FP4, Rodinal
Yesterday I scanned in a roll of FP4 I had shot back in February when I came home to Pittsburgh for a visit. One of the really enjoyable things about developing film months after exposing it is that the images have the potential to surprise me. I’m one of those photographers who needs some distance and time from the act of capture to get a sense of what the images could mean and what they could be separated from the expectation of the moment. It always seems to me that when I’m patient about taking a look at the images, a higher percentage of the roll catches my eye than it does when I look at the images right after I shoot them. This roll was no exception; if anything, it proved that rule. Of 35 images, there were four (at least) that surprised me as I looked at them carefully; surprised me in the sense of a kind of out-of-body experience. As in ‘did I take that photo? Really?’
The image above fascinated me. It could have been an accidental exposure; may not have been, since it was right in the middle of the roll, so I wasn’t just casually firing off some frames at the top just to make sure I was past the exposed leader nor was it at the end when I might have been grabbing the last few before I re-wound the roll. But lord knows I have been known to accidentally trip the shutter without meaning to. But there are qualities in the image above that really caught my eye; the abstract nature, the lovely grain; the geometry, and the possibilities inherent in both the out-of-focus horizon as well as the reflection.
There’s also something about this image that screams to me ‘would not feel this way if captured on digital.’
As the days go by this week, I’ll blog the other images from that roll I particularly like. This roll reminded me why I always liked FP4. I don’t think FP4 scans as well as it prints in a traditional darkroom, and so I’ll look forward to printing these images on good old silver gelatin before the end of the year, hopefully.
Also, good news: my replacement 645e arrived, and I shot a test roll of Delta 400, developed it tonight and all seems perfect. I also bought a 45mm lens for it from a local photographer so I now have a 28mm equivalent for it when I take it out for more landscape work.
Lastly, Apple announced their iPad this week, and I fall into the camp of people who are truly excited about the potential for this device as a destination for high-quality digital photo books. I’ll probably get an iPad through work, and I’m thinking of trying to develop for it, if anyone is interested in giving me a hand with such an effort.
That’s a lovely image, being an accident or not. Quite abstract in its lines, with a clear geometrical separation between the dashboard, background and the mirror. But the tones, these are truly wonderful, and the patterns in the dashboard as well. It’s that kind of image that makes you fade away in deep thoughts.
I’d have to agree with Ove on this one. I’ve spent some time just staring at the image without focusing on one part but taking in all in as a whole. It has a “smooth” feel a certain softness. I like.
Well, my friend, it looks like you’ve fallen into the Rodinal zone. Beautiful tones here and a nice abstract feeling. How are you and Rodinal getting along?
I get lost in this image myself.
Thanks, Earl.
Paul, after a few rolls, I think for me it works better with tighter grained films (PanF, FP4) than it does for less-contrast, more grain (Tri-X, HP5). The grain in those films just starts to overwhelm things. But that might change in 645 images, where the grain doesn’t matter so much. I’ve looked at posts about Rodinal on APUG, and it seems like I’m not alone in this place. Many people will happily use it for medium format but not use it for 35mm (like HC-110 in that way).
Chris: Certainly it is a matter of taste. I like to keep things simple, one developer.
I know what you mean about the grain, though. On the 645 images, it doesn’t seem to matter so much because the magnification factor is significantly less. I have found, though, that it does do nicely on the T-grained films, which look less grainy anyway.
I don’t mind the ‘keeping track,’ it’s part of the fun for me. I love the experimenting as well.