Hello everyone from near Toulouse, where lived Robert Doisneau and survives its museum ("Le Château d'eau"). I joined the forum recently and due to a mistake (PC issue) i missed my profile intro since long days. I will try to fix in this post.
I define myself as a fairly enlightened amateur and I started black and white photography and the lab in 1976 at my college's photo club...and since then I have never stopped.
I led a few photo clubs on the practice of medium format (the joys of the Lubitel 2, the Rolleicord and the Yashica mat, the Durst M605, etc.) in the great period before the winter of film photography in the early 2000s.Some beautiful exhibitions whose scope must not have exceeded three districts in Toulouse. So, the life of an amateur who exhibits from time to time some all too rare beautiful 30x40 baryta prints lovingly retouched with a silk brush.
I commonly use a Mamiya 645 and an RB67 Pro SD and an Arca swiss 23B 6x9 (Horseman).
More rarely a Hasselblad 503 cxi, a Nikon FE2 and a Leica CL.
I use mainly HP5+ and Pan F and I simply develop it in D-76/ID-11 1+1.
Not being professional I barely reached my thousandth film developed last year by hand.
I use 2 enlargers; a Meopta Magnifax condenser (6x9) and an Ahel 12 P Color (6x9 diffuse head) and I don't enlarge beyond 50x70 (space and tray problems).
I mainly do landscapes (walking with the RB or the Arca, an old velbon tripod and my backpack) and some portraits in 645.
So I practice "slow photography" like the younger members of my family says. I'm very found of this expression that is a reality (1/2 h to capture a picture is a good timing with 6x7 or 6x9).
And the most annoying ones add "antique" or "vintage". Funny. But argentic survives as i start transfering my little knowledge to the new generations...
Beyond the technique, and imho, I do not forget that photography is first and foremost a visual art, a means of updating what will no longer be and a practice of sharing emotions.
Considering myself an eternal apprentice, I joined this forum
So the promise of a doubly enriching experience...
I define myself as a fairly enlightened amateur and I started black and white photography and the lab in 1976 at my college's photo club...and since then I have never stopped.
I led a few photo clubs on the practice of medium format (the joys of the Lubitel 2, the Rolleicord and the Yashica mat, the Durst M605, etc.) in the great period before the winter of film photography in the early 2000s.Some beautiful exhibitions whose scope must not have exceeded three districts in Toulouse. So, the life of an amateur who exhibits from time to time some all too rare beautiful 30x40 baryta prints lovingly retouched with a silk brush.
I commonly use a Mamiya 645 and an RB67 Pro SD and an Arca swiss 23B 6x9 (Horseman).
More rarely a Hasselblad 503 cxi, a Nikon FE2 and a Leica CL.
I use mainly HP5+ and Pan F and I simply develop it in D-76/ID-11 1+1.
Not being professional I barely reached my thousandth film developed last year by hand.
I use 2 enlargers; a Meopta Magnifax condenser (6x9) and an Ahel 12 P Color (6x9 diffuse head) and I don't enlarge beyond 50x70 (space and tray problems).
I mainly do landscapes (walking with the RB or the Arca, an old velbon tripod and my backpack) and some portraits in 645.
So I practice "slow photography" like the younger members of my family says. I'm very found of this expression that is a reality (1/2 h to capture a picture is a good timing with 6x7 or 6x9).
And the most annoying ones add "antique" or "vintage". Funny. But argentic survives as i start transfering my little knowledge to the new generations...
Beyond the technique, and imho, I do not forget that photography is first and foremost a visual art, a means of updating what will no longer be and a practice of sharing emotions.
Considering myself an eternal apprentice, I joined this forum
- to share some of my little experiences on the equipment and film processes that I know;
- but also to ask some questions to the many professionals on this forum (who I see respond kindly to profiles like mine) on various subjects from art, shooting to printing on techniques that I know/understand poorly or that I plan to try.
So the promise of a doubly enriching experience...
We need to keep spreading the word and practice of it.
