A/NZ PX Round #13 - Comments and Feedback

[hoffy]

Yes, absolutely. We (try*) to do the GC once a year if possible.

*Try, meaning we haven't been since October 2013....

 

[Ozxplorer]

?..... Benzotriazole does easily mix well, or easily, in water so when making up your concentrate mix the powder in Isopropyl alcohol then when dissolved add water to make up the strength of concentrate required. Keeps for ages too... Hope this helps.

Sorry, This should read "benzotriazole does NOT mix well, or easily, WITH water....... dissolve the powder in some Isopropyl Alcohol then when dissolved add water to make up the strength of concentrate required." Eg. 10 grams Benzotriazole to 100ml water equals a 10% concentrate. Hopefully this clarifies my initial post?

 

[Oxleyroad]

Sorry, This should read "benzotriazole does NOT mix well, or easily, WITH water....... dissolve the powder in some Isopropyl Alcohol then when dissolved add water to make up the strength of concentrate required." Eg. 10 grams Benzotriazole to 100ml water equals a 10% concentrate. Hopefully this clarifies my initial post?

Thanks. I will try this next weekend and see how well it works.

 

[Ozxplorer]

Thanks. I will try this next weekend and see how well it works.

Another option is to try to clean up the highlights with "ferri" or Farmer's Reducer? Might save tossing the paper...

 

[hoffy]

OK, now that I have both feet back on deck.....

Ruby - Andrew K. Its the mottled light and the cat that seems to work well with that one. I'm a tiny bit troubled by the big black spot at the bottom of the image, but I still get drawn back to the eyes.

Canarvon Gorge - Munz. When is the best time to take a photo? The time that you have the opportunity. I'm a bit like you. I usually end up shooting in the middle of the day, simply because that is the only time that I have. Orange filter has worked rather well on the sky - better than I would have thought.

Gold Coast - A Great Place to Crash - Ozxplorer. A very topical photo for me, considering I spent a good 5 minutes in crawling traffic on Saturday looking at that scene from the drivers seat of my hire car. Most certainly, I think you have gotten it at the right time (Is the car a hideous orange now?). I can see what you mean about stretching the resolution, but hey, the subject matter is what counts. Works for me.

Pulpit Rock - Nige. Must....resist...urge...double...entendre....opportunity. OK, my mind permanently lives in the gutter - I admit it. Nice vantage point. Feels like I am actually standing in the ocean (I hope you didn't compromise your safety getting this one). Of course, I am sure we would all love to get a longer exposure, but the handling of the waves adds to that relentless feeling you might get as the water is continually crashing around you.

Heads Up - Oxleyroad. So, this is what an 8 looks like on the other side of the world! Love the feel of fibre paper. Makes me want to get the old darkroom back into shape (I bought some timber for a refit a few weeks ago. Hopefully I can make a start this Saturday). I am not sure whether I understand your comment "Exposure was 5 mins under full sun.....".

Mother and Daughter - Carriage. Nice to see some street work. Nice to read how you evaluated the scene. Now, I am a bit old fashioned (& hopefully you are already doing this - if you are disregard), but I would love to see the people face on. Yes, I know, it is easier said then done (& one of the reason I specifically stopped doing street work).

Mt Field Cascade - jamespierce. This is my pick from the round. A nice tranquil scene (& this comes from a guy who probably avoids tranquil).

Thanks folks for all of you who were involved in the exchange. As always, I enjoy looking at your photos. And yes, I will try and get in the darkroom for the next one. I will start a new thread in the next day or so.

Cheers

 

[Oxleyroad]

It has taken a ahile but I have gotten some time to sit and compose my thoughts without the 8 and 10 year olds asking oh so many questions. My comments are in no particular order.

jamespierce - Mt Field Cascade-Tasmania-Australia. I like the fibre glossy paper and the overall tonal range of the deep blacks through to the vivid whites. It looks like there was a shaft of light beaming from the heavens down through the tree tops lighting the stream and tree ferns. Very clean print no dust/hair marks that could distract from the image. This was my pick this round.

hoffy - More Like a Hurricane. This would have been my pick of the bunch had it came from a wet darkroom. But I'm not holding this against you. The real small depth of field about the Lincoln badge and fast bluring of the lines. It keeps drawing me in.

Nige - Pulpit Rock, Cape Schanck. I wished I had gotten down to Cape Schanck. It has been on my list of places to get to for all my time in Oz, but kept putting it off for too long. The print tonality in my eyes was very good and I like the long exposure pictures and blurred motion. However there is a couple of distraction hair and dust marks that I see very clearly. My other comment is that the glue used to attached the info sheet has stained the image brown. Next time I'd say next time leave the info sheet loose.

Munz6869 - Canarvon Gorge, QLD. Great clouds and reflections in the stream. I am finding this super sharp image an interesting one that I keep noticing different details with each study of it I make.

Andrew K - Ruby. I always looks forward to what you present Andrew. Each round your have always put together a print or prints that have originated from cameras I usually have not heard of, but in this case it is the story behind how this print came about that was most interesting. I like the presence of the grain and the pearl finish paper that compliment each other.

Ozxplorer - Gold Coast-A great place to "crash"! Interesting. I can't help but wonder how the car got placed where it is.I can't seem to nail it but this picture seems a bit flat and missing something. But my 10yo son just loves this one because it is so crazy.

Carriage - Mother and Daughter. I can see the heat in this image and together with the soft focus of the mother and daughter it is calming. I would have tryed to make the people off in the distance darker by burning in, but this may change the whole effect of the picture. Very clean print and it almost makes me need to get back to Melbourne for decent coffee.

Thanks to Hoffy for managing this round and to everyone that shared their pictures with me. Another excellent round.

 

[Nige]

Nige - Pulpit Rock, Cape Schanck. I wished I had gotten down to Cape Schanck. It has been on my list of places to get to for all my time in Oz, but kept putting it off for too long. The print tonality in my eyes was very good and I like the long exposure pictures and blurred motion. However there is a couple of distraction hair and dust marks that I see very clearly. My other comment is that the glue used to attached the info sheet has stained the image brown. Next time I'd say next time leave the info sheet loose.

Haven't got back to reprinting the neg to see if the mark in the waves is embedded or an 'added effect'. I made a few extras and they have it too which I obviously didn't spot otherwise I wouldn't have sent it. As for the dust spots, didn't see them either (my left over copies seem ok). To the glue... thanks for letting me know, I won't do that again Supposed to be clear and archival, probably not by the sounds of it. I suggest you (and everyone else) turf the print with the info sheet attached!. Pity, cause I hate letting people view the prints and them managing to get the prints and the sheets out of order.

 

[hoffy]

Thanks Andy!

 

[Andrew K]

Carnarvon Gorge, Qld

Both visually very pleasing and impactful images... produced using part dddd... digi... digittt... DIGITAL work flow! There, I got it out! No darkroom magic here!


My participation on the APUG site is to further my interest in photography. Thus, I am somewhat bemused that the “rules” of this group encourage the “hybrid” process when the DPUG exists for specifically those users producing hybrid computer generated digital images. Accordingly, I believe our rule undermines the stated intention and objective of APUG itself. Interestingly, APUG does not even allow any “hybrid” image posts to any of the APUG galleries! I know this issue was considered when the group was formed in 2010 but wonder if, with up to 25% of the group now contributing “hybrid” prints, it is something that needs to be revisited?

I have pondered this on occasion, whether my "hybrid" approach is acceptable or not on APUG. I've decided it is for one simple reason.

If I shoot 35mm I generally (99% of the time) shoot color film. I then take it down to my local camera store who still have a 35mm color processor (they actually installed a new one last year) to get the film processed and printed.

The prints are made using a Fuji frontier, which is a chemical wet lab. However the negs are scanned and then printed using a laser onto photographic paper, so this in itself is a hybrid process....

So even with the best intentions many photographers are using a hybrid process without knowing it....

 

[Ozxplorer]

I have pondered this on occasion, whether my "hybrid" approach is acceptable or not on APUG. I've decided it is for one simple reason.

I understand that under discussion is a "crossover" point where the traditional film and computer generated imaging processes converge. As much as this issue can be debated well into next week the APUG rules are quite clear... The Forum Rules state that:

"Questions regarding digital techniques or digital techniques connected with traditional processes should be posted at dpug.org (or the many other digital oriented sites)."

Furthermore... Use of the gallery also clearly reinforces the overarching intention of the APUG forum to be a 100% traditional photographic medium.

"Gallery Rules: Please refrain from posting any images that have been manipulated digitally such as converting color images to black and white, photoshop filtering tricks, etc. Also no multi-media/mixed media hybrid images or hybrid images in general, this includes digitally enlarged negatives which are then contact printed (see our sister site DPUG.ORG if you are interested in sharing such work). All images posted should be a representation of 100% traditional work, typically negative scans or print scans produced from a 100% traditional workflow. The uploaded image should be the best representation of the actual final print. We still accept neg scans in the galleries. We accept that some adjustment of contrast, brightness and sharpness may be needed to match the physical print and, for negative scans, to approximate a straight print. Failure to follow the above rules will result in deletion of your image. Please respect the spirit of this community and our desire to share scans of 100% traditional based work in the galleries. If you agree to the above rules then please continue below. Thank You."

Thus, while members of our group may, in the majority, agree to a print swap incorporating multi-media images it is clear to me that to do will not be the "done thing" in this forum.

 

[calebarchie]

@Ozy:

I do find it a bit ridiculous that they won't allow contact printed digi negs but allow scans, its just one step backwards and less analog than the next step forward. But who is going to know anyway?

 

[Andrew K]

My only question is that if your uploaded images "should be the best representation of the actual final print" shouldn't you be allowed to use the correct grade of paper (adjust contrast) if using a monochrome film, or adjust color to the correct color balance if using color film, plus crop, burn and dodge as you would in making a final print in the darkroom? As long as the resulting image looks the same as the print you make in a darkroom what's the problem?

As for converting color negs to black and white - it's something I've been doing for 30 years since I started working in the photographic industry (and yes - I still work in the industry).

My first job was working in the darkroom of a photographic studio in Box Hill. One of my jobs each week was to make black and white prints from a chosen color negative to give to the local newspapers for their "just married" section. Also for many years I was a member of the Ringwood black and white camera club, and would enter prints (in black and white) made from color negatives, and the members couldn't pick when I did it (you had to enter a black and white print - what film you shot the photo on was immaterial).

Because I shoot 35mm color film I give my local camera store (Croydon Camera House - they still have an onsite lab) my film and they process the film and print it for me using a Fuji Frontier - a machine that scans the processed film and prints the image onto silver halide wet processed photographic paper using a laser - a hybrid process.

So according to the rules these prints are not 100% traditional because even though they have been shot on film and are printed on traditional silver halide paper they have not been printed optically, so you should not be allowed to scan the prints and post them in a gallery on APUG.

Go figure?????????

 

[Nige]

no going to debate APUG rules, that happens on a regular enough basis, but pretty sure the A/NZ exchange 'relaxed' the requirements in the name of participation. I'm sure it is detailed in earlier threads but it went something like "I can't print at the moment, can I send machine printed prints" -group consensus- "ok". Something like that. Want a pure-analog exchange, set it up. Could do a Tri-X on Fomaspeed 112 also I guess.

 

[Andrew K]

I agree - if you want pure analog set up another exchange.... I could use wet plate and print on my own hand made paper using a home made emulsion...but would I have the time to do it?

 

[Ozxplorer]

no going to debate APUG rules, that happens on a regular enough basis, but pretty sure the A/NZ exchange 'relaxed' the requirements in the name of participation. I'm sure it is detailed in earlier threads but it went something like "I can't print at the moment, can I send machine printed prints" -group consensus- "ok". Something like that. Want a pure-analog exchange, set it up. Could do a Tri-X on Fomaspeed 112 also I guess.

In the example quoted above it appears that an "exception" may have been granted to the member of the group not able to "print at the moment" in order to foster participation - at that time! But, was this "temporary" situation ever intended to become the general rule or remain an exception? You mean Fomabrom 112? Fomaspeed is their RC paper.... Lastly, "Want a pure-analog exchange, set it up".... I am considering your advice.

 

[Ozxplorer]

I agree - if you want pure analog set up another exchange....

I am considering your advice...

 

[hoffy]

While I understand the charter of APUG, from round 1 it was decided to allow a little leniency with the Australian exchange. We wanted to be as inclusive as possible to ensure that those from this neck of the woods who maybe considered themselves analogue photographers are included. We wanted to get involvement from the get go to ensure that we had a nice depth of without relying only on those who darkroom printed. I think that I have seen non darkroom/non pure analogue prints (there have been some other alternative processes over the years) in everyone of them.

It is interesting to note that the group has dwindled over the years. I just checked round 2 and there was 20 in total, spread over 2 groups. I know a lot of people have disappeared from this forum. I know a few people who have moved on to bigger and better things. I am sure some people have decided its not for them (I remember from very early on that there was someone who was not happy that we were allowing smaller formats). And I most certainly know of a few people who simply don't have the time. Unfortunately, we also had one death during the exchange, as a result of one of the Christchurch Earth Quake.

OK, I might always be a bit of a diplomat with these things, but I don't necessarily want to exclude anyone from these exchanges who have been following the rules, as loose as they are.

 

[TheToadMen]

A 100% pure analogue image is admirable, but not always possible. Like printing slides without scanning (no more Cibachrome). Or using digital inter negatives for alt-photo processes. For me my personal limit is that the primary image must be made analogue and the final print must be from an analogue (=chemical) process.

I would like to participate in a future print exchanges and will abide the rules, but purely analogue all the way will limit my options and possibilities to participate. I can print B&W and alt-photo myself, but not colour negatives or slides. I still have a very good professional lab that still makes old fashion chemical C-prints for me, but this process does involve scanning the negative before printing. For me this is acceptable for these types of print exchange.

On the other hand, I will not use a digital image (from my Nikon D200 or so) as a source for my alt-photo prints. It must be an original film negative, that can be scanned and printed as a digital inter negative.

 

[Ozxplorer]

Sorry Guys... If the purpose of this APUG forum listed print exchange is merely to render a print derived from and arrived at by any means other than a 100% photographic methodology then my mistake. I am in the wrong place...!