Ed, well it all went really well and totally smoothly as you would expect from a professional shooter like me.
Okay now for the real story. I have been trying to get LF up and going at the workplace for a while, al the components are there except a complete film processing solution. This was solved recently with the purchase of a great jobo 5x4 tank. I did try the polaroids that where in the cupboard but all where no good, so it was real film or nothing.
So what makes a great shoot - well planning before the event tends to be up there somewhere, planning through the event is not. SO for a personal challenge I chose planning through the event, for some variety, it went something like this:
Oh look some spare time to do a quick test shoot I'll just grab the double dark slides and load up some film
I'll now clean the 8' of dust off of the DD slides and try to find one out of 15 that actually works.
Now load film, damn which way does the notch go, find book, read book, go back and have test run.
Cunningly test loading film into dev tank as well - HA I am clever!
Duck into dark room to load DD slide - learn that Linholf DD's are weird in the dark compared to Toyo
Okay film loaded off to still life room to where camera is set up. Oh damn need a subject, oh there's that still life thread, I'll do something for that ( insert fossiking around smiley here) Damn I have zip to shoot, hell I'll use some stainless steel dev reels
Swtich on lights, damn the light is over head, hell time is short, oh no really when you step back from the soft box that is 3 feet directly over head from the subject it is sort of renaissanceesque lighting, good lets go. Push in DD's damn camera moved, pull DD's out again, tighten everything, stick DD's back in, damn camera moved again, tighten everything with 3 foot pipe handle. Put DD's back in, good all solid, shoot 2 frames no probs.
Off to the dark room, load film! why is it easy to load this stuff out in the light with your eyes closed but it he dark with you eyes open its hard. How do you know you are a nervous novice LF'er you check for the notch in the film while loading the dev tank
Film in tank, fill tank with water to wet film, go make coffee, come back pour water into jug for volume measurement - 1400ml
okay no probs Rodinal 1:50, 12mins@20c this rocks. check temp 25c so 7.5 mins lets go, dev in - hell nearly a minute of pouring to get it all in, thats cool shake an dbake then let it sit, okay line up stop and fix.
Mmmmmmmm they look like 1 litre bottles - oh damn! I have 5mins to mix up extra fixer and stop
Must try not to get on good work shirt and trousers
whats 1:5 in a litre solution oh hell I need a storage bottle, oh heck they are all full this is not good ( insert fossiking around smiley here) heres one excellent - damn where di that 3 mins with no agitation go !!! new fixer in bottle normal 1 litre of stop with rolling agitation will suffice and all is calm.
Well, stop, fix wash as normal and some wetting for finish, okay I'll just hag them up, okay I will just find something to hang them up with
These old dip and dunk clips will have to do, damn phones ringing and someone's at the office door.
So as you look at the result you will appreciate the journey was greater than the result, but I have the power now, nothing can stand in my way and there is some old Agfa chrome in the fridge
for more adventures in the LF vortex check back soon
