My worst negative yet! (or : How to abuse Plus X Aero)

[John Bartley]

Just about everything that could go wrong did with this negative. The truth is that I had cut this one off the roll before I got my cutting technique "down", so it got cut crooked. Then I left it in the back of my pickup (with a cap on) for about three weeks. Did I mention that we're having a heat wave here? My truck parks in the sun most of the time. At nights it would sometimes rain and the inside of the cap would sweat with condensation. Next day....did I mention the heat wave? I needed to use it up and I was sure that I'd get nothing, but in the spirit of APUG perserverance and experimentation, I went ahead and used it up. I metered for an iso of 30 and then exposed +1 stop and developed normally in D-D23. I also just happened to put this poor abused negative in the only holder I have which has light leaks at the dark slide trap. Still, when all was said and done......how bad can it really be? You be the judge :

http://www3.sympatico.ca/oldrad/Photo/LargeFormat/NegScans/Kilmarnock1-650w.jpg
http://www3.sympatico.ca/oldrad/Photo/LargeFormat/NegScans/Kilmarnock2-650w.jpg
http://www3.sympatico.ca/oldrad/Photo/LargeFormat/NegScans/Kilmarnock3-650w.jpg
http://www3.sympatico.ca/oldrad/Photo/LargeFormat/NegScans/Kilmarnock4-650w.jpg

cheers eh?

 

[joeyk49]

Looks like this film just refused to die...pretty interesting..

 

[jimgalli]

John, you're obviously not trying hard enough to obviate this films ability to provide good negs. I can help. I know more ways to screw good film up than could be written. Why I can see half a dozen good photographs in that one and it's sharp enough to take any 6X9cm section and enlarge. Get your scissors and you can creat dozens of enlargeable negs from that.

 

[noseoil]

Good Lord, John, lighten up a bit, eh? I think you're doing a great job with things. New film, new technique for film cutting, new paper (ok, not exactly new box of azo, but it is "new" to you) new camera... I commend your dedication (certainly not stubborn, to be sure) and admire your tenacity in working out the bugs. Perhaps a can of Raid on the next sheet of film to see if it removes the bugs? tim

 

[mark]

Mygod man, that is not screwed up. If you want screwed up I'll show you the ones my three yearold got hold of before they were dry. I agree with jim. Cut that puppy up and print some smaller negs. I especially like the bottom right corner.

 

[John Bartley]

Hehehe - thanks for the moral support lads . I've never yet taken scissors to a negative, but.....this one may be the first. On the other hand, I can see several nice potential pictures there, so we'll likely just go back (it's close by) and retake the pictures while my sweetheart does some fishing (what a woman !).
.
Raid ??........hmmmm.......never thought of that.....good idea Tim

 

[noseoil]

John, my wife is from North Tonawanda (remember that's NORTH Tonawanda) and wanted to know where this is. She said it has to be near a "lock" or something like that, with which I'm not familiar. Looks like a turnstyle bridge to me, but I live in the desert so my opinion must be suspect. Congratulations on having a significant other who knows how to live, relax and enjoy life. Fishing is a worthy hobby. tim (and Alice this time)

 

[Rlibersky]

Can you give more specifics on the exposure and development times? Did you use a filter? Given what you said this print looks good. Maybe it needed the 3 weeks of baking to bring out the best it has to offer.

 

[John Bartley]

John, my wife is from North Tonawanda (remember that's NORTH Tonawanda) and wanted to know where this is. She said it has to be near a "lock" or something like that, with which I'm not familiar. Looks like a turnstyle bridge to me, but I live in the desert so my opinion must be suspect. Congratulations on having a significant other who knows how to live, relax and enjoy life. Fishing is a worthy hobby. tim (and Alice this time)

Hi Tim and Alice,

This is a lock station. The name of this place is Kilmarnock and it is a bit east of Smith Falls Ontario on the Rideau Canal. The Rideau Canal is a waterway constructed in the early 1800's by British Army Engineers led by Colonel John By to connect Ottawa (on the Ottawa River) with Kingston (on Lake Ontario at the mouth of the St Lawrence). As far as I know the bridge doesn't move although swing and lift bridge are common on canals of this type. Maybe this reminds Alice of something she's seen on the old Erie canal?. As I recall, it maybe ran near North Tonowanda?

cheers eh?

 

[John Bartley]

Can you give more specifics on the exposure and development times? Did you use a filter? Given what you said this print looks good. Maybe it needed the 3 weeks of baking to bring out the best it has to offer.

Hi R.

There were no filters used. I dug up my notes on this and they say :

2005-07-10
Kilmarnock Lock
from the east side
11:00am
28'C
C.A.V.U
Agfa Ansco Universal View camera 8x10, 1941
Ilex Paragon Anastigmat 12"
US Army surplus tripod
PlusX Aero 9-1/2" x 8" cut from roll
metered at 1/30'th for F/32
shot at 1/10'th and F/32
developed in Adams variant D23
4 minutes in "A"
4 minutes in Borax "B"
1 minute in Kodak Indicator stop
5 minutes in Ilford Rapid Fixer
30 minutes wash in slow running water

Just my own thoughts :
- this is +1.5 stops based on ISO32
- my next shot will be at +2 stops with four minutes in "A" and five minutes in "B" to try and bring out more shadows. I didn't think there was anything wrong with the highlights on this one, but I did think the shadows weren't right.

Also bear in mind that this is a negative (without manipulation other than one level of sharpening) scan which is why a link rather than a picture is posted here.

cheers from an experimenting amateur .

 

[Claire Senft]

Is the abuse of Plus_X Aero a statutory offense? Should it be?