhere in drawers and lurking in boxes at the backs of wardrobes you’ll have piles of negatives and perhaps transparencies from the past, languishing and forgotten. So now’s the time to dig out those old negatives and transparencies and turn them into digital images, which you can adjust, improve upon and manipulate in the way you already take for granted with images from your digital camera. But why digitise the negatives? Wouldn’t it be better to scan the prints that resulted from them? Not necessarily. A print,…

1 Flatbed scanner Most good flatbed scanners, often used for scanning flat artwork or photos, can be equipped with a film scanning hood or lid that will scan negatives or transparencies of different sizes. This is an old but still serviceable Epson Perfection 4490 scanner with its hood connected. 2 Load up the negs According to the size of film being scanned, load negatives or transparencies into their appropriate tray and place on the scanner bed. This will line up the film with an aperture in the scanning hood through which light is transmitted to the scanning head. Close the hood. 3 Correct settings From the scanner’s menu choose the film type. Input a high resolution if scanning 35mm film and check the Unsharp Mask box if there is one.…

The right brush To apply the solution onto your paper avoid a brush with a metal ferrule, as these can react with the cyanotype chemicals. Instead use a foam or hake brush or glass rod. Chemicals Many different companies sell cyanotype chemicals. The two you need are ammonium ferric citrate and potassium ferricyanide. Paper Use a heavyweight paper that can withstand the washing process. Hot pressed papers are best for keeping the whites white and the blue rich. Cyanotype kit Take the stress out of getting all the individual parts and purchase a ready-to-go kit. This one from Fotospeed costs £40.…

1 The original digital image A black & white darkroom print is made by contacting a negative digitally printed from a file. It combines the qualities of a silver gelatin print and the options we have in the darkroom with work shot and processed digitally. 2 Reversed and inverted The negative is made by inkjet printing on to clear transfer film. After tonal correction, it is desaturated, inverted and flipped horizontally. This ensures the paper and negative emulsions touch giving the sharpest result. 3 Further contrast tests To test, make several changes of contrast of a section of the image using adjustment layers, which can then be applied to the finished file. The file is prepared with each test appropriately titled. Use the highest dpi printer setting. 4 Assessing the…

35mm single lens reflex Takes 35mm film in standard cassettes. Reflex viewing system ensures viewfinder previews scene directly through the lens. Most have split-image rangefinders in their viewfinders. Built-in meters match a needle to an index mark while juggling shutter and apertures. 35mm coupled rangefinder Takes 35mm film in standard cassettes. The viewfinder is separate from the camera lens, leading to parallax problems at close-focusing distances. The viewfinder contains a rangefinder that is linked to the focusing control for accurate distance measurement. 35mm viewfinder Takes 35mm film. Similar in operation to a coupled rangefinder camera, but without the benefit of said rangefinder. Camera-to-subject distance must therefore be measured or estimated manually or with a separate add-on rangefinder. Roll film reflex Takes 120 roll film to produce images that range from…

From the pages of Amateur Photographer to a plethora of blogs, YouTube channels and podcasts, there are now plenty of ways to absorb regular fixes of content that will support or enhance your enjoyment of analogue photography. In addition to the options below I would encourage you to check out the ilfordphoto.com website and social channels as these are great resources for ongoing education and inspiration. Blogs Blogs are a great way to stay inspired with reviews, camera porn (yes, that is a thing), education and resources. Emulsive.org is a superb film focused site while other excellent blogs include 35mmc, Japan Camera Hunter and Casual Photophile. YouTube Videos are a fantastic way to learn film photography but can also serve up healthy doses of inspiration to keep us shooting. Some…

Lab processing Black & white and colour films are not processed in the same way. Your film will be ruined if it is processed using a C-41 colour process (with the exception of the Ilford XP2 Super). Most services will send your film to a specialist black & white processing lab, many of which are directly available, including harmanlab.com. You can search for labs at www.ilfordphoto.com/storelocator. Or you can search Emulsive at emulsive.org/articles/global-film-lab-map. Home processing Black & white film is far easier to develop than colour, and offers a quicker and more economical option than lab processing. There are a range of developers, stop baths and fixers, and many online guides. Powder developers tend to be the most economical, while liquid developers are the easiest to start with. Removing a…

1 Home processing 35mm is relatively easy and does not require a darkroom if the negatives are to be scanned instead of printed. A developing tank, chemicals, measuring cylinders and a thermometer are essential. Plus ideally a changing bag for loading the film onto the spirals and then into the developing tank. 2 While black & white is a straightforward process requiring three main chemicals (or just developer and fixer if water is used instead of a stop bath), many photographers are now processing their own colour negative film. Sales of Tetenal’s Colortec C-41 processing kit have greatly increased in the last few years. 3 Ensure processed 35mm film is dried in a dust-free environment. Because of the format’s small size, dust and scratches are more obvious when enlarged. Black…

Meter carefully Make sure your meter readings are balanced between the highlights and the shadows. In low light there will often be a lack of midtones to meter, so it’s best to try to find a midpoint between the two. Avoid metering only the highlights unless what is required is a low-key image. Print flashing In extreme instances, when the negative highlights are blown out and difficult to burn in, print flashing may help to bring in detail. Just a fractional exposure to light before or after printing can help to control the print’s highlights. Digitally, this technique is replicated by tweaking the highlights in Curves. For more extreme pushing Print developer is useful if coarser grain and high contrast is required or if a film has been so underexposed…

Winston Churchill once described Russia as ‘a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’. As a photographer, I’m always looking for exciting places to explore, and Moscow with all its romance and mystique seemed the ideal destination for my first Russian mission. I’ve been shooting digital for over 15 years. It’s convenient, automated, fast and predictable. However, I feel that this pixel perfection can sometimes lack the creative soul that I had grown to love with film. Digital photographers have tried various ways to emulate the look of film, however, in all honesty if you want the classic film look, the only real way is to shoot traditional film. I wanted my images of Moscow to be different from other stock shots I’d seen online. What better way to…

Liquid or powder developers Film developers come in liquid and powder form. For first-time users I would recommend a liquid developer, as they are very easy to mix and use. Powder developers are typically more economical to use and are perfect for more confident or experienced users. Label the cylinders It’s best to prepare all your chemicals in advance for efficient processing, and worth investing in three sets of measuring cylinders and label them ‘Dev’, ‘Stop’ and ‘Fix’ to avoid contamination. If you have to reuse the same cylinder, wash it thoroughly between chemicals. Correct temperature If you are working in a cold area then you will need to keep your prepared solutions at the correct temperature until you need to use them. To do this you can stand them…

Lenses Second-hand large-format cameras are sometimes sold with a lens, though not always. New cameras will definitely require one, plus the appropriate lens panel. The standard focal length is 150mm, 90mm for wideangle and 210mm as telephoto. However, large-format lenses are available in many other focal lengths. Tripod The Speed Graphic camera, used by press photographers between the 1930s and 1960s could be used handheld, but the majority of large-format work will require a tripod. It is always a balance between finding one sturdy enough to support the camera, and light enough to carry. Darkslides 5x4in sheet film is loaded into double-sided film holders. The number of shots possible at one time depends on the amount of darkslides loaded with film. Another useful item is a changing bag, which allows…

1 Use a fine-hair lens brush to clean any dust or tiny hairs from the film before copying or scanning. 2 Film has a shiny reflective side and a dull emulsion side. For correct picture orientation, the shiny side should face the camera lens or scanner head. 3 Whether working on a lightbox or a scanner, keep the film flat to ensure the image remains sharp right across its surface. 4 If using a camera to copy film, use a narrow aperture to maintain depth of field and compensate for any unevenness in the film. 5 Use a tripod to prevent camera shake at slower-than-normal shutter speeds, exaggerated when shooting in close-up. 6 If using a lightbox, check that the bulbs or other illumination are daylight-balanced (colour temperature 5,000 kelvin).…

There are plenty of compelling reasons to use film. But with most images now shared or consumed online, many analogue photographers are also looking for the best ways to digitise their negatives. The principle of digitising negatives is nothing new but there are new tools to add to the tried and tested methods. Lab scans offer convenience, particularly if you are outsourcing the processing at the same time. However, what if you process your own film or want a greater degree of control over the output? Maybe you have an archive of negatives you want to digitise, making lab costs prohibitive. If so, then home scanning could be the perfect solution to what you are looking for. Film scanners There is a lot of choice when it comes to dedicated…

‘I HAVE two pinhole cameras, both made by Zero Image which specialises in making them. One is a Zero 2000 that shoots 6x6cm 120 roll film, the other is a Zero 45 Large format that takes 4x5 sheet film. By removing or adding panels with this camera it gives different focal lengths and pinhole sizes. I have three panels that give me 75mm, 50mm and 25mm – these are classified as wide to super wide angle. I use the 120 roll film camera for travel and the 4x5 camera for most landscapes; the advantage with the 4x5 camera is that I can develop one sheet at a time to suit the dynamic range of the scene and also carry different film stock in the film holders. A tripod is essential…

I USE the wet process because it is more unpredictable owing to the interaction between the wet chemicals and the surface matter, and can give interesting results. I apply the chemical mix using a brush to watercolour or inkjet paper then apply the subject matter while the chemical is still wet on the surface. I mostly use plant matter followed by products that will react to the chemicals. This might include salt, spices (turmeric is effective), food colouring, spritzing with diluted vinegar, and sometimes covering with cling film. Once the composition is created it is held in place with a sheet of glass in a clip-frame and then placed outside in the sun and left to expose. Exposure times can range from 30 minutes to days, and really it is…

The contact is the earliest method of printing a negative in the darkroom and remains the most simple. The negative is sandwiched between glass and photographic paper, exposed to light and processed accordingly. Until roll films were introduced in the early 20th century, enlargements were very rarely made. While the technology did exist, the majority of large-format negatives in use, such as 8x10in, were contact printed. A 19th-century process such as Albumen – one of the primary methods of printing prior to the introduction of silver gelatin in the 1870s – was so insensitive to light that contact printing was the only practical method of production. Large format cameras are still used today, and while most negatives will be printed with an enlarger, many photographs produce contacts as finished work.…

When writing about black & white photographic papers currently available, there is often mention made of all the materials that have been discontinued over the years. While it would be fascinating to look back at the history of such papers, it is probably more constructive to feature and celebrate what we print with today. Given the dominance of digital, it is reassuring that there are still a wide variety of papers being produced. I’ve concentrated on what is available in the UK, or at least what can easily be ordered from suppliers within Europe; namely Adox, Foma and Ilford products. While I have endeavoured to be as comprehensive as possible, I appreciate that there are some brands not covered such as Oriental Seagull and Slavich that currently have no distribution…

When working in the darkroom, controlling tonal balance is a very important consideration in making a fine print. It should not be confused with compositional balance, that is, how the contents of the frame are aligned in the photograph – but there is a close and symbiotic relationship between the two. Indeed, controlling the tonality by changes to the contrast and depth of tone should emphasise and strengthen the composition so the viewer will correctly ‘read’ the image, not from left to right as with text but to be guided by the weight of the tones and how they lead the eye in to the focal point. With tonal balance we can control areas of the photograph by making changes on how light or dark to print different areas. This…

1 Assessing the negative This composition is made from layers of contrasting tones interrupted by the plane’s tail, breaking its symmetry. The negative’s shadow detail was quite thin so it was necessary to print on grade 4 with some additional burning in on the highlights at a softer grade. 2 First print To add more tone, I subsequently flashed the paper, which requires a very short burst of white light. This can be done by removing the negative from the carrier, stopping the enlarging lens down, and giving a brief exposure, probably for less than a second. 3 Flashing the print A simpler method is to hold an opaque Perspex sheet under the lens, (pre- or post-exposure), leaving the negative and f-stop untouched. This projects an even tone allowing an…

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