What did you learn new lately? Anything photographic? We are all students!

[Tin Can]

Mods, please put this where it should be if this the wrong location.

I saw nowhere else to put this. But I would like to hear about what people are trying that is new to them and how well, or not, it is going.

I will start. I tried digital negatives. I tried them 15 years ago with the office copier and OHP film we had for it, We still used Overhead projectors at that time. They were terrible.

I read a lot, and learned I did not have the Epson printers of choice. Nonetheless, I tried using Pictorico Pro Hi-Gloss White Film 8.5x11 with my Canon Pixma Pro 1. I took a medium contrast digital P&S image with deep DOF and made some 2x3" inverted prints on the Pictorico. I put them in my enlarger and started looking at the results and printed some bad things at 5x7". First thing I did very wrong was induce digital grain, not good enlarged.

Decided I needed way denser and higher contrast, and I kept working the same image. Finally I started printing 4x6 paper negs, with a lot of PS conjuring.

Within 8 iterations I had something that contact printed onto 5x7 RC MG pretty nicely.

Thought I had something going. I tried another image with the goal to contact print 8x10. Never got there. It seems I got lucky on the first go, and unfortunately I did not write down or record my PS actions.

But the project gave me hope. My printer did not produce the dreaded 'pizza wheels' I had read about and I think I need to explore more of this.

So, I tried something new to me and learned a litlle.

What are you doing new to you?

[Vaughn]

Doing nothing new -- just developing some 120 B&W film. But hopefully I will discover some new images that are worthy of printing (mostly as pt/pd contacts)!

Most folks make digital negs to contact print rather than to enlarge. Makes sense -- why enlarge the digitial artifacts? Good luck in your efforts!

Vaughn

[Tin Can]

I only did the 2x3 enlarging to get through a learning curve as cheaply as possible, the goal is big contact prints.

Doing nothing new -- just developing some 120 B&W film. But hopefully I will discover some new images that are worthy of printing (mostly as pt/pd contacts)!

Most folks make digital negs to contact print rather than to enlarge. Makes sense -- why enlarge the digitial artifacts? Good luck in your efforts!

Vaughn

[David R Munson]

I came into a lot of interesting ideas reading "Teaching Photography, Notes Assembled" by Philip Perkis. RIT Press sells a print-on-demand copy for $20 which is reasonable considering the quality of the reading material and the absurd cost of original copies otherwise. Also starting into "Photography is a Language" by John R Whiting, which I'm excited to get through. Trying to research other relevant texts to teaching photography and visual literacy in general as well.

In practice, I spent my afternoon today making test photos based on an idea I had. Also looking into ortho film options and figuring out how best to cut down sheet film to 6x6cm squares for the Hasselblad sheet film back I just picked up because of a different idea I had. Loading up some 4x5 tonight so I can shoot with it this weekend, as I got my 210mm back from a friend who had borrowed it.

New ideas for a new portfolio are rapidly developing and tie in with an overall new perspective on where I'm headed with my work in general.

I mostly feel like I'm more involved again than I've been in a while. That's a good feeling. New ideas everywhere and I'm actually putting them to work. Always a good sign.

[Corran]

Did some tests of T-Max 100 with Pyrocat HD. Decided on a starting EI and need to dial in my developing time. Looking like about ASA 40 and a dev time of about 10-11 minutes, constant agitation in BTZS tubes.

You're right, we're all students in one way or another. I say that all the time.

[Kimberly Anderson]

Right now I am studying high-end flatbed scanners. I have been scouring the web and I get pointed right back here for a lot of threads. It's awesome to know that I can trust the information and that I am familiar with the source.

[Tin Can]

I also got 4 DDS cut film holders for my Mamiya RB, I never knew they actually existed until they popped up on eBay. Glad I got them and then Bingo, I realized 2x3 Grafmatics also fit an RB.

I will look into your books, especially eBooks as they are cheaper and store better. Books and magazines I do purge now and then.

I came into a lot of interesting ideas reading "Teaching Photography, Notes Assembled" by Philip Perkis. RIT Press sells a print-on-demand copy for $20 which is reasonable considering the quality of the reading material and the absurd cost of original copies otherwise. Also starting into "Photography is a Language" by John R Whiting, which I'm excited to get through. Trying to research other relevant texts to teaching photography and visual literacy in general as well.

In practice, I spent my afternoon today making test photos based on an idea I had. Also looking into ortho film options and figuring out how best to cut down sheet film to 6x6cm squares for the Hasselblad sheet film back I just picked up because of a different idea I had. Loading up some 4x5 tonight so I can shoot with it this weekend, as I got my 210mm back from a friend who had borrowed it.

New ideas for a new portfolio are rapidly developing and tie in with an overall new perspective on where I'm headed with my work in general.

I mostly feel like I'm more involved again than I've been in a while. That's a good feeling. New ideas everywhere and I'm actually putting them to work. Always a good sign.

[gth]

I also got 4 DDS cut film holders for my Mamiya RB, I never knew they actually existed until they popped up on eBay. Glad I got them and then Bingo, I realized 2x3 Grafmatics also fit an RB.

I will look into your books, especially eBooks as they are cheaper and store better. Books and magazines I do purge now and then.

That's interesting... About RB film holders that is.... so both cut film and Grafmatics fit on the standard back adapter for 120/220 backs?

[Tin Can]

Yup! The Mamiya holders have a groove or edge for the International back, normal 2x3 holders do not work.

that's interesting... About rb film holders that is.... So both cut film and grafmatics fit on the standard back adapter for 120/220 backs?

[Michael Cienfuegos]

I too was happy to discover that the Grafmatic holders fit the RB. I have three holders, that camera is easier to use than my Baby Speed.