We are a bunch of social primates. This means we have two biological driving forces. Firstly we want to fit in. We fear being ostracized by the group because that would mean death. Even if we are inveterate loaners we have to negotiate a relationship with society that supplies us…

My brother kindly gifted me an Envoy Wide Angle. This quirky little camera was sold by Ilford in the 1950s. Although it has the same name as the mass market, plastic Ilford Envoy it is a very different camera and relatively rare. It has a diecast metal body and quality,…

Another crazy, impulse purchase has occurred. I bought a Tomiyama Art Panorama 170. The 6×17 format is something I’ve always fancied trying. Having messed about with swing lens cameras of various makes and formats I wondered what it would be like to make really wide, rectilinear panos. The choices to…

I’ve been at this a long time (decades) but I think I finally have enough understanding to get a routine film/developer calibration process running. Thirty years ago I tried to do the full Ansel Adams’ Zone system process with measuring densities above base fog and stuff. I just used to…

My first opportunity for a dedicated photo trip in 2024 was a few hours at Tentsmuir beach after running some errands. The walk was really pleasant and I enjoyed doing some looking but ultimately no exposures were made. It was a typical Scottish winter trip. Theoretically it is golden hour…

This shows the ancient magnolia by Brennan’s Jubilee Hut at Larachmhor Garden near Arisaig. It has a colonial feel to it. (Whole plate, emulsion RH28, 2-bath development, flat scan)

I spent a few days at Larachmhor Garden near Arisaig and made some plates, only two of which I’m happy with. This is the first. (Whole plate, emulsion RH28, 2-bath development, flat scan).

I had a few days off after the Christmas and New Year and couldn’t resit another renovation project. I’d been wanting to have a go at a half plate camera as a smaller and lighter alternative to my whole plate. Half plate is slightly smaller than the ‘modern’ 5×7 inch…

When I’m out with a plate camera people often stop and ask me what I’m doing. I love to talk about old school photography but am sometimes struggling with light and temperamental equipment and need to concentrate. I’ve therefore had some cards printed with this website address on them. Really…

I had a week long work trip to Sofia, Bulgaria to attend the TDWG 2022 Conference. Most of the time was spent with colleagues in a conference room or on a trip to Rila Monastery. There wasn’t much opportunity for photography but I took a little Olympus XA2 for day…

This is a quick note to self. Two bath film developer is designed to control highlights because the developing agent that is absorbed in the first bath soon becomes exhausted in the dense areas when the film is immersed in the second bath containing the accelerator. It occurred to me…

There are loads of YouTube videos out there about split grade printing with Multigrade filters. It is an excellent technique for getting the most out of a negative. But what if you just want to do some quick work prints and don’t have time to mess about with multiple filters…