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First and last images from Semi Achromatic Ser I on loan from 'Santa Claus'
Unless I have a terrific brainstorm between now and when I return this gem back to Santa Claus, these will be my first and last images from the Semi Achromatic Series I. The Semi Achromatic are/have been very hard on my now 60yr old eyes. I'm just now snapping out of about a 4 day headache from doing the last of these shots. It's strange, I don't get headaches right after I shoot, they wait a day and then go crazy on me. All in all though, Jim having the kindness to loan this lens to me was a blessing. Again, thanks Jim.
My observations are that the Series I gives an image a sparkle and excitement that's the best of what the Pinkhams are all about.
The first of the 3 shots 'Apothecary' refers to the Apothecary type jars that pharmicists used to use to stockpile and separate their chemicals/various sundries. This was shot @F11 because shooting wideopen produced nothing but detailess white. A point of interest is that I used a beauty light from behind to illuminate the jar, but what you're seeing behind the jar is an almost perfectly formed disc of flare produced by the lens which obscures the light.
Metal Bowl was exposed between F6-8. and this was shot w/Ilford FP4.
Ever hear the phrase 'A light went on in my head' when somebody refers to the seemingly spontaneous generation of an idea? This is what I was thinking of when I did this shot. This is a 25 watt lightbulb. exp. was also halfway bet. F6-8. I used up my last 2 sheets of Polaroid doing this shot. I sick about running out of Polaroid, but happy it was used up on this shot.
Jonathan Brewer
in Ilford FP4, Jonathan Brewer, Pinkham & Smith, Pinkham & Smith Semi-Achromatic Ser I, Polaroid 804, monochrome
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11 Comments
Reader Comments (11)
As always -- exceptional !!
Thanks for the very kind words Steve.
Take care
These and the others from the Series III are such a wonderful combined body of work I hate to see them end. Idea for you. Paper negs. I know you're allergic to the chems but maybe you could get the kids involved in doing the soup for you. I've reached a threshold with Hydroquinone and Metol myself but as long as I wear gloves I'm still OK. In any case, the work is unique and wonderful. Encore!
Thank you for the kind words Jim. It never fails how people miss something only when it isn't around anymore, Polaroid 804 was cheap and lying in stacks and stack before Polaroid went bellyup. Now folks are asking up to $700.00 a box, so I was definitely hoping to substitute paper negs.
Earlier if you recall(reference the glass heart shot here on wideopen) I shot a glass heart w/Efke positive paper, and being out of Polaroid I first tried the Efke paper when I shot 'Metal Bowl' and it didn't come out. The paper couldn't handle the contrast at all,....NADA. The glass heart shot came out because of its lower contrast. I finally shot 'Metal Bowl' on Ilford FP4.
My former sensitivity to chemicals came right back w/messing w/metol and I got so sick I was in bed for several days and was about to go to the hospital when I got better. The Rollei low contras dev. is a Hydroquinone dev and that started making me almost as sick as the Metol.
My son is just growing out of his asthma, which was caused when he was young from allergies, and he's more sensitive to allergies and chemicals than I am, so to be totally safe I've held up on chemicals.
Don't you have another paper you use for a paper neg? There's the possibility of my shooting a bunch of paper and then sending the stuff to Alan Wedertz who's printed a lot of my stuff. I think the only alternative for me may be x-tol which is what Alan uses for infrared and the Ilford.
LOL!!!.............Since x-tol is nothing but aspirin, maybe I can drink it after I shoot to relieve the headaches I get from trying to focus the Semi-Achromatics!!!
lol, you're the textbook case for a digital darkroom! An impossibility with lenses as big as street car headlights. Maybe you could cobble an epson scanner to the back of the 8X10! I feel your pain. Wish I was a block away, I'd volunteer. But the bigger problem with paper negs is the need for immediate feedback. You expose the sheet, walk into the darkroom and have your result almost as fast as the Polaroid. Maybe it's time to take a semi serious look at one of the gizmos that moves a dslr to like 12 positions on the back of a 4X5 and then stitches all the digits back together as one image. I know you'll figure something out, Creative people are problem solvers at the very core. Cheers!
Thanks Jim
I will be getting into my POP paper soon, I do have that but you still need a negative. There is Fuji FP100c45, and Fuji will be improving it's B&W 4x5 soon I hear, but nothing compares to the satisfaction I get when a full size 8x10 image comes out just right. I will look upon my run w/Polaroid 804 w/great fondness. A great film.
You're right about one for sure, I will be trying to figure something out.
Hi Jonathan -- do you have an allery to Rodinal? As far as I know it has neither Metol or Hydroquinone in the formula. You can make your own version from Paracetamol tablets and Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide. I've done it and it works very well.
Steve
Thanks for the tip Steve.
Take care
Steve, can you email me your formula. That sounds like fun. Jim
Hi Jonathan
Absolute stunning photos again. Congratulations.
If you are looking for a paper developer without Hydroquinone and other things you can try Moersch ECO 4812 (http://www.moersch-photochemie.de/index_e.php) . It is based on citro like x-Tol and works very well.
All the best from Berlin
It's great hearing from you Stefan
Thanks for the extremely kind words, and for the info, I will go to the website. Glad to see you 'cooking' w/the Pinkham!!!
Jonathan