Camera Kit Shaping Up

Well, my 4x5 kit is beginning to take shape.  Fellow APUGer, Barry (bdial), has been kind enough to offer a camera and lens to get me going.  Not without recompense, mind you.

Meet Ellie.

Ellie is a Calumet 4x5 with a rotating back so that both horizontally and vertically negatives can be exposed without needing to rotate the entire camera 90 degrees in either direction.  It will be accompanied by...

...a Symmar 180mm f/5.6 lens mounted on a Compur shutter.  180mm in 4x5 roughly translates to a normal 45mm lens in 35mm format photography.  In the coming weeks I will sink some more into some good glass for the front of this beauty.  I will be looking for something in the 90-120mm range.  I do not believe I am going to concern myself with a longer lens immediately unless a deal to good to pass up crosses my path.  In LF photography, as long as the bellows are light tight and the movements are smooth, the camera is just a camera.  You get your image with great film, spot on exposure and killer glass.  And the glass is where my investment will go.

I have five old film holders that need some work.  I will need to get some leatherette to breathe new life into them.  But this is certainly doable.  I have my Soligor 1 degree spot meter.  I would not be caught dead without a spot meter in large format photography, or any photography for that matter.  Sometimes you simply need to know and a spot meter if used properly will not let you down.

I have my tripod, given to me by my sister-in-law, Lyn, for Christmas three years ago (Hi, Beautiful Sister).  It should be more than enough to provide good stability for Ellie.  I will be carting everything around in an old army framed backpack.  Huge central storage and bunches of pockets for odds and ends.

I do have a few things I will need to pickup to round out the kit.  Once I have the lenses, I will pick up...

a good Cokin 'P' filter set, focusing primarily on contrast, Pol and ND filters
a good cable release
a few more film sheet holders
some Ilford sheet film
a hard case to carry the lenses, filters and the film holders
a big changing bag
a focusing cloth
a focusing loupe (10x)

I know there is more but this will do for a start.

New Google Community: Delmarva Darkroom

Just a heads up.

Delmarva Darkroom

Hope to build a local network of wet process photographers.

Emily Grace - Third Birthday - Lincoln, DE - July 2006

This negative is a real tough one to work with.  However, it is a photograph of my niece on a swing outside during her 3rd birthday party.  It was hot (mid-July in Delaware) so the sun was glaring in from the side, almost from behind her.  With her face in shadow, the exposure values on her face were not much higher than that of the out of focus background, perhaps a stop, if that.

I first printed this neg (it was my first) in April 2009.  My notes show the following:

Printed on Arista Ultra RC VC 8x10 Glossy
Dev: Arista Paper Dev 1:9 for 2'
SB: Kodak Indicator Stop Bath 1:63 for 30"
Fix: Kodafix 1:7 for 1' 30"
Test print #1: TEST PRINT: Exposed for 32-16-8-4-2-1-1
-----f/8@16" (8+4+2+1+1=16) looked good on the test print.
Print #2: f/8@16" looked dark on the whole.
Print #3: f/8@8" looked a little flat.
Print #4: f/8@12" looked really good.

And that was where I left it.  I made five prints.  They have held up well so I would say the process seems to be archivally a good one.

So, this time around...

Printed on Orient Seagull VC RC II 8x10 Glossy
Dev: Ilford Multigrade Paper Developer 1:9 for 1' 30"
SB: Kodak Indicator Stop Bath 1:63 for 15"
Fix: Kodafix 1:7 for 3'
Water rinse for about 10 minutes
Enlarger height: 17"

 I used my stopping point as my first print of the session.

Print #1: f/8@12"
It was way too dark.  Wouldn't think there would be such a difference between paper/dev combinations.  So I decided to run an exposure test print to determine exposure.
Print #2: TEST PRINT: f/16.  Exposed for 32-16-8-4-2-1-1
The 16" portion looked good.  So I then decided to do one more test print to make certain.

Print #3: TEST PRINT: f/16.  Exposed for 16-8-8
16" definitely looked the best for straight printing and a good starting point for working.

Print #4: f/16@16".
The subject looked very well.  The sunlight sidelight still produced a very distracting highlight in the subject area.  So I really needed to bring that highlight down so as to allow the eye to better see the rest of the face.

Prints #5,6,7: TEST PRINTS:
To bring the highlight down I decided to try pre-exposing the paper and then make the print on each paper.  I flashed three sheets, one sheet for 1", another for 2" and one more for 4".  The 4" pre-exposure brought the highlight down very well but darkened the subject too much to work with.  Not happening.  At f/16@16" the print was too dark.

Print #8: f/16@8" with 2" pre-exposure.  The subject is shown very well.  Still blends into the background too easily.
Print #9: f/16@8" with 2" pre-exposure and 8" dodging of the subject.  This brought the background down very well and not too dramatically.  I may put a burn on the lower left corner of the print area.  I think that I am getting close.

So, I take a break at this point, get some food and let the prints dry for better viewing.  I ask my son to look at the print as I have it.  A second set of eyes can always get one through a bout with indecision.  The subject looks really flat with the 2" pre-exposure.  So I decide to give the 1" flash a shot.  So, I take a intuitive leap and arrive at the following print.

Print#10: f/16@1" pre-exposure and then f/16@24" including a 12" dodge of the subject with an oval tool, moving it up and down vertically a couple of inches.

As a matter of fact, I was so certain I had done what I wanted, I flashed ten sheets on the spot.  Then I exposed those ten sheets.  Then I souped them all.  And when I put the first print in the developer I realized I wanted the shadows to really be strong so I upped the time in the developer to 1' 45".

It's all broke down and the prints are hanging to dry.  8 hours of work.  What a way to spend the day.

Thanks for reading.

Final print notes
TMY-2 Kodak T-Max 400
Minolta sr-T101 w/ Vivitar 28-80mm
Developed in HC110 Dil 'B' for 5' 30"
Printed on Orient Seagull VC RC II 8x10 Glossy
Dev: Ilford Multigrade Paper Developer 1:9 for 1' 45"
SB: Kodak Indicator Stop Bath 1:63 for 15"
Fix: Kodafix 1:7 for 3'
Water rinse for about 10 minutes
Enlarger height: 17"
Paper pre-exposure: f/16 @1"
Exposure: f/16 @24" including 12" dodging.

Used: Oval dodging tool, 22 sheets of paper
Prints made: 10

Post printing thoughts.  With the dodging I employed, the decreased exposure of the subject is a little too pronounced for my taste.  I might just have to re-visit this at some point.  Definitely not finished with this one yet.

Thoughts on Printing Tomorrow

Well, at work I was digging through a box of things under the counter to show a friend a joke that was played on me a few years ago.

I found the prints I had made of my niece four years ago.  Actually, the first prints I had ever made.  And I see a problem.  Well, maybe not a problem.  The sun was so bright on my niece's hair I began to think of a way to bring that down so that the rest of the print zones would not be so low.

Then the light came on.  No really, I am going to print a general print to see where things are this time around.  Then I believe I might employ a little paper flashing.  Try and bring that highlight right down.  I do not foresee this being a problem.  However, if it flattens the lower zones I might then try to increase developing and see how that turns out.  But I think the pre-exposure should be more than enough.  A little local dodging/burning as required.  Should turn out just nicely.

Kids are gone tomorrow afternoon, evening, night.  Should be the perfect time for a printing marathon.  Everything is ready to go.  Just need to close the door and turn out the lights.

Fostering Interest...

Well, my 17 year old daughter has expressed interest in photography over the years.  She has had a couple cameras.  She uses them occasionally, as I did before I was bitten by the viewfinder bug.  Well, I have an idea to give her really great exposure (pun, well, perhaps partly intended) to the magic of the darkroom.

A little history.  My wife, Faith, died two and one half years ago.  We made it through.  And I would like to think that we are a strong family now.  We all think of Faith and Emily does a great deal, as do, well, all of us.  But I think I can incorporate the two.

I can set up the printing and select a negative.  I will find one that has the two of them in it.  And I believe that the negative I will put in the carrier has just occurred to me.  A photograph I made of the two of them.  Faith in the foreground very close to me and out of focus and Emily across the room in sharp focus.  I mention it so I will not forget.

I will get it all set up and tell her to come in.  I will let her do the printing and the processing and the rinsing and the dodging and burning.  And she will make the print like she wants it to look.  And I think she will like that a lot.  I may even make a different variation myself to show her how the same image can be made to look completely different.  Then she can take the photograph and frame it and hang it in her room if she wishes.

Now, I will not expect an instant addiction to fixer.  I just want to give her access to something different to do with her time.  Who knows, it might just take.  I will post about this once the deal is done.

FYI: This Man's Darkroom: What I Use

I thought I might make mention of the materials I use.

For paper, I have used Arista's Glossy RC/VC papers in the past.  I still have some and use it primarily for contact prints for negatives for easy viewing.  Very easy paper to use and well recommended for the beginner.  Perhaps not the best for archival work, but not half bad.

Currently I am printing on Orient Seagull RC VC II glossy 8x10.  It is a very good paper to work with.  Granted, I have not used all there is to use, but I foresee staying with the Bird in the near future.


For Paper Developer, I began with Arista's B&W developer.  Shelf life sealed is less than three years.  I will now be using Ilford's Multigrade developer, mixed 1:9 and at 68F (20C).  Shelf life sealed is three years and counting, as indicated in the test strip article.

For Stop I use Kodak Indicator Stop Bath at 1:63, same temp.

For Fixer I use Kodafix mixed at 1:7, same temp.

For a rinse, just water in a large tray for now, 10-15 minutes.  In a couple months I will be investing in a vertical archival print washer.  The prints I have done show no ill effects to the tray rinse.  But I would rather err on the side of caution and do it right.


I have two enlargers.  I have an old Fujimoto Lucky 60M named "Little Boy".  I have 35mm and 6x6 glassless carriers for this enlarger and two lenses, one 50mm for 35mm negatives and one 75mm for the medium format printing.  Both f/3.5.

The other is a Beseler 57MB known as "Fat Man".  I have a 4x5 carrier for this enlarger and a couple lenses.  One Rodenstock, 150mm or so and an ancient Bausch and Lomb 180mm.


I use a Gralab 300 timer.  The face marks glow in the dark, easily visible.  I also use a single Arista Red safelight, more than sufficient in the limited space of my temporary darkroom.  I also use an old two blade easel and an 8x10 contact frame.  The easel is old and needs replacing.  Will do so with a good four blade.

Is Your Paper Developer Up To Snuff?

Got everything up and running yesterday for the first time in over two years.  But to no avail.

Unbeknownst to me, the paper developer I had opened a couple years ago and all of that batch (an economy developer) had discolored and exhausted itself.

So I ran a couple of test strips to make sure that I had developer that was good.  I did this tonight.  And here is how I did it.  Simple, really.

You need your photographic paper, your developer, a graduated cylinder (11 fl oz / 300mL is perfect), scissors, thermometer, safelight and a book.

If you are in your darkroom, you have all of these materials at hand.  If you have a temporary darkroom such as your bathroom, the setup is minimal and should be done on a more or less regular basis so as not to unduly surprise yourself.

First, mix your developer in the graduated cylinder as per mixing instructions for a proper dilution.  The two I checked, both the bad and the good, mixed at 1:9.  Why a small cylinder and not a whole tray?  Then, with the lights off and the safelight illuminated, take out a sheet of paper and cut off a strip about 1" x 8".  PUT THE PAPER BACK IN THE BOX AND MAKE SURE IT IS SECURED.  Place this strip on top of the paper box and cover half of the strip with the book.  And now for the tough part.

Turn on the lights for ten seconds.  Turn the lights off.

Now, you take the paper strip by the end that was protected under the book and put it into the developer.  Begin to agitate by lifting the strip up and lowering it again, only slightly.  No more than a half inch (1.5 cm) up and down.  If your developer is exhausted, like my first test, you will see a very light grayish tint to the portion of the strip that was exposed.  If your developer is fine then that portion will be black within 15 seconds.

And just how do I know that the paper is not the culprit?  The portion that was not exposed stayed perfectly white.  No fogging whatsoever.

Just a quick, no frills, do-it-yourself test you can run to make sure that all of your tools and resources will be operating properly.  And, as I mentioned, as little an amount of time as it takes, you really should perform this test at the outset of each session.  It is worth knowing before you get started.

Back into the Darkroom: well, sort of...

Well, today as the day crept along I could no longer resist the urge.

I got out that duster and took it to Little Boy and all the other gear and set things up in the upstairs bath.  I have this neg of my niece that I had been promising to my sister and others for a long time.  Figured with Christmas coming up it would be a good time to make some gifts with a good printing session.

I get the chems in the trays and get out the paper.  I load some into the paper safe.  I had printed this before and my starting point was 12" at f/8 so that's what I did.  After two minutes in the developer I had a very week print, it was washed out.

Well, I had printed on Arista RC paper the last time.  I had Orient Seagull on the easel.  And I was using old developer that I had opened a couple years ago.  It looked more like Old Brown than fresh soup.  So I rebatched the developer and printed a test sheet.

Two minutes in the developer, same thing, even the 64" portion of the print.

When I closed up shops a couple years ago I put everything into my bedroom closet.  It has a window to the front of the house and gets afternoon sun.  With the door closed, no controlled air got in, aside from humidity control.  So as the temp went up and down over the last thirty months, so did the paper.

Yup, the paper is trash.  Ditched it and that bottle of developer.  So it looks like I'll just have to try another time.  But the smell of the chems, the setup and seeing that neg projected on the paper under a red light.

It is certainly good to be back.

CAWP Website

This blog is new.  I have a vast amount of info on my normal website.

Christopher A Walrath Photography

Please feel free to check it out.  And thanks for looking.

Back in the Saddle Again ...

Well, I am finally back at it.

For those of you not familiar with me, my name is Chris.  I live in Delaware.  I have been exposing film for more than a couple decades.  I have been more on the technical side of it for over ten.

I operate my own personal (and currently only temporary) darkroom out of my home.  I process my own film and also make traditional silver prints from the negs via either contact or enlarging.

In April 2011, my wife passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.  I have spent the last two years just getting my children through this time.  We all have our moments but I would like to think that we survived more or less intact.  So, three or four months ago that little voice in the back of my head started yelling "They are OK.  What about me?"  Indeed.

So, I have been doing more things for myself lately and getting back into the things that I love.  And now, I have finally come back around to photography.  I had sold all of my camera gear in a great soul cleansing two years ago.  Fortunately the darkroom gear did not sell so all I need is a good duster for that.  As for camera?

I always hated spooling roll film.  I would always miss one loop, no matter how careful I was.  I would always lose a couple of good exposures, sometimes more.  Sometimes important ones.  So this time I am going to do this right for me.

I am not messing around this time.  I will need a few accessories but that will happen soon.  In the meantime, I still have a backlog in film that needs souping and also a few negs I should print, at the very least to knock the rust off my process.

So, I am back with a vengeance.  I hope to add a great deal to this blog.  And I hope to inspire and encourage you to create.  I will be adding some technical stuff.  Please, feel free to share this blog with who you will.  I do not want followers.  I just want to help.

Thank you.

From Milton, Delaware.  Where the introverts stare through their own viewfinders and the extroverts stare through yours, I'm Chris Walrath and this is my blog.