fredag 25. september 2015

Paper negatives are quite fun actually!

Sorry folks, for the quietness around me. Not that you have missed much at all, I would say, but I had a hope that I could manage to post something small every now and then when I’m out here on this very small island. Well, that was not about to happen, to tell the truth! Extremely bad connection and what have we. 
We suddenly found out that we could get a few days out there on lovely Ona island, away from work and all. Did not take us long to make up our minds, to put it that way. Packed the car and vanished away for the week. How good was that, do you think?

The lighthouse. I seem to never be able to get out on this island with a camera in hand and at the same time miss a snap or two of it. Not to wonder too much about, I have to say. It's a nice little thing for sure.

What I’ve done the last couple of days?
Well… nothing much actually, but I have done some painting! Of furnitures that is. Not proper arts and stuff like that. And photography of course. That was more of the artsy stuff, as you might find out.
Decided to give paper negatives a real try, and some investigation around that area has been on the agenda. I like them, sort of, even though I realize more practice will be needed to get better... whatever that would mean?!


Found this one just outside the door I was using walking in and out from my darkroom located 3 meters to the right in this picture, in the house next door. Could probably have made more of it, but I feel this is good for now :))

I had this old Agfa paper from my fathers old stock. I guess it’s from the 70’s and I have tried it before on some pinhole shots. I like it because it’s nice paper, and it’s thin. I think that’s good for a paper negative, at least if I will try to make a print from the negative some day.
I also tried a few snaps on more modern, but still well expired, Ilford paper. More of the plasticky stuff you know. That went far out, and was terrible to look at to be honest. I think I'll stick to that old Agfa Brovira paper until it's all gone. 


Oh... sure! Here it is again snapped from just outside the darkroom. A double exposure, just to make sure I had it fastened to the paper... or probably by accident.

I post a few examples here, and are looking forward to any good advice from any of you experts out there. Let your voice be heared folks! Comments below, as usual.


OK! This went faraway off! Another double of course, but this time it happened by will. Not that it helped much, as you see... Or, maybe it's kind of a masterpiece? 

Oh, and I also did some film while I was out there. I have developed 3 rolls of 120 film, and think I got one more from this week to get done shortly. Then I got 3 or 4 rolls from my Trondheim trip last weekend as well... I'll see if I might be able to get them all done some time tomorrow. Do not have high hopes for that to happen! I might get distracted or something... teenagers and stuff, you know.


The last one for today. This is the only one posted here and now that indicates the theme I was trying to capture a bit of when I was walking around testing the paper negative stuff. More about that tomorrow!

Keep in mind; everything has just been snapped and processed on the fly. All is done on one or two of my Mamiya RZ cameras with different lenses attached. I only had two camera backs available, so had to run in and out switching between snapping and developing stuff. Everything is shot handheld, but some are done with the camera supported against some sort of object when the times was getting too long. Had to expose for 4 ASA, and in dim light you might be able to figure out that exposure times was everything from around 1 second up to a couple of minutes on a few of the shots. It was great fun though!!

More of the same sort to come, I’m afraid…

2 kommentarer:

  1. Good stuff Mr Karlsvig - nice to see you back at your creative best, with the old paper negatives (old being the operative word there by the sound of it). I've never tried putting paper stuff in my cameras - yet. So I will be following your exploits here with interest. I think these first ones have come out pretty darn good - you're certainly getting the full range of contrasts there and the long exposures help with the mood. Amazing what you can capture with 40-year old paper!

    SvarSlett
    Svar
    1. Oh... no need to go totally through the roof my friend! Creative, probably! Best...? Well, doubtfully. If that's even a word? It's a heck of a fun though, dealing with paper negatives, but bloody tedious as I am only able to load one frame at a time. Good that the island is just a few yards both wide and long, so not far to go to find a darkroom :))
      Thanks a lot for the comment mate!

      Slett

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