Berks-County-PA

4x5 for 365 project (359/365)

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A long exposure shot of the small creek that flows through the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, Berks County Pennsylvania.  Six days left in this year long project !

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.
Tiffen 0.8 ND filter on lens.
Ilford HP5+ B&W film, shot at ISO 400.
4 seconds at F22.
Developed in Ilford DD-X 1+4 dilution for 7 minutes and 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using a Beseler 8x10 print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (358/365)

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Built in 1771 by Ironmaster Mark Bird, this is the main house at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, Berks County Pennsylvania.  Seven days left in this year long project !

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.
Ilford HP5+ B&W film, shot at ISO 400.
1/4 second at F32.
Developed in Ilford DD-X 1+4 dilution for 7 minutes and 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using a Beseler 8x10 print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (357/365)

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A fence guides visitors down a country path at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, Berks County Pennsylvania.  Eight days left in this year long project !

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.
Ilford HP5+ B&W film, shot at ISO 400.
1/4 second at F32.
Developed in Ilford DD-X 1+4 dilution for 7 minutes and 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using a Beseler 8x10 print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (356/365)

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The furnace buildings at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, Berks County Pennsylvania.  The completely overcast, flat light of the day helped eliminate nasty hard shadows but it also gave some odd glare on some of the windows.  Nine days left in this year long project !

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.
Ilford HP5+ B&W film, shot at ISO 400.
1/4 second at F32.
Developed in Ilford DD-X 1+4 dilution for 7 minutes and 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using a Beseler 8x10 print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (355/365)

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An old barrel and wagon wheel sit outside the blacksmith's shop at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, Berks County Pennsylvania.  Ten days left in this year long project !

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.
Ilford HP5+ B&W film, shot at ISO 400.
1/4 second at F22.
Developed in Ilford DD-X 1+4 dilution for 7 minutes and 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using a Beseler 8x10 print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (352/365)

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A view of the rooftops of the furnace buildings from the hillside above at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, Berks County Pennsylvania.  

Technical details:
Sakai Toyo 5x7" large format metal field camera with 4x5" film back.
90mm F5.6 Schneider Super-Angulon lens in a Copal 0 shutter.
Ilford HP5+ B&W film, shot at ISO 400.
1/2 second at F45.
Developed in Ilford DD-X 1+4 dilution for 7 minutes and 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using a Beseler 8x10 print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (351/365)

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The gate to a horse corral found at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, Berks County Pennsylvania.  I've been waiting for a flat lighting day to re-shoot Hopewell for quite a while so I didn't have to deal with hard shadows.  Sunday provided lighting so flat and overcast that I had to drive to the location with my car lights on.  I find that old wood and metal detail comes out looking great in these overcast conditions and shooting with Ilford HP5+ at the full 400 ISO and processing it in Ilford DD-X to maintain the sharpness and minimize grain at 400 ISO worked out very well for the shots I had envisioned.

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.
Ilford HP5+ B&W film, shot at ISO 400.
1/4 second at F32.
Developed in Ilford DD-X 1+4 dilution for 7 minutes and 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using a Beseler 8x10 print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (350/365)

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Barn door detail on the main barn at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, Berks County Pennsylvania.  

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.
Ilford HP5+ B&W film, shot at ISO 400.
1/2 second at F22.
Developed in Ilford DD-X 1+4 dilution for 7 minutes and 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using a Beseler 8x10 print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (347/365)

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Moselem one-room Schoolhouse built around 1905 and closed in 1955. It sits across the street from the Zion Moselem Lutheran Church in Richmond Township, Berks County Pennsylvania. It's in great shape and features intricate gable detail on all four sides and the front porch area, something I've found on most of the historic one-room schools in the immediate area.  Day # 1 of this 365 project also featured this schoolhouse taken from a different angle and shot in B&W.

Technical details:
Sakai Toyo 5x7" large format metal field camera with 4x5" film back.
Fujinon-W 210mm F5.6 lens in Copal B shutter.
Circular polarizing filter on lens.  
Kodak Ektar 100 color negative film shot at ISO 100.
1/8th second at F32.
Developed using Unicolor C-41 color developing kit and Beseler 8x10 color print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.   
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.
Cropped in post.

4x5 for 365 project (343/365)

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The Freyberger one-room schoolhouse was built by Jacob Stein for $300 in the 1830's, though some reports list its build date as circa 1870. It was originally called both the Center School and the Stein School. Classes ceased at the school in 1955 when school district consolidation took over in Pennsylvania. The school was moved to the Kutztown University campus on October 30th-31st 1991 and is now part of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Center which includes examples of a German Bank Barn, Farm House, Cabins and this one room brick schoolhouse.  The original location of the school was on Klinesville Road in Greenwich township about 3 1/2 miles from its present location. It was gifted to the college by Archie Follweiler Jr. of Kutztown. Kutztown University Alumnus and retired school teacher Dr. Ruth Freyberger paid for the move, renovations and maintenance of the schoolhouse as a tribute to her Sister Grace Arline Freyberger, also a Kutztown University graduate and a retired schoolteacher who attended a one-room schoolhouse in her youth. Present day school children sometimes take field trips to the school to learn about what it was like to be educated in one during the 1800s/early 1900s.

Technical details:
Calumet 45NX 4x5 large format monorail film camera.
Fujinon-W 210 F5.6 lens in a Copal B shutter.
Circular polarizing filter on lens.  
Kodak Ektar 100 color negative film shot at ISO 100.
1/15th second at F22.
Developed using Unicolor C-41 color developing kit and Beseler 8x10 color print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.   
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (340/365)

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A look at the barn found at the historic Daniel Boone Homestead in Exeter, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

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.
Arista EDU Ultra 200 (re-branded Fomapan) B&W Film, shot at ISO 160.
1/8th second at F32.
Developed in Adox Rodinal 1:50 dilution for 7 minutes, 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using Beseler 8x10 color print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.   
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (338/365)

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Neff's one-room schoolhouse on the outskirts of Kutztown.  It was built in the 1880s and used up until 1955 when the Kutztown School District consolidated their fifteen one-room schoolhouses into a larger school that could house all students.  It remained dormant until Bill and Doll Fox purchased the property in 1972 and spent several years renovating it as a second home.  Since then, they have also purchased another one-room schoolhouse, the Eagle Point school, on the other side of Kutztown.   The Fox's have decorated the interior of the Neff School with antiques and symbols commemorating life in Kutztown.   Mr. Fox is known for his intricate topiary gardens he curates outside both schoolhouses.

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.
Circular polarizing filter on lens.  
Kodak Ektar 100 color negative film shot at ISO 100.
1/8th second at F32.
Developed using Unicolor C-41 color developing kit and Beseler 8x10 color print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.   
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.
Cropped to desired size in post.

4x5 for 365 project (332/365)

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A winding walking path meanders through the quiet grounds of the Daniel Boone Homestead in Exeter, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

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.
Arista EDU Ultra 200 (re-branded Fomapan) B&W Film, shot at ISO 160.
1/8th second at F32.
Developed in Adox Rodinal 1:50 dilution for 7 minutes, 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using Beseler 8x10 color print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.   
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.
Cropped to desired size in post.

4x5 for 365 project (331/365)

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Sheep graze in a field at the Daniel Boone Homestead in Exeter, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Technical details:
Busch Pressman Model D 4x5 large format press camera.
Graflex Optar 135mm F4.7 lens in a Graphex shutter.
Arista EDU Ultra 200 (re-branded Fomapan) B&W Film, shot at ISO 160.
1/15th second at F32.
Wratten yellow # 8 filter on lens.
Developed in Adox Rodinal 1:50 dilution for 7 minutes, 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using Beseler 8x10 color print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.   
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.
Cropped to desired size in post.

4x5 for 365 project (325/365)

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Corn bales sit in a farm field along a country road in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Technical details:
Sakai Toyo 5x7" large format metal field camera with 4x5" film back.
Fujinon-W 210mm F5.6 lens in Copal B shutter.
Moose Peterson warming circular polarizing filter on lens.  
Kodak Ektar 100 color negative film shot at ISO 100.
1/8th second at F45.
Developed using Unicolor C-41 color developing kit and Beseler 8x10 color print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.   
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.
Cropped to desired size in post.

4x5 for 365 project (323/365)

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A split rail fence lines one of the paths found at Daniel Boone Homestead in Exeter, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Technical details:
Busch Pressman Model D 4x5 large format press camera.
Graflex Optar 135mm F4.7 lens in a Graphex shutter.
Arista EDU Ultra 200 (re-branded Fomapan) B&W Film, shot at ISO 160.
1/30th second at F32.
Developed in Adox Rodinal 1:50 dilution for 7 minutes, 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using Beseler 8x10 color print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.   
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (316/365)

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Corn bales dot the landscape of this farm in Berks County, Pennsylvania.  In my never ending quest to fine tune my film development workflow I switched to a Beseler 8x10 color print developing drum on a Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base for my 4x5 film development.  I was getting uneven development always on a single sheet when I was trying the Mod54 insert in the older screw-top Paterson tank on the rotary base.  Although the Beseler drum only handles four sheets at a time instead of the Mod54 six sheets, it is nearly foolproof and I've been able to use 80% less developer, stop bath, fixer and distilled water with each batch which is a huge advantage.  I also have a Beseler 11X14 drum that takes eight sheets of 4x5 but I think I need to locate or fabricate a missing sheet spacer insert for that drum before I use it for developing. Going forward, the Mod54 insert will be used mostly for processing the double sided Fuji HRT-30 X-Ray film I still have left.

Technical details:
Sakai Toyo 5x7" large format metal field camera with 4x5" film back.
Fujinon-W 210mm F5.6 lens in Copal B shutter.
Arista EDU Ultra 200 (re-branded Fomapan) B&W Film, shot at ISO 160.
1/30th second at F32.
Developed in Adox Rodinal 1:50 dilution for 7 minutes, 20 seconds @ 20 degrees Celsius using Beseler 8x10 color print drum placed on Unicolor Uniroller 352 auto-reversing rotary base.   
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (279/365)

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Two farm cats stand guard over an old tractor parked in a barn between another barn falling down and a stone and wood barn still very much in use.  Spotted in the Oley Valley region of Berks County, Pennsylvania.

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.
Yellow-Green filter on lens to help with contrast and to lighten foliage a bit.
Ilford FP4+ B&W film, shot at ISO 125.
Exposure was 1/4th second at F45.
Developed in Rodinal/Adox Adonal 1:50 dilution for 15 minutes @ 20 degrees Celsius in Mod54 daylight developing tank.
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.  
Cropped to desired size in post.

4x5 for 365 project (277/365)

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A corncrib barn found in the Oley Valley region of Berks County, Pennsylvania.  These barns usually have sections on either side with storage bins for ears of corn. Open slots on the walled bins allow air in to dry the corn over time.  The corn is then used as feed for livestock throughout the year.  The section in the middle of the barn is used for storage of tractors or other farm implements.

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.
Yellow-Green filter on lens to help with contrast and to lighten foliage a bit.
Ilford FP4+ B&W film, shot at ISO 125.
Exposure was 1/8th second at F32.
Developed in Rodinal/Adox Adonal 1:50 dilution for 15 minutes @ 20 degrees Celsius in Mod54 daylight developing tank.
4x5" negative scanned with Epson V600.

4x5 for 365 project (260/365)

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The Church Hill Schoolhouse located on Landis Store Road outside of Boyertown, Berks County, Pennsylvania.  I'm not entirely sure when this particular one-room schoolhouse was built.  According to St. John-Hill United Church of Christ records, a log schoolhouse was first built by the congregation on this location in 1750 and later torn down and replaced with a stone one in 1786.  I don't think this is that stone schoolhouse from 1786 though since the construction and architecture is probably from around the mid to late 1800s.  There is no mention of another school being built in the church records however.

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.
Yellow # 8 filter on lens to help with contrast.
Ilford Delta 100 B&W Negative Film, shot at ISO 100.
1/8th second at F32.
Developed in Rodinal/Adox Adonal 1:50 dilution for 13 minutes @ 20 degrees Celsius in Mod54 daylight developing tank.  
Negative scanned with Epson V600.