Hello everyone,
My name is Eric, and I have just started to revive a hobby I started in high school (35 years ago) but had to give up due to family commitments and lack of a darkroom. So I'm back in the analog saddle again and there's so much to re-learn. I set up my temporary darkroom until I can build a dedicated space in the basement. I dug out the dusty box of stuff including my enlarger that I hadn't touched in all those years, and all is good. I found some polycontrast and ilfobrom paper that expired in 1979! So after buying some new chemicals and paper, I'm ready to go.
I have been collecting some vintage equipment for a little while; mostly box cameras and folders that I spot at antique stores or flea markets. One of the things I'd like to try is to bring some of them back to life, I love the vintage look of the photos from the simple cameras. They are so simple to fix and fun to look at, hold, and operate.
I built a nice little 4x5 pinhole camera, and have already had some success making prints from it. This site, with it's amazing forums is so packed with information, it makes the learning curve so much less steep. I tried to join F295, but it seems that it is closed to new members. I have a login, but they won't activate my account so I can post. That's too bad, because it really seems like a great place to chat about pinhole work.
Moving to western Michigan a year and a half ago with all of it's outside beauty including beaches, lakeshore, lighthouses and forests made me want to get back into the artistic side of photography. All of these very scenic things are very popular and probably over photographed, but I'd like to try to add a vintage spin to some of it.
At some point I'm hoping to dive into stereo photography and making my own emulsions with alternate processes, but first I've got to relearn a lot of basic darkroom techniques. I'm excited about working with pinhole cameras and paper negatives, and also into making my own cameras too. I've got a million questions and thoughts, so don't be surprised to see me posting regularily.
Thanks for the great website!
My name is Eric, and I have just started to revive a hobby I started in high school (35 years ago) but had to give up due to family commitments and lack of a darkroom. So I'm back in the analog saddle again and there's so much to re-learn. I set up my temporary darkroom until I can build a dedicated space in the basement. I dug out the dusty box of stuff including my enlarger that I hadn't touched in all those years, and all is good. I found some polycontrast and ilfobrom paper that expired in 1979! So after buying some new chemicals and paper, I'm ready to go.
I have been collecting some vintage equipment for a little while; mostly box cameras and folders that I spot at antique stores or flea markets. One of the things I'd like to try is to bring some of them back to life, I love the vintage look of the photos from the simple cameras. They are so simple to fix and fun to look at, hold, and operate.
I built a nice little 4x5 pinhole camera, and have already had some success making prints from it. This site, with it's amazing forums is so packed with information, it makes the learning curve so much less steep. I tried to join F295, but it seems that it is closed to new members. I have a login, but they won't activate my account so I can post. That's too bad, because it really seems like a great place to chat about pinhole work.
Moving to western Michigan a year and a half ago with all of it's outside beauty including beaches, lakeshore, lighthouses and forests made me want to get back into the artistic side of photography. All of these very scenic things are very popular and probably over photographed, but I'd like to try to add a vintage spin to some of it.
At some point I'm hoping to dive into stereo photography and making my own emulsions with alternate processes, but first I've got to relearn a lot of basic darkroom techniques. I'm excited about working with pinhole cameras and paper negatives, and also into making my own cameras too. I've got a million questions and thoughts, so don't be surprised to see me posting regularily.
Thanks for the great website!
