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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:57 am Post subject: [PRINT] My first print ON MY OWN |
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Orio wrote:
Whew... just came back in the studio after my first darkroom session here at home!
Exciting and stressing at the same time, because I was doing a lot of things for the first time (like mixing chemicals) and I was unsure that I could seal the room against the light perfectly. Also I was worried by the high temperatures.
I made a lot of mistakes, part by my own fault, part by wrong information that I received. For instance, I was told that the enlarger's white light on a multigrade paper would roughly correspond to a contrast 2 filter. How wrong! I wasted 2-3 sheets of paper to realize that it wasn't so.
Things I learned:
1- it's good to prepare chemicals immediately before the session, but it's NOT good if you have to mix powder. That requires water temperature around 35-40° and once you did that, it takes hours, in the summer, to have it reach room temperature
2- you can never have too many bottles
3- you can never have too much paper
4- when you use multigrade paper, never use it without a filter in the box. Leave filter 2 in there all the time, and change it if needed with a different value.
5- when temperature of developer is 23° or more, the blacks in the picture surface in record time. Very difficult to control them. I need to find a way around the problem - how to cool the liquids?
6- the shower handle (with many holes) is so much better to wash prints than the simple tap opening. Note to self: when you will build a real darkroom, have two taps, or even better three. One of them with the shower handle.
7- I need a water tap filter. I could not imagine how much dirt comes from the tap. You may think does not really matter. No, it hurts the prints. That dirt lies on the emulsion surface and prevents the chemicals to act. So in the print you find those "nice" white little dots.
8- with black and white prints, it really pays to have invested in a good camera and great lenses. The quality really surfaces. I can look with an enlarging lens over my 18x24 cm print and see endless detail inside. Wow. And this from a 24x36 negative. Imagine from a 6x6 cm one!
9- all things are more difficult without a tutor at your side! Especially how to "read" the test strips and figure out the best formula without wasting a whole batch of paper...
Ok so here's my first print "on my own":
It is not perfect (the stairway needs some strategical burning), but I am happy with it
I managed to obtain a wide range of greys, and some pure black and white.
Printing a photo is so much satisfaction!! It makes you feel the image "more yours"... don't know if this makes sense to you...
Technical data:
film: T-Max 400
camera: Contax RX
lens: Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 3.4/35-70 (examining my print I can really see now what killer lens this one is)
film developer: T-Max
paper: Ilford RC IV Multigrade "pearl"
enlarger: 8 sec exposure, contrast set to 2,5
paper developer: Ilford multigrade
- _________________ Orio, Administrator
T*
NE CEDE MALIS AUDENTIOR ITO
Ferrania film is reborn! http://www.filmferrania.it/
Support the Ornano film chemicals company and help them survive!
http://forum.mflenses.com/ornano-chemical-products-t55525.html
Last edited by Orio on Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:29 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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poilu
Joined: 26 Aug 2007 Posts: 10469 Location: Greece
Expire: 2019-08-29
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:35 am Post subject: |
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poilu wrote:
Congrats the tonal range is impressive!
What size did you print? |
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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:44 am Post subject: |
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Orio wrote:
poilu wrote: |
Congrats the tonal range is impressive!
What size did you print? |
Thanks The paper of the print is 24x18 cm. (9,46 x 7,09 inches)
(but the surface impressed is smaller) _________________ Orio, Administrator
T*
NE CEDE MALIS AUDENTIOR ITO
Ferrania film is reborn! http://www.filmferrania.it/
Support the Ornano film chemicals company and help them survive!
http://forum.mflenses.com/ornano-chemical-products-t55525.html
Last edited by Orio on Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:45 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Katastrofo
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 10405 Location: USA
Expire: 2013-11-19
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:45 am Post subject: |
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Katastrofo wrote:
WOWWWW!!! |
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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:47 am Post subject: |
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Orio wrote:
Katastrofo wrote: |
WOWWWW!!! |
thanks
film can still be an emotion (at least for me) _________________ Orio, Administrator
T*
NE CEDE MALIS AUDENTIOR ITO
Ferrania film is reborn! http://www.filmferrania.it/
Support the Ornano film chemicals company and help them survive!
http://forum.mflenses.com/ornano-chemical-products-t55525.html |
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Katastrofo
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 10405 Location: USA
Expire: 2013-11-19
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:50 am Post subject: |
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Katastrofo wrote:
Oh yes, I'm afraid it will be some time before I get another DSLR. Film is all I think about anymore. Hope to see more of these simply grand efforts
of yours!
And yes, that Vario-Sonnar is a killer lens! |
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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:03 am Post subject: |
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Orio wrote:
Katastrofo wrote: |
Film is all I think about anymore. |
As soon as I finish the bottle of tmax developer, I am going to try your B&W film _________________ Orio, Administrator
T*
NE CEDE MALIS AUDENTIOR ITO
Ferrania film is reborn! http://www.filmferrania.it/
Support the Ornano film chemicals company and help them survive!
http://forum.mflenses.com/ornano-chemical-products-t55525.html |
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Katastrofo
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 10405 Location: USA
Expire: 2013-11-19
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:14 am Post subject: |
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Katastrofo wrote:
Orio wrote: |
Katastrofo wrote: |
Film is all I think about anymore. |
As soon as I finish the bottle of tmax developer, I am going to try your B&W film |
Great! I think you will like it, and if you do, I can send more. I placed
an order to Freestyle yesterday, much more Portra in both 120 and 35,
and I'm going to try the Efke 50 BW film, has a high silver content and I
like what I've seen with this film. Also ordered some Astia 100F in 120,
just to see what it does. |
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Laurence
Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 4809 Location: Western Washington State
Expire: 2016-06-19
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:58 am Post subject: |
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Laurence wrote:
Holy Cow, Orio! This is superb. I mean REALLY a nice print.
The tonal range is tremendous, with beautiful delineations of
the shades of grey. I can imagine the feeling of the "real thing"
in your hands after your work of processing and printing.
I have no doubt that it must be a very visceral, tactile experience.
Kastraphoto wrote: Oh yes, I'm afraid it will be some time
before I get another DSLR. Film is all I think about anymore.
Hope to see more of these simply grand efforts of yours!
I fully agree with your opinion of Orio's work. Also, I have
tried numerous times to be comfortable with digital, but I
have once again turned back to film. I even sold the VERY
nice Sigma SD-14 in order to finance a medium format lens.
There are some opinions that film is expensive, but it really
isn't if you factor the cost of film and processing against the
cost of a top-of-the-line digital camera. That equates to a LOT
of film and processing, AND a film camera doesn't go
"out of style" after just a year or two like a digital camera.
And of course even 35mm film can equate to the best "35mm"
digital image; they both are just about the same to overall
quality, but film includes the feeling of using all the considerations
needed to try to get a fine image. _________________
Assent, and you are sane;
Demur,—you ’re straightway dangerous,
And handled with a chain.
Emily Dickinson
Cameras and Lenses in Use:
Yashica Mat 124 w/ Yashinon 80/3.5,
CV Apo-Lanthar 90/3.5SL, (Thank you Klaus),
Pentax 645,
Flek 50,
Pentax-A 150
Pentax-A 120 Macro
Voigtlander Vitomatic I w/Color Skopar 50/2.8
Konica TC and zoom lenses (thanks Carsten)
Contax AX
Yashica ML 50/2
Yashica ML 35/2.8
Carl Zeiss Contax 50/1.4
Tamron Adaptall SP 17/3.5
Tamron Adaptall 28/2.5
Tamron Adaptall SP 300/2.8 LD (IF)
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Jesito
Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Posts: 5745 Location: Olivella, Catalonia, (Spain)
Expire: 2015-01-07
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:07 am Post subject: |
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Jesito wrote:
Wow Orio, what a nice result!.
It reminds me the time when I was at the military service. My best friend there was the photographer at the General Comandancy, and I spent most of my spare time there helping him in developing the B&W films he took for the military family parties. When you said "the blacks in the picture surface in record time" took me back to such memories of watching the picture appearing... It was 35 years ago and it seems the process hasn't changed a lot since them
Thanks for bringing me back so nice memories
Regards,
Jes. _________________ Jesito, Moderator
Jesito's backsack:
Zooms Sigma 70-300, Tamron 35-135 and 70-210 short, 70-210 long, 28-70 CF Macro, 35-70, 35-80, Vivitar 70-210 KA, Tamron 70-250.
Fixed Industar-50, , Tamron 24mm, Tamron 135mm, Sands Hunter 135mm, Pancolar 50mm, Volna-3, many Exakta lenses
DSLR SIGMA SD9 & SD14, EOS 5D, Sony A700 and NEXF3, Oly E-330, E-400, E-450, E-1
TLR/6x6/645 YashicaMat, Petri 6x45, Nettar, Franka Solida, Brilliant
SLR Minolta X300, Fuji STX II, Praktica VLC3, Pentax P30t, EXA500, EXA 1A, Spotmatic(2), Chinon CM-4S, Ricoh, Contax, Konica TC-X , Minolta 5000, 7000i, 3Sxi, EOS 500 and CX
Rangefinders Chinon 35EE, Konica C35 auto, Canonet 28, Yashica Lynx, FED-2, Yashica electro 35, Argus C3 & C4, Regula Cita III, Voigtlander Vitoret (many), Welta Welti-I, Kodak Signette 35, Zorki-4, Bessa-R & L, Minolta Weathermatic, olympus XA2
Compact Film Konica C35V, Voigtlander Vitorets, Canon Prima Super 105, Olympus XA2 and XA3
Compact Digital Olympus C-5050, Aiptek Slim 3000, Canon Powershot A540, Nikon 5200, SIGMA DP1s, Polaroid X530, IXUS55, Kodak 6490, Powershot G9 and G10
CSCCanon EOS-M, Samsung NX100 and NX210, Lumix G5, NEX-F3 |
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lahnet
Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 1164 Location: Denmark
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:42 am Post subject: |
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lahnet wrote:
Impressive....Nice work.
Maybe next logic step for many of us. _________________ Henrik
Lahnet-Foto
My FLICKR
Gear list |
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nemesis101
Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 2050 Location: Oregon USA
Expire: 2015-01-22
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:04 am Post subject: Re: My first print ON MY OWN |
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nemesis101 wrote:
CONGRATULATIONS!
It seems odd that someone as gifted has never made prints alone... I started 'wet' back in the 1950's!
Vis a vis the temperature dilemma, I used a cool water bath to stand the bottles / trays in to promote more rapid cooling. I also had some double walled trays where one could put hot or cold water in to the area between the walls to moderate the temperature in the inner tray?
Now you are going to enter the wonderful world of hard v soft papers, resin coated v plain, multigrade, high contrast developers, and all the other stuff that Photoshop and Inkjets have rescued us from lol
Doug
Orio wrote: |
Whew... just came back in the studio after my first darkroom session here at home!
- |
_________________ Lenses and cameras:
Amateurs worry about equipment
Pros worry about money,
Masters worry about light. |
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nemesis101
Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 2050 Location: Oregon USA
Expire: 2015-01-22
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:10 am Post subject: |
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nemesis101 wrote:
Blimey we are a bunch of antiques! lol
I have resurrected my trusty EOS 1-N RS and suddenly... a BRIGHT viewfinder, no blackout when shooting, real (19mm) wide angle available, 10FPS and a weapon of mass destruction in its own right!
Not sure if I will go back to 'wet' though as no room anymore, the smell, the allergies and the all round laziness...lol
I have just bought a Sony (Konica) scanner that can do an entire roll (35mm or APS) in a few short minutes, so that's my next adventure...
Doug.
Laurence wrote: |
Holy Cow, Orio! This is superb. I mean REALLY a nice print.
The tonal range is tremendous, with beautiful delineations of
the shades of grey. I can imagine the feeling of the "real thing"
in your hands after your work of processing and printing.
I have no doubt that it must be a very visceral, tactile experience.
Kastraphoto wrote: Oh yes, I'm afraid it will be some time
before I get another DSLR. Film is all I think about anymore.
Hope to see more of these simply grand efforts of yours!
I fully agree with your opinion of Orio's work. Also, I have
tried numerous times to be comfortable with digital, but I
have once again turned back to film. I even sold the VERY
nice Sigma SD-14 in order to finance a medium format lens.
There are some opinions that film is expensive, but it really
isn't if you factor the cost of film and processing against the
cost of a top-of-the-line digital camera. That equates to a LOT
of film and processing, AND a film camera doesn't go
"out of style" after just a year or two like a digital camera.
And of course even 35mm film can equate to the best "35mm"
digital image; they both are just about the same to overall
quality, but film includes the feeling of using all the considerations
needed to try to get a fine image. |
_________________ Lenses and cameras:
Amateurs worry about equipment
Pros worry about money,
Masters worry about light. |
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magnet-2009
Joined: 22 Apr 2009 Posts: 505 Location: Greece, Athens
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:57 am Post subject: |
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magnet-2009 wrote:
Excellent. A+ |
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LucisPictor
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 17633 Location: Oberhessen, Germany / Maidstone ('95-'96)
Expire: 2013-12-03
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:07 am Post subject: |
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LucisPictor wrote:
Orio, this is an excellent print!!
Honestly! I guess in all the time I printed b&w photos myself (in 1991/92), I have never or perhaps only one or two times achieved such a good result.
Well done, my friend! _________________ Personal forum activity on pause every now and again (due to job obligations)!
Carsten, former Moderator
Things ON SALE
Carsten = "KAPCTEH" = "Karusutenu" | T-shirt?.........................My photos from Emilia: http://www.schouler.net/emilia/emilia2011.html
My gear: http://retrocameracs.wordpress.com/ausrustung/
Old list: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65 (Not up-to-date, sorry!) | http://www.lucispictor.de | http://www.alensaweek.wordpress.com |
http://www.retrocamera.de |
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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:15 am Post subject: Re: My first print ON MY OWN |
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Orio wrote:
nemesis101 wrote: |
Now you are going to enter the wonderful world of hard v soft papers, resin coated v plain, multigrade, high contrast developers, and all the other stuff that Photoshop and Inkjets have rescued us from lol |
But I tell you something: after having seen the blurred, lifeless colour prints that the lab made for the Palio contests after my expensive 5DMkII files, I don't think I am willing to go printing anymore with my colour files. My B&W negative print is so sharp that you can cut yourself if you handle it improperly Do I really want to pay again for having that colour broth? I don't think so. So either I would use a professional printing service (and pay accordingly), or my digital files are going to stay digital and only end up on 10x15 cm prints for souvenir.
Printing with colour film gives similar problem, but at least with colour film you can do slides and project them on the wall for a great effect.
I was really let down by my colour prints from the 5DMkII, as much as I am excited by the quality of the film B&W prints. _________________ Orio, Administrator
T*
NE CEDE MALIS AUDENTIOR ITO
Ferrania film is reborn! http://www.filmferrania.it/
Support the Ornano film chemicals company and help them survive!
http://forum.mflenses.com/ornano-chemical-products-t55525.html |
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Jieffe
Joined: 04 Nov 2007 Posts: 754 Location: Belgium
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 10:20 am Post subject: |
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Jieffe wrote:
LucisPictor wrote: |
Orio, this is an excellent print!!
Honestly! I guess in all the time I printed b&w photos myself (in 1991/92), I have never or perhaps only one or two times achieved such a good result. |
Exactly what I though !
Orio, you really are gifted and you will now master the photographic process from A to Z. Great job ! |
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naplam
Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 469 Location: Spain
Expire: 2013-11-30
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 10:20 am Post subject: |
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naplam wrote:
Wow, the print is really superb. You really got it right. |
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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 10:25 am Post subject: |
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Orio wrote:
Jieffe wrote: |
LucisPictor wrote: |
Orio, this is an excellent print!!
Honestly! I guess in all the time I printed b&w photos myself (in 1991/92), I have never or perhaps only one or two times achieved such a good result. |
Exactly what I though !
Orio, you really are gifted and you will now master the photographic process from A to Z. Great job ! |
naplam wrote: |
Wow, the print is really superb. You really got it right. |
guys, you make me blush thanks!
your words give me an incentive to keep working. _________________ Orio, Administrator
T*
NE CEDE MALIS AUDENTIOR ITO
Ferrania film is reborn! http://www.filmferrania.it/
Support the Ornano film chemicals company and help them survive!
http://forum.mflenses.com/ornano-chemical-products-t55525.html |
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Xpres
Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 964 Location: UK
Expire: 2014-10-28
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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Xpres wrote:
Really your first go?!
You have a great career ahead of you! First class result.
If you can't keep the solution cool enough you can always dilute it further which will slow it down. _________________ Film... and sometimes SD14, 5D2 and some other suff! |
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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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Orio wrote:
Xpres wrote: |
Really your first go?!
You have a great career ahead of you! First class result.
If you can't keep the solution cool enough you can always dilute it further which will slow it down. |
Thanks!
(for the kind words and for the advice) _________________ Orio, Administrator
T*
NE CEDE MALIS AUDENTIOR ITO
Ferrania film is reborn! http://www.filmferrania.it/
Support the Ornano film chemicals company and help them survive!
http://forum.mflenses.com/ornano-chemical-products-t55525.html |
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Schnauzer
Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 2155 Location: Maine, USA
Expire: 2012-03-08
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:09 pm Post subject: |
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Schnauzer wrote:
Really nice results Orio. Even if you didn't get the results you did, its still enjoyable to do.
You have got me thinking. I believe my cousin still has his darkroom set up but hasn't used it in a couple of years. I have to look into this. I shouldn't look at these posts.
Stupidly I gave away almost all of my developing stuff when I went digital. I hadn't used it in many years. I did find my water filter and some old useless chemicals in the crawl space over my shop. I have to go back and see what is really there. _________________ Ron |
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GrahamNR17
Joined: 17 Jan 2009 Posts: 1855 Location: Norfolk, UK
Expire: 2012-09-06
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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GrahamNR17 wrote:
Orio, I think you are a natural |
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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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Orio wrote:
GrahamNR17 wrote: |
Orio, I think you are a natural |
thanks if a pro says this then it must mean something _________________ Orio, Administrator
T*
NE CEDE MALIS AUDENTIOR ITO
Ferrania film is reborn! http://www.filmferrania.it/
Support the Ornano film chemicals company and help them survive!
http://forum.mflenses.com/ornano-chemical-products-t55525.html |
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GrahamNR17
Joined: 17 Jan 2009 Posts: 1855 Location: Norfolk, UK
Expire: 2012-09-06
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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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GrahamNR17 wrote:
Orio wrote: |
GrahamNR17 wrote: |
Orio, I think you are a natural |
thanks if a pro says this then it must mean something |
Once I was maybe, but not for a long time. I am in awe, you are a good photographer AND a good printer. I was a good printer and a shit photographer |
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