Floating on Cloud Nine

[winger]

Congrats!

 

[bnelson]

It's great to see something like this. I too am getting back into B&W printing for the first time since the 1980's. Remembering how to do the darkroom and trying to regain some of the knowledge and techniques.

Thanks to this board and all who graciously post. It is a help to those of us coming back from digital....

Bill

 

[DWThomas]

Thanks to all for the kind words and encouragement. I'm going to archive this thread to read during future low spots.

I smiled when I read pentaxuser's comment about having brown tone "nailed." In my first tests, I got pretty good results in maybe 6 to 8 minutes or so. When I started the "real thing" it was much colder outside and the basement level area where I operate was at about 64º F -- I thought I was going to have to leave the stuff in the bath and go to bed. At any rate, my confidence level on toning is not too high, but I had good luck in this particular session.

Thanks to all who generously contribute their knowledge on these forums.

DaveT

 

[brian steinberger]

Dave,

Excellent photos! And congratulations on your awards! I am also particularly intrigued by your brown tone image. And you toned in at 64 degrees for only 6-8 minutes! WOW! Also, the other image looks very much so like a MGIV print in selenium. Classic cold black tones.

Is this a series you're working on with trees? The images work very well together. I would like to see more.

Great job! Keep up the good work!

Brian

 

[DWThomas]

Thanks!

And you toned in at 64 degrees for only 6-8 minutes! WOW!

No that was in an early test printing trying the toners. These were more like 20 to 30 minutes (enough to scare me!) The basement temperature is way more proportional to the outdoors than the main floor of the house. I may have to work some light space heating into the darkroom when I overhaul it next.

As to trees, I haven't really thought of it as a series, but I guess it comes out that way. The beech tree (the brown one) was actually a lens test. I went for a walk on a local trail with a recently acquired Zenzanon 65 mm, and there I was. It was taken using a monopod -- another "test." The other shot was right near that location taken during a more recent trek in the snow to try some Delta 100 and Acros 100 film.
Some trail shots
here, top of page.
The two test rolls:
Acros here
(The first six are at the bottom of my backyard -- nearly killed myself getting down there on icy snow crust.)
Delta 100 here.

I like being able to swap backs between shots; was able to take the same shot from the same tripod setup on two films a minute or so apart.

I do like trees, in fact, I am slowly getting into the little ones -- bonsai.

DaveT