Hello from Poulsbo, Washington

[PoulsboJeff]

Hi all. I learned of the forum from Mat Morash's YouTube channel. I'm looking forward to hearing what people have to say, as well as the camaraderie of people with like interests. My first introduction to LF was in college, where we had an assignment to go to the commercial docks in San Diego with a Speed Graphic. Needless to say, the fishermen did not take too kindly to some pimple-faced kid with a camera almost as large as he was. But I survived ;) Shortly after college, I took up a job photographing children at Sears and Monkey Wards for a year. It was a wonderful experience, in many ways.

Currently, my kit includes a Leica R4S with 50mm Summicron; four Hasselblad 500CM and 500EL bodies (thank you eBay) with 50mm, 80mm, 150mm, and 250mm; a Canon 5D MK4 with 24mm-105mm 4.0 Lii, 70mm-200mm 2.8 Li; and, most importantly, a 1910(?) Korona. I replaced the bellows, found a couple of flanged barrel lenses, and a pair of wooden film holders. My thought was to use the Korona for platinum portraits. Some of the images from 1890 - 1920 that I have seen are gorgeous. Anyway, that's the plan. The Korona is currently in storage, but I hope to have it fully functional by the end of the year. As you can see, I suffer from serious GAS.

Jeff

[domaz]

Hi all. I learned of the forum from Mat Morash's YouTube channel. I'm looking forward to hearing what people have to say, as well as the camaraderie of people with like interests. My first introduction to LF was in college, where we had an assignment to go to the commercial docks in San Diego with a Speed Graphic. Needless to say, the fishermen did not take too kindly to some pimple-faced kid with a camera almost as large as he was. But I survived ;) Shortly after college, I took up a job photographing children at Sears and Monkey Wards for a year. It was a wonderful experience, in many ways.

Currently, my kit includes a Leica R4S with 50mm Summicron; four Hasselblad 500CM and 500EL bodies (thank you eBay) with 50mm, 80mm, 150mm, and 250mm; a Canon 5D MK4 with 24mm-105mm 4.0 Lii, 70mm-200mm 2.8 Li; and, most importantly, a 1910(?) Korona. I replaced the bellows, found a couple of flanged barrel lenses, and a pair of wooden film holders. My thought was to use the Korona for platinum portraits. Some of the images from 1890 - 1920 that I have seen are gorgeous. Anyway, that's the plan. The Korona is currently in storage, but I hope to have it fully functional by the end of the year. As you can see, I suffer from serious GAS.

Jeff

Welcome Jeff! Always glad to see another Pacific Northwest area photographer. I think you will love getting into Large Format. After doing some LF shots I don't find my digital camera near as interesting to shoot and find myself missing the movements and lens signature of the LF camera. Have fun!

[PoulsboJeff]

Welcome Jeff! Always glad to see another Pacific Northwest area photographer. I think you will love getting into Large Format. After doing some LF shots I don't find my digital camera near as interesting to shoot and find myself missing the movements and lens signature of the LF camera. Have fun!

Thanks domaz! I'm looking forward to it. Do you process your own film, or have a lab do it? I do not have the facility here to process, even with something like a JOBO. Corresponding with Ben Horne, he said that he carries empty film boxes to hold his undeveloped images until he gets back home to have a lab process them. When just starting out, It's more like chicken or egg when having undeveloped film. My thinking is that I might have to hop the ferry to Seattle with my film holders to them processed.

[Ulophot]

Welcome, Jeff. Lab processing may solve your problem for a while, but the care we take with LF often leads us to carry through with our processing and printing. You mentioned the Jobo, and I don't know if you meant that you don't even have running water, but if you can load your film under blankets or in a dark closet after teh sun goes down (or in changing bag in daylight), there are daylight processors, such as the Stearman Press "tanks" that you can surely use with just a little clear space at the kitchen sink. Negatives can be dried hanging over a bathtub from an improvised line or rod (as long as no one goes in or out meanwhile to get dust on them), or in whatever space you're considering for making your platinum prints. Most of us have made do with some variant on this, sometimes for decades; where there is a will, there is usually a way. Feel free to ask for further advice.

[Exploring Large Format]

Another from Seattle. Welcome! Just spent 24 hours on your Kitsap Peninsula. Fantastic!

I just started LF myself, and at first used Panda Labs in Lower Queen Anne in Seattle for B&W. You can easily mail them your undeveloped film in the boxes. A call ahead helps. Now, I happily use the SP-445 tank. Simple, small, works great for me.

For the very few color I've done, I mailed to Citizens Photo Lab in Portland.

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

[Heroique]

Hi Jeff,

Welcome from another PNW LFer in Seattle.

Since you’re in Poulsbo, I envy you’re a bit closer to the Olympic beaches, rain forests, and snowy mountains I love. I’d estimate a quarter of my landscape shots are while standing somewhere on the Olympic Peninsula! I imagine you cross Hood Canal for occasional photo trips on the OP?

I second ELF's recommendation of Citizens Photo Lab in Portland for color work.

Look forward to seeing your images here. :D

[PoulsboJeff]

Thanks Phillip. The Stearman Press setup is probably a good start. I'm on his mailing list. One other adjustment will be to ditch (AKA sell) the V600 and invest in a V800 or V850, since the 600 cannot scan 4x5. I do have a bathtub that looks like it was designed for a party :cool:, and it is an interior room. Hopefully I can give it a try by the fall. I appreciate your advice.

[PoulsboJeff]

Thanks ELF! I've been using Blue Moon Camera and Machinery in Portland for my 120 processing, as well as searching and purchasing the perfect B&W emulsion - think Bergger, Ferrania, FP4, etc. Right now it looks like Delta 100 has the contrast and smoothness I'm looking for. My issue starting out will be leaving the film in the holder for processing until I have a couple of empty boxes I can use for mailers. Hey, can't knock a ferry ride with lunch at Elliot's in the future. I'll check out Citizen's Lab. Thanks for the tip.

[PoulsboJeff]

Thanks Heroique. Nice to meet you. I live about two miles south of the bridge, so it is an easy trip up the Peninsula. Actually, I found a 3,000 acre park right next to Port Gamble. It's access was donated to Kitsap County by a private lumber company. The place hasn't been logged in probably fifty years. It is just financially not viable to log it anymore. There are plenty of compositions within the first few hundred yards. There is also a parking lot in Port Gamble for easy access. I have friends that live in Port Angeles. We're kicking around the idea of a day-hike in the HOH Valley. Should be fun. As I posted to ELF, I'll check out Citizen's for my E-6 images.

[Vaughn]

Welcome!

Since I am just over the border in Northern CA, we are only in the PNW by invitation. I am working with an equally old 5x7 Eastman View No.2...nice tools. My larger cameras are much newer, but no better.

If you get set-up for making 8x10 platinum (and/or palladium) prints, the chances are that you'll be set for developing the 8x10 film, also. I am about to develop 11 sheets of 5x7 in my kitchen...procrastinating online, again, everything set-up. Two Jobo Expert Drums (a 3006 -- six 5x7s, and a 3005 -- five 5x7s) and a Unicolor motor base. The drums loaded last night in the bathroom once it got dark.... I'll develop one drum, check the negatives to see if I need to adjust the development, then develop the film in the second drum. Hang them in the bathroom to dry. These negatives are being developed for making platinum/palladium prints...band portraits of all things!
They told me if I am their band photographer, I'll get free beer at their gigs.:cool:

8x10 negatives get processed the same way. The 11x14 negs -- well, open trays at night is what I do. That needs space (and I stack two trays).

PS -- first set developed. Technically they are fine and dandy...but I should have know a bunch of oldies called Cadillac Ranch with a jewish cowboy as lead singer would have a tough time holding still for 1/2 second, let alone for the 1 second exposures! Hopefully they did better for the second batch of negatives -- which I will develop for the same time/temp when I get back from playing bocce with a bunch of other old farts.

[Heroique]

Thanks Heroique. Nice to meet you. We're kicking around the idea of a day-hike in the HOH Valley. Should be fun.

I’ll be there this summer too. Love the Big Leaf Maples with giant ferns drooping from their limbs in the early morning mist. If I see someone with a tripod and boxy camera, I’ll stop to say Hello.


Welcome! Since I am just over the border in Northern CA, we are only in the PNW by invitation.

Thanks to his excellent work in N. California, Vaughn is one of very few LFers who’s earned the privilege of visiting our region without needing a passport. He’s always welcome.

[PoulsboJeff]

Hi Vaughn
No need to worry about crossing the border, just wear your Groucho Marx glasses LOL. I did my first platinum prints in a class taught be Kerik Kouklis in Sacramento back in 1989ish. I saw my first prints by Frederik Evans. Those prints just glowed. Then I saw a portrait of Siegfried Sassoon, also platinum. I was hooked. Still am. As for Bocce, I play Petanque. Pretty much the same state of play, perhaps a little more "aggressive" with smaller cast iron balls. Make any analogy you wish. Only serious rule in Petanque is that you cannot step onto the terrain without a glass of your favorite beverage in your hand.

[PoulsboJeff]

Maybe later on this year, we can meet up in the HOH. I will probably have the Hasselblad and eight million rolls of Velvia, as the Korona is in storage in Walla Walla. Could be fun.

[Vaughn]

It's the dang CA plates (and probably the Hawaiian shirts) that give me away.
But I did get my negs -- about to hang up the last of them -- here's an inverted image of a wet neg against the sky.
(And proof that I do better with redwoods...)

Ladies and gentlemen, I present Cadillac Ranch!

[Brianr]

Hello from Kingston, Jeff!

I've got a darkroom setup and do everything from 16mm to 8x10, mostly 4x5. I just acquired a Jobo ATL2+ that was in storage for 25 years and after a bit of tinkering it's back in service.

I'm working backwards and hope to get going in wet plates next year. Let me know if you want to process any film?

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Welcome to the forum. I'm in Vancouver Washington or SW Washington, not Portland as everyone thinks. Been here about six years now and the community is great. Get that camera out of storage! Developing film yourself is not that hard. If we get together in HOH I can let you look through my 8x10. Then you can move up from there. Maybe I'll bring the 14x17 as well! Bigger is better. Either way enjoy the ride!

[PoulsboJeff]

Hi all.
Well, I bit the bullet. and ordered a Chamonix 45F-2. It won't be here until next March. In the interim, I picked up a 210mm Rodenstock 5.6 Sironar-N from Roberts Camera. The lens is stunning! I can't wait to get it on a camera and take o few shots. Hi Brianr. I'll keep your kind offer in mind.

[Brad Cloven]

Hi, Jeff. I'm a newbie in Tacoma. If you're looking for a trail-buddy to hike into location shoots, give me a ping here and we can coordinate.

www.bradcloven.smugmug.com

[PoulsboJeff]

Hey Brad.
Sounds like a good idea. For now, it will be the Hasselblad and Delta 100, along with a little Velvia while it is still available. Can't wait for the Chamonix. I keep picking up little bits and pieces to add to the kit. I'm not worried about duplicating anything I have in storage in Walla Walla. Just a dark cloth for the most part.