Portals

FoundDoorStop.jpg
Farm folks around the world follow the phrase "use what you have, and you'll never want". Something was needed here to reduce the chance of the wind blowing the door open as soon as his back was turned. This works well enough.

There was a 'framing' decision to be made between the 'vertical' of the door and that of the 'wall' boards.... I decided to choose the wall boards because they 'agreed' more closely with the spirit-level on the rear standard of my Linhof.... and I had only the one unexposed sheet of film left available without a 15 minute walk back to my car... and the home-made film loading-box where my film was 'hiding'.

Just as I was loading my equipment back into my car, a female RCMP officer (on patrol) 'arrived' to have a conversation and "to check on both my purpose.. and my safety"... and shortly thereafter, was quite happy to enjoy a well chilled non-alcoholic beverage from my cooler as we readily discussed the 'whys, wherefores... and the benefits' of the craft of photography with a large format camera for a further 30 (or so) minutes.

The Ilford FP4 exposed behind my 240mm Sironar... was developed as 'normal' in Pyrocat HD in BTZS tubes.

Ken
 
Wonderful patterns and textures in the timbers Ken and a great addition to the series which I am enjoying very much.
 
Barn.jpg

I was somewhat surprised to come across the only barn that I have ever seen that seems to have a separate, but visually-blocked with what seemed to be a white plastic, 'employee door'... so close beside the (usually) much larger larger doors that allow for the passage of tractors and the associated large field implements. Since there were clear glass windows (through which I did not look), on the side of barn (to the left) I can but assume that this end of the barn was the inevitable 'workshop area'.

Recorded to Ilford FP4 behind the 240mm Sironar on the Linhof monorail without any filtration. Exposed as per incident light meter reading at f11 with the 1/2 stop allowance for bellows extension and developed as 'normal' in BTZS tubes with Pyrocat HD

Ken
 
AlmostFull.jpg

I was down in my darkroom on Tuesday evening... doing some necessary redding-up in preparation for the work after my next foray out with the Linhof now that some 'decent' weather may (finally?) be 'on its way'. Recent weeks of thunder-storms with heavy rain and/or high winds have plagued my intentions to 'get out and do' for too long.

I came across a film holder that 'indicated' it was still loaded with 'exposed' film and 'marked' as a 'Portal' that was exposed but not developed last fall.... somehow was misplaced.... or just 'missed' because it was a 'singleton'.. and awaiting a second sheet of film with which to 'partner' for development.

'Noted' exposure was for 1/125 at f.16+2/3 onto Ilford FP4 behind the 150mm Rodenstock on the Linhof monorail, and developed as 'normal' in Pyrocat HD in BTZS tubes. I have 'clipped' off a little of the grassed area in the foreground.

Ken
 
Nice work Ken. That last shot is excellent.
I admit I really like this series, or is it a project? While looking through it again this morning I noticed that the door in Post 21 appears to be the same as Post 41. There are differences as the door in Post 41 seems to have more weeds at the bottom. With that in mind do you revisit some of these barns or portals at different times of the year to capture different seasons?

Noting your comment on framing in Post 41 you have selected the boards to keep vertical but in Post 21 the top of the door is parallel to the edge of the frame. Different visit different thoughts?

Keep up the good work.
 
Bill, I must plead guilty of making more then one image of a significant percentage of my images ...
often due to a 'different light quality/intensity' on the different occasions... but usually, each one can still be a 'good challenge' in its own 'right' due to differing light conditions/quality and/or quantity

Ken
 
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Thanks for explaining Ken.

Really enjoying these images and it is making me look around in a different way with a view to making some of my own.
 
BILL...I Now offer you the challenge to try something similar in your 'region' I think you will find that you WILL BE aware tha tusing the archaic non-silver processes that can be a LOT MORE challenging than you might think but they are also (usually)a LOT more time consuming But (often) A lot MORE 'FUN'.

Ken
 
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Nice work Ken. That last shot is excellent.
I admit I really like this series, or is it a project? While looking through it again this morning I noticed that the door in Post 21 appears to be the same as Post 41. There are differences as the door in Post 41 seems to have more weeds at the bottom. With that in mind do you revisit some of these barns or portals at different times of the year to capture different seasons?

Noting your comment on framing in Post 41 you have selected the boards to keep vertical but in Post 21 the top of the door is parallel to the edge of the frame. Different visit different thoughts?

Keep up the good work.

BILL.... it usually depends on either which 'boot' was put on 'first' when i was getting ready to leave home that day... or perhaps just how I 'felt' when first seeing the image on the ground glass under the dark-cloth.

Ken
 
BILL...
When I was a 'working photographer I always had to consider what the 'client' NEEDED TO show. now I only have to 'please myself' rather than either a prof in the fine Art department who doesn't really know their "Ass'.. from a hole in the ground.... or a paying 'client'

Ken

[ my bad!!!! :cool: ]
 
bILL your 'journey' will only start when you take your first step... go for it!!!! and 'enjoy' the challenge.

Ken
 
BILL...I Now offer you the challenge to try something similar in your 'region' I think you will find that you WILL BE aware thetusing the archaic non-silver processes that can be a LOT MORE challengeing than you might think but they are also (usually)a LOT more time consuming But (often) A lot MORE 'FUN'.

Ken
I will have to rise to that challenge Ken. I will see what I can do.
 
I will have to rise to that challenge Ken. I will see what I can do.
Bill... I am nowout of the hospital bed after they 'reamed out a 'small 'pin-strokec clot in a small blood vessel in the brain. Fortunately, there seems (as yet... anyway,to be NO serious damage that could curtail my physical abilities. That being said I will no longer be playing any in any 'seniors' rugby games so.. I'll hve to curtail my physical 'behaviour to getting back out with the Linhof and some loaded film holders as much as possible before the 'real cold weather arrives..

by 'real cold I mean the days when you have to head off to pick up the mail at thelocal "Mail box'
when the temp is down lower then -35 degrees C. i.e. when you should NOT lick the frost off any lamposts lest you 'lose your tongue'

Ken
I have "Plans for building your own UV light source should you feel the need... due to shortage of sunlight over the UK's winter months you'll just have to find the 240V fluorescent lamps and ballasts to match. IT is not as fast as a plate burner but does OK for my home use

moi
 
Catwalk.jpg
The first time I passed this 'portal' on a re-purposed Canadian Pacific Railway 'coach', one of the farm cats was carrying one of her kits down the plank 'walkway' in the early evening to have its first 'tour of it's future 'hunting ground'. I cannot recall seeing any more of the kittens 'out-and-about' on later visits.

4x5" Ilford FP4 behind my 240 mm Sironar on the Linhof monorail, later that evening developed as 'normal' with Pyrocat HD in BTZS tubes.

Ken
 
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U of L Students' Union hallway .jpg

University' Student Union /Phys-Education building. South hallway on a cold winter morning... before the student 'mass arrives. According to the ball-point ink on the back of my left hand, the one exposure was 1/2 second @f11 with Rodenstock 75mm Grandagon on Linhof monorail with bag bellows . Film was developed as 'Normal' with Pyrocat HD in BTZS tubes. Pentax Spot meter reading off outside concrete wall to the left through dark glass windows and the value placed on Zone V.

Ken
 
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Film was developed as 'Normal' with Pyrocat HD in BTZS tubes. Pentax Spot meter reading off outside concrete wall to the left through dark glass windows and the value placed on Zone V.

Ken, do you also make a note of the high values and use that to determine the development time
 
Ken, do you also make a note of the high values and use that to determine the development time


In this case, the fluorescent lights up.. and to the right were rather 'too bright' to consider taking their 'brightness into consideration for even 'thinking' about recording the surface texture of the diffuser, but I included them with disregard for taking their brightness value into consideration for any development time adjustment that would have a dilaterious effect on the brightness range on the whole. looking at the posted 'on-line' image it does seem a bit 'darker overall' than what can I observe with the original Tiff file on my Mac's
screen, nor can I account for the slight over-all density increase as it appears 'on line'.

Ken
 
Ken, do you also make a note of the high values and use that to determine the development time

Ian,

I will often read both 'high' and lower values but usually depend more on 'placing' the high (with texture) on ZVIII
while letting the low values to fall where they may (since higher values are usually observed 'first) but I also check for middle to low values. I have since re-scanned that negative and reduced both brightness and contrast that seemed to be greater when observing the image 'on-line' after it was posted

Ken
 
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