Hello from Aberdeenshire

New here? Introduce yourself.
Post Reply
Lucy Telford
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 12:56 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00
Location: Aberdeenshire

Hello from Aberdeenshire

Post by Lucy Telford » Thu May 26, 2011 4:15 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi, I'm Lucy and I am hoping that one of these days I might know enough to start posting some questions on here... ;-) I'm new to LF photography and have a Speed Graphic which I am loving and I can tell I'm in it for the long haul.

David Rees
Forum Hero
Posts: 144
Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2006 11:43 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00
Location: near Stirling, Scotland

Re: Hello from Aberdeenshire

Post by David Rees » Thu May 26, 2011 4:46 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Lucy,

Welcome to the forum. This is definitely the place to ask questions--that's how I learned how to do large format. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. Ask your questions when you need answers; there's no threshold of knowledge you need to have before seeking advice.

We do get together now and then, both formally and informally; watch out for posts from people who are going somewhere, and invite others to join in if they want. We're a relatively rare breed, us LFers, and it's always nice to meet up, chat, drink tea, moan about the weather, and occasionally expose film! :)

Regards,

David.

User avatar
John Hamlen
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 7:26 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00
Location: Ingatestone, Essex
Contact:

Re: Hello from Aberdeenshire

Post by John Hamlen » Mon May 30, 2011 11:31 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Welcome Lucy ..... and hello back from way down south.
Congrats on the Speed Graphic. I met a trader at the Photographica Fair in London last week. He was showing me the most amazing lens - Kodak 7inch Aero Ektar f2.5(!) - and explaining about how it was a WWII lens, was radioactive(!), and that people were putting them on Speed Graphics. Almost made me want a Speed Graphic just to have something that looked like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/stophoto/5501128651/ :)
All the best,
John

Lucy Telford
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 12:56 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Hello from Aberdeenshire

Post by Lucy Telford » Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:51 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

John Hamlen wrote:Welcome Lucy ..... and hello back from way down south.
Congrats on the Speed Graphic. I met a trader at the Photographica Fair in London last week. He was showing me the most amazing lens - Kodak 7inch Aero Ektar f2.5(!) - and explaining about how it was a WWII lens, was radioactive(!), and that people were putting them on Speed Graphics. Almost made me want a Speed Graphic just to have something that looked like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/stophoto/5501128651/ :)
All the best,
John
Hi John, Well - I'm originally from Essex too, Colchester in fact, just kind of drifted northwards...
Yeah, these lenses are very popular at the moment and there are lengthy discussion threads about the possible health hazards on Flickr. But there are, in fact, plenty of lenses even for 35mm cameras which are radioactive as well and most people seem to survive :-) I don't have one but I am amassing an ecletic selection of lenses for my Speedy G. I bought a Graphic because I want to be able to use old brass barrel lenses and the Graphic with its focal plane shutter allows their usage. However, I've just done a wet plate collodion course and am now thinking that I really liked using the 8 x 10s.... ;-)

User avatar
John Hamlen
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 7:26 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00
Location: Ingatestone, Essex
Contact:

Re: Hello from Aberdeenshire

Post by John Hamlen » Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:01 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi Lucy. Gosh, small world. I went to university in Colchester so know it quite well. You did drift a long way north didn't you! Didn't realise that radioactivity was so common. That explains why some chap at Photographica was looking to charge people 50p to check lenses with his geiger counter. Unsurprisingly I didn't see any takers!
That course sounds very interesting. I'm keen to get into some alternative processing too. Salt printing will be at the top of my list as it seems something I could (just about!) manage. Will some of your existing lenses cover 8x10? John

Lucy Telford
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 12:56 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Hello from Aberdeenshire

Post by Lucy Telford » Sat Jun 04, 2011 2:03 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi John, yep, small world just about covers it! No, my existing lenses are for a 4 x 5 but I am able to do wet plate work with my camera and, in fact, I found it easier to handle that size plate rather than any of the bigger sizes as I have girly small hands. I'm interested in alternative processes in general too. There are some great books out there on related subjects - I have one called Spirits of Salts, a Randall Webb book. But there's so much to explore isn't there?!

User avatar
John Hamlen
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 7:26 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00
Location: Ingatestone, Essex
Contact:

Re: Hello from Aberdeenshire

Post by John Hamlen » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:32 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi Lucy. What holders do you use for your wet plate work? Do you have special holders for glass plates, or is it possible to buy super thin glass that fits into existing film holders? Sorry for my ignorance on the subject. Started to get very interested about this when I read some stuff about Ambrotypes as I'm most interested in processes that give in camera positives because I love the idea of them being one-of-a-kind :). Harman Direct Positive paper is first on my list to try as soon as I've assembled all the kit together. On the alternative process front, I picked up the same book as you at Photographica the other week. Inspiring stuff isn't it! The salt printing would be first on my list from there. Though might be too basic for you as you've already jumped into the complicated wet plate stuff! Cheers John

Lucy Telford
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 12:56 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Hello from Aberdeenshire

Post by Lucy Telford » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:30 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi John,
Well - it depends on what camera you are using of course and whether you are making ambrotypes (using glass) or tintypes (using aluminium). The glass used is normally either 2 or 3mm although I haven't used glass yet. The aluminium is all-round easier as there is no prepping involved. For my Speed Graphic I have some old MPP holders which double up as either film holders OR plate holders. There is an insert which can be taken out and you can then put your thin aluminium plate in no problem. On the course I did some of the 8 x 10 cameras had these really good plate holders which could be adapted to take different sized glass or tin simply by putting different inserts in. All you had to remember was to use a glass backing plate if you were using tin to keep the tin flat and stop it bowing.

Glad you have the book :-)

And, yes, we only made positives - you're right that it's lovely to have THE picture that you took, a unique one-off object.

There's a world of possibilities once you start on the LF adventure it seems!

User avatar
John Hamlen
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 7:26 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00
Location: Ingatestone, Essex
Contact:

Re: Hello from Aberdeenshire

Post by John Hamlen » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:10 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Gosh Lucy, now you've got my mind buzzing with questions!
So much so that I've started a new thread here:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2688

Andrew Plume
Forum Hero
Posts: 617
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 3:28 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00
Location: North Oxon

Re: Hello from Aberdeenshire

Post by Andrew Plume » Wed Jul 27, 2011 1:25 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi Lucy

great to see you on here, too.......................

best

andrew

Post Reply