Feel sorry for me

[Claire Senft]

Boo Hoo.

[firecracker]

Many years ago I turned my hobby into my job and love it.

Different strokes......



Michael

I've been in the process!

[Photo Engineer]

And here I am, retired from Eastman Kodak and trying to make film and paper in my darkroom. For 30 years, my hobby was my profession and I hated coming home at night and spending time in the darkroom after spending a good portion of the day in one, but I loved taking pictures outdoors.

At one time, I got all the free film I wanted. Sometimes I even coated my own film and paper for work, and had some left to test at home.

Now, here I am mainly in the darkroom trying to make and coat emulsions and I rarely have time to process and print pictures. How is that for a life?

Some would call me crazy.

Anyhow, like Aggie, we live near some beautiful scenery with 500 ft deep gorges and waterfalls everywhere. I love to go out and hike and shoot. My cameras are pretty dinged up from slips, slides and falls. But if anyone is up this way, I can show them those places, or if you would rather see how I coat my films and papers, well you can see that too. I've had takers for all of the above.

PE

[Aggie]

If you don't mind little loving fluff balls (cats), I have a spare bedroom waiting anytime you venture this way. Just close your eyes while I drive you to some of my favorite places. Not to hide the route, but I know I scared the sh*t out of a few people the routes I take.

And here I am, retired from Eastman Kodak and trying to make film and paper in my darkroom. For 30 years, my hobby was my profession and I hated coming home at night and spending time in the darkroom after spending a good portion of the day in one, but I loved taking pictures outdoors.

At one time, I got all the free film I wanted. Sometimes I even coated my own film and paper for work, and had some left to test at home.

Now, here I am mainly in the darkroom trying to make and coat emulsions and I rarely have time to process and print pictures. How is that for a life?

Some would call me crazy.

Anyhow, like Aggie, we live near some beautiful scenery with 500 ft deep gorges and waterfalls everywhere. I love to go out and hike and shoot. My cameras are pretty dinged up from slips, slides and falls. But if anyone is up this way, I can show them those places, or if you would rather see how I coat my films and papers, well you can see that too. I've had takers for all of the above.

PE

[Photo Engineer]

If you don't mind little loving fluff balls (cats), I have a spare bedroom waiting anytime you venture this way. Just close your eyes while I drive you to some of my favorite places. Not to hide the route, but I know I scared the sh*t out of a few people the routes I take.

Aggie, my wife and I love cats!

However, with a choice of getting the workshop ready and travel, I guess I will have to go with the former rather than the latter. And the out of doors here is pretty ugly right now. Its about 20F (~ -5 C) with ice and snow everywhere and lots of gloomy clouds.

In fact, I'm having trouble today being inspired as to the latest experiment to do in the darkroom. I've had some great results with metal doping and contrast control, but I still want to get more. You know the old story. So, here I am with all the time I need, but no inspiration. It must be the weather.

PE

[glbeas]

PE, remember that announcement a while back about formate doping? Supposed to be something best for B&W film. Ever hear anything more about it? Would it have a place in homebrewed emulsions?

Hope you get your inspiration, I know what thats like, haven't shot or done any darkroom work in months.

[Photo Engineer]

PE, remember that announcement a while back about formate doping? Supposed to be something best for B&W film. Ever hear anything more about it? Would it have a place in homebrewed emulsions?

Hope you get your inspiration, I know what thats like, haven't shot or done any darkroom work in months.

Gary, I've read that article and talked to two of the people who worked on the EK 2 electron sensitization project. I'm giving it some thought.

Considering the cost of some of the chemicals involved, I guess it may be impractical, but I am reserving judgement on this until I get further along in my own work.

I did some metal and ionic doping experiments tonight. Easy to do for the average photographer, just like adding benzotriazole to a developer to decrease fog. I'll see what this batch does at 4x metal and 2x ionic dopant. At 1x metal and 2x ionic, I got 1 contrast grade and about 2 stops in speed. This time I think I'm over the hill. I'll probably lose speed.

I also added a development accelerator to the melt to see if I could increase the contrast. A friend suggested that to me. So, there it is, you are all up to date and can take pity on me.

Just like Davros, always asking the Doctor to take pity on him.

Regards.

PE

[Bill Mitchell]

, we live near some beautiful scenery with 500 ft deep gorges and waterfalls everywhere. But if anyone is up this way, I can show them those places, PE

Photo Engineer, where is "Up this way?"

[Quinten]

Everyone,
Feel sorry for me. The semester is over. Grades are in. Desk is clear. Now for a solid month I have nothing to do except shoot and print. Feel sorry because its not the summer. I get 3 months to do it in the summer. IT'S ALL GOOD!!!
Jack

I feel sorry mate, with a bit of luck my semesters for the next four years are all about photography, studios already availeble for free with all the lights, lenses and cameras you can wish for. B&W / colour darkrooms you can walk in without touching a door and the chemicals are always ready to go. Okay okay Aggie is still on another level....

[Photo Engineer]

Photo Engineer, where is "Up this way?"

Rochester NY. Right where I retired.

PE