Back to Niagara On-the-Lake for another street shot; I don’t know what distracted the two kids from looking away from the window into a ice cream parlour …
Rolleiflex 3.5E3 (Xenotar lens)
HP5+ film @ E.I. 320, developed in Perceptol 1+1
Category: Medium Format
Looking for the Story
I did a bit of street photography during our recent weekend in Niagara On the Lake, using my Rolleiflex. The best street photography at least hints at an underlying story, and that was my goal with this couple outside one of the theatres. Shot on Ilford HP5 + film.
Power Station
Last Sunday morning I drove a few minutes from Niagara-On-the-Lake towards Niagara Falls to take a few images of the Sir Adam Beck power station with my Hasselblad 500C/M and Distagon 50mm/4 lens. The film was Kodak Portra 800, exposed at E.I. 400.
Without Colour
Today, one of the first of a couple more images from the White Water Walk near Niagara Falls, Ontario. Rather than focusing on the water, I am focusing on the walkway beside the rapids. This image (taken with my Hasselblad 500C/M and 50mm/4 Distagon lens) was originally shot on Lomography 400 colour film, but after scanning, I think I like the black and white version better, with its emphasis on textures.
A New Combo
I’ve recently liked developing Ilford HP5 Plus in Ilford Perceptol developer, for fine grain and nice tonality, but it is an expensive developer. I was very happy therefore to find an equivalent developer, Legacy Pro Mic-X that gives me the same kind of results, for a lot less money! Both these images (shot in Niagara-On-the-Lake using my Rolleiflex 3.5E3 camera) are all from the first roll of HP5 Plus I developed using this developer. I’m sold!
Fort George: One Roll, Twelve Images
It is very rare that I am happy with all twelve images on a medium format roll of film; one of my rolls from this past weekend in Niagara-On-the-Lake is one such example. It was a very hot day, with a brilliant sky and the ground baked hard under my feet. Fort George is a wide open space, with little respite from an unrelenting sun, and forme the use of a red filter to darken the sky and make the light more dramatic really helped capture the day. The camera was my Hasselblad 500C/M and the film was Rollei RPX400, developed in Rodinal.
In Praise of Slower Film
As time goes on, my preference seems more and more towards using slower (less light sensitive) films and the larger negative size of medium format; it is hard to beat that combination for sharpness and fine grain. (Not that grain is always bad, quit the opposite) but this is the look that resonates with me these days. This set of photographs is from this past weekend in Niagara On-the-Lake, at Fort George. All were made using my Hasselblad 500C/M, shot on Ilford Pan F Plus, a slow speed (ISO 50) but wonderfully sharp and detailed film. Toned in post.
White Water
This past weekend as part of our trip to Niagara-On-the-Lake I drove along the Niagara Parkway towards the falls and went along the White Water Walk, beside the turbulent rapids. I made these three images using my Hasselblad 500C/M, and 80mm Planar lens with a red-orange filter attached. The film was Rollei Retro 80s, developed in Rodinal.
With the camera mounted on a tripod I had an exposure time of 1/4 second so that the rapid motion of the water would blur.
Two Solitudes
To me this image symbolizes how people can live in a city of millions, yet still be alone.
Hasselblad 500C/M, 150mm/4 Sonnar lens
Ilford HP5+ film
Expression #2
Another image from my recent shoot with my friend Jo-Anne. Intriguing expression in this one.
Hasselblad 500C/M, 150mm/4 Sonnar lens
Kodak Portra 400 film
My Third Eye 