Small notes on film photography, darkroom chemistry and walks around the city.
Pushing HP5 to 1600 in Rodinal
Pushing HP5 two stops has a reputation for blocked-up highlights and muddy shadows. After a dozen rolls I think most of that comes from agitation, not from the developer.
A slow Sunday along the canal
Twelve frames, three keepers. That is roughly my ratio when I walk without a plan, and I have stopped feeling bad about it.
Cleaning an old rangefinder
A friend handed me a rangefinder that had been sitting in a drawer since the nineties. The shutter fired, the meter needle moved, and the rangefinder patch was so faint it was almost invisible.
Coastal walk in November
Low tide, a strong westerly and a sky that changed every five minutes. Perfect conditions for black and white, terrible conditions for keeping a lens clean.
A darkroom in a bathroom, on a budget
You do not need a dedicated room to print. A bathroom with a towel under the door, a second-hand enlarger and three trays is enough to start.
Trees in fog
Fog does half the work for you. It removes clutter, separates layers and turns a messy wood into a set of clean silhouettes.