I reached out to the analog darkroom community via my newsletter and social media connections to try and understand if there was enough demand for a publication focused on analog photography in our modern digital world.  

I was amazed at the level and positive responses that I received in the matter of hours!  I literally had pages of emails supporting the idea and I was humbled by the overwhelming positive support.  

Based on the feedback and encouragement from everyone, I decided to move forward and begin publishing the new magazine, The Darkroom Underground.  

THE DARKROOM UNDERGROUND

The Darkroom Underground Magazine is your analog photography periodical produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers and readers worldwide. The first issue begins July 1, 2017.  

Distributed in PDF format for maximum portability, The Darkroom Underground caters to photographers of all skill levels.  The publication is supported via a subscription model at the cost of $59 USD per year, and we are currently advertiser free which we believe provides a clean and distraction free user experience.  

Many darkroom photographers today capture on film, and either uses a blended analog/digital approach for the rest of their workflow or just digital exclusively after capture.  Digital photographers that didn't grow up on film are discovering the joy of creating a digital negative and making handmade alternative prints.  With all of these options, technical and creative options are effectively unlimited.  

Whether you are a traditionalist like myself or a hybrid photographer, The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and some of their best artwork. 

We include technical articles for every format (e.g., 35mm, 120 medium format, large format, ultra-large-format) in addition to a wide range of print types to include classic silver gelatin darkroom prints, RA-4 color prints, and a variety of alternative mediums such as platinum/palladium, wet plate collodion, and many others.  We balance the technical articles with creative essays and full page photographs from featured photographers.  

At a time when we are all bombarded by digital in just about every area of our life, a publication dedicated to analog darkroom photography and its artists is resonating with photographers from around the world.  

We are scheduled to deliver our first release on July 1, 2017, and continue to publish every quarter after that.  Because of the digital delivery mechanism, readers receive their magazines every January 1st, April 1st, July 1st, October 1st.  

We are evaluating the possibility of adding a print magazine option for 2018.  

-Tim Layton
The Darkroom Underground Magazine for Analog Photographers 
www.timlaytonfineart.com/magazine

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

I am excited to announce that the first 100 Darkroom Underground Magazine subscribers will receive a free Hahnemühle Platinum Rag Paper (8 x 10”- 4 sheet Intro Kit).  Please note, the shipping address must be a valid USA shipping address (not a Post Office Box) because most of the shipping is handled via UPS, and they can't deliver to a PO Box.  

After you subscribe to the publication, I send you an email welcoming you and asking if you would like to receive the free paper.  If so, I will coordinate the shipment to the address you provide me.  

I use Hahnemühle Platinum Rag Paper for my pure platinum fine art prints.  If you know much about making pure platinum prints (meaning no other salts such as palladium are used) to ease in the printmaking process, then you know it is a process that requires a blend of proper materials, knowledge of the associated chemistry, and total command over the printmaking variables.  You can have everything else right, but if your paper is problematic, the print is ruined.  I use this paper in my Intro to Platinum/Palladium Video Workshop as well because it removes an often problematic variable for new platinum/palladium printers.  

I have extensively tested Hahnemühle Platinum Rag Paper in my pure platinum printmaking process for several months now from samples provided to me via the manufacturer.  Through my workshops, I have also tested the paper with the platinum/palladium, and palladium processes, with the same favorable results. Full disclosure, I have not and I do not receive monetary compensation from Hahnemühle, other than free samples for testing. I use the paper in my fine art process because I believe in it. 

As you would expect for an alternative printing paper, Hahnemühle Platinum Rag Paper is uncoated and it has a beautiful natural bright white that helps create beautiful and natural looking highlights in my pure platinum prints.  The prints feel wonderful in your hand and have a paper weight of 300 gsm, which allows the paper to withstand the rigor of alternative printmaking.  The paper is made of 100% cotton and does not contain any alkaline.  Of all the papers that I have used over the years, I have found this paper to accept my hand-coating of the platinum sensitizer exceptionally well.  The true test is when you have large open spaces, such as skies, or other simple compositions that would reveal flaws in your coating process.  By using different negative mediums and altering my chemical process I am able to attain very subtle prints with the beautiful tonal separation associated with classic platinum prints and very deep blacks not typically thought possible.  

VIDEOS

In the videos below, take note of the wide range of tonality and DMAX that I am able to achieve with the Hahnemühle Platinum Rag Paper.

My First Pure Platinum Print on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag Paper

Van Buren Tree - Pure Platinum Printmaking Video

Artist Proofs, Review & Comments

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

I am considering ideas for future articles in The Darkroom Underground, and I wanted to get your thoughts on one that I have been thinking about for a while.  

The vast majority of the time, I work with my large format view cameras to create big negatives for my pure platinum fine art prints.  When I am not focused on creating my artwork, I still love to enjoy photography and pursue things that I typically don't have the time to do.  For example, I love going out on short road trips and finding old buildings and architecture.  This is a perfect time to be free and use a smaller medium format or 35mm camera and roll film.  I also never use a meter, just the Sunn16 rule for creating my exposures, and I started thinking that other photographers might like to know the film I use and how I develop them.  

I like using my older manual cameras, Mamiya C220 TLR, Nikon F, Leica M3, for these types of adventures because I am totally free to just enjoy the scenery and not think too much.  I am usually out for the entire day, which means I have a very wide range of contrasts to deal with back in the darkroom when I develop the films.  I use a two-bath developer that I mix from raw chemicals, which is both economical for me because I don't use that much roll film, and I get the added benefit of producing a lot of negatives that are able to be printed in the darkroom or scanned.  Analog photographers are very familiar with the challenges associated with having a wide range of exposures on a single roll of film and trying to find a balance that produces high-quality results.   

If this sounds like something you would like for me to share in a future edition, I will be happy to create some fresh exposures and walk you through my entire workflow.  Just send me an email and let me know you are interested in the article.  

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

It is very common for creative people to work alone a lot of the time.  I was talking to a friend of mine this weekend about how I love to work alone.  The majority of my work is created with large format view cameras, so it is a slow and personal process by its very nature.  

As I begin to lay out sections for Darkroom Underground, I realized that I have a lot of little things that I have either created out of necessity over the years or have picked up from other photographers, that would probably be very useful and insightful to others.  

If you would like to share one of your tips with the magazine, send me an email and I will review it for publication. The topic can be anything that is related to creative or technical processes.  Be sure to send me your website/blog/portfolio link, so that I can include it with your tip in the magazine.  I think this could be a really valuable and fun section of the publication.  I always learn new things from photographers of any skill level. 

I look forward to learning some really helpful and interesting tips from everyone.  So, get your thinking cap on and send me a note.  

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

I thought it would be helpful and relevant if I included a Q&A Section in the Darkroom Underground publication.  If you have a question that you would like answered by one of our advisory board members, then send me an email with your question and we will review it for publication. 

We have a super-talented advisory board that loves to answer your questions, so don't hold back and we will do our best to provide a clear and detailed response. 

ADVISORY TEAM

Tim Layton, founder, and editor - Tim has been creating artist original handmade pure platinum prints using traditional large format view cameras, sheet film, handmade papers, darkroom chemicals, and natural light for over 30 years. Tim Layton hosts a wide variety of workshops in the film and darkroom genre for analog photographers of all skill levels. "I make a humble attempt at taking my viewers on a visual and emotional journey away from the modern day digitized world by sharing my love for nature through the art and craft of traditional black and white fine art printmaking.  I make a humble attempt to create emotionally evocative handmade prints of significant natural and environmental subjects. The archival permanence properties of platinum ensure people one thousand years from now and beyond will be able to view these important subjects at the turn of the 21st century.  I get the added benefit of an incredibly long tonal scale with magnificent mid-tones and supple highlights that platinum prints are known for." - www.timlaytonfineart.com

Quinn Jacobson -  Quinn is an internationally recognized artist and teacher and his name is forever connected to wet plate collodion based on his tireless and original contribution to the arts.  "Photography was a part of Quinn's life from an early age. Both his mother and father were avid photographers. And both accomplished in their own right. 35mm still film, Polaroid film, and 8mm movie film were common in the Jacobson house. Every event was documented. He began his career as a photographer in the United States military in 1982. Quinn served in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman for three years (11C) and then as a Combat Photographer (84B) for three years (1982-1988). In 1993, he received a Bachelor of Integrated Studies degree (B.I.S.) in Photography, Visual Art and Communication from Weber State University, Ogden, Utah USA. In 2007, he received a Master of Fine Arts degree (M.F.A.) in Photography from Goddard College, Plainfield, Vermont USA.  - www.studioq.com

Steve Anchell - Steve is internationally published with his fine artwork exhibited in galleries and private collections. Since his first exhibit in 1974, his work has been in sixty exhibits, including twenty-eight solo exhibits.

From 1970 to 1976 he owned a portrait and wedding studio, first in Los Angeles and then in San Luis Obispo, Calif. From 1977 to 1984 he operated a studio in Hollywood, California, which included as clients, Max Factor, Vivian Woodard, and Merle Norman cosmetics, IBM, Teledyne-Inet, Ohrbach’s Department Store, Wham-O Toys, Catalina Swimwear, and many others.  Agency accounts included Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB); Ogilvie & Mather (Ogilvie Group); Young & Rubicam (Y&R); and Evans/Weinberg.

Steve has written for Rangefinder and photo technique magazines and has been a contributing editor to Outdoor Photographer, Camera & Darkroom, and PhotoWork magazines.  He has written columns, feature articles and interviews for Shutterbug, View Camera, Camera Arts, PIC, and PhotoPro magazines. He is the former editor of Photovision: Art and Technique and Focus Fine Art Photography magazines.

His three books, The Darkroom Cookbook, The Variable Contrast Printing Manual, and The Film Developing Cookbook are international bestsellers.  Photo-Eye Books of Santa Fe named The Variable Contrast Printing Manual the best technical title of 1997.  In 2001 The Nude at Big Sur, was published by Cold Creek Press. Focal Press will release his fifth book, Digital Photo Assignments, on August 26, 2015.

Steve has conducted workshops since 1979, including workshops for the International Center of Photography in NYC, Santa Fe Workshops, Toscana Photographic Workshops (Italy), the Universities of California at Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Irvine, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Denver.  www.anchellworkshops.com

Bruce Barnbaum - Bruce is recognized as one of the finest darkroom printers on this planet, both through his exceptional black and white work and also through his color imagery. His work is represented by more than ten galleries throughout the United States and Canada and is in the collections of museums and private collectors worldwide. Bruce’s contributions, both technically and creatively, are effectively infinite because his contributions live on through his students and readers of his books.   

"Bruce's photography expands upon the dynamics he finds in both nature and the works of man, relating forces to the sweeping forms that dominate his vivid imagery. Visually he emphasizes the best of humanity and nature, sometimes with bold realism, often with degrees of abstraction to heighten the mystery. He understands light to an extent rarely found, and combines this understanding with a mastery of composition, applying them to an extraordinarily wide range of subject matter. His photographs often contain ambiguities concerning either the size of the scene photographed and/or its orientation, forcing the viewer to pause and think, and to become part of the creative process." - www.barnbaum.com 

Jon Paul - Jon Paul has been Lake Tahoe’s premier landscape photographer for nearly 20 years. During that time, Jon has amassed a collector base spanning all 50 U.S. states and nearly 50 countries around the globe. As one of just a few professional large format film photographers remaining today, Jon Paul is known for producing some of the most breathtaking fine art landscape images available. The combination of Jon’s large format film capture, mastery of photographic technique and his unrivaled vision of the natural world has enabled Jon to create images worthy of representing what Jon refers to as “The Fine Art of Nature”. - www.jonpaulgallery.com

Paul Wainwright - Paul is a rare photographer because of his masterful mind and his ability to tell stories via his photographic art.  Paul earned a Ph.D. from Yale University and he worked for Bell Laboratories for nearly 25 years before pursuing his love for analog photography full time.  Paul's understanding of film speed and development is unparalleled and his ability to explain the details is a defining moment for many photographers.  

Wainwright's work has appeared in numerous juried competitions and solo exhibitions, most recently at the Baldwin Gallery at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the Panopticon Gallery in Boston, Massachusetts, the Mugar Art Gallery at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire, the Martin Museum of Art at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and the Edgewater Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont.  Wainwright’s work is included in the permanent collections of both private and corporate collectors, including the Boston Public Library in Boston, Massachusetts, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Stratham, New Hampshire. - www.paulwainwrightphotography.com

Mark Olwick - Mark is a fine art photographer specializing in seeing beyond the literal.  The overarching goal of his photography is to capture the spirit of his subject, including how he sees them in his dreams, and evoke the emotion around them. The creative process – diving deep into motivations, meaning, and symbolism – is at the heart of his photography.

He’s been taking photographs for more than 45 years, starting with a box Brownie and now shoots primarily with medium format gear, though that changes regularly in order to create the photo that was pre-visualized.

He’s been featured in On Landscape magazine and other publications, as well as fine art galleries, and is a medal winner at PX3, Prix de la Photographie Paris 2012.  You can find his work at www.olwickphotography.com

Steve Sherman - Steve began his photography career in 1981 and soon went to work for a portrait studio that sought to venture into the commercial and illustration aspect of professional photography.  Sherman studied and trained in large film, lighting and ad agency assignments but grew tired of client demands made not only on his time but also the freedom to express his love of the environment through photography.  By 1985 Sherman’s Large Format black and white work was represented for 6 years by the prestigious Robert Klein Gallery in Boston, later by the First Street Gallery In Boca Baton, FL. and is currently represented by the Paul Paletti Gallery in Louisville, KY.

In 1987 Sherman was asked to lend his name and endorsement with other notable Large Format photographers on behalf of Agfa-Gevaert Corporation in support of Portriga Rapid Silver Gelatin paper in national ad campaigns.  His photographs are in private collections on four different continents worldwide and have been purchased by the University of Louisville Photo Archives.  Sherman has enjoyed one-man exhibitions in Canada and the United States.

Sherman has authored numerous technical articles for View Camera magazine; his work has been published in the Professional Photographer, Petersen’s Photographic and Outdoor Photography.  In 2003 he discovered and perfected what is now known as the Minimal Agitation technique of processing roll and sheet film, which yields contrast relationships between deep shadows and delicate highlights never before possible through organic film processing methods.  His understanding of split contrast printing using only blue and green filtration in concert with minimally agitated negatives has yielded prints drawing one unsolicited critique from regular magazine writer and reviewer Michael Mutmansky in June 2015.  “If you ever get a chance to see his silver images in person, do it, because they are (IMHO) the most masterfully printed silver gelatin prints that I have seen from ANY printer, alive or dead, and I've seen a lot. This is not hyperbole.”

Sherman has taught Wet Process Workshops throughout the United States and Canada for over 25 years.  In his ONE on ONE workshops, he has taught his Power of Process to photographers who have traveled from Canada, Great Britain, France and South America and across the United States.  He brings an uncommon fundamental how and why something works so that students draw on understanding and knowledge rather than relying on memorizing the great amounts of new information received from instructors during short-term workshops. You can connect with steve on his website at www.steve-sherman.com and www.powerofprocesstips.com

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

I have been wanting a longer telephoto lens for many years for my large format view cameras.  I needed the reach many times over the years as well as the compression for specific landscapes.  

The Nikkor-T ED 600mm large format telephoto lens is hard to come by these days, so I was happy that I was able to find a solution.  

This lens is a convertible type that allows for the lens to be used at 600mm, 800mm, and 1200mm.  It uses the same front element for all three focal lengths, and to acheive the desired focal length, the back element is changed out.  As you can imagine, it is nearly impossible to find someone that had the entire kit with the front and all three rear elements.  I ended up buying different parts from people to eventually acquire the 600mm and 800mm version.  At this time, I don't have a need for the 1200mm focal length, but I may investigate that at a later date if I can get a small extension board for my 8x10 view camera.  

I needed the 600mm and 800mm focal lengths primarily because I make platinum prints and my workflow is completely analog.  This means that I need to create a film-based negative the exact size of my platinum prints.  Since platinum printmaking is a contact printing method, I am not able to crop and make adjustments to my negative, assuming a want to make a full sized print.  It is possible to mask an area in a larger negative and make a smaller print.  I have to get it right in the camera and ultimately on the film so these lenses are critical for some of my subjects.  I love to isolate lone trees in my compositions and these longer focal lengths will help me be able to do this.  I also like to have the option for compression in my mountain landscapes.  

NIKKOR-T ED 600/800mm LENS OVERVIEW

This is a sizable lens weighing 1650g (3.63 lbs) with a front element of 95mm.  It has just enough image circle for 8x10 coverage (minimal movements), but plenty of opportunity for whole plate (6.5x8.5) and 5x7 formats.  

One of the unique advantages of this lens is its reduced bellows draw requirements.  A normal lens requires a bellows draw that is equal to its focal length.  For example, my Fujinon-C 600mm lens requires a bellows draw of 600mm for infinity.  Fortunately my Chamonix 8x10 view camera can handle this, but that is my maximum focal length in my bag until now.  On a side note, the Fujinon-C has a huge image circle and it a fraction of the size and weight of the Nikkor-T ED lens.  There are always pros and cons to every choice.  

The bellows draw requirements for the Nikkor-T ED lens is as follows:

• Bellows Draw for 600mm - 409mm
• Bellows Draw for 800mm - 527mm
• Bellows Draw for 1200mm - 755mm

The rear lens component is interchangeable between the ED 600mm f/9, ED 800mm f/12 and ED 1200mm f/18 making it a unique telephoto lens setup for my large format cameras.  

There are three key things to note about the Nikkor-T ED telephoto lens.  First, it is a true telephoto lens that requires a much lessor bellows draw.  The telephoto design is different than a standard long lens.  Many photographers, especially using smaller formats, interchange long lens and telephoto lens to mean the same thing.  This is not the case for large format lenses.  

To focus at infinity with a standard lens, it requires a bellows draw of approximately the same as the focal length.  This is going to be very helpful for me with my whole plate camera in particular because I have a maximum bellows draw of 600mm.  It will also be a nice benefit for my 8x10 as well since I will have room for a small degree of magnification, if I would like to use it.  With my Fujinon-C, I am basically racked out.  

The second thing to note about this lens because of its telephoto design is its optical center (nodal point).  Most normal lenses have nodal points roughly in the center of the lens located on the side towards the shutter.  This lens has its optical center located on the front, which has implications on using front axis tilts.  This causes the image on the ground glass to move as you apply tilts.  

In contrast, the optical center of a telephoto lens is located in front of the lens. Practically, this means that applying axis tilts on a non-telephoto lens causes the lens to tilt at or near its optical center. As a result, the image moves very little on the groundglass. In contrast, the location of a telephoto lens's optical center causes the image on the ground glass to move as the lens tilts. This effectively makes it more difficult to use movements for front tilts and swings.  I tend to use back movements most of the time anyway, so this should have little impact on my workflow.  I like to be able to exaggerate the foreground in many of my landscapes, and this is why I use back movements in many cases.  

The final thing a photographer should know about this lens is the smaller image circle.  As I mentioned above, my Fujinon-C 600mm has about twice the image circle of this Nikkor lens.  Having the option to use a 600mm lens on my whole plate and 5x7 cameras because of the lesser bellows draw requirements is a huge win for me, and having access to 800mm on my 8x10, whole plate and 5x7 cameras is a very unique opportunity that I have been missing for years.\

As I begin to use this new lens, I will follow up with new articles sharing my technical and creative thoughts along with the silver gelatin contact prints and pure platinum prints made using this lens.  

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

Making development tubes for large format film from PVC pipeYou may also enjoy my free darkroom photography newsletter and my magazine, The Darkroom Underground, devoted exclusively to analog photography covering a balance of technical and creative topics. I have been developing my films (black and white, color negative C-41, color slides E-6) on a Jobo processor for many years.  I also use my Jobo for RA-4 color print development.  

One of the things that I love most about analog photography is that we never stop learning.  It would take ten lifetimes to master everything that I want to know.  

In this article, I am sharing the approach that I took to create my DIY development tubes that I intend to use with the semi-stand development process using Pyrocat HD.  These tubes could be used for any number of approaches to develop large format black and white sheet film. 

SEMI-STAND DEVELOPMENT WITH PYROCAT HD

I have been following Steve Sherman's semi-stand film development journey using a tube system with Pyrocat HD developer for a while now. Based on Steve's results, I was inspired to dig a little deeper and see if there were any tangible reasons for me to explore semi-stand development for my pure platinum and silver gelatin darkroom printmaking, with my priority being for my pure platinum printmaking. 

If you haven't seen Steve's prints, then you should try and make that happen because his work is just outstanding.  Steve has a detailed set of premium videos that walks photographers through his entire process that he has taken years to master.  

A photographer must work through the process in their own darkroom in the context of their environment and unique creative vision in order to fully achieve the benefits associated with semi-stand development using Pyrocat HD.  In other words, I could freely share my "development times and processes", but it doesn't mean it will work for anyone else.  

In case you are not aware, the type of negative required for making silver gelatin large format contact prints is different than the negatives required for platinum printing.  To fully explain the differences is beyond the scope of this article, however, if you are interested in a deeper understanding, Sandy King has written a good article about Pyrocat HD that helps explain the concept.  In effect, a silver gelatin print requires a negative of approximately .50 contrast index (CI) and platinum requires a negative of about .70 CI.  But, for me, it is more than just a quest for the proper contrast index.  I want a better representation of mid-tones in my prints and this is something that is not inherently easy to do.  

WHY I WANTED TO PURSUE SEMI-STAND AND PYROCAT HD

My interest in semi-stand development using Pyrocat HD is two-fold.  First, I would like to produce a negative that provides me the opportunity create a print (silver gelatin or platinum) with more tonality in the mid-tones which helps create a visual presence that is often missing in most prints.  Second, I would like to be able to use one negative for both silver gelatin and platinum prints because I have been exposing two sheets of film (one for silver gelatin, one for platinum) for many years and this is very costly and requires a lot more time in the darkroom.

Doing some testing on semi-stand development with Pyrocat HDYou may also enjoy my free darkroom photography newsletter and my magazine, The Darkroom Underground, devoted exclusively to analog photography covering a balance of technical and creative topics. I consulted with Steve and I did my homework in order to develop 5 sheets of film (4 sheets of FP4+ and 1 sheet of Kodak Ektascan B/RA X-Ray) using Pyrocat HD and the semi-stand development methodology.  

Semi-stand basically means that you introduce initial agitation of your film during the development process after a pre-soaking period, then you leave your film stand for a period of time, then apply minimal agitation for a short cycle about half way through the total development time, and then one more towards the end of the cycle.  

I developed my films for 30 minutes at 70F/21C.  The underlying reasons why I wanted to investigate this method are articulated in Sandy King's article and the benefits can be visualized tin Steve Sherman's fine art prints.  

I had a couple errors that I needed to correct, mostly due to not being able to get the full volume of developer into all 5 of the development vessels fast enough, but I was able to determine my first goal (better mid-tones) was clearly much better.  When I compared the negatives developed with D-76 1:1 on my Jobo to the semi-stand Pyrocat HD negatives, I was actually blown away at the acutance, and the tonality and openness of the shadows in mid-tones of the negatives.  

I was most surprised by the tonality and details in my mid-tones of my X-Ray film.  If I didn't know the negative I was looking at was X-Ray film, I would have guessed it to be regular black and white sheet film.  I knew in this moment that I had to investigate this method in more detail.  

Now, my goal is to explore and see if I can create a negative that is suitable for both silver gelatin contact prints and pure platinum prints.  

In the July 1st edition of Darkroom Underground, I am sharing my detailed notes and results with subscribers on how I built my development tubes.  My tests are ongoing over the next couple of months where I will continue to develop negative using my normal process and also with the new semi-stand Pyrocat HD process.  I am making prints and creating detailed notes based on my work.  If you want to learn the process, I recommend that you connect with Steve Sherman.  

If you would like to explore semi-stand development with Pyrocat HD, then you are going to need some tubes to develop your large format sheet film.  I used my Jobo 8x10 expert drum as a place to start testing, but based on the inability to get the developer into the tank fast enough, I knew I needed a new approach if I was going to get the types of results that I need for my work.  In the section below, I provided detailed notes on my development tube construction process and materials that I used.  

PVC DEVELOPMENT TUBE OVERVIEW

Making development tubes for large format film from PVC pipeYou may also enjoy my free darkroom photography newsletter and my magazine, The Darkroom Underground, devoted exclusively to analog photography covering a balance of technical and creative topics. For 11x14 sheet film, I use 4-inch PVC pipe.  For 8x10 and Whole Plate (6.5" x 8.5") sheet film, I use 3-inch PVC pipe.  For 5x7 and 4x5, I use 2-inch PVC pipe.  I prefer to use electrical (gray) PVC because it is UV light safe.  My hardware store did not carry electrical PVC in a 4-inchch diameter, so I was forced to get regular schedule 40 PVC pipe for my 11x14 development tubes. I work inside a controlled darkroom, so this should not be a problem.   

I cut my 8x10/Whole Plate pipes to 11 inches, 5x7 tubes to 8 inches, and 4x5 tubes to 6 inches.  It should be obvious that I cut the PVC pipe one inch longer than the long side of my sheet film.  I do this because I want there to be enough developer in the tube to adequately cover the film.  

As a first step, I cut all of the PVC pipes to the proper length with a circular saw to ensure the cuts were clean and also square.  Next, I washed all of the pipes in soapy water to make sure all of the dirt and debris were removed before moving on to the next steps. My plan is to build some sort of a stand to place the tubes in while they are in the semi-stand portion of the development process.  I have an idea on how I plan to do this, but I haven't built it yet.  The 8x10 tubes have a flat bottom, so I will be able to stand those on my counter in the darkroom, however, the 2-inch tubes have a bottom cap that is slightly rounded forcing the issue of a stand.  

Next, I used PVC primer and cement to attach a bottom cap on all of my development tubes.  If you are not familiar with how to properly use PVC cement, then read the instructions carefully and follow them because you don't want any leaks with your development tubes.  

At this point, I had PVC tubes that are the proper length and diameter for my sheet film sizes with a bottom cap in place.  In order to process the sheet films, a top is required.  There are a couple of choices and this is why I listed the options in the caps and adapters section for each diameter of PVC pipe in the section below.  

DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS

DIY Large Format Sheet Film Development TubesYou may also enjoy my free darkroom photography newsletter and my magazine, The Darkroom Underground, devoted exclusively to analog photography covering a balance of technical and creative topics. The first and easiest option is to load the films inside a development tube inside a changing tent or in total darkness and put a rubber quick cap on the top.  Now the film is light safe and you can proceed with the semi-stand development process using Pyrocat HD (pre-soak film for 5 min, developer, stop, fix, wash).  Using this method, you would need total darkness to pour in the distilled water for the pre-soak and also for the developer.  This means that you need to have a container/jug that holds the right volume of distilled water and developer ready to go at the right temperature.  After the development stage, it is safe to work in dim/distant light for the stop, fix, washing stages.  Many photographers don't realize that after development, the film isn't very reactive to light and this is why it is possible to continue the development process in a low-light environment.  I just simply work with my normal safelights.  

The second option is to use two tubes for the development process.  I learned about this approach from Tim Jones.  One tube would have a female adapter (film tube # 1) and the second tube would have a male adapter (tube # 2) and would hold the developer.  The idea is to pre-soak your film in tube #1 and have the developer staged into tube #2.  In total darkness, after dumping the distilled water out of tube #1, you would screw the developer tube #2 into tube #1 and quickly invert it.  By using this method, the developer quickly and evenly covers your film, which is exactly what you want.  

In the section below, I have included the cost of materials in USA dollars that I incurred to build my DIY development tubes.  I will follow up with another article after I complete more testing.  

MY MATERIAL COSTS

• PVC PIPE
• 4-inch Schedule 40 PVC Pipe - $4.65 per foot 
• 3-inch Electrical Schedule 40 PVC - $1.59 per foot 
• 2-inch Electrical Schedule 40 PVC - $0.65 per foot 
• CEMENT
• PVC Primer & Cement - $7.38
• 4-inch Caps
• 4-inch Rubber Quick Cap - $3.98
• 4-inch Slip Bottom Cap - $7.71
• 3-inch Caps & Adapters
• 3-inch Female Adapter - $3.20
• 3-inch Cleanout Plug - $1.62
• 3-inch Male Adapter - $2.99
• 3-inch Rubber Quick Cap - $3.35
• 2-inch Caps & Adapters
• 2-inch Female Adapter - $1.53
• 2-inch Cleanout Plug - $0.75
• 2-inch Male Adapter - $1.18
• 2-inch Rubber Quick Cap - $2.75

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

It is hard for me to believe that it is the first week of December.  I am hard at work developing a host of darkroom and large format workshops for the next two to three months.  I am starting to think about doing something fun after I get the workshops published.  

One of my personal goals is to do more analog photography on the road.  Over the last few years, I have tried a variety of processes on long road trips ranging from wet plate collodion to direct positive paper prints.  I travel in my Sprinter van (tiny house on wheels), so I have enough space to live and work comfortably for extended periods of time.  I plan to be out West in Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone National Park, and Glacier National Park next summer for a good stretch, so I have to come up with my winter and spring trip idea soon.  

I share exclusive articles and information like this with my newsletter subscribers.

POSSIBLE OPTIONS

The easiest choice would most likely be Harman Direct Positive Paper (DPP).  After exposing the positive paper in the view camera, it is just a matter of developing the print. I travel with a small Jobo where I could develop the print using Rodinal very easily. Since it is a direct positive, there is no need to work with a negative making this option very appealing and easy on the road.  I don't like not having a negative, but there is something very special and simple about the direct positive paper that I really like and appreciate. 

Paper negatives are a good option too.  I built a portable darkroom box where I can develop and print up to 8x10 size.  I have done this many times, so I know the process works.  Between my 4x5 and 8x10 view cameras, I have four possible formats to choose from (4x5, 8x10, 5x7, or 4x10).  I might even just use my new whole plate camera for the entire trip.  I have fallen in love with this aspect ratio more than  I could have predicted.  I think my darkroom box is a little small for 11x14, but I will have to check into this a little more to see if that is even an option.  

It might be fun to travel somewhere warm to explore the landscape while most of the country is in winter mode.  I could easily use X-Ray film and develop it in the small Jobo with Rodinal and either create contact prints on silver gelatin fiber paper with the same box that I use for paper negatives, or I could push myself and make pure platinum prints while on the road.  I could try and experiment with using sunlight to expose my platinum prints, or I could take my small UV printer that I made for mobile use.  Controlling the humidity and warming my platinum developer would not be a lot of fun while mobile.   

Another option would be to work with E-6 slide films like Provia 100 in medium and large format sizes and develop the positive in the Jobo.  This approach is quick, easy, and also very rewarding for the right subjects.  I have never used positive films in the winter, so that might be something new to explore.  I tend to see in black and white 99% of the time.  

I am not sure what I will end up choosing, but it is just fun to think about the trip right now.  

More to follow in the coming months as I complete the workshops and work towards the opportunity to travel.  

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

Kodak announced the return of one of the most iconic film stocks of all time – KODAK EKTACHROME Film.  Ektacrhome was one of the most loved color reversal films of all time in my mind.  The old saying "chromes" came from Ektachrome, and for good reasons. When you look at a chrome on the light table or just holding it up to natural light, something magical happens that is difficult to explain.  I have been creating medium and large format chromes of some of my most special adventures for years now.  I refer to these films as my "nursing home plan".  When I am too old to get out and photograph, I will be sitting in the nursing home next to the window holding up my chromes and laughing...No computers or technology required! 

KODAK SNAPSHOT

In 2012, Kodak discontinued its line of color reversal films, which stand out for its fine grain, clean colors, sharp tones and contrasts. At the time, Kodak blamed declining demand for such film.  A year later, Kodak divested its film business to Kodak Alaris, the UK-based company behind Ektachrome's revival.  The new Kodak Alaris will be remanufacturing the film at Kodak's factory in Rochester, N.Y., this year with the revived film available for both motion picture and photography.  Initial availability is expected in the fourth quarter of 2017.  It is wonderful to know that Kodak in its new form is doing well and this is an obvious indicator of the current health of film and analog photography.

EKTACHROME

EKTACHROME has a distinctive look that was the choice for generations of cinematographers. The film is known for its extremely fine grain, clean colors, great tones and contrasts.  Greats like Steven Spielberg have been quoted in regards to their preference to film over the latest digital technology.  Of course you know that I am in alignment with this thinking... 

There are plans to offer a still format KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film for photographers in 135-36x format.  It would be great to have it in 120 medium format, but maybe that is wishing for too much at this point.  

Time magazine interviewed a Kodak representative about the process.

“Color reversal film is quite complicated as its recipe is concerned,” says Diane Carroll-Yacoby, Kodak’s world wide portfolio manager for motion picture films says. “It’s very unique and quite different than a black-and-white film or a color negative film. We’re in the process right now of procuring the components that are needed for this special film and in addition to that we are setting up a color reversal processing capability again, which we have to have in order to test the film as we manufacture it.”

She adds: “It is a complicated project for us to bring it back but because our customers are telling us that they want it, we’re very excited to do this again. It’s kind of a really special time for us.”

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

I am excited to report that the Darkroom Underground Public Facebook Group gained over 1,500 new members in our first week!  I think this trend is another indicator that film and the darkroom are gaining momentum in our digital world. Has digital photography peaked for the masses? 

Earlier this year Kodak announced they were bringing back Ektachrome and last month, Al Roker from the NBC Today Show featured analog photography in a segment.  

I have sold more darkroom and large format workshops in the last 6 months than I forecasted in my business plan.  I have worked super hard to produce high-quality video-based workshops on a wide range of darkroom and large format topics.  Based on quality feedback from photographers from around the world, I continue to build and deliver world-class darkroom training for photographers of all skill levels.  The best part is there is no travel required and the cost is nominal compared to in-person workshops.  All of this adds up to momentum in my mind and as a long-time advocate for darkroom photographic art, all of this makes me very happy.  

Last month I launched the Darkroom Underground Magazine and the response was more than I could have ever imagined.  We have some incredible articles, both technical and creative, planned for our initial publication on July 1st along with some beautiful and compelling photographs.  Our advisory team is some of the most notable and talented darkroom photographer's working today and it is my pleasure to be the editor and work with such incredibly talented people.  Check out our advisory team and join in on the fun along with photographers and collectors from around the world by subscribing today.  

-Tim Layton

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

In a series starting on July 1st, 2017, Paul Wainwright is writing a series of articles in the Darkroom Underground Magazine on how to establish your personal exposure index (EI) rating for your film and how to use this tested EI to establish proper development times for normal (N), expanded (N+) and contracted (N-) development times.  Subscribe today and join the Q&A on the Public Darkroom Underground Facebook Group after each segment of the article is released.  

Paul's method is based on tonal values in your negatives and prints that you establish visually, versus having to use a densitometer.  I have personally tested Paul's method and I can attest that it will help any film photographer produce high-quality negatives and prints rendering the maximum tonal scale possible for the negative, developer, and paper of choice.  

Article Segments

• Article 1 – making the zone test negative
• Article 2 – using this technique to determine personal film speed and development time(s), without a densitometer.
• Article 3 – checking the spot meter for linearity, and what to do if it’s not linear.

"My proper poof contact prints are done at a lower-than-normal contrast (about what we old-timers used to call Grade 1), so my visible zones for a properly exposed and normally developed negative (non-black to non-white) are Zone 1.5 to Zone 8.5. Please be aware that there is LOTS of detail that could be registered on your film above Zone VIII, it's just a pain in the butt to get it to show up in your print (i.e., an opportunity for dodging and burning)."

Paul is a rare photographer because of his masterful mind and his ability to tell stories via his photographic art.  Paul earned a Ph.D. from Yale University and he worked for Bell Laboratories for nearly 25 years before pursuing his love for analog photography full time.  Paul's understanding of film speed and development is unparalleled and his ability to explain the details is a defining moment for many photographers.  

Paul's work has appeared in numerous juried competitions and solo exhibitions, most recently at the Baldwin Gallery at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the Panopticon Gallery in Boston, Massachusetts, the Mugar Art Gallery at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire, the Martin Museum of Art at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and the Edgewater Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont.  Wainwright’s work is included in the permanent collections of both private and corporate collectors, including the Boston Public Library in Boston, Massachusetts, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Stratham, New Hampshire. - www.paulwainwrightphotography.com

-Tim Layton 

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

I have been testing a variety of developers and films over the last couple of months for a new series of Pure Platinum prints that I am making.  My process is Pure Platinum because I do not use any palladium in my process.  I decided to start creating some exposures and process the large format sheet film via my normal routine (HP5, FP4 in D-76 or Pyrocat HD) in my Jobo processor.  

ANALOG WORKFLOW

My creative workflow is completely analog, meaning that I create large format sheet film negatives with my large format cameras that produce negatives the same size as my Pure Platinum prints.  I hand coat my platinum sensitizer on Hahnemühle Platinum Rag Paper and follow a well-tested regiment to ultimately create my Pure Platinum prints.  It is imperative that I have total control over my negative creation process as well as the ability to manage all of the platinum printing variables.

EXPLORING OPTIONS 

I created some platinum prints from the negatives that I typically create and while they were acceptable, there was something missing that I couldn't exactly put my finger on.  I wanted my collectors to feel like they could fall into my Pure Platinum prints and offer them something very special.  

I started to explore some new options, and that is when I connected with Steve Sherman.  Steve is on the advisory board at Darkroom Underground, so we communicate on a variety of topics regarding the publication.  When I learned about the impactful results Steve was able to achieve via Pyrocat HD using his finely tuned semi-stand process for his silver gelatin prints, I knew I needed to explore this in the framework of my Pure Platinum process.  

For those of you that are interested in establishing a personal exposure index (EI) for your films and taking control of your black and white film development, Paul Wainwright is writing a series of articles in the Darkroom Underground that walks photographers through every step of his visual-based process.  (hint....no densitometer required!)

The negative at the top of this article is a sheet of HP5+ exposed at EI 400 and developed for 2 full stops of highlight expansion using Pyrocat HD and the methodology that I learned from Steve.  I had to conduct my own series of tests, which I will continue to do over time, in order to find the right combination of variables to produce the types of negatives that I needed for the elongated tonal scale required for my Pure Platinum prints.  I have a lot of printing to do over the next few months, but I feel like I am on a good path now that will elevate my artwork to a new level.  

Steve has been researching and perfecting his process since 2003 and he continues to be a treasure-trove of knowledge.  As I continue to collaborate with Steve on fine tuning my workflow variables, I am very optimistic about the long-term possibilities in regards to my Pure Platinum prints.  

FILM DEVELOPMENT WORKFLOW CHANGE

Because I need to take full advantage of the Pyrocat HD stain, I decided to switch fixers to Formulary's TF-4 archival rapid fixer.  This fixer is known to work well with staining developers, so I went ahead and made the change.  Technically you don't even need a stop bath when using TF-4 and it also eliminates the need for a hypo-clearing agent, which further simplifies my workflow, not to mention the cost savings too.  TF-4 is non-hardening, so if a photographer chooses to tone their prints, it is a good option here as well.  I dilute my TF-4 1:3 in distilled water for my large format Pyrocat HD negatives.  I routinely travel and develop films in my Sprinter van on the road, so this modification in my workflow significantly helped me while working remote. 

As I continue in this new journey, I will create new articles along with images of my Pure Platinum prints. 

-Tim Layton 

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our  readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

Iceland, An Uneasy Calm by Tim Rudman is something very special. I purchased of of the 75 signed and numbered deluxe collector's edtion, which included a copy of the book in a collectors clamshell box and a limited edition silver gelatin print. I choose, White Church With Fence, as my print.  

I am delighted to share my thoughts about Tim's book and fine art print.  I have been following and reading Tim's books on photography for decades.  He has inspired me to try new things in my work and he has provided an incredible amount of knowledge that has helped me explore and create artwork that I otherwise may have never tried.  

I am happy to report that Tim will be sharing some of his prints in the July edition of Darkroom Underground along with a full Q&A section about this project.  

REVIEW

When the box arrived, I knew the book and fine art print was going to be something very special.  Based on decades of work and writings by Tim, the bar was very high in my mind.  I cleared the kitchen table and slowly opened the package, placing the black clamshell box in a position where the front cover was opened and the fine art print was on the left.  I looked away and closed my eyes because I wanted to slowly open them and get my initial impressions of the print.  Without fully realizing I was talking out loud, I actually said "WOW".  I didn't realize I was saying this out loud because that is what I was thinking in my mind.  I continued to repeat myself a few more times.  It has been said before, but to truly experience fine art like Tim's prints, you must see them in person to fully appreciate the beauty and emotional impact.  In an over busy technology-driven world, it is a joyful opportunity to sit down in a quiet and peaceful place to view a fine art print that was handmade by an artist with film, light, darkroom chemicals, and paper.  No computer was used or required to create this elegant and impactful piece of art.   

The book is masterfully done as well.  The layout is impactful as well as logical and the reproduction of the prints are a faithful rendering of the original prints.  The book is substantial in terms of weight and volume.  I was amazed at the number of fine art images that were included in the book.  I had high expectations based on Tim's past performance, but he exceeded every expectation I had.  I will continue to return to Tim's book and fine art print on a regular basis for inspiration in my own work and to simply enjoy and appreciate art. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to experience the landscape of Iceland through Tim Rudman's eyes.   

VIDEO 

In this 10 minute video, Tim walks viewers through his darkroom printing process for the project.  The video is like a masters class on darkroom printing.  Tim does an incredible job at describing the art and craft that goes into making handmade silver gelatin darkroom prints. His attention to detail is second to none and the delivery of the information is calming and uplifting. 

OVERVIEW BY AUTHOR/PHOTOGRAPHER

"Iceland, 'The Land of Fire and Ice’, has a strong and omnipresent ‘Middle Earth’ feel to it. Evidence of its volcanic origin is everywhere. Geysers spurt, mud pools boil and steam billows from the ground. The central highlands are unpopulated and barren. Glistening glacial caps crown the mountains and extend long white fingers down to light-sucking lava deserts, whilst bible-black beaches lie fringed with white surf. Thundering waterfalls abound, whilst craggy caves and peaks, often shrouded in mist and low cloud, provide a home to some of Iceland’s trolls and ‘hidden people'. In summer the days extend through the nights. In winter the nights eat up the days. Changes in the weather are frequent and storms can be spectacular. Brooding skies accentuate the already dramatic and sometimes eerie landscape where trolls lurk at night and get turned to stone by daylight. It is a land of myth and magic, of fearsome subterranean power and spectacular scenery."

ABOUT TIM RUDMAN

Tim Rudman is a fine art photographer and darkroom printer working  exclusively with film and wet processing. His name is inextricably linked with the monochrome darkroom and in particular with the processes of toning and lith printing, in which he is regarded as the leading authority. His books on these subjects are treasured around the world and are held largely responsible for the current popularity of these processes.  His involvement with Photography began in the 1960’s whilst studying medicine in London. He taught himself to print in the darkroom and with his distinctive style he quickly gained some early recognition and publication. His work has been exhibited in over 50 countries, gaining many awards.  Tim is a member of The London Salon of Photography, a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts and a Fellow of The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. He was a recipient of the Society’s Fenton Medal in 2013.
He has taught at many centers, including The Ansel Adams Center in California; Glendale & Santa Monica Colleges, California; The Creative Center of Photography, Hollywood; The Photographic Center North West, Seattle; The Photographers Formulary workshop center, Montana; University of W. Sydney and University of NSW, Australia; University of Tasmania, Thames Valley University, London and many other centers in Canada, Spain, Ireland and the UK. His work is represented in a number of permanent and private collections around the world.  For many years he pursued his two loves of medicine and photography, but now devotes his time to photography. He lives in the southeast of England near London.

-Tim Layton 

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

DIY Large Format Sheet Film Development TubesYou may also enjoy my free darkroom photography newsletter and my magazine, The Darkroom Underground, devoted exclusively to analog photography covering a balance of technical and creative topics. In a previous article, I share my motivations and reasons why I am building PVC development tubes to use in my film development processes.  

After having tested several different scenarios, I have refined my approach to building and using the PVC tubes for my semi-stand development process.  

First, I should mention that you should use gray electrical schedule 40 or 80 pipe or black ABS pipe because these materials are fully light safe.  By using one of these two materials, it makes things easier for you.  

Regular white PVC schedule 40 that is used in plumbing is not light safe and when working in normal room light, many people have reported their films are getting fogged.  One solution that I tested that seems to have resolved this issue is to paint the white PVC with a marine paint called Plasti Dip. Technically this is a rubber coating inside of an aerosol can that provides an opaque coating on the white PVC.  An added benefit is that it provides a nice tactile surface that helps when handling the tubes during processing.  

In the beginning, I was not able to find gray end caps or male/female adaptors for my tubes, so I purchased white caps and painted them with the Plasti Dip and I haven't had any issues with film fogging.  Refer to the photo at the top of this article.  

I will continue to build and test a variety of tube designs and I will be sharing my final conclusions and recommendations in the July edition of Darkroom Underground.  I have found variables during the use of my different designs that I am learning that either impacts the development process or in some cases, I simply don't like the way it handles.  Share a comment below, or ask a question, and I am happy to help in any way that I can. 

-Tim Layton 

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

I have been following the recent troubles of the new Kodak (NYSE:KODK) and I wish there was better news to report.  The stock has been tumbling down for a while now and in March, it took at 20% fall after a poor earnings report was issued on March 7th.  This single event literally erased all of the gains the recovering company had made since January of 2016 (the comeback year after bankruptcy).

Kodak Alaris, the spin-off of Eastman Kodak that produces the photographic film products, may also be in trouble. The company stated that it had plans to shut down one of its five major manufacturing facilities at the end of 2016.  I have not been able to confirm if that happened or not.  Born out of the Kodak bankruptcy, Kodak Alaris was created in 2013 to “keep the Kodak legacy alive.” But according to getwestlondon in April of last year, the company is already in trouble.

What does this mean for photographers?  If you are not relying on Kodak film and chemicals for your work, then there probably isn't much of a direct impact.  I don't think it is good for the industry as a whole, but thankfully Ilford (Harmon Technology) is alive and well after their fair share of obstacles.  The wiki page on Ilford is interesting if you want to know more about the company changes over time. Also, don't forget to take advantage of Ilford Annual film ordering program where you can order common and uncommon film sizes until May 26th, 2017.  

I personally moved away from Tri-X and T-Max large format sheet films several years ago for two primary reasons.  I was directly concerned about the longterm viability of the company and secondly, I was going broke buying their films.  I took a year and evaluated the Ilford alternatives (FP4+ and HP5+).  After performing proper testing and working through the variables, I am very happy that I made the switch and things for now seem to be on level ground with Ilford films.  If at some point in the future, Ilford goes through something similar with their films that we are currently seeing with Kodak, then I will adapt and either pour my own emsulsions on film base, glass plates, or paper.  Many other options exist such as wet plate collodion negatives, dry plates, darkroom paper as negatives, and so on.  Creativity and personal expression are not limited to what manufacturers are able to mass produce.  

COST OF SHEET FILM

Using B&H Photo as a reference, I priced a box of Tri-X and a box of HP5+.  50 sheets of Tri-X was listed for $114.99 for a cost of $2.30 per sheet.  HP5+ is sold in 25 sheet boxes for $32.95 or $124.90 for 100 sheets.  The cost per sheet for HP5 in the 25 box is $1.31 and in the 100 box count the cost per sheet is $1.25.  It is fairly easy to figure out that Tri-X is about a 56% premium over HP5+.  In other words, you can basically get twice the HP5+ film for the price of Tri-X.  After having used HP5 for a few years now and having been a long-time user and supporter of Tri-X, I would not pay the premium to use Tri-X, even if I could afford it.  In regards to 8x10 film, Tri-X has been “back ordered” for a while now and I am not sure of its availability in the future.  

KODAK STOCK SUMMARY

John Bromels provides an excellent summary that is much better than I could provide:

"Despite turning its first annual profit since it filed for bankruptcy protection in 2012, the company's 2016 earnings report left the market unimpressed. Revenue was way down, from $1.7 billion to $1.5 billion, a 10% drop from 2015. In spite of that, the company managed to post a $16 million profit, up $91 million from its $75 million loss in 2015.

The company also issued 2017 guidance that wasn't encouraging. It predicted revenue of $1.4 billion to $1.5 billion, lower than in 2016. Its predictions for operational EBITDA were not much better, at $130 million to $145 million, compared to 2016's $144 million.

However, this guidance is now a bit out of date, since it was provided under the assumption that the company's Prosper inkjet printer business -- which was for sale despite seeing a 40% increase in annuity sales in 2016 -- would be discontinued. On Friday, April 7, Kodak announced it was holding on to the business and expects the enterprise inkjet systems division, one of its smallest divisions by revenue, to turn a profit this year. 

Regardless, the company's fortunes will rise or fall based on the performance of its print systems business. Print systems is by far the company's largest division, responsible for more revenue than all of its other divisions put together. The print systems division provides digital printing plates and services to commercial industries, and it is experiencing tremendous pricing pressure. Kodak is hoping that innovation will allow it to develop products "that can command premium prices [to] offset some of this long-term market price erosion.""

-Tim Layton 

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”-Pablo Picasso

I love this quote from Pablo Picasso because it gets at a core issue that I think many creative people overlook.  The world bombards us with messages that are counterproductive for artists.  

Life routinely beats the dream of being an artist out of many people.  Some of us lose determination over time while others may focus more on other aspects in life and lose interest.  Some of us listen to bad advice, like how impractical certain desires are, and we allow the naysayers to crush our dreams.  It doesn't have to be this way.  

I think is very common for aspiring artists to make a series of bad decisions that limits their ability and freedom to create.  Like anything, you have to be involved and active in order to make progress.  If you are sitting on the sidelines, you can't expect the right kinds of things to happen.  If being an artist was easy, no one would invest the best years of their life doing a job they are not passionate about.  

The average person is bombarded with messages of consumption from the moment they wake up until they go to bed.  The world wants you to be on a neverending treadmill of debt.  You have to work through these issues and remain focused and dedicated to your mission.  More gear or stuff won't make you a better artist.  Photographers in particular are vulnerable to the idea that better or newer equipment will make a difference in their success.  Success has many different faces, you have to decide your own definition.  I decided a long time ago that success for me was personal freedom to create and share my work with people that appreciate it.  I didn't mention money anywhere in my definition.  While a certain amount of income is necessary for personal survival, money won't singularly define you as being a successful artist.  I suggest focusing on experiences and relationships over money.  

Peer pressure to buy things you don't need and consume meaningless items is a dream killer for many.  Determination alone is not enough.  Artist's need clear goals and plans, just like any other profession.  There are indicators that can provide clues that you are on the right track, but you have to be willing to be transparent and build a supportive network.  Very few people, if any, every become successful alone.  Make friends, connect with people that are plugged into your dream, and do your part by mastering the small things on a daily basis.  Consistency beats a big splash every time.    

7 Tips For Aspiring Artists

1 - Be yourself, don’t chase popular 

2 - Don’t compete or compare yourself to others 

3 - Socialize with other artists and encourage them 

4 - Don’t be a douchebag, be humble 

5 - Never give up, don’t put your art on hold 

6 - Resist spending money on non-essentials 

7 - Art requires a marketing strategy and a business plan 

-Tim Layton 

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops

Testing my DIY LF development tubesYou may also enjoy my free darkroom photography newsletter and my magazine, The Darkroom Underground, devoted exclusively to analog photography covering a balance of technical and creative topics. I have continued to test my DIY development tubes with Pyrocat HD and the semi-stand process.  I discovered something that I think would be helpful for other photographers to know. You may want to review update number 1, and the original article for context. 

First, and most important, I am happy to report that I have successfully developed 21 sheets of 5x7 sheet film, 10 sheets of 4x5, and 10 sheets of 8x10 in the tubes.  The good news is that the tubes provide a very reliable and repeatable method for doing semi-stand development using large format sheet film and Pyrocat HD.  The bad news is that you can only really effectively develop one sheet at a time.  I suspect I could possibly figure out a way to get 2 or 3 tubes staggered in a development timeline, but that just sounds too stressful! I may have to resort to this for those times when I have a lot of films to develop.  

My development times range from about 45 minutes to 75 minutes (including all steps in the process).  So, if you had 10 sheets of film, you could be looking at a substantial investment of time to develop your films.  That isn't the end of the world, but time is valuable and I would rather invest that time making platinum prints.  

I started down another path and since I own several Jobo expert drums for 8x10, 5x7, and 4x5 sheet films, I have been testing the process for developing multiple sheets at once, using the Jobo Expert drum as an extra large development tube.  It sounds great in theory, but in three separate tests, I get very strange streaking and odd development artifacts on about 20% of the sheet films.  I have concluded this is most likely because it is almost impossible to get the Pyrocat HD developer to fill the full volume of the development chambers fast enough.  I am abandoning this idea because I have wasted enough film at this point. 

I just ordered some BTZS tubes for 8x10 and 4x5.  This could be a more expensive alternative to the DIY PVC tubes for some people.  I am sure they will work, I just need to work through the process and see how it goes.  I don't think there are any real advantages over the DIY PVC tubes, other than you don't have to make the tubes.  I needed the BTZS tubes for a separate project, so I thought I would leverage them for testing the semi-stand development and report back how that goes. 

-Tim Layton 

The Darkroom Underground is your analog photography magazine produced on a quarterly basis serving photographers, artists, collectors, and readers around the world.  The Darkroom Underground publishes a balance of technical and creative articles in every issue along with featured photographers and their portfolios. We are pleased to offer editorial from internationally recognized photographers and writers and also publish articles and portfolios from our readers. 

If you like this type of article then you will probably enjoy my free darkroom newsletter and my darkroom and large format video-based workshops