Trees

4x5 for 365 project (229/365)

A tree along the walking path at the Archibald Johnston Mansion in Northampton County, Pennsylvania.  It's the middle of August and we are already losing an alarming amount of leaves off of the trees here in Pennsylvania.  Things aren't lining up for a good Autumn color season.

Technical details:
Sakai Toyo 5x7 large format metal field camera with 4x5 film back.
Fujinon-W 210mm F5.6 lens in Copal B shutter.
Yellow-Green filter on lens.
Arista EDU Ultra 200 (re-branded Fomapan) B&W Negative Film, shot at ISO 160.
1/8th second at F32.
Developed in Rodinal/Adox Adonal 1:50 dilution for 9 1/2 minutes @ 20 degrees Celsius in Mod54 daylight developing tank.
Negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (204/365)

Since diving into large format film photography in 2013, I've fallen in love with and been deeply inspired by the works of guys like Paul Caponigro, John Sexton and Fred Picker.  One thing they all had in common was they could all rock a White Birch Tree image.  The White Birch are a study in subtle contrast changes and bark texture that challenges you to get the exposure correct technically while not loosing sight of trying to make the image aesthetically pleasing at the same time. We have so few of them around where I live so I am always on the lookout for them when I travel.  Exposure made at Waterloo Village in Bryam Township New Jersey.

Technical details:
Sakai Toyo 5x7 large format metal field camera with 4x5 film back.
150mm Caltar-S II F 5.6 lens in Copal BT shutter.
B&W brand Yellow-Green filter on the lens to help with contrast.
Arista EDU Ultra 200 (re-branded Fomapan) B&W Negative Film, shot at ISO 160.
1/15th at F32. Incident metered with Sekonic L-358 meter.
Developed in Rodinal/Adox Adonal 1:50 dilution for 9 1/2 minutes @ 20 degrees Celsius in Mod54 daylight developing tank.  
Negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (188/365)

A large tree trunk and root system found on the grounds of the Reading Museum Arboretum.  This one really didn't live up to what I had pre-visualized for this tree and at some point I'm going to go back with the Toyo field camera and re-shoot it with more front tilt to get more even, sharp focus on the various parts of both the roots and trunk. The Bush Pressman 4x5 I used has some front tilt movement available but not enough for what I wanted to do here. I lower tripod height for a slightly more dramatic perspective could probably have helped on this one too.

Technical details:
Busch Pressman Model D 4x5 large format press camera.
Graflex Optar 135mm F4.7 lens in a Graphex shutter.
Wratten yellow #8 filter on lens using a Kodak series VI slip-on filter adapter.  
Ilford FP4+ B&W Negative Film, shot at ISO 125.
2 seconds @ F32.
Semi-stand development in Rodinal/Adox Adonal 1:100 dilution for 15 minutes in Mod54 daylight developing tank.
Negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (154/365)

A bent tree, it's leaves wind blown by a warm Spring wind, sits in a grassy section of Wallpack Center.   The town is one of several that were abandoned as part of the canceled Tocks Island dam project back in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  

Technical details:
Busch Pressman Model D 4x5 large format press camera.
Graflex Optar 135mm F4.7 lens in a Graphex shutter.
Carl-Zeiss Softar-1 filter.
Kodak Ektascan BR/A single-sided X-Ray film.
Exposure was 1/4 second @ F22.
Semi-stand development in Rodinal 1:100 for 15 minutes in Mod54 daylight tank.
Negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (98/365)

"Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence." --Henry David Thoreau

Camera: Busch Pressman Model D 4x5 large format press camera.

Lens: Rodenstock Geronar 150mm F6.3 lens in a Copal 0 shutter.

Film: Kodak Ektascan BR/A single-sided X-Ray film.  Purchased from zzmedical.com as 8x10" sheets and cut down to 4x5".  Film rated at 80 ISO.

Exposure: 1/30 @ F45.

Development: Self Developed film in Rodinal (Adox Adonol) 1:100 in three reel Paterson Universal Tank using Mod54 six sheet 4x5 insert.  Semi-Stand for 15 minutes with initial minute of inversions then 10 seconds of inversion on minutes one and two then let it sit until minute 14 when I do a final ten seconds of inversions. Kodak indicator stop bath. Ilford Rapid Fixer. Photo-Flo. Hung to dry.

Scanning: Negative scanned with Epson V600 in two scans and merged back together in PhotoShop since the V600 doesn't natively support 4x5 scans in one pass.

4x5 for 365 project (66/365)

Another of the character rich trees that surround the Muhlenberg Brigade encampment area at the Valley Forge National Historic Site.  Winter offers a time when all the branches can show off their unique bends and twists for all the world to see. 

Camera: Homemade 4x5 wooden and brass pinhole camera. 0.4mm diameter laser cut pinhole, 90mm focal length giving F225 aperture.  

Lens: None.

Film: Fuji Super HR-T 30 medium speed green sensitive X-Ray film.  Purchased as 8x10" sheets and cut down to 4x5".  Film rated at 100 ISO.  

Exposure: 8 seconds.

Development: Self Developed film in Rodinal (Adox Adinol) 1:100 in three reel Paterson Universal Tank using Mod54 six sheet 4x5 insert.  7 1/2 minutes @ 20 degrees Celsius with minimal inversions. Kodak indicator stop bath. Ilford Rapid Fixer. Photo-Flo. Hung to dry. 

Scanning: Negative scanned with Epson V600 in two scans and merged back together in PhotoShop since the V600 doesn't natively support 4x5 scans in one pass. Lightly textured, toned and edges burned in Photoshop CS5.

4x5 for 365 project (57/365)

Even the trees have grown weary of this never ending Winter and wish to sprout their leaves in defiance of the snow and the gloom and the biting cold.  Created at Valley Forge National Historic Site. 

Camera: Home made 4x5 wooden and brass pinhole camera. 0.4mm diameter laser cut pinhole, 90mm focal length giving F225 aperture.  

Lens: None.

Film: Arista EDU 100 Ultra 100 ISO B&W Negative Film (Re-branded Fomapan), shot at ISO 64. 

Exposure: 12 seconds.

Development: Self Developed in Kodak Xtol 1+2 dilution in Paterson Universal Tank using the Taco Method. 13 minutes @ 20 degrees Celsius. Kodak indicator stop bath. Ilford Rapid Fixer. Photo-Flo rinse.

Scanning: Negative scanned with Epson V600 in two scans and merged back together in PhotoShop since the V600 doesn't natively support 4x5 scans in one pass.  Dodging, burning and warm toning done on separate layers in Photoshop CS5.