Intro to Large Format Photography
February 6, 2012
Introduction to large format photography workshop, Point Walter, March 24th, 2012, 1.00pm to 4.30pm
During the month of FotoFreo 2012 I will be holding an introductory workshop to large format photography.
The aim of this workshop is to introduce you to a large format 4×5 inch field camera, provide some first hand experience with its workings and techniques, with applications for both portrait and landscape work.
If you have ever wondered about the advantages of using a large format camera in your work and what’s involved, or are considering large format for your photography, then this is for you.
This workshop will be conducted outdoors along the foreshore of the Point Walter Reserve, so you can see and experience using a 4×5 field camera on location. Through discussions and field demonstrations, I will guide you through the process of setting up, and the camera techniques in using a large format camera. I will also talk about choice of film types and applications, film loading, processing, lens choices and printing options including digital output.
Point Walter Reserve will provide ample subject matter in a relaxed learning environment for participants to gain experience in using a 4×5 field camera within a group setting. Participants who don’t own a 4×5 are encouraged to attend, if you have one then it bring it along. To maximise the experience, workshop numbers are limited to 6 people.
During the workshop I will be assisted by friend and colleague, Peter Kovacsy. We are holding an exhibition, “Changing Places” at the Barracuda Studio Gallery, U3&4/56 Pakenham St, Fremantle, March 17th to 31st, as part of the FotoFreo Fringe Festival 2012.
After the workshop relax and enjoy a coffee at Walters Cafe. Peter and I also invite you to a special evening viewing at Barracuda Gallery, Fremantle, on Saturday 24th March from 6.30PM to 8PM, where we will discuss our work.
Book online or download a pdf form and post to Alex Bond Photography.
Western Australian Stock Photos
February 3, 2012
Pemberton Wine Region is emerging as one of Western Australia’s premium cool climate wine regions. Since completing my book ‘Pemberton Wine Region, Western Australia‘ I have had numerous requests for wine making related images from Western Australia. I am pleased to say that I now have a range of images available on my stock photography web site www.stormlightpublishing.com.au , available for editorial use. Stormlight Publishing provides high quality stock images of Western Australian landscapes for editorial use in books, magazines, corporate reports, brochures and calendars. Rights can be purchased from anywhere in the world and images are immediately downloadable upon payment through a fully integrated online delivery system. Use the web site’s search facilities to assist your image research and then create, edit and email image collections to your design team as well as download position pics for page layouts.
If you have specific image or licensing requirements please feel free to contact me.
In time I will be adding more images to the library, both from the 20,000 plus film based images plus new digital images. Fine art prints are still available from my web site www.alexbond.com.au.
Dunedin, New Zealand.
January 1, 2012
We had just spent a pleasant morning buying some fruit , vegies and cheeses at the weekend markets in Dunedin. Across the Railway Station where the markets are held we stopped and had a breakfast coffee at a little cafe. The four of us sat around a small table outside, sipping our coffees and discussing our purchases and the meal we were preparing. As we left the cafe I was suddenly struck by the curved form of the vacated chair and the diagonal shadow.
Busking, Dunedin markets.
Street art near Save Mart, Dunedin.
New Zealand on a Yashica 124G
December 19, 2011
As a photographer you are often stuck with a difficult choice as to what camera or cameras you should take when traveling overseas on holidays. There is an expectation that you will be taking the latest digital offering with all the usual accoutrements. As I usually work with a 4×5 film camera and tripod there was a temptation to take this with me, after all, New Zealand has stunning landscapes. However, I resisted. This was a holiday. Nor was this my first visit. The key here is the word holiday. I wasn’t on an assignment, just kicking back and relaxing with family, so why burden myself with photo gear for which I had no clear purpose to use? I wasn’t tramping in the back country and I certainly was not interested in doing too much of the tourist sight seeing thing (I did visit some galleries and art practices, which is always interesting). I decided I would travel light, no tripod, one camera with a fixed lens. Limited choices. Keep it simple, keep it flexible and above all keep it fun. So I packed my 21/4 square Yashica 124G and 20 rolls of 120 Tmax 400. My subjects were largely urban images and portraits with a couple of landscapes thrown in. The 21/4 square format yields a lovely full tonal range in black and white, and the camera wonderfully simple to operate and light enough to take everywhere. And when I came across an image that I really liked I knew I had a quality medium format negative to make a print with. This image was made in Matakana, a popular weekend getaway for Aucklanders. They make some nice wine there too.
Processing 120 film with excessive curl in the film base
November 8, 2011
Excessive film curling can cause the film to jam or be damaged when loading into spiral reels for tank development. The following is a description of how I load 120 film with excessive curl into a daylight film tank for processing. Obviously all the steps shown must be completed in total darkness, ie in a darkroom or using a changing bag. I suggest you try this on a practice film before you try loading an important film.
I have been processing 120 films for several decades. In that time I have used stainless steel reels, Paterson reels and my current favourites, the Jobo duo reels shown here. These “newer” Jobo reels are made of white plastic rather than the earlier clear plastic reels. Unlike Paterson, Jobo reels do not have any ball bearings at the film loading mouth to engage the film edges. Unlike other reels, Jobo have two indented reel edges, one on opposite sides of the reel, where my finger is pointing. This is important as it allows the films edge to be contacted by your fingers within that small range of indent.
In a darkroom or change bag collect all the items necessary to start film loading. You will need daylight film tank and top, the white plastic film reel with its black central column and of course the roll of film.
In total darkness, tear the thin paper tab securing the exposed roll and begin to unroll the backing paper away from the film spool.
After about 10 to 15cm of backing paper is unrolled, the loose end of film will begin to curl into a small tight roll. The film is thicker than the paper backing and is firmer, so you will feel the difference between the two. Unless touching the very first of last 2cm of film, always handle the film at its edges.
Notice how the film below is already curling in on itself to form a tight shiny roll. This action can make 120 and thinner 220 films particularly troublesome to load at times without scratching or jamming in the reels. The degree of curl will vary from film to film, brand to brand, and manufacturers may change the polymer base without notice.
When you have just 5 or 6cm of film unrolled from the backing, pinch the very top centre leading edge of the film with the finger and thumb of one hand and with the other holding the film reel and film roll, pull the leading edge of film under the entrance lips into the very first reel track. (I do not recommend cutting the corners of the leading film edge as this will make loading in this reel more difficult with a curling film).
Again using finger and thumb to grab the leading centre edge of film and pull the film into the reel past the indents, whilst holding the main film body and backing in place with the other hand.
Continue pulling the film around as far as you can. You will have to unroll some of the backing paper from time to time to free up the film so it will enter the reel freely. You can let go of the main film roll once you have a good 10 to 15cm of film in the reel as this should be sufficient to hold it.
Paterson reel users will be familiar with the backwards and forwards ratcheting movement of the reel halves to load film. A similar affect on the Jobo reels can be achieved using index fingers on each side of the reel at the indent points, as you alternatively advance and then hold the film.
I do not recommend this method with excessively curly 120 film as it is likely to pop the film edge out of the film guide channel, causing the film to jam.
Instead, hold the reel perfectly still. With a finger and thumb placed at opposite sides of the film indent, push/feed the film with light pressure in the circular direction of the film guide channels. You can only push/feed the film the circular length of the indent at any one time.
Keep repeating this pushing /feeding action, it is surprising quick to load a whole film. The even pressure on both side of the indent prevent the film from popping out of the guide channels.
From time to time release more backing paper away from the film and reel to make it easier to push / feed the film into the reel. You can feel the film edge traveling deeper into the reel at the indent.
Keep push / feeding the film until you come to the end of the film where it is taped to the backing paper. Carefully tear the backing paper from the film, taking care not to kink the film or dislodge it from the reel.
Leave the sticky tape on the film and fold its sticky edge down onto the under side of the film.
Push/feed the remainder of the film right into the reel so that the taped edge is under the guide lips.
You are just about done. Load the film reel and central column into the daylight tank. Place the lid on top and secure. Turn on the lights or remove the tank from the change bag. You are now able to process the film in the tank under normal room light.
Spring time ramble.
October 23, 2011
Spent the last week in the south west and Spring is definitely out. I was doing a few coastal walks, the weather was wonderfully changeable, rainy and blustery one day, then calm, fine mornings with light wisps of high cloud the next. Just the sort of conditions I like most as it offers a wide range of photographic opportunities, from different light qualities to varying subject matter. On my way back one fine morning I sheltered for a while under these peppermint trees which were laden with white trails of bloom. There was the added bonus of a small brook and the sound of running water. So nice to see some water flowing in the brooks and streams this year compared to the dryness of last year. It’s a great time of the year to get out and do a bush walk, ramble, hike or what ever you choose to call it.
Groundhogs Day
November 8, 2010
I often rise early before sunrise. I like to think its because I am a dedicated landscape photographer, but truth is this: the cat has me trained so well to let her out at that time in the morning it has become a habit. When I am at home the morning starts with a brewed cup of coffee. As the predawn light softly filters through the kitchen window I survey the sky for a whisp of cloud or any other clues as to what the day is bringing. At this time of year, Perth summer weather can be very predictable, just like in Groundhogs Day. Today was no different, the cloudless grey sky was slowly turning blue and a gentle but persistent easterly breeze was coming off the scarp, just like yesterday.
I went into the backyard and stood under the jarrah and marri trees with my cup of coffee. Above me in the trees I could hear the industrious sound of insects buzzing. Looking up, the jarrah tree was heavy with tiny yellow blossoms, which stood out in the soft predawn light. With the extent of its flowering I wondered why I had not noticed earlier? During the day when the sun is blazing in the cloudless summers skies, these soft yellow flowers become almost invisible, lost amongst the bright light and glare.
I got out the 4×5, and focused in tight on the tiny flowers and a cluster of seed pods. The magnification was life size on the film and with every breath of wind the pods and flowers jumped in and out of my ground glass viewing frame. Working at this magnification depth of focus is very shallow and I used some back tilt on the camera to help bring the foreground seed pods into the plane of focus. For just a moment the breeze stopped. In a rush I placed a single sheet of Polaroid Type 55 PN film into the camera back, set the shutter for 1/2 second at f8. Both these settings were a compromise to sharpness, but it was all I could get. To make matters worse I could hear the leaves in the tops of the trees rustle in the breeze as I pressed the cable release to make the exposure.
I like to process my Polaroid in the darkroom, preserving the negative and clearing it in sodium sulphite solution whilst in complete darkness. Most my Polaroid prints are overexposed as my aim is to obtain the negative, which I expose at the slower 32ISO rather than the recommended print speed of 50ISO.
The first rays of sunlight began hitting the blossoms, the sky turning a bright pale blue. It was going to be a fine summer’s day in Perth. What remained of my coffee had gone cold, but at least I had awakened my senses as to what was happening in my own backyard and saw something anew. Maybe it wasn’t going to be another Groundhogs day after all?
