Topic: DIY mobile darkroom in Alberta

[Francois]

You definitely have to check this out!
https://petapixel.com/2018/02/07/made-mobile-darkroom-homemade-16x20-camera/

[jojonas~]

way cool! man, gotta love how those big shots look. you figure they used a polarizing filter to get those dark skies with the photo paper?

[cs1]

The shots are incredibly nice and contrasty. What a cool project.

[Francois]

way cool! man, gotta love how those big shots look. you figure they used a polarizing filter to get those dark skies with the photo paper?

Either that or a green filter...
Lets not forget that they are using some ortho paper... probably Harman Direct positive.

I'll have to check out their website to study the details of their build. I wonder what type of lens they used?

[jojonas~]

way cool! man, gotta love how those big shots look. you figure they used a polarizing filter to get those dark skies with the photo paper?

Either that or a green filter...
Lets not forget that they are using some ortho paper... probably Harman Direct positive.

I'll have to check out their website to study the details of their build. I wonder what type of lens they used?

Seems they used a "vintage 19.75 inch (502mm) F10 Kodak Anastigmat lens".

Left Image - The very first negative made with the camera. You can tell by the look on my face I am pretty excited!

some nice process shots from their build and process showing off their first contact print and stuff too over at https://www.themobiledarkroom.ca

[jojonas~]

How he lighted his portraits was interesting too:
Since the ASA (ISO) of this paper is around 2, during the shoot, I use hot lamps to allow me to focus on my subject, then proceed to use a Profoto D4 pack with one light at full power to provide me enough light for an instant exposure. The results could not have been better.

seems that he used some crumpled reflection screen behind the persons for that light behind branches effect

[Francois]

Or maybe just some aluminum foil on a board....

The fun thing with using paper is that you can often do without a sophisticated shutter mechanism since the speeds can be quite slow. This means that it's perfect for lens hacking.

[cs1]

This type of photography appeals to me very much because, as with other methods like Daguerreotypes, this paper method produces unique prints. You can't simply make prints like from negatives or from wet plates. That's something I find quite nice. In a digital age where so many things are simple copies or derivates of copies, it's just excellent to have your portrait taken and to take this high resolution result home and to know that this is the only original print in that quality (sure you can scan it but it's still not the same). The relation between the subject and the photo is so much more intimate. And apart from that philosophical aspect: the shots simply look fantastic.