First film prints

judahjudah Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
edited October 11, 2006 in Landscapes
Hi all,
I've been hiding in my small world for a while and would like to share with you this new adventure I put myself into. After shooting digitally for some three months I received an old Pentax film camera as a birthday present (thanks to my mother-in-law). I immediately fell in love with it, bought some film and with a friend's help I started developing my own films. Last night he brought me back my first print (made by him 'cause I don't have a complete darkroom setup yet). Here they are:

99919266-L.jpg

99920215-L.jpg
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

http://judah.smugmug.com/

Comments

  • kkartkkart Registered Users Posts: 137 Major grins
    edited October 4, 2006
    Nice work and oh how I love B&W film! What are u using?
    "Capturing Colorado, one click at a time"
    website | photoblog | facebook | twitter | deviantArt | RedBubble
  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,013 Major grins
    edited October 4, 2006
    digitail is fun but film is sooo good thumb.gif
    Jeff W

    “PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”

    http://jwear.smugmug.com/
  • judahjudah Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
    edited October 4, 2006
    kkart wrote:
    Nice work and oh how I love B&W film! What are u using?

    Hi KKart,
    right now I'm more into understanding the whole concept of exposure (different from digital IMHO), latitude, development and print so I decided to stick with one film only untill I fully understand it. That's TMax400. I've done 10 films by now and will start print myself this weekend (Ebay is great for everything darkroom). I bought a Philips enlarger and while lurkin' on a web newsgroup I met a guy that lives very close to me. He's helping me a lot and he's a really terrific B/W printer.
    Thanks for your comment. :):
    Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
    That saved a wretch like me!
    I once was lost, but now am found;
    Was blind, but now I see.

    http://judah.smugmug.com/
  • judahjudah Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
    edited October 4, 2006
    jwear wrote:
    digitail is fun but film is sooo good thumb.gif

    Well I shot some 7000 photos with my first camera (Fuji S5600) but was tempted by film from the beginning (I come from audio engineering and worked a lot with analog tape so there was a link I couldn't ignore...). Sure it's more expensive in the long run but just days before my mother in law gifted me with the old camera I was scrapping up the money to buy my first DLSR. I had a budget of about 1000€ for a camera and a couple lenses. Well, I spent nothing for my film camera, bought some film rolls (around 30€), all the accessories to start developing (80€) and I was set and done! I then bought an enlarger and everythign that is necessary to print (some 200€) and within days I'll have something in my hands! That means that I have some 700€ left to buy more films, paper, chemicals and stuff. I have to say that shooting digital and film is quite a bit different, you don't have the luxury to shoot 8fps and just select your best shots at home, but I'm no pro photographer, I enjoy the relaxing part of photography, and best of all you are part of the complete process starting from shooting and ending with a fine pint in your hands. wings.gif
    Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
    That saved a wretch like me!
    I once was lost, but now am found;
    Was blind, but now I see.

    http://judah.smugmug.com/
  • saurorasaurora Registered Users Posts: 4,320 Major grins
    edited October 4, 2006
    I'm getting jealous just looking at these!!! These are great for just getting started...you will learn alot developing your own prints. There is just so much satisfaction seeing those prints emerge from the developing trays. Have a blast and post a lot! I love the first shot...neat location. :saurora
  • illuminati919illuminati919 Registered Users Posts: 713 Major grins
    edited October 4, 2006
    Film will always be more fun, just because that feeling when you take out roll out of the developing canister and you look at how good your film came out, feels soooo good, I LOVE IT, and the photos you took look very nice, the sawed off borders look pretty sweet.
    ~~~www.markoknezevic.com~~~

    Setup: One camera, one lens, and one roll of film.
  • judahjudah Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
    edited October 5, 2006
    Thanks Saurora & Illuminati for your comments. I don't really want to start any film vs digital war (been there done that with audio), it's just different. I might be a little bit incoherent posting this on a website called Digital Grin, but some of you saw my first shots and helped me a lot with great comments and helpful advices so I decided to share with you this excitment. I really discovered another side of photography. And I'm really really happy.
    If you don't mind (and the moderators too) I'll keep on posting my film shots. Maybe one day (how near how far I dunno....) I'll buy another digital camera. But for now I found my way. iloveyou.gif
    Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
    That saved a wretch like me!
    I once was lost, but now am found;
    Was blind, but now I see.

    http://judah.smugmug.com/
  • illuminati919illuminati919 Registered Users Posts: 713 Major grins
    edited October 5, 2006
    It dont matter if its film or digital, photography is photography, I have posted numerous photos from my MF film camera. Keep on posting film shots if you enjoy it, because I know I do.
    ~~~www.markoknezevic.com~~~

    Setup: One camera, one lens, and one roll of film.
  • sirsloopsirsloop Registered Users Posts: 866 Major grins
    edited October 5, 2006
    Instant feedback, editing possibilities, and portability are main reasons to shoot digital... and yeah you pay for it. Looks like you have a nice little setup there! Certianly worthy of a hobby! thumb.gif
    http://www.tallmanphoto.com
  • judahjudah Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    illuminati919 wrote:
    It dont matter if its film or digital, photography is photography, I have posted numerous photos from my MF film camera. Keep on posting film shots if you enjoy it, because I know I do.

    Hi Marko,
    yeah that's true. I didn't mean to say that they are any different. The concept is absolutely the same but the feeling you get after shooting/development/printing is much different from shooting/importing/editing on a PC. The biggest problem here is that I'm in front of a computer screen 10 hours a day and the last thing I want is goin' out shooting and come back home to do some more PC work. I much prefer the hand process. That's it.

    PS: I already told you that but some of your photos are really great! :D
    Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
    That saved a wretch like me!
    I once was lost, but now am found;
    Was blind, but now I see.

    http://judah.smugmug.com/
  • judahjudah Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    sirsloop wrote:
    Instant feedback, editing possibilities, and portability are main reasons to shoot digital... and yeah you pay for it. Looks like you have a nice little setup there! Certianly worthy of a hobby! thumb.gif
    Hi Sirloop, yep portability end endless editing are a major plus with digital. That's true. The coolest thing, on the other hand, is that with the price of a nice DLSR (say 350 or D50) you can get much more on Ebay for film cameras. They are so cheap I couldn't believe it. My mother in law gave me a Pentax ME with 28/50/135 and an Olympus OM2n with the standard 50mm. I shot a bit with both and found myself much comfortable with the Oly so I looked around for a spare body (spare parts are getting harder to find) and some lenses and was able to buy an almost brand new OM2n, a 28/2.8 and a 135/2.8 for around 200€! That's a fraction of a modern DSLR's price. And if you're coming from a cheap superzoom like mine (Fuji S5600) it's a huge leap in photogs quality. Really huge! Anyway, the film camera just perfectly fit my bill (pun intended) and the best of all it keeps me away from the PC! :D
    Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
    That saved a wretch like me!
    I once was lost, but now am found;
    Was blind, but now I see.

    http://judah.smugmug.com/
  • thebigskythebigsky Registered Users Posts: 1,052 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    I've been thinking about picking up one of those Holga Toy Cameras and shooting some film, I've become really lazy with digital.
    Landscape & Flower Photography
  • judahjudah Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    thebigsky wrote:
    I've been thinking about picking up one of those Holga Toy Cameras and shooting some film, I've become really lazy with digital.

    A friend of mine gave me his Holga but I didn't have the time yet to put some film into it. I'll surely test it out. Unfortunately picture quality is not its strongest point but the photogs you can get are very "vibey". If you're gonna shoot B/W and develop it yourself you'll spend much more on darkroom equipment than on camera thou! :D
    Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
    That saved a wretch like me!
    I once was lost, but now am found;
    Was blind, but now I see.

    http://judah.smugmug.com/
  • HaystackHaystack Registered Users Posts: 29 Big grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    Great pictures. It is neat you are learning how to develop your own. Try using a red filter with your black and white, it does some neat things with your contrast.

    http://mcar.smugmug.com
  • judahjudah Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
    edited October 8, 2006
    Haystack wrote:
    Great pictures. It is neat you are learning how to develop your own. Try using a red filter with your black and white, it does some neat things with your contrast.

    Hi Haystack, thanks for your comment. I got the usual B/W filter (yellow K2, orange G and red 25A) but have yet to use them. Will try them this week. I'm almost ready to do my first print. Got paper, chemicals and trays. Just need a red lamp. Can't work withotu red lamp. That's how they do it in movies so it must be right! :D
    Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
    That saved a wretch like me!
    I once was lost, but now am found;
    Was blind, but now I see.

    http://judah.smugmug.com/
  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited October 8, 2006
    hey judah-

    neat pics-

    hope you enjoy the traditional way-

    is tri-x still around?-

    give it a shot-

    neat grain-
  • judahjudah Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
    edited October 9, 2006
    gefillmore wrote:
    hey judah-

    neat pics-

    hope you enjoy the traditional way-

    is tri-x still around?-

    give it a shot-

    neat grain-

    Hi George,
    thanks for your comments. Yep, TriX alive and kicking. I tried a couple rolls and was really happy with the results. It's more contrasty and edgy than TMax, a bit more grain yes, but lots more character!
    Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
    That saved a wretch like me!
    I once was lost, but now am found;
    Was blind, but now I see.

    http://judah.smugmug.com/
  • judahjudah Registered Users Posts: 253 Major grins
    edited October 11, 2006
    Just a quick update on my new adventure. I got my dark room completely set up and will try my first prints tonight! :D
    Last night I went out and shot some photos of my friend Luca's rock band (www.theejonesbones).
    After developing my own films I'm finally reday for the last step. Please keep your fingers crossed for me (or knock on wood if you prefer).

    Cheers.

    mwink.gif
    Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
    That saved a wretch like me!
    I once was lost, but now am found;
    Was blind, but now I see.

    http://judah.smugmug.com/
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