OC/OL/OF/3M Project

That bridge support is really interesting, well spotted.

Got your developing techniques sorted then, these look pretty much spot on.
 
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Thanks, Steve. :)

I found a Kodak data sheet for Tri-X (PDF) that explained the agitation required:

Kodak said:
Small-Tank Processing (8- or 16-ounce tank)
With small single- or double-reel tanks, drop the loaded
film reel into the developer and attach the top to the tank.
Firmly tap the tank on the top of the work surface to
dislodge any air bubbles. Provide initial agitation of 5 to 7
inversion cycles in 5 seconds; i.e., extend your arm and
vigorously twist your wrist 180 degrees.
Then repeat this agitation procedure at 30-second
intervals for the rest of the development time.
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Admittedly, I've just re-read that on copying it and realised that I was agitating for 10 seconds every minute rather than 5 seconds every 30 seconds but it seems to have done the job anyway :whistle:

I think the trick is to be a little more vigorous with the agitations than I've seen on many youtube clips, you need to work it a little to ensure the coating is removed. I'm about to place an order with maco direct for more film (the Euro's taken a hammering recently and you can get Tri-X for £3.29 a roll!) and I'm going to get some X-TOL at the same time, the results I've seen with that have much smoother grain while retaining the punch of Tri-X and it's cheap enough to write off if it doesn't work out.
 
Oh good tip on Maco.

Glad you got that worked out, nothing worse than running a roll after all the effort exposing it.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Glad you got that worked out, nothing worse than running a roll after all the effort exposing it.
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I'm in two minds; on the one hand, it can be a waste of film and effort but on the other, it's a learning experience, provided you can remember what you did. I think if you go into it with the latter in mind, it doesn't hurt so much if it does go base over apex. You could argue that there are opportunities that may be lost forever but then I wouldn't go out to photograph those with experiments in mind.

For example, at some point I'd like to develop a couple of rolls in caffenol. I wouldn't do that with films that may have images that I'd want to keep on them. Also I wouldn't switch to a cheaper film; I'm beginning to learn how Tri-X acts in different situations and different developments - I've seen minor differences between stand, 1:25 and 1:50 devs, for example. Running through a few rolls of out-of-date HP5+ because it's cheaper to experiment with wouldn't tell me if the process was at fault or the film because I wouldn't be as sure in what I'd expect to see.
 
Impressive stuff Dean. You're getting some strong images out of this challenge.
 
More good stuff Dean. That togger looks a fine figure of a man :)
 
Going well Dean. Definitely looks like you're learning stuff.
This is proving a worthwhile experiment.
 
I haven't forgotten about this! Some shots from roll 8 below. :)

I'm not happy with the way a lot of these images turned out; I rushed the development as I was trying to get something to enter for March in POTY and I think I've over-agitated. The results are quite grainy and the contrast isn't as good as I was hoping. It probably doesn't help that I was using XTOL for only the second time too. I'm trying to remember that this is supposed to be a learning process but at the same time, it still feels like a bit of a kick in the tits after things had been going well. Guess that'll teach me to get complacent, another lesson learned.


Duke 2 by Dean Varney, on Flickr


Leathers by Dean Varney, on Flickr


Some Welsh bloke by Dean Varney, on Flickr


Light trails on the IDR by Dean Varney, on Flickr

The bike images were taken at Cartagena race track in Spain. I went out there with a bunch of friends for 3 days on track in early February, which knocked the project out for a while and led in a roundabout way to the delay in my posting more pictures. A change of job mid-way through didn't help, though these are excuses rather than reasons for not being as consistent in my updates as I was previously.

Overall, I think this was definitely a worthwhile exercise. It got me thinking much more about the pictures I was taking rather than the gear I was taking them with and forced me out of my comfort zone and into properly considering how the image would look. On one hand, I don't think three months is long enough to really get that message embedded but then on the other I've found more recently that I've really missed the simple pleasures such as metering within the camera and the instant gratification from digital shots.

Yeah, my OCOLOF project has improved my appreciation of digital photography, not one of the results I was expecting! I think it's come from having a better understanding of using the appropriate tool for the job. My last couple of rolls (one being scanned as I type, the other awaiting development as I've run out of Kenro pages) was taken when I took t'missus away for the weekend for her birthday early in March. We went for a few walks along the seashore and it was more about us having some time with each other than a photography break - that would be an appropriate time to take a digital camera and chimp a few shots here and there rather than asking her to wait while I take various light readings and consider how best to capture the view on grainy B&W film.

Likewise, a digital compact would probably have been a better choice for the bike trip. Easy point and shoot photography with the option to get a bit more creative if the mood takes you. Trust me, after you've spent three days hustling a bike around a circuit in a full leather gimp suit when you're as unfit as me, you don't want to faff about more than you have to. But I really like those images and one of the chaps I went with said that I'd really captured the spirit of the event, so maybe there's a middle ground to seek out.

In summary, I'm glad I committed to it. I think it's helped me to improve and helped with my GAS, until I decided to buy into large format at least. I probably will continue, though on a reduced level as I love the low contrast results that the little P captures on colour film and I really need to take the 'blad out for a walk sometime soon.
 
Love the racetrack shots, love the feel and the atmosphere they invoke. I'm not quite sure why you think they lack contrast and are too grainy as they look absolutely fine to me.
 
Thanks, Nick. The original scans aren't great and there's golfball grain on a number of the more scenic views, probably a combination of exposure error and development deliquency. Zooming in, there are quite a few white specs on the negatives, though I may have reacted badly on seeing the raw scans as the results were quite different to those I get from Rodinal.

I've got 5l of XTOL to get through though so the next step will be to run off another couple of rolls of Tri-X and see what happens, though i think that may be something for another thread :)
 
The racetrack shots are very atmospheric, the portrait isn't bad either, though the oof head in the front is a bit annoying! :)

Is it maybe worth rerunning once your settled at work and don't have so much going on so you have less excuses and more time to contemplate your results. I'm not sure why you think these are too grainy though they look pretty good to me, perhaps your pixel peeping. I have a habit of doing that with fast film and just get annoyed that I can't enlarge it to what is in effect a mural!

So not recommending Xtol then?
 
steveo_mcg said:
The racetrack shots are very atmospheric, the portrait isn't bad either, though the oof head in the front is a bit annoying!
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I know exactly what you mean! I shared the album on flickr with the guys who were there (one of whom is Chris, the Welsh chap - I don't think I've ever met anyone quite as Welsh as Chris, top bloke :)) so I felt cropping it any further would be too far. Does look as though I'm trying to give him additional chins from that angle, though that's in revenge for his being incredibly quick and smooth on a bike.

steveo_mcg said:
I'm not sure why you think these are too grainy though they look pretty good to me, perhaps your pixel peeping. I have a habit of doing that with fast film and just get annoyed that I can't enlarge it to what is in effect a mural!
Click to expand...

I think there's an element of that, though much of it is on the pictures I didn't post on flickr.

steveo_mcg said:
So not recommending Xtol then?
Click to expand...

Withholding judgement for now, I want to run some rolls through it when I'm not in a mad rush. I think much of it will be down to operator error, especially given that I bought it after checking other results on flickr to be sure it was worth a go.
 
Brilliant that you're sticking with this, Dean, and up to roll 8. I've got another roll that's scanned and I'm thinking about, and one in the camera.

I'm not going to use any other film camera, but I do give myself licence to use my digital (the brilliant little X10), as in the past couple of days welcoming our first grandchild in Scotland! I will try to get one of him on film after he's gone home but at the moment it's all too new, so quick snaps on the X10 in order..
 
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