Monday, July 29, 2013

Darkroom Purchase Bonuses, More Darkroom Time, Film Buys

The extra photo paper I got looks to be working out nicely, the paper even the really old stuff will be useful, some of the fibre stuff I plan on using in shows. I am also quite happy with my 2000 ml handled graduate and one of the lens an older silver Componon 150mm Schneider lens I used to print the Nit 4x5 negative, it looks to be very sharp and might become my first choice lens to enlarge 4x5. I also took a nice 100mm Schneider Componon-S lens off the old 4x5 enlarger today, it looks promising.  The bonus of the paper, lens, timer and graduate along with the reason I did this buy the trays and sink makes this a very nice purchase, it will give me equipment I will happily use for years to come.

I will try to put in more darkroom time, this coming work week. I want to do at least 2 hours of darkroom work a day after my 12 hour nightshift is over. If I can manage to do this it will put me 14 hours closer to finishing my PhotoNOLA prints, I can complete the work early and ship it off before I return to Thailand.

I will put all my show money into the 2nd part of my outdated film buy tomorrow. I will use the $200 I got from "The Train Is Coming" show and the $75 I will get for the Alberta Open "Nit 51 Thai Sex Worker, Bangkok Thailand 2012" photograph. I will make a payment of $1054USD for the last 20 rolls of this film in about 1 weeks time. Even if Kodak goes completely belly up, I will be OK film wise for a decade plus. I hope to also buy some new Tri-x bulk from B&H in the coming months, shipping for 4 boxes is the same cost as 1 box so I will go with the 4 box option.

If I include all my 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 Tri-x (and other films I have frozen) I probably have enough film now or close to enough to last 20 years, I am 49 so that puts me safely to about 70 years old. Soon I will no longer have to worry about film, I will have enough to last me the rest of my shooting life. Knowing I do not need more film will be very comforting, just like the purchase of first rate film cameras has, it put my gear buying worries into neutral (I now have the best film cameras/lens in the world and they are no longer making better ones). Having all the film I will ever need will allow me to relax as Kodak continues to have its problems, I can concentrate on the one and only thing that matters, MAKING PICTURES!