Kodak TMAX 400

Sunday was another darkroom day...and it was wonderful.  If I didn't have to eat - I could probably just live out here! ; )  I finished up the second roll of Croatia.  Had some good ones with just the first print, and then there were the harder-to-please-my-eyes ones that took 3 or 4 times, and possibly they're still not right.

I made a major change in the darkroom over the weekend.  I use Kodak Dektol developer and I've been developing for 3 minutes for FB prints, even though it says 2 minutes on the packaging.  It was my timing I came up with from all my various notes and books, etc., etc.  I have noticed that sometimes I felt my prints had a slight dingy look to them, not muddy, but yellowy.  I tried troubleshooting this problem - but to no avail.  So when I'm mixing up new Dektol on Sunday, I decided I'd try the two minutes and see what happens.  I think it solved the problem - hopefully.  I guess I should do what the packaging says in the future!
It's also very hot these days, so I am storing the Dektol in the fridge in the garage.

All the prints from this weekend are dried and pressed.  I did go back and re-print one that I have hanging at the High Hand Gallery as a 'test' to see if I could tell any difference in the developing.  The white is much whiter in the print, so I will probably change that one out. I'm not sure if I'm going back in the darkroom today as I'm out of 11x14 glossy.  I have matte paper at that size - I'm just not feeling it right now!  I'll go eat breakfast and figure it out in my head.  I could cut my mats and frame today those three 13x19 prints for the Blue Moon Gallery show in due in August.  Here's Streets of Croatia:

 

Darkroom Daze

I've been in the darkroom this week for several days!!  I could live in there and have my husband just slip me food under the door from time to time - maybe some crackers and cheese! ; )  I finally completed that last roll of film from Bodie Ghost Town that I took last year.  There were so many intriguing images on that roll, I just had to find out what they looked like in print.  I have to say there were about three images that looked great, but really weren't focused properly and that was my mistake - I'm getting older and my eyesight at times isn't the greatest!  When you're clicking off your shots in subdued lighting sometimes it's hard (for me) to get it focused perfectly, whereas, with digital you don't have that worry, however, the results are so drastically different.

I had a really big surprise in that my granddaughter, Victoria, came up and we finally made it into the darkroom together!!  My first visitor!  It was so much fun, and she asked such great questions.  She's into digital, but has seen and learned the difference in the resulting images from both.  With digital, in her case, she manipulates and makes the image something totally different - and she's good at it.  She wanted to know the ways to make that same difference with film in the darkroom.  I told her there are ways to manipulate with dodging and burning in that you can make it look surreal, or you can use toners, and/or different types of paper, and there's much more.  For me, this little session that lasted less than a half an hour was over the top!  I loved it - so 'thank you' Victoria!

I was not coming out of the darkroom until I finished off this latest Bodie series.  Again I used the matte fiber based paper on all of these.  I'm posting one of the images that I liked which was from inside the silver mining processing plant.  Now I will start on my European images.

It's also time for me to go pick up my France images (in another week) from the Latitudes Restaurant.  Unfortunately, I heard there were no sales.  However, I plan on using a couple of the larger prints for High Hand Gallery's Large Format show later this summer.  And on the same day, I will be dropping off my two Mountain Quarries Railroad Bridge images to the Auburn Arts Commission for Auburn's Second Thursday Art Walk!

Darkroom

I just finished mixing some fresh chemicals and am going back into the darkroom this morning for a few hours before we go babysit the grand kids!  I didn't get in the darkroom last night.  After making dinner, I was just too tired.  Sometimes that fresh air wipes you out!

When I had finished my website galleries, I had found another 75 photographic images from Santorini.  I liked this photo just because of it's total starkness in the bright sunlight.  I would love to go back to that island and get some sunset shots.  Maybe someday...maybe I already had my chance.  As you can see it probably would have been a more dramatic image if it was later in the afternoon and the sun would have cast some long shadows.  But as you can see, it was in the middle of the day - sun straight up - but still not too bad.  Nothing was altered in the image.

Okay, I've got to get going if I'm to have some time in the darkroom this morning!!  Manana!

It's Too Hot!!

This is the third day and I haven't been in my studio working, other than to clean it up and read my emails!! I think the heat got to me and I was one lazy little girl yesterday. Today I at least went out and got some errands done for my upcoming trip in September. My sisters and I are going to Europe!!! We fly into Venice, Italy, and stay for a day and a half, then on to Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kerkira, Curfu, Greece; Argostoli, Cephalonia, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Catanaia, Sicily, Italy; scenic cruising thru the Strait of Messina; Naples, Italy; Civitaveccchi (Rome) Italy; Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy; and then to Barcelona, Spain for 2 nites.

I purchased a new canvas tote to carry both cameras for the trip, bought film, and I'd like to purchase another large San disk and then I should be ready photography- wise - I think. I still have another three and a half weeks - but it's getting here fast.

Tomorrow I need to can the last of the peppers from the garden and get that over with, and then I hope to get back into the dark room and get some Bodie and Yosemite prints done!

Eureka!

I've been sick for the last couple of days....living in my PJs. So I haven't written anything. I had done all of my film developing homework previous to my getting sick with the same cold my husband has had this last week. So today after laying around until 4:30 p.m., I went in the darkroom and decided this was it - sick or not! In my PJs I might add - so much for the apron! So, I just developed my first two rolls, which were probably from two years ago. I can't believe they came out - no streaks or bubble marks or chemical issues. Just plain ol' 'normal developed' negatives. How fun was that! I ran out and told my husband to come see - I was so excited. He comes in and wants to take a picture -- not today dear!

I have to say though that it did take me almost a half hour to load two rolls of film on the reels. But finally I mastered that, at least I was hoping.

Also, I might have a small iota of a 'light' issue from the door. Maybe it's nothing, but when I go to develop the prints it could be an issue. I need to figure that one out, but for now, I'm developing the film. I've got 8 more rolls to go. I should call my son and have him bring me his rolls he's got laying around his house.