Hello from Russia

iakustov · Jan 14, 2017

Hi APUG,

Although registered a year or so ago, I did not produce much activity on the forum. I feel now it is time to..

I am pretty new to film photography as I started to shoot with my first 35mm film camera (Canon EOS 3, loved it!) around 5 years ago. Some months later I purchased Mamiya RZ67 and my passion began.
Film photography soon became my only passion, but it is still a hobby and I don't spent as much time as I would like to.

I mainly shoot black and white, sometimes slides.
As for the gear, I shoot MF with
Mamiya RZ67
Mamiya 6
Graflex Century Graphic

and 35mm with
Contax G2
Voigtlander Bessa L
Olympus XA

and recently started my journey with LF with Rittreck View 5x7.

I develop b/w negatives and colour slides myself in tank and trays.
I enlarge my MF and 35mm b/w negatives on Kaiser V 7002 enlarger and wet print on fiber paper up to 16''x20''. I also dream about Durst 138 to enlarge 5x7 negatives in the near future, but now shoot 5x7 for contact printing.
I also plan to try alternative print processes, namely kallitype and platinum/palladium.
As for slides and colour negatives I scan them on Epson 700 flatbed scanner and print on Durst Theta in a lab.

I am located in St Petersburg, Russia

OptiKen · Jan 14, 2017

WOW. It appears that you are fully vested in film.
Wonderful!
Welcome aboard - I look forward to seeing your work

Trail Images · Jan 14, 2017

Welcome to the APUG site and forums. We look forward to your participation on all levels. You have moved quite quickly through the various platforms and sounds like you're enjoying the adventure.......

Hatchetman · Jan 14, 2017

Welcome! And your command of English is very impressive. I wish I could speak simple Russian. I watched a "learn Russian" video on Youtube once and thought "you have got to be kidding me!" Impossible!

iakustov · Jan 14, 2017

Thank you all!
Actually, I am still in kind of "searching and learning" mode, don't have relatively good stuff to show. And I am yet to print most what I shot last year. E.g. currently trying to find my way (times, dilution) in printing on particular FB paper and toning in selenium to achieve the look I like.

Hatchetman said:
Welcome! And your command of English is very impressive. I wish I could speak simple Russian. I watched a "learn Russian" video on Youtube once and thought "you have got to be kidding me!" Impossible!

Thank you. I work for an international company so keep my English in good shape. But it is rather "technical", I wish I read classic English literature to improve it. But I have no time to or am rather lazy.

What moved me to start to read APUG more often is lack of "happiness" on russian speaking related forums. Although there are many experienced people over there, more often they are too "pessimistic" and this somehow influence my mood which I don't like.

Brian Schmidt · Jan 14, 2017

Welcome to the forum!

There are plenty of optimistic people here, pessimism as plain old negativity is generally frowned upon. I am guessing you will like it.

Your English is very good. I don't think too highly of judgemental Americans who can't speak any other language and can barely speak their own.

Have a good day,
Brian

Ian Grant · Jan 14, 2017

Welcome, actually it's nearly 2 years since you joined One of the great things about APUG is just how International the membership is so it's good to see you participating. from St Petersburg.

Your English is excellent BTW, much better than some British students I've taught

You raise an interesting point about local "single country/language" forums, but it's not just forums, Beaumont Newhalls "History of Photograpgy" was very US biased and missed all that was happening in Europe, Peter Turner wrote a much more European and International History of Photography.

Ian

Alan Johnson · Jan 14, 2017

Welcome aboard!
I have a small collection of Feds and Zorkis from FSU era.
Would be interested to hear what film is available in Russia these days.

Theo Sulphate · Jan 14, 2017

iakustov said:
Although registered a year or so ago, I did not produce much activity on the forum. I feel now it is time to...

Welcome to APUG; happy to have you here. I'm sure you will enjoy the many forums and discussions.

Hatchetman said:
... I watched a "learn Russian" video on Youtube once and thought "you have got to be kidding me!" Impossible!

It helps to start young and have a high interest in languages or linguistics. I learned Russian in my early teens and my first job was translating Russian scientific documents as well as military documents later.

iakustov · Jan 14, 2017

Ian Grant said:
You raise an interesting point about local "single country/language" forums, but it's not just forums, Beaumont Newhalls "History of Photograpgy" was very US biased and missed all that was happening in Europe, Peter Turner wrote a much more European and International History of Photography.

Ian

I believe there were many remarkable photographers across East Europe and in Soviet Union, which may be not (very) known across the globe. However, I may be totally wrong, but the impression I have is that comparing an average shooter in USSR vs say West Germany/US there was significant difference in quality and variety both in film and cameras, which in my opinion, was the limiting factor of developing a strong "passion" between the mass - like no "wow" effects when seeing a transparency on the light table, etc.. For instance, looking at my father's negatives now, I am frustrated by the quality of those (he was an average amateur shooter / enlarger), imagining what could have been achieved those days by different materials and cameras.

Alan Johnson said:
Welcome aboard!
I have a small collection of Feds and Zorkis from FSU era.
Would be interested to hear what film is available in Russia these days.

Cant say for the whole Russia, but in St Petersburg one can freely buy Kodak/Ilford/Fuji/Foma/Adox film in different sizes at at least three retail shops I know. Those also provide chemistry and developing services, including E6, so no limit at all, except for the paper (but we have more Slavich here).
Prices do feel higher than if I lived in Europe, but I purchase all the film and chemistry via two well known online stores in Germany, so should be saving much on it.

Alan Klein · Jan 14, 2017

Welcome to the forum. I shoot the Mamiya RB67 and enjoy it as well. I don't bother with 35mm as it doesn't scan as well on my Epson V600 as 120 format. Do you have shots posted on Flickr or elsewhere. I keep mine on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/sets/

Ian Grant · Jan 14, 2017

iakustov said:
I believe there were many remarkable photographers across East Europe and in Soviet Union, which may be not (very) known across the globe. However, I may be totally wrong, but the impression I have is that comparing an average shooter in USSR vs say West Germany/US there was significant difference in quality and variety both in film and cameras, which in my opinion, was the limiting factor of developing a strong "passion" between the mass - like no "wow" effects when seeing a transparency on the light table, etc.. For instance, looking at my father's negatives now, I am frustrated by the quality of those (he was an average amateur shooter / enlarger), imagining what could have been achieved those days by different materials and cameras.

I think your quite right. Much of it was access to good "high quality " camera. lenses, and materials - films and papers particularly in the 1920's and 30's and after WWII while you may have had access to better East German cameras probably quite expensive all Eastern Block films were years behind the West.

One of my favourite photographers is Dimitri Baltermans, he shone through despite the equipment and materials.

Now we are on a more level playing field (sort of except for exchange rates) we need to see you guys punching your weight and expressing yourselves. I think the one good thing about the Internet is the freedom to cross boundaries with an openness that was once unimaginable.

Ian

flavio81 · Jan 14, 2017

iakustov said:
I am located in St Petersburg, Russia

Comrade, you mean "Leningrad"...

Welcome to APUG, i also use a EOS 5 and a Mamiya RB67, similar cameras.

Tell me, is there any leftover stock of Svema or Tasma film in your city? How good was it? I've read on some forum that the Svema GOST 64 black&white film was very very good...

I have a book "Photography Year Book 1982" with selected photos from around the world and I was always impressed by how good were all the Russian photographers they featured.

Sirius Glass · Jan 14, 2017

No, he knows what he is talking about. After all he does live there. It is Saint Petersburg.

AgX · Jan 14, 2017

Welcome!
We lack Russians here at Apug.

By the way, it seems you are lacking a projector...

flavio81 · Jan 14, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
No, he knows what he is talking about. After all he does live there. It is Saint Petersburg.

LOL

RSalles · Jan 15, 2017

LOL #2, the city of Leningrad was "renamed" to its old name Saint Petersburg at 12 Jun 1991 by a referendum,

That's a sort of Joke what Flavio made with him,

Welcome aboard Iakustov, I'll be in your city probably at October of this year, maybe we can both go to a walk-trough the city to make some pics,

BTW, Flavio, I'm working here (www.universidades-rusia.com) with its headquarters in Lima - nice city also, btw,

Cheers,

Renato

mooseontheloose · Jan 15, 2017

Welcome to APUG Iakustov! I was in your beautiful city this past summer, unfortunately I was sick for half the time I was there. I hope to revisit it soon someday, maybe in the winter (seems much more "Russian" that way ). You have a nice collection of cameras - I too shoot with the Mamiya 6, although I am still coming to terms with it. Mostly I shoot MF with a TLR (Autocord) because I'm much more comfortable with it. I look forward to seeing some of your work in the future.

Rudolf Karachun · Jan 15, 2017

У вас замечательная техника. Хотел бы я иметь такую в восьмидесятых. Но к сожалению дальше Крокуса, Зенита и Москвы 5 не продвинулся. Все сильно изменилось с той поры.

iakustov · Jan 15, 2017

Alan Klein said:
Welcome to the forum. I shoot the Mamiya RB67 and enjoy it as well. I don't bother with 35mm as it doesn't scan as well on my Epson V600 as 120 format. Do you have shots posted on Flickr or elsewhere. I keep mine on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/sets/

Well, I agree that scanning 35mm film on a flatbed scanner is not top quality in terms of sharpness. I usually scan b/w just for the previews as I enlarge in darkroom anyway. For 35mm slides and colour negatives I use Epson 700 and print up to 20x30 cm and I like it. Zeiss glass on Contax G2 is stunning.

Spent some time and uploaded a few film scans from 2016, shared it here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/62601747@N08/albums

flavio81 said:
Comrade, you mean "Leningrad"...

Welcome to APUG, i also use a EOS 5 and a Mamiya RB67, similar cameras.

Tell me, is there any leftover stock of Svema or Tasma film in your city? How good was it? I've read on some forum that the Svema GOST 64 black&white film was very very good...

I have a book "Photography Year Book 1982" with selected photos from around the world and I was always impressed by how good were all the Russian photographers they featured.

I think Svema 64 was last produced in early 1990s, I can see offers from enthusiasts who sell that expired film, but I never tried it.

AgX said:
Welcome!
We lack Russians here at Apug.

By the way, it seems you are lacking a projector...

I own Kiev 66 Universal projector for 6x6cm, but rarely used it. I think I will give it another try today and mount some slides for a home slide show!

iakustov · Jan 15, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
Welcome to APUG; happy to have you here. I'm sure you will enjoy the many forums and discussions.

It helps to start young and have a high interest in languages or linguistics. I learned Russian in my early teens and my first job was translating Russian scientific documents as well as military documents later.

The younger the better. My son learns Chinese at school as an extra-foreign language, but I cannot assist him in his study, this sounds just too crazy for me!

iakustov · Jan 15, 2017

RSalles said:
I'll be in your city probably at October of this year, maybe we can both go to a walk-trough the city to make some pics,

Sure, but the weather could be quite nasty for taking pictures in October here..

mooseontheloose said:
Welcome to APUG Iakustov! I was in your beautiful city this past summer, unfortunately I was sick for half the time I was there. I hope to revisit it soon someday, maybe in the winter (seems much more "Russian" that way ). You have a nice collection of cameras - I too shoot with the Mamiya 6, although I am still coming to terms with it. Mostly I shoot MF with a TLR (Autocord) because I'm much more comfortable with it. I look forward to seeing some of your work in the future.

Usually real winter comes into action in the mid of January here, when it is below -10 C. Otherwise it could be quite unpredictable.
I really love the Mamiya 6, but also still getting used to it, especially the meter / effective metering area. I use a handheld spotmeter in 90% of exposures with Mamiya 6.

Rudolf Karachun said:
У вас замечательная техника. Хотел бы я иметь такую в восьмидесятых. Но к сожалению дальше Крокуса, Зенита и Москвы 5 не продвинулся. Все сильно изменилось с той поры.

Думаю, в 80х эту технику я бы тоже не купил, не по средствам была бы. Сейчас она доступна, как и разнообразие пленок и бумаги, и это счастье, когда есть выбор.

LAG · Jan 15, 2017

Welcome here iakustov!

Skiver101 · Jan 15, 2017

Welcome iakustov, from another forum 'newbie'.

I recently watched an 'alternative' take on the architectural wonders of St. Petersburgh.
...beyond words, just fantastical.

Hope your APUG experience goes well.

JP

onre · Jan 15, 2017

iakustov said:
What moved me to start to read APUG more often is lack of "happiness" on russian speaking related forums. Although there are many experienced people over there, more often they are too "pessimistic" and this somehow influence my mood which I don't like.

For exactly the same reason I do not participate in Finnish photography forums.

Oh, and welcome! I visited St Petersburg new year, and I have a multiple-entry visa which allows me to visit the beautiful city as often as I like. A true metropolis less than half day's drive from my home.

Hello from Russia

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