Ilford Pan F+

I have heard a lot of good things about this film. I have seen a lot of good images from this film. I don't see where it's coming from. Don't get me wrong,and 50 speed film is bound the be finicky and take some getting used to. So I shouldn't expect the world from my first roll. Also let me preface by saying that my first roll probably wasn't in the best camera. I used my Lomo LC-A. Why I did this? Who knows, it has a 50 setting on it and I hadn't used it in a while, so it seemed like as good a reason as any.

But what I was left with when the film was pulled off the spool, was a grainy (very grainy) image. These shots look like they were used in conjunction with a 400 speed film. And as a matter of fact I wish I had used a 400 speed film. It would havelet me have a little more fun with the shutter speeds and not have to worry so much about the low light situations I encountered.

Anyway, onto the images!

The Kiss - Nate Matos 2011

Underpass - Nate Matos 2011

Untitled - Nate Matos 2011

The Birds - Nate Matos 2011

If someone happens to find this, here are the specs for how it was developed. Perhaps I was using the wrong setup and that lead to all the grain. I'm not ready to give up on this film yet!

Developer: Kodak HC110 dilution B for 6 minutes at 68 degrees F.

Camera: Lomo LC-A

Scanner: Nikon Coolscan IVED with Vuescan

The Trichromial Era

I have known about this process for a long time. It came about in my studies of photography techniques of the 1800s. Reading about how the first color images were developed, no using color film. But rather 3 layers of black and white film. This is oneof those things to me that seems so ingenious, and yes so simple. I'm sure if Photoshop was around back then it would have come about much quicker once someone accidentally clicked onthe "channels tab" and realized that all color images are made of 3 different black and white channels that provide the color information. One red, one green and one blue. Sound like the RGB color space we are all so familiar with?

Paddys - Nate Matos 2011

The process is actually rather simple. Out in the field with a tripod mounted camera loaded with black and white film you shoot three frames of the same thing. However, each image will have a different color filter in front of it. And here we go back to the RGB. Once these images are processed you can then scan them and let the fun begin!

However, they didn't have photoshop, rather a projector. Once the photos had been taken, each image was projected onto a screen through the color filter it was shot through (red for red etc.) These three projections were then lined up forming a color image! But, we do have photoshop, so hold off on buying those three projectors for a minute because things are a bit easier today.

Park - Nate Matos 2011

I won't go into the whole process, frankly because it is quite lengthy, and also I have already talked about it including showing a step by step process of how it is done in this Youtube video I made!

If you watched that and now are clearly an expert in how it is done! Then what are you waiting for? Go out and shoot. But if you'd rather look at a few more examples why not scroll down?

Waterfront - Nate Matos 2011

Waterfront Tree - Nate Matos 2011

All images shot with a Canon AE-1, Canon 28mm 2.8 with Kodak Plus-X film developed in HC110.

More Tri-X @ 1600

I am discovering now what many photographers have known for years. Tri-x is a great emulsion for just about anything. Shoot it at 400 or 800, the development time is the same. Push it to 1600, just add on a few more minutes. The grain at 1600 is also unlike anything I have ever seen. So smooth and tight (insert sex joke here) that even 400 speed film of other varieties struggles to keep up. Just look at these scans!

Gated off - Nate Matos 2011

Busted - Nate Matos 2011

The contrast, tones and feel are in one word stunning. I really like playing around with different film speeds, emulsions, developers and scanning options. But this combo has me wanting to stop. The grain is just slightly higher than some Neopan Across I have shot! Tri-X, you've got yourself a customer for life. That is if Kodak doesn't go kaput anytime soon.

Both images were shot with a Voigtlander Bessa R, Canon Serenar 50mm 1.9 lens with Kodak Tri-X pushed to 1600. Developed in Kodak HC110 for 16 minutes @ 68d egrees F.