post your trees!

[CreationBear]

Linhof Technikardan S45, Rodenstock Grandagon-N 4.5/90, Kodak T-Max 400, Pyrocat-HD:

A lot of great arborscapes on the thread lately, but this one stands out. I'm curious about your exposure/development...looks like a real torture test to me, one that would have me at least considering a two-bath Pyro approach.

[Dugan]

Gabe, the tonal quality of that image is remarkable!
Nice composition, as well. Bravo!

[Gabe]

A lot of great arborscapes on the thread lately, but this one stands out. I'm curious about your exposure/development...looks like a real torture test to me, one that would have me at least considering a two-bath Pyro approach.

Thank you

From my notes the deepest shadows were on about Zone III, and the brightest patches of leaves were about Zone VIII, so nothing too crazy. The sky was about Zone X. Development was with Pyrocat-HD 1:1:5:95 A:B:IPA:water in an SP-445 tank using minimal agitation/semi-stand, 22 C for 14 mins. I think it was a touch underdeveloped tbh as the neg came out a little on the thin side for my liking, but I'm still in the process of fine tuning. I've read about divided Pyrocat, but it's not something I've tried yet (would be useful for rollfilm I'm sure). Straight high dilution Pyrocat can work wonders on its own I find.

The negative was "scanned" via a 9-shot stitch with my D810. I didn't do much to the file beyond setting levels and a touch of subtle dodging and burning using luminosity masks in Photoshop; all the detail was already there in the neg.

Gabe, the tonal quality of that image is remarkable!
Nice composition, as well. Bravo!

Many thanks!

[CreationBear]

Pyrocat-HD 1:1:5:95 A:B:IPA

Excellent, thanks for the detailed reply--I'm not familiar with the acronym "IPA" however other than isopropyl alcohol...though apparently there are some folks out there developing in beer! A waste of Indian Pale Ale to my mind, but to each his own...

[Gabe]

Excellent, thanks for the detailed reply--I'm not familiar with the acronym "IPA" however other than isopropyl alcohol...though apparently there are some folks out there developing in beer! A waste of Indian Pale Ale to my mind, but to each his own...

Yes high purity isopropyl alcohol. I started standardising on using 5% of it by volume with Pyrocat when doing semi-stand, as it lowers the surface tension of the mixture and prevents formation of air bells. I also mix some of it with deionised water for the final rinse of my film rather than using regular wetting agents, as those can easily leave residues, whereas IPA + deionised water always gives pristine results. It's very useful stuff.

[CreationBear]

Wonderful, I'm very much the newbie when it comes to...well, everything LF, but that's a new approach for me. At any rate, a great shot!

[kevinjp]

This is my first ever 4x5 attempt, a Birch tree in some morning sidelight. I'm using some 6 year old film and developer I got with the camera and wanted to see if it was still good. I knew the developer would be ok, but wasn't sure about the film. I also just wanted to see if I could manage to expose a sheet of film and develop it without screwing it up. I don't have a scanner so I used my Panasonic S1 and a light pad. I don't have a good setup yet so I couldn't keep the film perfectly flat so the edges are a bit soft.

Toyo 45 AII, Schneider Symmar-S 210mm, Delta 100, D76 1:1.

[Tin Can]

Good work!

Now 50 years of refinement

Have fun always

[kevinjp]

Thanks Tin Can! I definitely have some refining to do.

[Gabe]

I'm very much the newbie when it comes to...well, everything LF

Me too, although I've done quite a bit of research on the subject before taking the plunge. Only assembled the basic kit in the last month or so. That was my 4th exposed sheet so far.

Thanks again.