Train I Ride, Sixteen Coaches Long

I have always loved trains and railroad scenes for photography. Classic Americana, timeless, beautiful. While recovering, rather than to get out there and shoot a lot, which I can’t really do, I figured this was a great time to start catching up with some negative scans that time has not permitted. These frames were shot just before Christmas, 2011, at and near Worcester, MA’s famed Union Station. I shot them with the Minolta XD-11, using Kodak TMax 400. And developed them in HC-110, with about a 20% increase in development time for about a 20% increase in contrast.

Even if you are not into trains and the railroad, they can make for some great creative inspiration, and a lot of fun. For America, trains were instrumental in industrial expansion, and geographic entry to the west. Photographically, they represent endless possibilities for creativity. Not only trains themselves, but stations, tracks, signs, nearby urban decay, not to mention conductors, passengers, hobos. They are still out there- maybe not like the Great Depression, but there are people still hitching rides to random destinations via trains.

I think I used a 50mm Rokkor here, but it might have been the 28mm. Not really sure, as I ran out of room for notes on the canister with my Sharpie. Looking at them again, it may have been with the wide.

Providence And Worcester RR Bridge Coming Into Union Station

Union Station, Worcester, Massachusetts

Adding Contrast During Development

I am still fairly new to home darkroom developing. Just a matter of months into it. Since inception, following pretty much the same workflow, with the goal of achieving repeatable, consistent results. This has worked well for both D-76, and HC-110, with some variation. But for the most part, I haven’t really experimented that much. Keeping by and large the same dilutions and development times. The only exception to this being changing D:76 development from stock to a 1:1 working solution.

I do love contrast. This has been something that has eluded me, until last night. With these shots I took in downtown Worcester, MA the other night, I decided to increase the contrast of my development by about 20%, by increasing development times by 20%. Kodak’s TMax data sheets make mention of this, so it made sense to go for it. Pushing film is not something I have really tried. These shots were taken at box speed., ISO/ASA 400. But the results are really making me think about 1-2 stop pushing, to take advantage of some higher shutter speeds. But, based on this experiment, I could not be more thrilled. The blacks are what I remember seeing in print in newspapers, and in publications such as Life Magazine. The tonality and shadows, well, not what is achievable with digital photography without huddling over Photoshop for hours, certainly not right at capture. The dynamic range simply isn’t there.

Knowing now how to do this, there is additional, powerful creative control. Maybe a great bridge towards, someday, trying more esoteric, exotic developers. It makes the process far less intimidating.

These shots were taken with my Minolta XG-7, with a 50mm Rokkor f/1.4. The developer of choice, D:76, 1:1 dilution, at 15 minute development time. The Minolta was a Christmas gift to myself this year, and for special reasons. A blog entry on this amazing camera is due soon.

Main Office Of The Worcester Telegram And Gazzette, Worcester, Massachusetts' Newspaper.

These Were Taken Just Before Christmas.

This Is At The Intersection Of Main And Pleasant Streets.

Not Wide Angle, But A 50mm Rokkor.

Christmas Lights

Took the Minolta XG-7, 50mm f/1.4 Rokkor, and a roll of TMax 400 into downtown Worcester, MA recently, to capture some Christmas lights. No tripod, handheld, with some rather slow shutter speeds, it was indeed at times a challenge to keep camera blur/motion shake at bay. But this was a lot of fun, and a rather warm late fall/early winter evening. And, no snow in Central Massachusetts since the freak snowstorm captured in this blog for October.

These were home developed with Kodak HC-110, utilizing my usual 49:1 dilution. This has indeed been a joyful year for film photography, one I will not soon forget. I am grateful for my family, my health, and the new friends I have made through this wonderful passion.

Get out there and photograph Christmas, before it comes and goes for another year. Merry Christmas, film photographers. And, digital photographers.

Street Lanterns Are Decorated

Jack In The Box

Caroler Singing

Christmas Tree Behind City Hall, City Square Bank Office Building In Background

“Signs, Signs, Everywhere There’s Signs…..”

Took the Minolta XG-7 downtown, late one afternoon. Several signs captured my attention. With the shadows, and falling sun, they can make for great subjects late in the day. These closed business establishments in Worcester, MA were shot with TMax 400, and developed in HC-110. These with the Rokkor 50mm. A wide prime would have been great here. Have a 28mm f/2.8 Rokkor on order. Thrilled with these results, though-

Another Photo Shiop Bites The Dust....

Not Sure If Bluri Is Still In Business- The School Is

The Venue Is Also Out, But The Awning Remains.

TMax From The Darkroom- And Why A Kodak Bankruptcy / Reorg Might Be A Good Thing

Spent Friday night in the darkroom. As after the fact, I read that Kodak HC-110 is not a highly recommended developer to use with TMax, it was too late- 1st two rolls, developed. While certainly punchy and sharp, the negs seemed to have a grayish tinge, and lacking definition in the blacks. Maybe this was due in part to setting 8 bit grayscale native on the scanner, and not scanning in color, and doing grayscale conversion in Photoshop. But overall, pretty happy with the results. Took this shot of my son, looking outside, with the Nikon F3HP, and 105mm f/2.5, with bounced flash-

Looking Out The Window - Shot With Kodak TMax 400, Nikon F3HP, 105mm f/2.5, Developed in HC -110

So, yesterday, I picked up a packet of Kodak D-76, as I have seen some excellent results using that developer with TMax. It was the 1st developer I used, and only recently stopped using it, as I was likely over agitating, and as a result, over developing, and getting the dreaded “bromide drag”. Additionally, the sheer economic benefit of a highly concentrated developer such as HC-110 have made it my “go-to” developer. It may be time to stock up on supplies now, as shortly after getting out of the darkroom, I receive an e-mail from my mother, asking me if I had heard the news/rumors about Kodak-

Kodak shares plunge as bankruptcy fears escalate

Kodak: Death of an American icon?

Kodak shares plummet on restructuring fears

After initially nearly suffering a panic attack, reality settled in, and I realized this may in fact, be a blessing in disguise. Unlike the demise of Polaroid, this could work out pretty nicely. One scenario is that the company reorganizes, sells off its film/professional division to Ilford, or Fuji (no, Impossible does not have deep enough pockets), and beautiful emulsions like Ektar, TMax, TriX, PlusX, etc, are kept alive. As is the chemistry needed to develop it. Another is that it simply “spins off” film, although I do not see this happening, as film, while profitable to make, just does not sell in the volume needed to keep it profitable anymore. It is a niche market. Not a mass market. Despite those, like myself, fiercely loyal to it.

The least likely scenario? It ceases to exist. The folks at Impossible, while still making a highly unstable and experimental product, proved it can be done. Chemistry has been “cloned” and in some cases, improved upon, by 3rd party vendors selling chemicals through internet/mail order boutiques such as Freestyle. Yes, I am guessing that C41 might be a bit more challenging to do so. But, what happens to the Kodak machines at the places left still processing color films? Does this become an opportunity for Fuji, and do they, if Kodak goes under completely, raise the price of their films to the point where it becomes cost prohibitive for the average enthusiast?

And, what becomes of Kodak’s current “crown jewel” color emulsions, Portra, especially 160 and 400? No one has the answers- not even the folks in Rochester. Until they do, just keep on shooting.

Kodak TMax 400 – “The World’s Sharpest B&W Film”?

Kodak TMax 400 - The World's Sharpest B&W Film

Yes, it most likely is. After months of stubborn resistance, due in part to my undying love for Kodak’s legendary TriX, I have been shooting TMax. In part to see what all the fuss is about, but also to mix it up a bit. Have not developed film in the darkroom for maybe three weeks or so. The 1st negative is hanging up as this blog entry goes out. Yes, this is gorgeous, gorgeous film.

Some caveats here- If you prewash, which I do for about a minute, when dumping the water, ir will have a magenta tinge to it. Yes, that is most likely the anti-halation layer. While some have claimed to also see this with TriX, I have yet to see it with that, or PlusX. But this film will show it when you dump the prewash. Not to worry.

Another TMax phenomenon it is LOADED with silver. It will exhaust your fixer at a much faster rate than the aforementioned emulsions. It is alarming indeed to see the tint after fixing- you can literally SEE the silver. Keep plenty of concentrated fixer in the darkroom cabinet- you’ll be going through this stuff like it’s going out of style. Wait, this is film we’re talking about here. Maybe it IS going out of style? Hardly. Shoot and develop a roll of this stuff, and you’ll be bringing your digital gear into local landfills.

One more thing- this stuff is getting pricey. The commodities market, well, we all know where that is. Yes, silver is getting much more expensive, so TMax is as well.

So why use it? The grain structure is fine. I have shot TMax before, but this is my 1st time developing it. Yes, it is insanely sharp. I used HC-110, 49-1, at 9 minutes, constant agitation for the 1st 30 sec, with 2 inversions thereafter every 30 sec, until complete. Sure, there are most likely thousands of ways to develop the stuff, including using Kodak’s TMax liquid developer. But, after my hesitation to use HC-110, I like the results, and the stuff is incredibly economical. But I would like to also try it with D-76, or TMax developer. But right now, HC-110 is my developer of choice.

Have a roll of exposed 120 TMax 100 in the fridge. Now, to figure out how to load 120 into the tank. Baby steps….

TMax can coexist with TriX, PlusX, and these gorgeous emulsions. This truly IS a golden age of film photography. The films just keep getting better and better.