Chemistry – Page 2

Crawley’s FX6a Monobath

All of the, give or take, 50 years I’ve been messing about in darkrooms, the number one rule has always been, don’t contaminate (mix) the chemicals! I was surprised to discover then that monobath developers have been about since 1800 and something! So what is a monobath? Does it work and if so, how? PutContinue reading “Crawley’s FX6a Monobath”

SS Great Britain and HP5

I had a full day in the city of Bristol this weekend, it didn’t go quite as planned and so I ended up, rather unexpectedly visiting the SS Great Britain, designed by the great Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This wasn’t a bad thing as I’ve fancied seeing it for ages. Amazingly after over 100 years onContinue reading “SS Great Britain and HP5”

Ilford Perceptol from D23

I made up some new D23 developer last week. All formulars are for 1 litre and to calculate less is a pain and not worth the effort. 750ml is used, then 250ml of the old stock is added to make up to the litre, this is so that all the “goodies” that have built fromContinue reading “Ilford Perceptol from D23”

Mixing things up!

Last Thursday I developed a film with the last of my FX55. A home made Vitamin-C developer formulated by Geoffrey Crawley. I was introduced to it, and shown how to make it by John Finch over at Pictorial Planet. I’ve found it to be a great developer, fine grain, good contrast, easy to use, andContinue reading “Mixing things up!”

A few more from the 1000F

While I was out and about with the Canon 1000f, reviewed last week, I shot the whole roll – so this is a small selection of images made on my walk around Poole. I developed the film in home made FX55. It’s a Vitamin C / Phenidone eco friendly developer formulated by the celebrated GeoffreyContinue reading “A few more from the 1000F”

Single Frame: Lobster Pots

I’ve photographed these pots many times. They are on the route that I take around the town of Poole, and they sit on the quayside. They have a certain texture to them, certainly a pattern and of course they are different every time I walk past them, so is the light. I still haven’t gotContinue reading “Single Frame: Lobster Pots”

First roll of the year!

Photographically I’ve had a slow start to the year, in fact my first roll of film, although started in January, I’ve only just used up and developed in early February. Almost un-heard of for me. I had to go to the local town of Wimborne for an appointment, so decided as it had been aContinue reading “First roll of the year!”

How much developer?

Once upon a time there was daddy bear, mummy bear, oh sorry wrong audience! In my developing kit I have a small, medium and large developing tanks – I use the Paterson System 4 tanks, but I prefer the older “original” system 4 and not the newer “Super” ones. I find that they are un-necessarilyContinue reading “How much developer?”

Stand: Rodinal

I was gifted a roll of Fomapan 100. No box, so no idea what the expiry date was or indeed even if it was a viable film, for all I knew someone may have exposed it all and wound it back into the cassette! I quite often go to Poole for a walk, so decidedContinue reading “Stand: Rodinal”

Exeter: Walls

Having done a river walk, I moved to walking the walls of Exeter, or as much as I could. There are a few info boards here and there that tell the history and point the visitor in the right direction. For the purposes of a photo blog however, the plaque above perhaps says enough! BelowContinue reading “Exeter: Walls”