The interesting thing to me about medium format Tri-X negatives is the long dynamic range they had when developed just right. I marvel at the detail of the cloth weave in the reflection of Belinda's blouse in the window and how gracefully the reflections roll from white to soft gray to middle gray. How smoothly the grays hold detail in the head rest cover behind Belinda's head and how wonderful the tones look in the over head lighting in the top, right hand of the frame.
I have no idea where we were other than somewhere in the middle of Italy. The old Compur shutter on the 105mm purred like a cat and, after the mirror came up the shutter was all but silent. I love the composition and the placement of lights and darks. I shot one frame. I discovered it twenty years later. I saw it when I shot it. And when I developed it. And when I contact printed it. But I only really saw it last night.
I am in love with love.
Wonderful images, Kirk - please keep them coming. Or better yet, consider a book from your Italy trip; I would order it right away...
ReplyDeleteThat first picture is, well, beautiful. Soft expression, soft greys, delicate lighting... I'm trying to describe why I like it but really, it perfectly demonstrates the cliche about a 1000 words, all of them, in this case, poetic.
ReplyDeleteThat specific micro-detail, the weave in cloth, was the first thing I noticed in my photos after switching back to mostly using film. I don't recall ever noticing that in years of shooting digital. Keep in mind this wasn't even medium format, this was with 35mm scanned on a barely adequate flatbed. Fine detail in my medium format shots, with a modest bottom-of-the-range Yashica, never fails to impress me. When I don't miss focus, anyway!
ReplyDeletePaul, I've tried everything from Diafine and Acufine to Rodinal at every imaginable dilution and I still wind up shooting @ ISO 250 and developing in D-76 diluted 1:1. Love it and rarely stray.
ReplyDeleteA walk down memory lane for you..a look into the work of a master photographer..no artist for the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed your avid use of Tri-X. In the late 80s and early 90s I became an avid user of the Kodak T-max 100 and 400 B&W films. I liked that the film had perhaps the finest grain for its speed ratings of all silver-based B&W films, and I liked the films' tonal qualities. I felt at the time that Tri-X was too grainy for my liking. I am curious as to what characteristics of Tri-X make you prefer it to other B&W films.
ReplyDeleteCraig, I like the very thing you reject, the long tonality and the spicy grain. It looks like film because it is film. I have used lots and lots of Agfapan APX25 and APX100 as well as Ilford Pan-F and FP-4 but nothing screams photography to me like Tri-X
ReplyDelete(and to the un-baptised, when I say tri-X I mean the ISO 400 emulsion, not the 320 Professional Emulsion. It's a totally different film).
Grain is part of the design.
Kirk
ReplyDeleteYour wife is beautiful, and your photographs are a testament to your love of her and photography as well.
Did you ever write about your scanning workflow?
If so can you point me to the article, if not please write about these beautiful scans.
Thank you.
Kirk, to come to think of it I tended to reject grain more in the late 80s and early 90s than now. In those days I was increasing format size - 35mm to 6x6 cm to 4x5 in. in an effort to produce prints that were as grainless as possible. But, having recently gone back to shooting with 35mm film, I have really begun to appreciate grain. I looked at two recent photos of my daughter - one from a compact digital camera, and one shot on slide film. Both images produced nice 4x6 in. prints when viewed at normal distances. But, when looking at the photos close up, the grain pattern of the film looked much nicer than the noise pattern produced by the digital sensor. I will have to give Tri-X, the ISO 400 kind, another go.
ReplyDeleteCould you share your development time? Thanks. :)
ReplyDeleteIt surprises me to realize it has taken so long to understand that, no matter what is layered on top, at the core you are 100% romantic. Such affectations as the beret, monocle, goatee and hand-rolled cigarette are there to distract and dissuade and to keep those of us unwashed from discovering the passion that informs your artistry. Write about things practical if you need or wish to, it is the reality of your romantic core that keeps me reading your blog and enjoying your pictures.
ReplyDeleteAnd keeps me writing it as well...
ReplyDeleteI just read your headline of no more until April something, and then an e-mail in my box to inform me of your comment.
DeleteYou are a good man Charlie Brown keep up the writing and the photography.
I too paint, take a break from the shutter shudder.
http://stochasticspirals.com/