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!
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.
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.
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.
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
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
This spot in High Park (specifically the bridge) has to be one of the most popular wedding photography spots in the city, but I like the look of it when there are no people in frame, like on a hazy day recently.
Hasselblad 500C/M, 80mm/2.8 Planar lens
Lomography 100 C-41 Colour negative film
Last weekend I had a photoshoot with my good friend (and very talented musician and composer) Jo-Anne. While I was using my Hasselblad kit for most of the work I did take some 35mm images using my Nikon N90s and 50mm/1.4 Nikkor lens. I used Rollei RPX 400, pushed to EI 1600 using Tmax developer. I was very happy with the expression I was able to catch.
I guess I’m an old softie at heart: one of my favourite love songs is “Longer” by Dan Fogelberg. As I was out yesterday morning in High Park in the forest path near Keele Station, the dim light from the morning overcast and the silence reminded me of a line from the song:
“Deeper than any forest primeval, I am in love with you.”
The forest did feel very deep and moody yesterday, and these three images for me capture the mood. All were created using my Nikon N90s 35mm SLR, 17mm/3.5 Tamron Ultra-wide angle lens, shot on Rollei RPX400 film, developed in Perceptol.
My Third Eye 