beepy

<p>Wow - thanks for the quick responses...<br>

I'm going to take a set of the less critical negs and develop in Xtol as before to see if I am needlessly worrying. If something funny happens I'll try the borax and Orthazite approaches (with a bump in development).<br>

Maybe I'm not as screwed as I think I am. (I look at Gene's found film postings from 40+ year old exposed film and think maybe I'm a film developing hypochondriac).<br>

Michael! Thanks for the nice comment on my work! I went over to your work from Facebook and on photo.net - really beautiful and emotional black and white, and vibrant color work! Sheesh.</p>

<p>Without going into the sad details, I'm about to develop a batch of 4x5 Fujifilm Acros negatives that I shot at 400 ISO equivalent. I'm worried about (massive) fog and tonal range loss. The film has not been refrigerated, but kept at about 65 deg. F.<br>

I originally developed the negs with Xtol in a Jobo CPP processor and the results were great. (I have to look at my notes at home - on the Xtol dilution I was using).<br>

I searched archives and picked up some Edwal Orthazite to attempt this weekend - I can experiment on a couple less important negs - to see effect with and without. Talking to guy at Keeble and Shuchat here in Palo Alto he observed the Orthazite will lengthen development time and was on fence as to whether I should use it.<br>

Also, the Orthazite reference was with HC-110 (which I have some of) - but the K&S guy suggested there was no reason why it wouldn't work with Xtol.<br>

Questions:<br>

1. Any experience or suggestions on approaching retaining tonal range on 4 year old exposed Acros negs?<br>

2. Does HC-110 minimize fog more than other developers with or without Orthazite?<br>

3. Any other approaches to minimizing fog (I'm seeing some reference to developer temperature in some random post somewhere?)<br>

I will be scanning the negs and can do some recovery on that end of the process - just looking to get as much info out of the batch of negs during development as possible.<br>

I promise never ever to not quickly develop negatives again. Promise.</p>

<p>Straightforward NY Times article on the difficulties of pursuing a professional career in photography with shifts in stock photography sources, etc.<br>

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/business/media/30photogs.html">For Photographers, The Image of a Shrinking Path</a></p>

<p>This is a whole side to Photo.net I've never seen before.<br>

And I agree - Lady Gaga is very talented. My son said she was penning songs for others before singing her own material? </p>

<p>Lex, this is a hipster side I haven't seen of you before! :-)<br>

I was tongue in cheek on the Apocalypse - but yeah... maybe part of Polaroid's issue was not keeping up with the times from a coolness sense - since I think they were the "cool" and immediate alternative to Kodak.<br>

But I really know nothing here... just blabbering.</p>

<p>Yeah, the "brand" was sold a long time ago... and the assets that came with it were being shed. Controversy arose over the <a href="http://www.artmarketmonitor.com/2009/09/08/polaroid-rage/">Polaroid photography collection planned sale</a>:-(<br>

I believe the Petters ponzi scheme (now known as the Madoff Scheme - Ponzi was an amateur in comparison) - involved other assets of his holdings. But the splash effect is dismembering the once great trust of the collection.</p>

<p>Correct me if I'm wrong, but is not Polaroid formally out of their former film business, with only the assets being bought up by entrepreneurs trying to revive the production lines?</p>

<blockquote>

<p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34747697/ns/business-us_business/">Lady Gaga New Face of Polaroid</a></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Or is Polaroid going to keep some film business - no right? The article suggests otherwise. This is simply marketing (where the rubber meets the sky).<br>

Not much photographic news in here - sad to say...</p>

<p>An alternative is an iPhone app DSLR Camera Remote. I'm playing with it. <br>

<a href="http://alternativeimpressions.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/dslr-camera-remote/">DSLR Camera Remote</a><br>

I like the cordless aspect (though laptop *is* tethered to the camera!) - I always trip over cords or crash cameras etc.</p>

<p>Article on street portraitist using Polaroid film:<br>

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/nyregion/03polaroid.html">A Camera and an Eye, Both One of a Kind</a></p>

<blockquote>

<p>Then he will return to the sidewalk outside BH Photo or Adorama Camera. ...<br>

“Most photographers don’t have a good picture of themselves,” he explained. “They think nobody can take as good a picture as they can. So, I prove them wrong. There’s good money there.”</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Take a look at the slide show. Nice work.</p>

<p>I'm considering the Profoto line of lighting. Well, more than considering. Picked up a D1 Air kit (250 w/s)...<br>

I'm looking at the D4 power pack. And comparing to Acute2? I'm looking for a *very simple* independent channel approach to lighting. The D4 looks simple and elegant. Also company looks solid, with support for products moving forward? Looking for a long term invest here. Lots of modifiers, compatibility with my Photoflex softboxes etc.<br>

Pretty much not looking outside Profoto as I want to have accessory compatibility with monolights (D1).<br>

I have used Speedotron power pack for years - it's whatever division system is distracting to me. Really trying to gain some fine control over lighting solution.<br>

Comments advice?<br>

Mostly do portraits and figures, in constructed sets. <br>

Thanks.</p>

<p>I think you should try before you buy.<br>

The Canon S90 has raw capture capability to give you more latitude in the shot and subsequent print. But its shutter response might make you shudder. That said, it is a small but powerful camera you can slip in your pocket - and teh best camera is the one you have with you when you need it.<br>

The Canon G11 is (new and) larger than the S90, but may be more of what you are looking for in terms of "pro" features.<br>

Again - really you should go to a bricks and mortar store and try these guys out.<br>

Leica digital rangefinders were mentioned above. They are less a pocket camera than things like the G11 (which I think is s stretch in the pocket camera domain). <br>

Keeble and Shuchat in Palo Alto, CA has all these cameras to try out (support your local business). As I'm sure B&H Photo in NYC.</p>

<p>I've been using the Bamboo Touch.<br>

Very nice. The one I have has a little place to loop the pen in and I carry it around in my backpack with my MacBook Pro and use it on the road.</p>

<p>Errol Morris started a seven part series in the NY Times considering staged photographs etc. The two first articles are posted, and are looking into the "authenticity" of the F.S.A (Farm Security Administration) photographers - a group that included Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange who produced some iconic images.<br>

<a href="http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/the-case-of-the-inappropriate-alarm-clock-part-1/">Part 1</a><br>

<a href="http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/the-case-of-the-inappropriate-alarm-clock-part-2/">Part 2</a><br>

I'm quoting the "claims" as the article is somewhat involved.<br>

Errol Morris is the documentary filmmaker who made some very interesting films: A Thin Blue Line, A Brief History of Time, The Fog of War, and Standard Operating Procedure. He considers photographs and images and their meaning and context and "truth" in other articles.</p>

<p>Yes. A fascinating follow on to the subway nude posting I did.<br>

People really spending too much time worrying about this.</p>

<p>NY Times article on various forms of image trickery or dispute:</p>

<blockquote>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/weekinreview/23marsh.html">Faked Photographs</a></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yes.</p>

<p>Paul Strand early 1900's had a SLR (or TLR) with a mirror to shoot sideways for some of his seminal images. The sideways thing may be irrelevant to the "serious" camera aspect - even more today.<br>

I need to whip out my Graflex or my Gowland TLR!</p>

<p>A friend forward this article from the NY Post on photographer's Zach Hyman's public nude work:</p>

<blockquote>

<p><a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/08202009/news/regionalnews/striphanger_185422.htm">Striphanger</a></p>

</blockquote>

<p>The amazing part to me:-) is doing this with a Hasselblad 500 - he's not taking the safe 9 - 15 frames/s high end digital out.<br>

Film lives on.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/business/media/10photo.html">NY Times article</a> on the crisis in the business of photojournalism.<br>

My only concern about its potential professional demise is the increasing chance of manipulated images without editorial watch dogs and process. Immediacy is good, but some control and review on what happened (an image depicts) is useful...</p>

<p>I think this article is a follow up to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/arts/design/24artloans.html">a report by the NY Times</a> some months back that Leibovitz had take a large loan out using her copyrights as collateral. The article talked about using art as collateral - but the practice is very often of collectors using their collection. The Leibovitz connection was the most prominent case of a successful artist leveraging of all things their copyrights. The current article:</p>

<blockquote>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/fashion/02annie.html">For Annie Leibovitz, a Fuzzy Financial Picture</a></p>

</blockquote>

<p>say that on July 29 she was sued for non-payment against that loan given by Art Capital Group described in the first article.<br>

Amazing.<br>

This is pretty much like missing a house payment with much less regulation around foreclosure.</p>

<p>Twenty local photographers will be showing and signing photobooks covering a wide range of subject matter at Modern Book Gallery in Palo Alto, California on Friday July 17, 2009 from 7 - 10PM. <br>

Brad wrote a brief blurb up on his blog:<br>

<a href="http://www.citysnaps.net/blog/?p=1333">Book Exhibit and Signing</a><br>

I am one of the photographers - but the variety of books and approaches may be of interest to anyone who happens to be around. The books were produced during a class at Stanford taught by Brigitte Carnochan. <br>

There is an <a href="http://www.modernbook.com/exhibitions.html">on-going exhibit of Fan Ho's work </a>through August 2. The exhibit is concurrent with a n<a href="http://www.modernbook.com/publications.html">ew publication of the work</a> by Modernbook. Modernbook has been making an impression with a series of fine art photography books that are available also in limited edition with print. They are available for viewing also. I love <a href="http://www.modernbook.com/publications.html">Maggie Taylor's Alice in Wonderland</a> work!</p>

<p>I know I've seen complaints about harassment of photographers in London (in the Street forum?). Here's an update, it seems people are taking some action to calm things down.<br>

The <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/09/metropolitan_police_photo/">Register article</a>.<br>

<a href="http://www.met.police.uk/about/photography.htm">The Metropolitan Police Guidelines</a>.<br>

It turns out photopgraphy is not a crime after all! :-)</p>

<p>I re-read your question. Yes, Greg and Godfrey clarified that the ICC Profile only controls the mapping of the source space to color space value, not the density of ink laid down, just the ratios (struggling how to say this).<br>

As an aside, I never really use the color management of the Epson driver (except when I dabble with Advanced B+W mode). I use color management in Photoshop which has some better control over the mapping of the source space to the output space, and soft proofing (separate but related). Another reason I do this is I have a couple different Epson printers and want one approach to profile mapping.</p>

<p>Media type has at least three effects. One, it sets the platen gap - distance between print head and paper (different papers have different thicknesses). It also selects matte vs. photo black ink for printers that have inks optimizes for "matte" vs. "glossy" surfaces. I believe it also adjust the amount of ink expressed by the head (because of paper absorbency/and dot gain?).<br>

It may effect drying time per pass.</p>

<p>Who needs Renoir’s barges on the Seine? Jose Gaytan is enraptured by scows on the Gowanus.<br>

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/nyregion/07muse.html">By Gowanus, a Lens on the Ruins Amid a Rebirth</a></p>