Week Nine and I chose not to have a theme, well two reasons, one I was sick (cold, much better now), and my original idea was squished because well I couldn’t do it as the training I was supposed to go to Toronto for was canned. So I just carried the camera with me through the whole week and took photos of what I thought was pleasing to me.
Nikon F3 – AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 – Kodak Tri-X 400
Dev: Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20C
As you may know the human eye can only see a small part of the full light spectrum in the world. This is known as the visible spectrum, and it is what photography works with…mostly.
Using special films and filters you can actually photograph in the infrared spectrum. I recently came into possesion of several rolls of Infrared film, sadly not the famous Kodak HIE, but two rolls of Konica IR750, a bunch of (highly sought after) Efke IR820, a roll of (sort of infrared) Ilford SFX200, and bought some Rollei Infrared film. So I purchased a nice Kenko R72 filter big enough to screw into my 35mm lens for my Pentax 645, and the 17-55mm and 70-200mm lens for my Nikon D300. I also have a Hoya 89b filter for smaller lenses.
My first test didn’t turn out too well using some very expired Konica IR750 film…but in the February 1st podcast from the FPP I picked up a couple tips for the second roll I have. But it gave the IR effect. Black skies, white greens. I exposed the film at ISO-10 based on Internet reading, but the second roll will be exposed slower, maybe ISO-1 (like Efke films).
Pentax 645 – SMC Pentax A 645 35mm 1:3.5 – Konica IR750 – HC-110 Dil. B 7:00 @ 20C
I also slapped the filter onto my D300 and fired off and got some pretty pleasing results as well, but have to work a bit on my exposure still.
However it was back on Monday that I got my first real taste of what can be done with Infrared film using a roll of the Rollei IR film. Now for the most part IR film is rated at 400, because adding the filter in front has such a high filter factor you have to pull the film several stops, in this case I exposed the film at ISO-25 (that’s 4 stops). I used my trusty Gossen Luna Pro F to manually meter each scene. The results, well they speak for themselves. I can’t wait to actually print some of these.
Pentax 645 – SMC Pentax A 645 35mm 1:3.5 – Rollei Infrared @ ISO-25 – Rodinal 1+50 12:00 @ 20C
Now I wait for spring and summer to arrive to work more in infrared, I’m also glad I can still get new stock film because I’m rather enjoying this look.
Long Live Film.
For the first time in a couple years now I had a snow day, one of the perks of working for an educational institution is that if the college closes, I don’t have to work. However most of that Friday was spent shovling the snow we got, but Saturday dawned bright, clear, and snowcovered. The beautiful aftermath. So taking advantage of this I headed out and travelled along the backroads and rural areas of Hamilton, capturing the snow covered beauty that I missed last year.
Nikon F3 – AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 – Kodak Tri-X 400
Kodak HC-110 Dil. B 4:30 @ 20C
Ah Belfountain, after finding out about this place through fellow photographer Bill Smith, it soon became a favourite spot of mine to take a nice winter’s walk. Thinking I’d have a nice sunny afternoon I heading out for the hour drive north.
Sadly it was all cloudy by the time I got there, so rather than blow a roll of slide film in such dull light, I only took my trusty Nikon FM2 and one of my last rolls of Agfa APX100. This time I also took a walk up into the village of Belfountain as well to grab some shot there before retiring to the local coffee shop to warm up before heading home. Despite shooting at near wide open aperatures, and slower shutter speeds, I feel good about these shots.
Nikon FM2 – AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8 – Agfa APX100
Blaiznal 1+50 13:00 @ 20C
The second half of the photos from my hike from January. I actually prefer these to my colour shots.
Through most of January my part of Ontario had been denied a proper winter, so when I had the urge to go out and shoot in the snow I decided to head a little further North to the little town of Belfountain. I had been tipped off to a conservation area by a fellow photographer Bill Smith and decided to check it out for myself. I saw a couple people when I first got to the park but for a majority of my time there it was blissfully empty. Photography has always been a solo thing for me, so being able to enjoy the snow choked nature alone was perfect. Of course as I was swinging back in I happened across none other than Bill Smith. It’s a small world.
Nikon F4 – AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D – Kodak Ektar 100
I had not been to Casa Loma since I was five so I figured that despite the winter storm that hit the area I would brave the roads and the cold to get out to Toronto and see the place.
