Rodinol...what's the deal?

[Art Vandalay]

Flat? That's a surprising comment! How so? The day was hazy-bright, and the uniforms were white with black stripes and the other team wore this hideous green. The print shows a full rage of tones. The green uniforms are probably what's giving you that impression. 'Average'? Have you ever used a VERY long lens? This is actually quite a good capture. The ball is bouncing right out of their reach, and the boys are in sharp focus. This ain't easy, not by a long shot...

I guess it all depends on your standards. I think mine are considerably higher than yours and this photo to me is average, very average. I don't care how hard it was to take! What does difficulty have to do with anything?

 

[hansbeckert]

I guess it all depends on your standards. I think mine are considerably higher than yours and this photo to me is average, very average. I don't care how hard it was to take! What does difficulty have to do with anything?

Difficulty has a lot to do with it...you must consider the context...you can't do this with a view camera, and very long lenses are difficult to aim..the ball is moving about..it's hard to follow the action and keep tight on the players while focussing and keeping the composition reasonably interesting...all at once. Technically, it is naturally going to be inferior to static subject matter and large format negative, but of course you understand that...I hope...

So, when you say your standards are 'higher' I hope you don'r mean in comparsion to rocks and trees on 8x10 view camera...

I don't claim it's 'outstanding', but somewhere above average.

 

[Art Vandalay]

So, when you say your standards are 'higher' I hope you don'r mean in comparsion to rocks and trees on 8x10 view camera

Nope, didn't mean that at all. They are higher because excuses don't mean a thing to me when I look at a photo. I'm sorry now that I mentioned it. To tell the truth I thought you'd just let it slide off of your back. I'm finished with this thread.

 

[hansbeckert]

Nope, didn't mean that at all. They are higher because excuses don't mean a thing to me when I look at a photo. I'm sorry now that I mentioned it. To tell the truth I thought you'd just let it slide off of your back. I'm finished with this thread.

I wasn't making 'excuses'. Since you have no posted images, I can't tell what you mean by having 'higher standards'. Perhaps you could share something?

 

[VoidoidRamone]

Difficulty has a lot to do with it...you must consider the context...you can't do this with a view camera, and very long lenses are difficult to aim..the ball is moving about..it's hard to follow the action and keep tight on the players while focussing and keeping the composition reasonably interesting...all at once. Technically, it is naturally going to be inferior to static subject matter and large format negative, but of course you understand that...I hope...

So, when you say your standards are 'higher' I hope you don'r mean in comparsion to rocks and trees on 8x10 view camera...

I don't claim it's 'outstanding', but somewhere above average.

If you want difficulty why don't you shoot pinhole made out of a Quaker Oats box. Run around with a changing bag and some paper, see how fast you can successfully change a pinhole, it'll be like a sport since photography isn't an 'art', right? Then when you get back to the darkroom try developing your sheets in some really awkward developer like coffee or something toxic... that'll be difficult. In fact that whole process would be so difficult that if you pulled it off you would probably have the greatest photo ever made... that is if difficulty is how you judge photos.

 

[Flotsam]

I don't believe in magic
I don't believe in I-Ching
I don't believe in Buddha
I don't believe in Zimmerman
I don't believe in Pyro
I don't believe in Acutol
I don't believe in Rodinol

I just believe in me
Yoko and me
And that's reality

 

[Jorge]

If you want difficulty why don't you shoot pinhole made out of a Quaker Oats box. Run around with a changing bag and some paper, see how fast you can successfully change a pinhole, it'll be like a sport since photography isn't an 'art', right? Then when you get back to the darkroom try developing your sheets in some really awkward developer like coffee or something toxic... that'll be difficult. In fact that whole process would be so difficult that if you pulled it off you would probably have the greatest photo ever made... that is if difficulty is how you judge photos.

LOL...you think he should do this standing on his head to make it more difficult. HOw about this, lets have him change the film in the changing bag with his teeth only, hands tied behind his back.

BTW Ramone, do me a favor and dont quote him, this way I am blissfully ignorant of the idiocys he writes.....

so if it was hard to take the picture that makes it good, uh? oh brother....!!

 

[hansbeckert]

If you want difficulty why don't you shoot pinhole made out of a Quaker Oats box. Run around with a changing bag and some paper, see how fast you can successfully change a pinhole, it'll be like a sport since photography isn't an 'art', right? Then when you get back to the darkroom try developing your sheets in some really awkward developer like coffee or something toxic... that'll be difficult. In fact that whole process would be so difficult that if you pulled it off you would probably have the greatest photo ever made... that is if difficulty is how you judge photos.

Do you have 'higher standards' too?

 

[hansbeckert]

If you want difficulty why don't you shoot pinhole made out of a Quaker Oats box. Run around with a changing bag and some paper, see how fast you can successfully change a pinhole, it'll be like a sport since photography isn't an 'art', right? Then when you get back to the darkroom try developing your sheets in some really awkward developer like coffee or something toxic... that'll be difficult. In fact that whole process would be so difficult that if you pulled it off you would probably have the greatest photo ever made... that is if difficulty is how you judge photos.

Do you have 'higher standards' too? My point is that context and the nature of the photography affects the criteria you use. You cannot expect the same kind of quality in this context as you would in a studio or with a view camera. That's all I mean.

 

[Aggie]

LOL...you think he should do this standing on his head to make it more difficult. HOw about this, lets have him change the film in the changing bag with his teeth only, hands tied behind his back.

BTW Ramone, do me a favor and dont quote him, this way I am blissfully ignorant of the idiocys he writes.....

so if it was hard to take the picture that makes it good, uh? oh brother....!!

If a picture is deemed good by degrees of difficulty in taking it, there are several I want to monimate for that prestigious list. Les McLean and is documentation of street photography in Belfast No. Ireland. The calgary contigent for standing out in those temps from Oct. to July. Robert Kennedy for taking anything and presnting it at the U of A art department. Ann for being a delight and teaching with compassion and caring. Sean for babysitting all of us.

 

[hansbeckert]

If a picture is deemed good by degrees of difficulty in taking it, there are several I want to monimate for that prestigious list. Les McLean and is documentation of street photography in Belfast No. Ireland. The calgary contigent for standing out in those temps from Oct. to July. Robert Kennedy for taking anything and presnting it at the U of A art department. Ann for being a delight and teaching with compassion and caring. Sean for babysitting all of us.

That's not what I mean, and you know it.

 

[k_jupiter]

Hans,

You just haven't figgured out when to shut the heck up. It got you kicked out of PN, it will hopefully get you kicked out of here. Make your point once then SHUT UP! Just some helpful advice.

Another person who hasn't figgured out the internet forum scheme of things.


tim in san jose

 

[Jorge]

If a picture is deemed good by degrees of difficulty in taking it, there are several I want to monimate for that prestigious list. Les McLean and is documentation of street photography in Belfast No. Ireland. The calgary contigent for standing out in those temps from Oct. to July. Robert Kennedy for taking anything and presnting it at the U of A art department. Ann for being a delight and teaching with compassion and caring. Sean for babysitting all of us.

Hey, you just gave me a great idea, since a picture is only good if it is hard to take, lets have Hans go take pictures of a hockey team in Siberia, buck naked.....lol...

 

[Art Vandalay]

Hans, instead of saying higher standards I should've just said 'different' standards. That's all. No better or worse, just different. But, as I think we disagree on most things about photography, there's no surprise in that.

 

[modafoto]

Hmmm. It appears that I need to add rodinal to the topics that I don't bring up at a coctail party...along with religion and politics...

Rodinal, politics and religion is the same thing for me

 

[modafoto]

Although I have to admit to being entertained by the banter, I simply wanted to find out if I should be starting with Rodinal (as I haven't yet developed my first roll) or using it as a specialty developer. Now, keep in mind that I'm green and knew nothing about the chem before this thread...

Start out with Rodinal is my advice! One thing I will warn about is starting out with a powder developer. Wait with this until you have the other stuff figured out.

 

[modafoto]

Morten LOL I prefer natural light whenever possible, can't have flasing in front of those nice innocent gothic models now can we

Oh...I forgot! That's why she turned into dust leaving only the tight latex dress(?)

 

[modafoto]

PS, I dont know if you are the same beckert as the one on PN, or if you also are the same as Scarpatti, all I want to say is dont come to this forum and mess it up, I will make your life miserable, ask simmons.

Scarred Pity? I remember the days on usenet!

 

[ElrodCod]

This thread is like sex and soap operas.......no matter how far you get behind; it doesn't take very long to catch up.

 

[joeyk49]

I just developed my first roll of b/w, tonight, yes tonight...And I have to admit that my standards, relatively speaking here, are pretty darn low. But I've been struttin around my kitchen thinkin, "Yep, Ansel Adams ain't got nuthin on me!"....

...Screwed up the first and second to last frames on the roll (don't know how or why. Don't really care, right now...) and I'm feeling pretty damned good about myself...

Yeah, I know...my sails will lose a little wind when the strip dries and I get it up against the light with a glass...but this site just created another monster....Muahahahahaha!

 

[Dean Williams]

"I just developed my first roll of b/w, tonight, yes tonight..."

Go gettum killer. There's no stoppin' ya now!

Oh yea, didja use Rodinal?

 

[joeyk49]

Alas, no...<head hung low>, my local photo shop doesn't carry it...

They're pretty thin on developing supplies. Mostly the "regular" Kodak stuff. The only Ilford stuff they had was Ilfosol S and Ilfotec. No Rodinal.

So I went for the finer grained Ilfosol S to match up with the Pan F.

Prints to be posted soon...

 

[Ed Sukach]

I've NEVER gotten over the thrill of seeing the developed images after developing - and I doubt that I ever will. I HOPE I never do.

One of the things that makes it all worth while.

 

[photomc]

I've NEVER gotten over the thrill of seeing the developed images after developing - and I doubt that I ever will. I HOPE I never do.

One of the things that makes it all worth while.

Isn't that the TRUTH Ed!! Every, I mean EVERY single time I develop film, there is the thrill when holding the negative up to the light the first time. Even when they aren't perfect..(ok that's most of the time) I still get excited.

The anticipation while the film is in the tank, or I'm in the dark tray developing is almost as bad as the night before Christmas as a kid. Like the fact I can still have that feeling and you bet HOPE I NEVER LOOSE IT.

Glad to hear others have that same feeling.

p.s. joeyk49 - you can get it from Calumet, order a couple of bottles for the fun of it - no hazard fee if you let it ship by truck (psstttt!!! don't tell anyone, but I use it for a paper developer sometimes to!! works great)

 

[Dean Williams]

Just kidding about the Rodinal, Joeyk. Thing is to use what you like and learn what you can about it. Really knowing what your film and developer do together (whatever kind you use) is what's important. Almost all the different developers will work with any kind of film. Stick with one for a while and get a handle on it. You can learn a lot from just one developer and film.

It's fun, isn't it? I know I'm still having fun over three decades after I pulled my first film out of the soup. I don't know how it could not be fun!

Dean