Another view of Brodgar..Alaura and i spent 2 weeks this summer driving around Scotland...its was spectacular..our main focus was to visit some neolithic sites we had always wanted to go to...i was dragging around about 100lbs of camera gear and alaura dragged around about 2lbs of water-color painting gear (what am i doing!)...we went thru the lakes district on the way up which was postcard beautiful every turn of the road..we went to the important stone circle of Castlerigg in the lakes district(we have always wanted to go here because we have a beautifil painting of Castlerigg hanging in our lounge room by the incredible artist Monica Sjoo - author of some important works on the stone sites).
We then continued on thru the amazing Kilmartin Valley...a neolithic wonderland!! i took a bunch of photos at Temple Wood stone cirlce and also at Ballyneigh (4 large menhirs in a row)..we then drove over to the isle of Skye (there's a bridge connecting it to the mainland)...not alot neolithic there but majestic views all around and puffins if youre there at the right time of the year (which we were'nt).
Then put our rental car on a ferry and over to the Isle of Lewis and Harris..One word..Callanish!!..oh my god..in the past Alaura and I have had a private entrance to Stonehenge where we had the whole site to ourselves for 2hrs after it was closed to the public but that was nothing compared to the majestic stone circle of Callanish on the isle of Lewis..i think about this place every single day now...i want to be buried there..its funny because my family on my mothers side is the McLeod clan and the isle of Lewis and Harris is the ancestral home of the McLeod's...it may well have been some of my ancestors that built Callanish!! i'll post pictures soon...I'm going back there next year to photograph this place again, every square inch of it next time (i only photographed about every 2nd inch this time).
We then ferried over to the Orkneys..Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness, Maes Howe, Skara Brae. Then back down all the way to London...Clava cairns on the way down too...Be stoned..its good for you!
The image above is BIG (1200x1500 pixels), i just felt like i had to post at least one big scan of an 8x10 inch contact print...they'll be smaller in future..promise...this is a site on the orkney islands off the north coast of Scotland in the North sea..its called the Ring of Brodgar.. A spectacular stone circle dated to about 2500BC according to the man, Audbrey Burl (http://invis.free.anonymizer.com/http://blog.neoteny.com/andy/archives/king of all stone heads)...the stone in the image is about 10 feet tall and the circle is big, about 300 feet in diameter and originally had about 30 stones (about half are remaining)...
for those stone inclined..visit http://www.megalithic.co.uk great site for the sites!!
http://www.largeformatphotography.info
great site for introduction on all things large...
http://www.photo.net/bboard/forum?topic_id=1547
active large-format forum...also the search on this site is brilliant if looking for specific answers.
http://www.f32.net
f32 - A Large Format Photography Community of Practice with an active Discussion Forum and EMail list. Members can obtain discounts for a range of large format goods and services.
http://www.photo.net/bboard/forum?topic_id=1564
active alternate processes forum
http://duke.usask.ca/~holtsg/photo/current/
web-view of the current postings on the alt-photo-proc list (awesome, awesome resource, everything alternate - platinum/palladium, carbon, gum bichromate, cyanotype, kallitype, u name it!
http://www.usask.ca/lists/alt-photo-process/
Searchable archives of the above list
http://www.bostick-sullivan.com/
One of the best suppliers for all that expensive platinum salt, UV boxes, chemistry that you've never heard of, paper, pyro etc
http://www.eepjon.com/
Another of the best suppliers of alt-process equipment (UV boxes, drying cabinets etc)
http://rmp.opusis.com/pipermail/carbon/
the carbon archives
http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/largeformat/
the large-format archives
http://www.unblinkingeye.com/
The Unblinking Eye - Awesome articles on Alt stuff and large-format darkroom shenanigans in general
http://listings.ebay.com/pool2/plistings/list/all/category15246/index.html?from=R0
Ebay large format listings
http://listings.ebay.com/pool2/plistings/list/all/category30076/index.html?from=R0
Ebay large format lens listings
http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/testing.html
Large Format Lens Tests - some guy did precise resolutions tests of a BUNCH of lens and posted the results here..good to know kind of stuff
http://medfmt.8k.com/bronfaults.html
Lens Faults Hierarchy - Interesting page with lots of stuff about what to look out for when buying lenses
http://www.harrysproshop.com/waspec/waspec.html
Good wide-angle lens spec page
http://www.2filter.com/
Good lens filter site..if you've got the wedge go for either Heliopan or B+W (thats a brand name) filters (for screw-in type) or for a bit less get HMC coated Hoya..stay away from Tiffen..Lee system filters and hoods are good too
http://www.skgrimes.com/
Steve Grimes...the lens fixer-upper magician's site - true legend
http://www.cicada.com/pub/photo/zs/toc.html
The Zone Sytem - comprehensive explanation of the Zone System..u just have to know this stuff
http://www.bhphoto.com
BH Photo - if youre buying stuff new, get it here.
http://www.calumetphoto.com
or here
http://www.viewcamerastore.com/catalog/default.php
Reputable large-format camera equipment and darkroom suppliers, might be the only suppliers of BZTS sheet film developing tubes as well i think..(i just got a Jobo expert drum off ebay but alot of people speak highly of the BZTS tubes)
http://www.jobo-usa.com/products.htm
For developing sheet film yourself u just want to have a JOBO expert drum at least (i use a 3005 series drum for my 8x10 film)...if you've got the money get a cpa2 or cpp2 processor and then you're looking very sweet...i use a beseler motorized drum base instead cos i'm not JOBO processor level wealthy yet - make sure the beseler motorized roller is the one that has the reverse switch, the continuos revolution model leaves streaks on the film)
http://www.photoformulary.com/
Another solid supplier of dangerous chemicals - *alternate process stuff is toxic*
http://www.bergger.com/
Bergger Film and paper - i have'nt used their stuff yet but alot of the alt people go off about Bergger film in pyro developer for platinum and they supposedly have some nice cotton rag paper called COT - 320 thats great for platinum purposes.
http://www.bostick-sullivan.com/Technical_papers/coating.htm
To brush or puddle-push, that is the question? When it comes to coating your paper with platinum/palladium emulsion its either the brush or the rod..here's a neat little description of the rod method using the popular 'puddle-pusher'. Coating the paper is actually one of the nerve-wracking moments of pt/pd printing (actually every step is nerve wracking), you mess up here tho and you end up with a very expensive but useless piece of paper.
http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Stain/stain.html
Pyro - if it was good enough for Ansell its definitely good enough for me..if your'e tray developing then PMK has a good rep..if using rotary drums use Rollo Pyro..this unblinkingeye article has all the recipes.
http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/xtol/
Xtol - Are you brave enough to try Xtol? people either swear by it or claim its from hell...i actually want to try this developer, i'm game..here's the unofficial Xtol page.
http://www.danburkholder.com/Pages/main_pages/page1_main.htm
Dan Burkholder's book - 'Making digital negatives for contact printing' is the bible for how to make enlarged desktop negatives that can then be used for Alt-process contact printing, BTW,all the alt stuff is contact printed so your print is only as big as your negative, thus the need to use a large format camera - bigger is better. However Dan's book tells u how to use the sneaky digital approach to get BIG negatives off your Epson printer at home..yep, i'm trying it.
http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Light/light.html
Light Sources for Contact Printing - probably the best article in existence for the various options on UV light sources that can be used for alt-process contact printing.
http://www.mrprint.com/nuarc/products/prodInfo.asp?cat=4÷=1004&deptId;=1023&prId;=1235
Here it is, the Nuarc 26-1KS UV exposure system...this is actually a plate burner used in the pre-press industry but by a lucky co-incidence it has exactly all the features you want in a UV light source for alt-process exposures..damn, this thing has a vacuum easel for perfect registration of your film and paper, a light integrator for repeatable exposure times and a great hunking 1000K mercury vapor lamp...beats an old wood contact frame and taking your stuff out into the sun anyday..is sucks juice tho, you need a dedicated 20 amp circuit for this one. I've got just the spot in my garage for this (and a dedicated 20 amp circuit just sitting there waiting),
http://rmp.opusis.com/carbon/king_primer.html
Sandy King's primer on carbon printing - Sandy is very active on the alt-photo-process list, such a source of information.
http://www.betterlight.com/
Great Digital 4x5 Back - for those lucky bastards with about 20K to spare on a fully digital 4x5 back (i've seen this one in use and left the studio drooling) go here..
Platinum & Palladium Printing by Dick Arentz
If you plan on doing pt/pd stuff you just have to get Dick's book...i'm a big fan of www.abebooks.com for 2nd hand books...Dick is one of the modern authorities on this process...he's very much into lab sensitometry, using step-wedges, densitometers, film curves etc but as far as i see it, platinum printing is so expensive that you can't afford to be goofing around anyway..you want to nail it first time, everytime. Taking the photos is where the arty, intuitive side comes in...messing around in the darkroom is chemistry..straight up science and you need to be as methodical and meticulous as Dick's procedures are.
http://davidmichaelkennedy.com/a_palladium.html
Great article with step-by-step instructions on platinum printing by great photographer David Michael Kennedy
http://www.bostick-sullivan.com/Gallery/Fokos/fokos.htm
David Fokos - This photographers platinum prints are just awesome..he uses the sneaky digital approach to negative making too...
http://www.animalu.com/pics/photos.htm
Jeff T.Alu - Not a platinum guy, i don't even think he's a large format guy, in fact i think he even uses a digital camera - yikes!! but man i love his work!!
http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/mann/index.html
Not all large-format folks are guys..in fact, one of the best is a woman..Sally Mann...i luv her stuff so much, her experiments with wacky lenses is awesome...she finds old junkers, puts them in the oven until the cells are separating!! stroke of genius. All of her work is genius no matter what she uses.
For Zone System stuff
2 books i recommend..for those that are chemistry/math challenged get 'The new Zone System Manual' by the legends White,Zakia,Lorenz - step-by-step procedures on how to calibrate your camera/meters/darkroom to take full advantage of Ansell Adams' gift to the world - The Zone System. For those who love graphs, equations, molar concentrations and other modern day darkroom esoterica i highly recommend 'Beyond the Zone System' by Phil Davis
Densitometers
i recommend get one on ebay..i got one that used to go for over $2000 a few years ago for $75..but if u want to know what the range of products available is go here...
http://www.rkequipment.com/cgi-bin/Results.asp?Cat=400
http://www.stouffer.net/TransPage.htm
Need Step-Wedges? go here.
rec.photo.equipment.large-format
you want to be subscribed to this newgroup
rec.photo.darkroom
and this one too probably
After having been out of photography for a long time, i've finally come back round to what feels like my real passion...for the last year or so i've been obsessed with everything large format and especially in regards to alternate printing processes...mainly pt/pd and carbon printing...so, i have a whole bunch of links to online resources i thought i could accumulate here since my bookmark list is getting very scrolly...
My kit at the moment consists of an 8x10 Calumet C-1 which is the magnesium version and weighs 4 or 5 pounds less than the aluminium version (but still weighs around 13-14 lbs)...its a metal flat-bed camera...i carry it around in a high-density foam packed pelican case when travelling and then transfer it to a backpack for the last haul out into the field...
I have a Majestic tripod with Majestic head...its a beast, weighs as much as the camera if not more but its so solidly built its worth it...with the large format field cameras there's 2 options really..wood or metal...the woodies are a bit lighter but i feel less rigid than a metal field, this is important when shooting outdoors because the exposures are quite a bit longer than regular 35mm photography..often several seconds, and so if its windy outside those woodies have a tendency to wiggle in the wind...metal is metal, it doesnt wiggle...same logic for having a great hunking tripod...stability in the wind...
My lens set at the moment is a Fuji f8 C 300mm...i bought this brand new, its the equiavlent of a normal lens for 35mm photography...all of the modern large format lens makers (schneider,fuji, nikon, rodenstock, sinar) are pretty much on a par, all the lens are multi-coated, corrected for abberrations etc, everyone has their personal favourite..i like them all...my Fuji is tack sharp and contrasty, image circle of about 380mm and small and lightweight too.
I also have a 1957 Schneider 165mm Angulon...it has just enough coverage for 8x10 so i don't have a lot of movements with this lens...it has a field of view of about 90 deg stopped down, its single-coated so not as contrasty as a modern lens but again its small and lightweight..its in a compur shutter that seems accurate from my exposures.
I also recently just got my dream lens off ebay for about 1/4 what its worth...A 150mm Nikkor SW...man, what a lens, its big, its beautiful...110 deg field of view..400mm image circle...waiting for my lensboard i ordered from calumetphoto.com, then i can go out and use this sweety.
I am also waiting on another lens i got for a steal on ebay..its a classic...Goerz 450mm red-dot Apo-Artar..originally used in process cameras, these lens are extremely sharp but work great as landscape or portrait lenses too (if u like sharp portraits that is, some people don't cos it shows warts and all)...it doesn't have a shutter so i have 2 choices...either just mount it on a lensboard without shutter and use the old-timers method of estimating exposure times by taking the lens cap off and then putting it back on (old-timers used to use their hats for the same purpose but i don't where a hat so...)..the other option is send the lens to the legendary Steve grimes (www.skgrimes.com)...this guy is such a star..he has a machine shop devoted entirly to fitting lens into weird-ass shutters, making custom adapters for all purposes, visit his site..he is a living legend amongst the large-format folks.
I also have a 300mm Commercial Astragon..this lens came with the camera when i bought it off a local guy here in Santa Rosa...its probably a late 60's lens..i have never shot with it and plan to disassemble it and take the copal 3 shutter its in and get Steve Grimes to mount the artar in that...anyone need lens cells without barrel or shutter from a 300mm commercial Astragon...from my research, i think its a private label branded Japanese lens that is usually called a Commercial Congo..anyway, its gonna go..the Fuji is my normal lens of choice...
I have 16 8x10 filmholders..Lisco's and Fidelitys...I have a 3 deg spotmeter (soligor) which i use for my zone system calculations in the field..i have this awesome analog (cardboard) zone calculator that i take out with me...basically i meter for the shadow details i want to maintain, then the highlight details i want to maintain...set my film speed (i shoot HP5 at 320asa), fiddle with the cardboard calculator and it tells me what apertures, shutter speeds and importantly what development adjustments i need to make (that is whether it will be a N-2,N-1,N, N+1, N+2 development) on a per shot basis...seems to work great but it means you have to keep meticulous field notes for each exposure and the logistics of keeping all the sheet-film organized in some kind of system in the light-tight cardboard boxes becomes a major issue...
I carry a Harrison 8x10 tent with me into the field so i can unload and reload my filmholders in the dark...its great...its like a mini-mini dome tent (even has telescoping pole thingeys) with 2 gusseted sleeve attachments that u slide your arms into..people think your whack when youre sitting there with your arms up to your biceps stuck inside what looks like a weird toy-tent!
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