Salt Printing Again

I am preparing for my winter ‘studio’ months….a time where I find I concentrate more on printing, experimentation, zine creation etc…. The summers and shoulder seasons are for ‘filming’….. So my trek back to my Tucson studio allows me to retool and rethink and of course to experiment.

To my Salt Printing process….. My studio has been transformed into a salt printing studio. It is not total ‘blackout’ so I can’t have an enlarger unless I deaden the light, but I did create my own UV light box which I have taken copious notes on, as well as the process…..if you read my page entitled Salt Printing.

This year I am experimenting with different forms of paper and I think overall paper size as well. I participated in a photography festival selling my zines and books in Philadelphia a few months ago and while there I talked to a young lady from Ithaca, New York (Christine Elfman) who was showing off some of her salt prints. I want to shift some of my future zines into that direction as I have pondered over it the past year or two but haven’t made the shift to actually do so. But her influence has me headed now.

So….paper….paper…which paper? I have used various papers from the ‘cheapo” from Walmart to Arches, to Fabriano, to Strathmore etc… Both Hot and Cold as well as homemade watercolor paper from Mexico. To each, well….to their own.

This year I am branching out the experimentation process hoping to really find one that just ‘hits me’ …although I am almost convinced the process of salt printing is so convoluted with multiple variables that it is pretty difficult for me to say that ‘it is the paper’ man….. No, it is all the other things!

But this year….two new papers. First one up is Hahnemuhle Hot Press, 100% cotton and acid free. I have a feeling it is going to come close to Arches but hey, that is okay….I love Arches and would use it daily but it does get expensive, especially when experimenting. But a professional paper and frankly, I am not saving any $’s over Arches!!!!

As stated…it is hot press so I am know I will get some texture. Perfect…. I want that and feel the textured nature of hot press sets it apart from just a regular photograph, let alone the salt printing ‘look and process’.

The second paper I am trying is printing paper and not water color paper. This will be Lenox cotton printing paper. The texture won’t be as fine since it is printing paper so that has me thinking just a bit. But if I look to soften up some of my prints and perhaps shift from a 6x9” size to a more square 5”x5” size, this paper should be just fine. It is worth a try as without experimentation; well….is there any real growth?

As a backup…and as long as I am in the spending/purchasing mode, I will most likely order some Revere 320 gsm platinum paper which again, is a high quality paper but not hot press, so more a smoother texture as in the Lenox. I believe my first try will be with the hot press Hahnemuhle.

Will see….more to purchase though as I need some more Pictorico and I see it is not in stock in all places I have checked. This means purchasing more in ‘bulk’ and working at cutting to fit. It does come out cheaper that way but I worry with this product; will it curl up on me? Not sure. Many rolled bulk tends to curl.

Either way…I just continue to experiment and grow. I envision that next year I will have my first ‘salt printing’ zine to show / sell. That is my goal. While I prefer to work within a thematic approach, I have a feeling that this first salt zine will not evolve around any one theme, rather….a printing approach.

So…what are your goals? What are you looking forward to do? We all need that, right?

My Style

Well, I went out the other day and experimented with the Rollei as I needed to run it thru the ropes. Beautiful camera I might add. The most tactile analog I own, if that can be had.

Anyhow…..look at the following shots and you can see how these meet my style….. Not for everyone I know as my style is a bit ‘rough and ready’. I purposely have camera settings to match what I feel is my style and I also have a processing method that meets it as well. These were done on the Rocky Steps in Philadelphia as many people traverse the steps ‘up and down’ and usually when they are at the top of the steps they raise their hands in style and jump up and done as if they ‘save the world’….. Anyhow…below. Give me a comment if you find them interesting or boring or nice or okay or whatever. To each their own.

Rollei S or Mint Rollei

It isn’t often that I change my gear and purchase something new (or used)….as my usual squeezes are the Olympus OM’s (+ Zuiko lens) or perhaps my Pen F Half-frame…I might toss in the Lomo LC at times…Between all of those I have all my needs covered within low light lens, discreet lens, small size, zone focus ability/ manual focus.

As any film photographer most likely is aware of, I too have been following the camera industry and have taken note of two new film cameras. One is now out… the Pentax 17 while the other camera is due sometime in September of 2024.. the Rollei 35. Now to qualify myself here; I like to use these written ‘blogs’ as an opportunity to reflect within my craft and my needs…what works and why etc. Well today, I am reflecting on an upcoming ‘somewhat desire’ to look more closely at the Rollie brand, be it the new MINT Rollie or an older model. Where does it fit and would I use it.

I have already determined that the Pentax 17 would not fit my shooting needs. I don’t mind the half-frame aspect, as I do shoot my Pen F Half-frame, but I am pretty much anti the non-manual aspect of this new Pentax. Don’t get me wrong….it is a nice camera and appears to have been thought out by Pentax/Ricoh, but, it doesn’t fit my shooting styles. So a pretty easy ‘off it goes’…it is for film newbies or the retro crowd that wants to shoot film but has no idea how.

But the Rollie? Okay….take a look at an older Rollie 35S below:

Now, how does it fit my style? First, it is all manual. I want that challenge. Second, it is a 40mm lens with a F2.8 shutter. …again, fits my style. While I usually shoot 50mm with my Olympus OM’s….a 40 is doable. Third, it is very small and very discreet. Small so that no one can see me capture ‘life on the streets’ and discreet in that it has an almost silent, but still a very tactile shutter release button. Fourth, or is that fifth? ….it has Zone Focus. I prefer the Zone Focus system as it allows for more creativity in how I shoot and what the final image looks like. Sixth….it has a light meter and relatively easy to use and the batteries used are the same ones as my OM1, so Wein offers the batteries for sale. But how long will the light meter last, being an older camera? Finally, it is a classic. While a bit of a ‘brick’ …it is a small brick and weighs little. The ergonomics is not super but being so small, it really makes no difference. Heck, just look at my Lomo-LC.

Okay….now to the MINT ROLLIE AF. See below….

Since the camera hasn’t been released yet (another month), I have to use an image of a prototype, which is most likely what it will look like. Again, the same general size as the original Rollie but with different features. But how do these features match up to my shooting style?

First…size and weight, so that is a plus and I believe is actually less weight than the original Rollei. Second, this is a 35mm lens as opposed to the 40mm of the older Rollie. Not that much of a difference but something to take into account. It probably is not a deal breaker as I shoot 32mm with my Lomo. Third, it has an updated battery so easy to find. Fourth, it has a light meter that I know will work for years to come and is serviceable. Fifth, instead of manual focus or zone focus, it comes with AF. Now, that is my potential deal killer. I like manual. I like zone focus. I don’t like AF but can it be manipulated and gotten around? I am not sure. Sixth, while small, the discreetness of shutter is not evident. In fact, it is a prolonged electronic shutter sound and surely louder than the original Rollei. So now, I have two possible negatives with the lack of zone focus and the bit more of a shutter sound, which hurts street discreetness. Also, the price is $850 USD. Quite a chunk although not a ‘chunk’ as in Leica $$$$$ chunk. And relatively speaking when compared to the price of new cameras in the day of the old Rollei’s, it is quite the bargain for a new camera. But still a price.

What is my decision? Well….I don’t have one yet…. I will save up for the camera in either case. Will the price of the original Rollei’s go ‘down’ as the new MINT version takes over? Perhaps. Will I learn something about the MINT Rollei that I wasn't aware of before and that has to do with Zone Focus? Perhaps….But i have written MINT and I have no reply. I have contacted other You Tubers’ who have had early access to the Rollei, and have no reply. So, a bit open in regards.

Will I get one or do I even need one to begin with? Old or new. No…. I have a fairly extensive Olympus OM + Zuiko lens collection and i have a Lomo 32mm that I use for film discreetness, as well as my Pen F Half frame that I use from time to time. Being at most, a F2.8 lens, I will not be able to use the Rollei under low light conditions like I use my OM’s. The discreetness in the electronic shutter sound on the MINT Rollei equals the ‘lack of discreetness’ of my Pen F Half Frame but in no way matches the Lomo quiet shutter nor the shutter sound of the older Rollei. So is the Rollei (old or new) just an expense? … Most likely. That in itself might be the deciding factor although…..I always enjoy learning and trying new cameras. While I don’t have GAS, I do enjoy the hobby of learning about different optics around.

Update August 18th…. I purchased a Rollei 35S from KEH in the states. My reasoning came down to the loud shutter and film advance of the newer Mint Rollei (not good for discreetness) as well as the lack of zone focus/ manual focus (my photography style needs this). In addition, I feel that since there is such a distinction between the old and new versions, that the price of the old Rollei will not go down, but perhaps up, as people become more aware of this camera and decide to opt for a ‘good copy’ of the older Rollei 35S. While I purchased one with a working light meter, since I shoot much of the time using the Sunny 16 rule, ….it is just a plus that it works.

There are Times....

I know there are people who find dealing with negatives…whether that is process of developing film or scanning the negatives, as a pain in the butt. But no, not I ….I actually enjoy the ‘process’ and find it meditative. I am alone in the process and just mellow out during. But one thing I have found that I don’t currently have is a manner to view my negatives prior to scanning. I simply lack the ease I need.

There are times when I want to see the negative, quickly….once processed. Sure, I can hold them up to the window and figure it out. Or I hold them up to the computer monitor. But both options are not ideal and they don’t provide me with an opportunity to view upclose/enlarged.

So….I got online. I could have ordered in something ‘new’ from B&H or Amazon or Walmart….but I didn’t like the product. All of them are combination gadgets made for both slide and negatives and I am okay with that. But they also come with APP’s that allows one to view on ‘da phone’ , but no, not for me, I deliberately choose an analog process to stay away from that APP crap. No, I am not doing that crap. Another complaint I see is that when using one of these gadgets and the negative is fed thru the slot, the negative doesn’t just slide thru easily in all cases. If there is any curl to the negative (which often times there can be) and doesn’t lay flat, it won’t feed properly. Also, sometimes, especially with cheaper film, the negative has a slight tear or has a sprocket torn etc; it won’t feed in either.

Moving on from that, I began to Ebay this issue and was looking for a product from my days, my now-classified ‘vintage days’ Amazing, my life now extends into the vintage times. ….So what was done in those old days…the vintage times? That is what I want. People figured film out ‘back then’ as film was at it’s peak and the products sold back then for film photography, actually worked. Perusing Ebay II came up with several options but the one I selected has a feed for 35mm negatives or slides. The product also comes with a magnifier so I can 3x the negative to closely see what is on it. Sounds perfect….see below.

Appears brand new, but vintage. Made from metal…..has a magnifier and has no need to scan or app’s or whatever, that make them unworkable. All for $25. …. There are times, and there you go.

A Tale of Two

It has been stated, said….written in stone or perhaps not; that there is a difference between film and digital images. In fact, a friend of mine who goes out with me will always say, that since I eventually will scan my negatives, that I have digital images. Well, technically I cannot argue since I have scanned the images, but the output is just different. My film, is way different than his digital…..period. Written in Stone.

Case in point. Two images are coming up, one film, the other digital. Now, both were done in Black and White and both were relatively difficult images to capture. These were taken at night with no flash, and the images show a reflection in the window from the opposite side of the street of a few large heads (Linda McCartney, John Dillinger etc) . The image also has, as a reflection, cars moving in the street in front of those large head reflections, as seen below. Now, inside the store/bar…the images will show various things. Take note of the back posters on the wall to the left and any people who might be around those posters, either in the background or foreground. For that differs slightly between these images.

The above image is film ….400 Fomapan taken with a 50mm 1.4 Zuiko lens on an OM1 SLR. Notice the cars and the large heads which are the reflections. Notice the poster “Short Film Night’ …. and the couple seated by the poster. Now compare this to the image below which is the digital.

That was taken with a digital 35mm lens on a Fuji F100 series. You can see roughly the same in the background but the foreground has more people. The lady on the left was not present when the film image was taken but the lady ‘centered’ and talking to the other lady who has her back towards us was present on the film as well.

You can clearly see obvious difference. The Digital is sharper….no grain, the Depth of Field is more intense. The film image has more shadows, deep blacks, more grain and less polished. The people up front, while there….are not visible on the film image.

Why is that? Well….I imagine that it is due to ISO more than much else. The film ISO was set at 400 and I needed to have my camera wide-open at 1.4 while the shutter was near 1/60th…while I know that my friend had his ISO ‘up to’ 6400’ for the evening on his F100 digital. I am not sure what the Iso setting was for this particular image, but I know it was close to 6400. Now with the ISO, he could afford to shift his other settings to accommodate more a field of view. He was using ‘live’ so not sure he really new the settings when he took the image.

Is one image better? Well, that depends on your thinking and what you prefer. For me, the film has character. The digital just looks sharp and not real, not authentic. Film all the way for me baby.

Oddities of Life

Street photography is all about the street…It might take hours and miles to hit the pavement and find that one photo that says, you did good. While you can do street photography in any town, I surely find a difference in the definition of ‘any town’. IE….Tucson AZ is not nearly as doable as Philadelphia PA.

So the other day in Philadelphia I walked for 4-5 hours and put in 10 miles. I did the same the next day too. All told I came out with one roll of film or 36+ images to review. Not a lot, but I don’t press the shutter just to press the shutter. Although I must admit the ‘sound’ of the shutter on my OM2 is ridiculously addicting. I think someone should make a ‘white noise’ sound of that shutter being pressed to get people to sleep. It is ‘that’ gratifying!

So….I ended up with 38 images and of those, I elected to scan 27 images so not a bad ‘hit rate.” Out of those 27 possibles, I feel I really enjoyed 4-5 images. So pretty good, for film or digital or anything. Given that I take my time and set up a shot or, I see a shot in the making, …..I plan ahead. I am constantly roaming with purpose and not just snapping with ease. I want impact….I want uniqueness. I want my style in my images.

I shot my OM2…..with Arista 400 EDU. If you read my blogs you will see that thru the years I manage to shoot many types of film as each type brings with it a flair, a purpose…. And Arista is no different although you still have to take the basic attributes of that film (you get to know this thru time and experience with each) and transfer your skill and your ‘want’ out of each image so it matches the style of the film.

Below is an example….. I like this image. It is crusty, …rough and ready….odd….unique, different and has flavor.

Here is another example of what I enjoy seeing….

The latter is a reflection…. I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time for the foreground to shine thru and overpower the background of the van.

Now….experiment on your own. Find your style…..it doesn’t make a difference as to what your style is, ….just find it. It might takes years and within those years and miles and rolls of film, your style will most likely evolve. There is no one right style….just yours. Enjoy it….and learn from it. Grow and adapt and change and experiment as life is all about that.

I Make Mistakes

It would seem that after years of photography that I wouldn’t make too many mistakes but hey, I just made a big one and it involved two rolls of film. So….I just move on. No big deal.

I am in Philadelphia and every Saturday is the Italian Market where produce is sold, meats etc…. Actually, like many ‘Italian Market’s the market is now more a hispanic market as the neighborhood has changed but the ‘stalls’ remain. So still veggies….

The market is along a few blocks and is lined with stalls with canopies along one side of the street as people on the sidewalk can walk and still view the veggies. With so much action and frankly, I haven’t been here in awhile so I was pretty excited ….I decided to take my camera ‘off’ spot meter and manual with my Olympus OM2SP and place it into full Program mode. I was also using some Japan Camera Hunter so a new film and I thought by going into ‘Program mode’ that I would make sure I get right exposure so I could judge this new film.

So off to the races as I thoroughly enjoyed my time….3+ hours of walking the Italian Market and in my mind, I ‘nailed it’ ….lots of impromptu images, hands passing money, exchanges ….expressions etc. Perfect….Viola. Then after returning home my first thought was to immediately develop, dry and scan…..this was hot stuff. So I did….. and now the results.

The Program mode in this situation just plain stunk. … no bones about it. The exposure was all off either getting shots out of focus such as this:

Or dark like this….

Needless….. I was a bit depressed as my hopes for the day were so high, and then plummet the minute I saw the negatives come out of the tank. I was about ready to toss them all but decided to go thru and see what I could find out. I know the Program mode works well on my OM2SP as I had other shots, outside of the Italian market that were just fine.

So….what caused it? Well, in Program mode the exposures of F stop and shutter are selected by the camera automatically but based first upon the highlights from what I read. As I grabbed shots of people in the canopy area, it was way to backlit and the shadows became unusable, just too dark.

Next time…and there will be one, I will go in with all manual in this situation. I can expose for the shadows and if the whites are overblown I can always take care of them later on. But once the shadows are lost, they are lost. Thus, two rolls of Japan Camera Hunter was a learning experience. On top of that from what I found from my other ‘good photo’s, JPC is a very high contrasty film naturally so I had a double whammy going for me. I still have three rolls of JPC to shoot so I want to manually over-expose more so than I usually do with other film, allowing the shadows underneath the canopy to lighten.

Hey….live and learn…. Slow down…think….get settings right, regardless of the hoopla surrounding the location and people and event. If I miss that, well, I miss it all.

The Back End of Things

The past few days in Philadelphia can be described as hot, sultry, humid…sticky with minor drops of perspiration. But I don’t fight it, as I just go with the flow. Out of the depths of this sultriness comes an opportunity to stay inside and work on what I label as just the back-end-of-things. This includes …. film developing and ‘orchestrating’ one of my upcoming zines.

I usually always have a roll or two to develop. Yet today I didn’t have two of the same film type as I prefer to develop several at the same time. So that left creating the beginnings of my new Zine. Using Affinity I ‘started’ by determining the layout and size for my zine based upon half-frame negatives. I needed the right size to properly project how the half-frame negatives of my Pen F will fit onto each page. Now, this zine project won’t be completed until early 2025 I imagine. You see, I have a couple of dates I need to ‘shoot’ to be included in this documentary zine regarding an open art studio event gallery. I still have Oct, Nov and maybe December to document. But today, I began looking at some footage from June.

‘Above”….. An interesting shot…and one I ‘like’…I enjoy the film look….the grain/noise and especially the extra mood added by shooting half-frame + 400 Fomapan. I love the end result. A candid shot of a lady digging thru her purse. Some art in the background….and her just sitting crossed-leg on a bench. Totally un-aware of being captured on a negative. This is one of several I took of her as I formed a small visual narrative of this ‘slice of life’.

Another shot….this one being more associated with a regular diptych. Again, candid shots documenting this same event. Notice the water mark from the film processing I did on the left image. I left it there. Sure, I can clean it up but why? Why not add character unique to my process to my images? This is what I mean by why I love film. Collectively and thru-out the entire process of capturing an image to that of developing or even printing an image just adds a bit of ‘me’ to each shot.

Tomorrow….should be cooler and not sultry and sticky and me being shamefully relegated to the indoors. Tomorrow has hopes of being out there, about….walking….’legwork’ from the beginning stages.