Using the Hasselblad 503cw at two car shows over a long weekend

October 03, 2023

A few weeks ago I had a long weekend in the UK. I had been invited by a Timothy Everest at Grey Flannel to attend the Concourse of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace on the Friday. It wonderful event, with many amazing cars. I took my Hasselblad 503cm, with my 80mm lens and a few rolls of Kodak Gold 200.

On the Sunday of their same weekend I went to a local car show near a good friend (and photographer) Matt Cooke. We went to the 4th Annual Brightlingsea Scout Group in Brightlingsea, Essex. It was a lovely little village car show, with a mixture of classic English and American vehicles, there were plus cups of tea and home made cakes like Victoria Sponge and Lemon Drizzle cake.

It was an enjoyable weekend with classic cars, cameras and good friends. Looking at the results I feel the Kodak Gold 200 has a lovely fine grain and a slightly muted colour palette. As it wasn’t a particularly sunny day over the weekend (just hot and humid), so maybe that is why I feel the colours are muted compared to how I remember the colours.

I took the learnings from my last video and took one camera, one lens and one film type. It made a big difference in not having too much to carry around or deciding what film to shoot. I can’t deny I didn’t wish I had wider lens for some of the shots.

Salton Sea, California with my Hasselblad 503cw

September 29, 2023

The short film is all about the various trips I’ve made to the Salton Sea area in Southern California.

The first iteration of this film had various cameras and formats…but it just didn’t feel right, so I left the editing of the film for maybe 6 months. The the more I thought about it the more I realised I needed to started again it just wan't working.

So this time I decided to only show one camera, my Hasselblad 503cw. On this trip I’m looking at four places in the Salton Sea area, they are Desert Shores, Salton Sea Beach, Salton City and Bombay Beach.

I think when look back though the photographs as I was trying to put this film together I should:
1) Use try to limit the number of cameras I take on a trip with me.
2) Use the same film stock and hopefully the results won’t differ so much.
3) Maybe take more B roll, as I only seem to remember after the event.

A big thanks to Joe Forkan for kindly letting me use his music in the video, it's all taken from his 2020 album ‘Something in the Water’ by Alpha Mule.

https://www.alphamulemusic.com/listen...

Tracks used are as follows:
- Floating Omens (instrumental)
- Moon Dogs (midnight mix)
- Blue Sky Blues (organ)
- Something in the Water (rabbit hole variation)
- Who Are You (Tom Waits)

Mamiya RZ67 Pro IID in Columbus, Ohio

July 11, 2023

It's been a while since I last created a little film, I think have been over thinking them and really wasn't happy with the content.
I have started to simplify those projects, but for now I wanted to share a few photos from a recent trip to Columbus, Ohio. I was over there to see some friends, and walked around their neighbourhood taking a few photos with my Mamiya RZ67 and shot a little GoPro footage too.

Zone VI 4x5 camera

October 19, 2022

I have just picked up a Zone VI 4x5 camera, I found it on one of the Facebook group pages. The price was right and I thought I would take the leap into 4x5 film. I’ve dabbled in it before when I borrowed a Linhof 4x5 or in fact my Travel Wide camera. But this will be the first one I have owned.

It has Rodenstock Sironar-N 1:56 f =180 and 210 lenses. A Wista Lupe, several wooden lens holders, a bag for 5 film holders, a dark cloth for the back of the camera and what looks like a shade for the back glass…it also came with a 100 sheet box of expired ilford HP5 400 (2019)…and the huge ThinkTank bag.

I know need to read the instructions, rather than do what I normally do and jump straight in and use it and then make mistakes and have to go back to the instructions anyway.

Is Instagram dead?

July 02, 2022

Currently Instagram has so many ads, sponsored links, videos and posts that the algorithm thinks you would like, this is almost every other post you see. It’s just not the same photographer friendly app it used to be, where you could browse and discover to photographers. There are many articles on the subject of “Is Instagram dead”.
So what is next, some suggest Twitter is a good place for photographers…but did you know about two new website and soon to be apps have launched just for the film community. At the moment Grainery is limited to 18 images and then you have to have a subscription to post more ($3 a month) and Newgrain is limited to 12 photos for the time being.

Check them out: https://grainery.app/ and https://newgrain.app/

Mamiya Universal Press

April 11, 2022

I have owned this Mamiya Universal Press camera for a few years, but not used it that much as the range find focus was slightly off. But recently my friend Stan took the camera apart and gave it a good service and clean, so now the focus is perfect.
I have a few medium format cameras but in this film I wanted to talk a little bit about the instant backs and how the differences in terms of exposure area on the instant films, with a few of the medium format cameras that I own.
I took the camera out around Reffen in Copenhagen, Denmark for the day. Using both the 6x9 film back and the Polaroid back with the expired FujiFilm FP-3000B black and white instant film.

Stan's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/stan_gdovin/

What could possibly go wrong...?

April 03, 2022

Do you ever have those days when everything is against you. From thinking you have one type of film in your camera but you have something completely different, or from finishing a roll of film to discover you have a fat film with possible light leaks.
At least I got some exercise and walked about 8 miles or 13.5 km.

I used my FujiFilm GA645w and my Mamiya 7ii with a couple of rolls of Kodak Portra 160,

Larger than Life: Kodak’s Iconic Colorama

December 13, 2021

Photography for photography’s sake was showcased in the largest medium in the biggest gallery at the time: Grand Central in NYC. From 1950–1990, no one walking through the terminal could fail to see the Coloramas. The 18’ high x 60’ wide panoramic photos were hard to miss. Large-scale. Backlit. They glowed with a supernatural transparency that mesmerized and stunned. The unrelenting dimness of Grand Central a perfect backdrop — framing Americana in all its idealized glory.

The impact at Grand Central was immediate and sustained through an astounding 565 Coloramas over a 40-year period. The world’s largest photographs were also “technically remarkable” as Colorama photographer, Ansel Adams had said. With each unveiling … standing ovations from NYC residents and travelers alike. Over 600,000 people. Each day.

Upon the first Colorama reveal in May 1950, photographer Edward Steichen telegraphed Kodak with this forever gem: “EVERYONE IN GRAND CENTRAL AGOG AND SMILING. ALL JUST FEELING GOOD.”

The world loved it.

Read the full article here

The Power of One Challenge

December 09, 2021

I thought I would revisit something I did with Gary a few years ago, we called it The POWER OF ONE. You choose one camera and one film to use for one month. So in December on a little holiday and road trip in the US, I mainly used my Contax 645 and Kodak Portra 160. The films will be developed in the next week and I can then share the results. Anyone up for a similar challenge in January? Let me know and I’ll set the challenge. #thepowerofone #thepowerofonechallenge

Using my Travelwide 4x5 camera

November 02, 2021

I thought I would try something different over the weekend. I dusted off my Travelwide 4x5 camera from Wanderlust. It was a Kickstarter project a few years ago.
On top of the camera I have my trusty Voigtlander VC Light meter, an older Leica 28mm viewfinder and a Russian BLIK range finder/ viewfinder, which work so much better than trying to guess the distance you need to focus on. I used a Schneider 90 mm f/6.8 Angulon lens.

I shot 12 sheets of Rollei RPX 400, and will have them developed, scanned and hopefully will be able to post here in a few weeks.

Mamiya Universal Press, a Polaroid back and expired Fuji FP3000B

August 21, 2021

I took this instant film photo of two friends Rob and Seán with my old Mamiya Universal Press camera fitted with a Polaroid back. The second image is another friend Natalia, we did a little double image test.
I have a few pack of expired film left but I wish Fuji would reintroduced their black & white FP 3000B and colour FP 100C films again…such good fun with instant film on these older cameras.

Taking the Mamiya 7ii out on a winters day in Copenhagen.

August 08, 2021

Back in February, I took my Mamiya 7ii out for the day and shot some photos and video with my GoPro in and around Svanemøllehavnen and Nyhavn in Copenhagen, Denmark. Shot on Kodak Portra 160.

Just posted the short film to our YouTube channel.

Double Exposure

April 05, 2021

A year or so ago I bought a Frankin Instax back for my Mamiya RB67. I found it via the Camera Film Photo website. Yes it’s expensive, but very well made and easy to use. The camera is modified in Hong Kong by specialist "Tom Chung" rather than CFP. In recent year several other people have done something similar but a lot cheaper, I can only comment on my one as I’ve not tried the other versions of this custom hack.
So I went out on Sat and shot a couple of ‘normal’ test instant images, but then started to have a little fun with double exposures. I’m pretty happy with my initial experiment.

Hope you all had a good Easter and were able to get out and take a few photos too. Thanks taking the time to check out the website and reading the small posts, hope you enjoyed them…
Cheers
Peter

Rolleiflex 3.5f

March 01, 2021

The other weekend I took a trip to Køge and Køge Nord Station, Denmark. Built in 2019 it has an amazing pedestrian bridge that spans not only across the railway tracks but a busy motorway too. It was a bitterly cold day but blue skies and sunny. I shot a roll of Fuji Acros 100 and Kodak Tmax 100 film on my old Rollieflex 3.5f. Spent the day with @xonboy and @stan_gdovin, thanks to Stan for developing and scanning the films.

Hasselblad 503cw and the GoPro 9 Black

November 29, 2020

I spent the other Sunday in the fishing town of Gilleleje, in Denmark. I had a roll of Ilford FP4 Plus 125 already loaded in my Hasselblad 503cw, so I shot these photos before adding the GoPro and changing to Portra 160 for the rest of the day. Thanks to @stan_gdovin for developing and scanning my roll of b/w film and for an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday. Once the Port has been developed and scanned I try and show the images with footage from the GoPro too.

LOMOGRAPHY ARTICLE ON BJARKE FROM ONE OF MANY CAMERAS, COPENHAGEN

October 11, 2020

A few years ago I moved over to Copenhagen for work, one of the first thing I did was to walk around the city and visit as many of the camera stores (that sold film) as I could. The first place visited ‘One of Many Cameras’ has become a regular haunt for me, not only to buy film, have it developed and sometimes buy a camera or two…but to chat over a cold beer with Bjarke Ahlstrand.

As you will read in the Lomography article, he not only has a camera store that he started with his best friend, but owns a rock bar with a few friends called ‘Zepplins’ and a metal label called ‘Mighty Music’.
If your ever in Copenhagen, drop by and say hello to the OOMC guys…Bjarke, Andreas, Anton, Mikkel, Jesper or Henrik.

Have a read of the article on the Lomography website:
https://www.lomography.com/magazine/345119-one-of-many-cameras-interview-with-bjarke-ahlstrand-and-his-many-faces

Thanks for visiting the website, please hit the like button on anything you like. You can also see some of of work on our Instagram page.
Please feel free to drop us a message with any questions you might have.

MAMIYA RZ67 PRO llD & 3 ROLLS OF EXPIRED FILM

July 06, 2020

A few weeks ago I took the RB67 around Copenhagen Meat Packing District. It thought it might be interesting to do a test of 3 types of film on the same subjects. It ended up being more difficult than I thought to keep track of which shots I'd taken as I was trying to film and taken shots with my phone at the same time.

I had three different film back (645/120/220) with expired film. I used the following:
- 645 back with Kodak Portra 160 (expired in 2014), 6 years out of date
- 120 back with Fuji RVP 100 (expired in 2002), 18 years out of date
- 645 back with Ilford Delta 100 (expired in 2017), 3 years out of date

I shot the Kodak 160 at 100, the Fuji 100 at 50 and the Ilford 100 at 100. I scanned the film with my Microtek ArtixScan F2, but the lab rolls the film so tightly, it's difficult for the film to stay flat in the scanner tray. Plus no matter how clean and dust free I try to keep the negs, they were a magnet for dust. So I might get them all rescanned professionally. Anyway this is a first attempt at putting something like this together...hope you like them. Next time I don’t think I’ll have as many shutter sounds effects as it’s a little distracting.

Here are a couple of still images in the video, given the fact all the films were expired I was pleasantly surprised they actually came out looking half decent (some better than others)…it’s always a gamble with out of date film.

Thanks for reading and liking the blog…any questions, please feel free to drop a message.

Peter

I USED THREE ROLLS OF FILM BEFORE I TOOK A PHOTOGRAPH WITH THE WIDELUX F7

November 23, 2019

I have owned this camera for about 10 years now and I have an admission to make, I only really bought this camera as I was influenced by the actor Jeff Bridges when I stumbled across his black & white photos taken on sets, between takes, with a panoramic Widelux F7 camera. Films like Tron, True Grit, Crazy Heart and The Big Lebowski.
More photos can be found on his website https://www.jeffbridges.com

I found one on eBay, bought it, loaded it, shot a roll of film and had it developed…the results…nothing! The negs were all black. I thought it must be me, maybe I didn’t load it correctly. So I carefully loaded a new roll and shot more photos, had them developed and the same thing…nothing, so I put it on the shelf to gather dust.
Fast forward a year or so and I picked up the camera again, convinced it was user error previously I watched a video on youtube to check I was loading the film correctly. I took my third roll of film and had the same results as before…nothing. Not giving up this time, I did an online search to see who might be able to repair or at least service the camera, this is when I found Precision Camera Works in Chicago (he is now based in Texas) (https://www.precisioncameraworks.com). As luck would have it I was going to be in Chicago a few months later with work, so I reached out to Bob and he agreed to look at it. I sent the camera off and arranged to pick it up when I arrived in Chicago.
After the various work meetings I drove over to see Bob and to pick the camera, he said it was all working now and would be okay (I forget what he said the issue was). Then I had to fly to Los Angeles, so the first time I used it was at the Donut Derelicts early morning car meet at Huntingdon Beach https://www.donutderelicts.com/. I had no idea what to expect or even if the images would come out given my earlier trials with the camera…but it worked and here are just a few photos from the car show.

For those that don’t know, the camera works by rotating the lens through a 180 angle as you take the photograph, if your too close to your subject there can be some distortion. When you’ve taken a photo, the act of advancing the film is also the way the lens is reset to the original position. There are only three shutter speeds (1/15, 1/125, 1/250 sec), the view finder is pretty accurate but your own eyes are a better view finder and you will find it relatively easy to take good pictures without using the view finder at all.

The second time I used the camera was on a trip to Fez in Morocco, I had decided to just take rangefinder cameras with me, so I had the a Mamiya 7ll, a Leica M9-P and now that I was feeling a little more comfortable with the Widelux I took that too. Unfortunately the airline lost my luggage with the battery charger for the Leica and most of my 120 film (big lesson learnt there). So I had limited use of the Leica, a roll or two of Ilford HP5, Kodak 400TX and some Shanghi GP3…I ended up buying a few rolls of Fuji print film locally (not much choice).

The first few days we were exploring the old city of Fez and I was able to shoot a few decent photos of the local tannery with the Mamiya 7ll.

I was also able to borrow a Fuji x100s as I wanted to keep some of the Leica battery life for later in the trip. I won’t show all the photos here as this is about the Widelux, but here is a photo from a project I was doing on a local boxing gym.

The other camera was the Leica M9-P. This was taken at a local Fantasia event, the brown smoke in the air is gunpowder from the recently fired guns.

Fantasia is a traditional exhibition of horsemanship performed during cultural festivals and celebrations in Morocco. The performance consists of a group of horse riders, all wearing traditional clothes, who charge along a straight path at the same speed so as to form a line, and then at the end of the charge fire into the sky using old muskets or muzzle-loading rifles. The following photographs were all taken with the Widelux F7 and either Fuji 200 or Kodak 400TX 35mm film.

I tried to play with perspective and hope I captured the atmosphere of this event. I still have a lot to learn when using this camera but it was a fun experience and I was very happy with the results given this was just my second time using the camera.

Thanks for reading and liking the blog…any questions, please feel free to drop a message.
Peter

WET PLATE PHOTOGRAPHER IAN RUHTER HEADS TO SLAB CITY WITH HIS GIANT CAMERA

November 03, 2019

Ever since stumbling across Ian Ruhter’s film ‘Silver & Light’, I’ve been fascinated by his journey of buying and then converting a van into the largest camera to make the world's largest ambrotypes (also known as a collodion positive).

He has travels all across America for several years documenting landscapes and people on this journey. For the last two years he has traveled to Slab City in California for ten days at a time to create 46x59 inch portraits alongside Will Eichelberger. A recently released documentary short by Lauren Vance called The Carnival of Dreams gives a behind-the-scenes view of this fascinating photographic process. In this film he is there with Gary Oldman who is also shooting ambrotypes but on a smaller scale.

https://vimeo.com/ianruhter

Thanks for reading and hope you liked the blog…any questions, please feel free to drop a message.
Peter

RIDE SLOW! TAKE PICTURES

October 12, 2019

Erik Mathy is a photographer who bicycles. Or maybe he’s a bicyclist who takes pictures. Or perhaps he could be best described as a roaming photojournalist, shooting on film and using vintage equipment and handmade lenses to bring traditional craft and art to modern subject matter. In any event, he rode his bike from San Francisco to Tucson, Arizona, lugging 40 pounds of photo and camping gear, and Adobe Create followed along.

I found this article on the Adobe website, here is a link to the original article:
https://create.adobe.com/2019/10/9/ride_slow_take_pictu.html?fbclid=IwAR0FXX7LkNOFPcyCK4bZJRfGO-yvV8MI8uufdh2esiB_eWWhWJc0A3JzZ-4

Thanks for reading and hope you liked the blog…any questions, please feel free to drop a message.

Peter