Film

Guest Post [2]: Mark develops film for the first time.

2012, Film, Guest Post, Inspiration, Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point

I received this email from Mark this morning and his enthusiasm was so infectious, I just had to make it today’s post.  And of course, the images speak for themselves.

Well Peter,

I did it!!

Thanks to your direction and encouragement, I have developed my first roll of B&W film.

Attached below are a few of the results.

I realize they are scratched and full of flaws (flaring and such…) but…I think they are incredible!

I realize I am biased, however; I wanted to take the time to thank you for your efforts in getting me (and hopefully many others!) to this point.

There is nothing quite like the feeling that producing something like this brings…

I am now certain that I am “The (second…) Most Interesting Man in the World” (Dos Equis anyone?? I’ll leave the top spot to you…for now.)

…Mosquitos refuse to bite me, purely out of respect.  I can now live vicariously through…myself.

🙂

Anyway, these are shot on a Zeiss Ikon, with a 50 lux 1.4; mostly at 1.4 or 2 with an ND Filter.  The film is T-max 400, and they were scanned on the Plustek 7600 (currently on special at B&H!)

Anyway, all the best…I hope we can meet in person some day soon.

Mark, these are so full of LIFE.  Wonderful work my friend…

If I had a small part in making this happen, I am honoured.

—Peter.

[Note:  For other readers interested in learning about how I process B& W film, please click here.]

“The M3… for kids’ sports?” featured on Steve Huff’s site.

2012, Favourite, Film, Inspiration, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Leica M3, Portrait, Sports

Eight of my film images have been featured on SteveHuffPhoto.com as part of the Daily Inspiration:

The M3… for kids’ sports?

The text and images have been reproduced below.

A big THANK YOU to Steve for once again posting my work on his site!

—Peter.


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Hi Steve,

Last year, I wrote a short article for your site called:  The Leica M9… for sports?

This year, I’m still photographing my kids’ sports activities with an M9, but two weeks ago I decided to take my M3 instead.  

I did it for a couple of reasons:  Firstly, I just like the look of film.  Secondly, I thought it would be fun.

Well, 3 rolls of Tri-X 400 later, I ended up with some keepers.  Actually, I ended up with a whole bunch of keepers, and I’m sharing a few here.

Incidentally, if any of your readers are interested in learning about how I process my B&W film, they can read about it here.

Regards,

Peter | Prosophos

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Please click on any of the images below and a slideshow will begin.


Film processing at home: inexpensive.

2012, Film, Inspiration, Q&A, Teaching point

One of my generous readers, Mark, upon reading Part 1 of my How I process B&W film series, decided to take the dive into home developing.

Even though he is a fellow Canadian, I recommended B&H* in New York as a one-stop shopping place to get all the necessary equipment.

So how much does it actually cost to set-up home developing? 

Mark graciously sent a copy of his bill to me to share with you:

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*There is no advertising on this site, so I do derive no financial benefit by providing the link to B&H.

*Note: There is no advertising on this site, so I do not benefioviding the link to B&H… I’m just a very satisfied customer._


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Total cost including shipping: under US$135!

These are very exciting times for Mark, and I hope for many of you reading this.

Thank you again Mark, for graciously sharing this information.

—Peter.

The beginning of himself.

2012, Film, Inspiration, Leica M3, Portrait, Voigtländer 40mm f/1.4 Nokton

“He wanted to recover something, some idea of himself perhaps, that had gone… His life had been confused and disordered since then, but if he could once return to a certain starting place and go over it all slowly, he could find out what that thing was.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby.

(please click on the image to view)

↑Leica M3, Kodak Tri-X 400, and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.

She, then and now (film).

2012, Film, Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Leica M2, Leica M3, Portrait, Teaching point, Voigtländer 40mm f/1.4 Nokton

A few years ago, I realized I had never captured her on film.

It was important to me for some reason.

So I started shooting film again.

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(please click on the images to view)

2009:

↑Leica M3, Fuji X-tra 400, and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.

2010:

↑Leica MP, Ilford HP5 Plus 400, and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.

2011:

↑ Leica M2, Ilford HP5 Plus 400, and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.

2012:

↑Leica M2, Kodak Tri-X 400, and Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH @ f/1.4.

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I look at these images now, and follow the path of light:

originating from the late afternoon sun,

filtering through the window,

touching her face before reflecting off,

traversing the distance between us,

bending in the glass elements of a lens,

and finally etching her image onto an organic emulsion.

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The film, like the viewer, is forever altered.

And it all happens in a fraction of a second — just like growing up.

—Peter.