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2015 APUG Negative Exchange - Sign-up

I'm officially struggling with this. I thought I was going to have a great time, forcing myself to get out with the camera more, but all I find is a huge creative block. It feels a bit too forced for my nature, and I'm not coming up with anything I'd like to share, after putting eight full rolls through the camera already.

I'm going to give it one more try, but may just have to quit at some point, based on how things are going. I can't afford either the money or the time I find myself spending.
 

Thomas:

Maybe the solution is to pick one and just send it out.

Then wait to see what others come up with at the printing stage.

You might end up with more inspiration than all of us!
 

This isn't a graded project for school. Just relax, wing it and send something! Maybe when you get the negatives from other people, you'll feel inspired.
 

It ain't like you're trying to make an image worthy of a magazine cover. The Photo Popo isn't going to take all your gear if you send out less-than-ideal negs.
 
No photo popo necessary for me to set some kind of standard for my work. The negs I've managed to expose and process are shite.
 
Larry, Scott and Eric, I have your negatives. Apologies for the delay but I will be sending mine to you on Saturday. Two of you have sent me negs developed in Pyrocat, which I have never seen before. I have already done a preliminary print of one of them; very interesting indeed. So much detail!
 

Good stuff. Once I have yours I will get into the darkroom and start printing. You should give PyroCat-HD a try, you will love it.
 
Rachelle,

Your negative safely made it to Oregon. I'm ready for printing now!

Eugene.

 
Rachelle,

Your negative safely made it to Los Angles (no small feat). I,m not ready to print yet!!! (till I finish working on the dinning room floor).

Mike
 
Good to know they made it safe and sound! I hope to get into the darkroom this weekend with your negs.
 
A little up date as to what going on with the neg exchange and there's not much going on, tax time, resurfacing and coating two floors, teeth work(Dentist time) and overtime at work and visitors from out of town, am almost done... I hope.


Mike
 
OK - Here are my prints. LONG overdue, but done nonetheless.


Eric Rose


Larry Gebhart


Alex Learmont (Ghostman)


Scott Davis

Notes: all were printed on Ilford Art 300 paper, thus the slight softness of the scans.

Eric Rose's I printed at Grade 3, and heavily burned in the dark area to the left of the sculptural head. Slightly cropped to remove blown-out highlights on the right edge.

Alexander Learmont's was a straight print, grade 2, no burning or dodging.

Larry Gebhart's was also a straight grade 2 print, but the snowy foreground was given a 1-stop burn, to tame the highlights and bring detail back into the fence.

My own print is also a straight print, but at grade 1 1/2. I make a punchy negative.
 
I have received negatives from two of the three people I'm exchanging with. I've tried several times to go out and make some photographs to share negs, but I just can't seem to get it right.

Making an attempt this weekend again. I'm really sorry, guys.
 

Nice prints. I like the trees of Alex Learmont best.

This is a fine exchange. I'm certainly gonna join next round.
Probably 6x6 or 6x9 roll film if requested.
Or 135 format in panorama size (24mm x 56mm) from my new Widelux 7 (not tested yet).
Maybe there are some other Widelux or X-pan users to form a group in this exchange?
 
I too have finally completed my prints. Here are scans of each of them, plus one of mine:

480sparky


pthornto


splash_fr

and mine

mattking

Each print is on current Ilford MGIV RC paper, developed in Kodak Polymax T developer. I used an Ilford Multigrade 400 light source on an Omega D6 enlarger.

For the steel girder shot, I used the glossy surface, whereas for the tree and horizon photograph and the snow and bench photograph I used the pearl surface.

The steel girder photograph was cropped quite heavily and printed dark and at highest contrast. The foreground was dodged a bit, while the top part was burned in. The print was then bleached back slightly, fixed and then toned to completion in Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner.


The tree and horizon photograph was printed full frame and printed darkly at moderate contrast. The intermediate area was dodged moderately. Short, high contrast burns were then done at each corner and in the intermediate area. The print was then bleached back moderately, fixed and then toned to completion in Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner. The colour comes from the combination of the moderate bleach back and then selenium toning.


The snow and bench photograph was printed full frame using almost equal amounts of grade 1.5 and grade 3 settings, save I dodged the trees differing amounts during each exposure. The print was then bleached back slightly, fixed and then toned lightly in Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner.

My fallen tree trunk photograph was also cropped quite heavily and printed fairly dark at moderately high contrast. The corners were then slightly burned in at low contrast. The print was then bleached back moderately, fixed and then toned to completion in Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner. The colour also comes from the combination of the moderate bleach back and then selenium toning.
 

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WOW, these are awesome! Thanks for reminding me to get a move-on
 
I have finally managed to gather my wits to finish printing and mailed them out today. Boy, it was a difficult exchange!!!

My hat's off to the professional printers who hand print other people's photos for living. I would die of starvation if I tried to do that myself
 
I'll be home in week so will have lots to do in the darkroom, including printing for this exchange. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten!
 

I've been following this thread for a while since it looks like fun to do. And since my darkroom is almost ready, I was wondering when there will be a new round I can sign up to? Is this an annual thing, like the title suggests?

Thanks,
Bert from Holland
 

Maybe, but you should remember that in APUG, the "Monthly" Shooting Assignment happens every two months .

I think many of us are finding/found it more challenging then expected.

I know that I would probably have got my prints out more quickly if I had fewer to do.
 

You know, it makes sense. Maybe the groups should be just three. And you don't have to print your own negative.
 
Anikin came through with the first print of the neg I sent out, he got the clue of the word "tree", I mentioned in the letter that the neg was sent and did a fine job of printing the neg and interpretation. Thanks Anikin. I have 2 printed and ready for toning and have 2 more to print, it will take me a while do to this,due to the heat and my wife's recent surgery. But I am anxious to start the rest but may take more time, thank you for your patients, Mike C.
 
Bill Burk said:
You know, it makes sense. Maybe the groups should be just three. And you don't have to print your own negative.
Click to expand...

While you don't HAVE to print your own, it would be very instructive to have your own interpretation of the image at hand to compare against what the others have done.

As to the quantity, we're only talking about making four prints, three if you don't print your own.
 
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