tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58253725647154775232011-12-22T19:07:18.406ZMy journey in black and white film photographyIrina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.comBlogger471100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-30135815472926330682011-12-22T19:07:00.000Z2011-12-22T19:07:18.415Z

Ok, this has happened to me before. Last time I sincerely thought this simply was the developer gone bad. And it really was the case. However I have no idea what is the reason of the very weird background this time... Bad developer? Too much fixing? Something else? I have asked the question on Flickr. Let's see what will come back...

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-27705312092056213782011-10-24T10:05:00.000+01:002011-10-24T10:05:17.417+01:00

After my previous misfortunes with the Adox I had a much better luck this time. As I was shipping almost illegally my photography chemicals to Dubai and had nightmares about getting jailed I decided I will only go for essential stuff - like developer and fixer. So I no longer have a stop bath, but let's face it - you can obviously live without it. The other issue with Dubai is - it is hot.

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-69255791942960511442011-10-24T09:50:00.001+01:002011-10-24T09:50:59.108+01:00

Some time ago after a cry to all friends and relatives I am looking for old film cameras I got an almost brand new Smena.  Now the specifics of a Smena is that there is absolutely no way to find out what the speed and aperture should be set to. The film advance mechanism is very funny where you rewind the film until you think you have rewind enough. Guesstimation to the max! What

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-68441942466571113102011-07-29T21:02:00.000+01:002011-07-29T21:02:44.542+01:00

As I am running low on developer and being a bit lazy as well I thought I will develop the roll of Rollei 100 doing stand development. I am fairly pleased with the experience given Rollei 100 is not amongst my favourite films and also my previous experience with it was mostly grain and burnt areas. This time though I got very clear film and quite good shadows. very little grain as well. There is

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-74852799483069897632011-07-29T20:26:00.002+01:002011-07-30T09:51:22.572+01:00

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-52160194913777053292011-06-24T23:23:00.001+01:002011-06-24T23:44:47.795+01:00

Late London autumn looks surprisingly good in B&W. And a Kodak 400TX is an excellent film to take it.

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-89248499811223176022011-06-24T23:11:00.000+01:002011-06-24T23:11:20.061+01:00

... especially when you do film photography. I haven't developed a single film in 2011 due to many different reasons, but mainly because I didn't feel like it.  I have now stocked up on fresh developer, my Pentax mirror is no longer stuck, days are long and I have found new inspiration in the fact I will be leaving London in August to a sandier, sunnier, warmer part of the world - the Middle East

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-59792966229340621142011-02-12T20:33:00.000Z2011-02-12T20:33:14.346Z

My Pentax has a stuck mirror, which means I haven't shot a single roll of film in the past three months. The good news is that it might be fixable. My computer has died. Hopefully I will be able to recover my archive of digital photos. The good news is that all my negatives can always be rescanned. This is an image I took in Soho on a walk late evening in November. It was already dark in the

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-45377429793018170902010-12-26T01:05:00.000Z2010-12-26T01:05:25.732Z

I took this on Christmas Day last year. It has been a good year. I learned how to develop and print B&W, I have been experimenting with film, got new cameras, took some great pictures, shot and put together my first photo story. I still have a long way to go before I am able to produce the images that are in my head. For the year to come I want to wish for myself patience and courage to find and

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-5696813631371692262010-12-12T21:50:00.000Z2010-12-12T21:50:06.908Z

I did a course on Documentary Photography back in summer at Zoom-In and one of the advices the tutor gave us back than was to look to as many photographs as possible, to talk about the things we like and what makes us attracted to a story. So I have started collecting photography blogs and blogs that publish photographs that I find inspirational. I am mostly interested in documentary, reportage

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-44625147123162905082010-11-22T22:00:00.000Z2010-11-22T22:00:56.521Z

When you take a picture of someone do you invade there personal space? Do you steal a moment from them? Is the camera a weapon that threatens you to show you to the world in a way you wouldn't want yourself to be shown?

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-75573138973736097232010-11-21T21:46:00.000Z2010-11-21T21:46:51.322Z

These are my favourites from four autumn films I shot around London. I had the misfortune to loose the screws that keep the back of the Zenit closed, so I one of the films is mostly ruined. The first and the last pictures are from that ruined film...

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-10090368298718680752010-11-21T21:32:00.000Z2010-11-21T21:32:00.914Z

I generally shoot with a wide open lens since the Pentax is loaded most of the times with a 100 ISO film and light has been scarce as of lately in London. Despite of that you can't really say if I have been shooting with a wide open lens, unless it is a portrait. Like this one. On the contrary the way the Helios lens on the Zenit renders the background is so much more visible. I know both

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-54049671455611297332010-11-17T22:40:00.000Z2010-11-17T22:40:48.029Z

Not quite black and white, but this is a sneak peak at my autumn London pictures. I don't really shoot colour, partially because I shoot a lot on the street and London streets don't seem too colourful to me. I also haven't been able so far to get very vivid colours. Could be the scanner, could be the film as well. The other very simple reason is the price of colour film

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-90529431174206782942010-11-17T22:28:00.001Z2010-11-17T22:31:54.483Z

I have always been very sceptical about shooting film in low light, let alone 100 ISO film in the middle of the night. As you can see it is quite possible. This was an exposure of about 30 seconds and the camera was on a tripod. I like how we are both looking ghost like. I have a 1600 ISO film I have been keeping in the fridge for some special occasion, I am not even sure why I bought it or what

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-62834778728893028032010-11-14T21:38:00.001Z2010-11-17T22:25:27.180Z

Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall, October 2010 I really liked how the old woman was looking small and alone in the concrete background of the Royal Festival Hall. I could have done better on composition. Different lens and even may be a square format would have done the trick. 

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-30135177055185280432010-11-14T21:29:00.001Z2010-11-14T21:30:23.671Z

Ever ready to experiment with film I use, I am still to find the film to replace Acros 100 from my heart. Rollei Retro 100 is ok, fine I would even say. Gives a very good contrast, almost no grain when using stand development and Rodinal. However I still can't get quite right the exposure for it... This is what I'm talking about:  Burnt areas. Lot's of grain as well. Sharp and good contract

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-8258255284855628962010-11-13T23:08:00.003Z2010-11-14T21:35:20.573Z

A great brunch with wonderful friends few weeks back.  Nadya (with a lamp growing out of her head... Sorry about this, otherwise I love the shot!) Stephanie Yat Wan

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-14790705941696674932010-11-08T22:24:00.000Z2010-11-08T22:24:25.888Z

I have a few upcoming posts about the photography courses I have been doing recently as well as to share some more images of autumn in London and around. In the mean time the above is an image from my first roll of Rollei 100 film.

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-30454697098834283412010-10-06T22:39:00.000+01:002010-10-06T22:39:39.107+01:00

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-65589674559524415792010-10-06T22:35:00.000+01:002010-10-06T22:35:26.721+01:00

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-28741147050020540112010-10-06T22:26:00.000+01:002010-10-06T22:26:17.967+01:00

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-79490361058691981842010-10-06T22:24:00.001+01:002010-10-06T22:24:28.458+01:00

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-22580967342037989712010-10-05T22:05:00.000+01:002010-10-05T22:05:39.690+01:00

The Acros 100 film from the Fed was not necessarily a good one to judge how stand development is different from my usual development timings.  So here is a Fomapan 100 film developed for one hour in Rodinal (R09 to be exact). I used 2,5 ml of developer in a 300 ml tank. The thing is the development time for Fomapan in R09 in a 1+25 dilution is only 3,5 minutes, where as for the Acros in the same

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-7910372338070453732010-10-03T22:36:00.001+01:002010-10-03T22:38:27.101+01:00

After the disaster with the expired developer I have managed to try stand development. Stand development is a different development method where you basically use a very small amount of developer and leave the film for 1 hour for the developer to do its job. Now I am no expert in the whole agitation business (people say that agitation seriously affects how your film looks afterwards, I can't

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-75306918154001379152010-10-03T01:13:00.001+01:002010-10-03T01:15:05.451+01:00

I found this man at a hotel where I was staying earlier this week. I thought he would be really interesting to photograph: his pipe, the posture, the way he was sitting seemed like it can make a great story. So I went up and asked him if I can take a few pictures of him, he was really nice to say yes. Although I am generally satisfied of what came out as a result. There are a few things I wish

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-69187503160957450082010-10-02T00:40:00.001+01:002010-10-03T01:19:47.252+01:00

And it is indeed a disaster. After being able to get out the most fantastic shades ever from the Pentax, Acros and Rodinal I finally thought I got this... Couldn't have been more wrong.  I use R09 One shot developer which is basically Rodinal under a new name sold in the UK. It is a very unstable developer and you only mix it before you actually start developing as much as you need. The

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-86630513934748497852010-09-28T18:10:00.004+01:002010-09-28T18:10:57.447+01:00

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-30477077463527657752010-09-23T14:11:00.000+01:002010-09-23T14:11:47.890+01:00

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-8775015380457153822010-09-19T21:28:00.000+01:002010-09-19T21:28:57.947+01:00

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-18318661966290224742010-09-19T21:23:00.000+01:002010-09-19T21:23:24.668+01:00

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-12159840954711854072010-09-19T21:18:00.001+01:002010-09-19T21:30:40.658+01:00

Experimenting is a good thing. That is how I found my favourite film so far - Acros 100. Pity soon it will be way to grey and dark in London to use it. I went this Friday to buy some film as I was running low and I thought I would go adventures and try something new, the only film Silverprint has in stock and I haven't tried so far was something called Adox. Cheap and cheerful, so why not try it

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-11474059759631522882010-09-19T00:22:00.003+01:002010-09-19T00:50:02.302+01:00

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-43657004348772141172010-09-08T21:25:00.000+01:002010-09-08T21:25:02.658+01:00

My magical friend Marjam turns a year older and wiser. Happy birthday, Marjam! I took the picture in the evening in very low light, without a flash on a Kodak 400 TX film, hence the grain and the lack of sharpness.

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-67247399002650210862010-09-07T21:29:00.000+01:002010-09-07T21:29:33.585+01:00

People look at you as though you are from another century when they see you with a film camera, it takes about an hour to develop a film, dry it and scan it, you don't know what will come out. But than you get this. And you know you have the most fantastic hobby in the world! This is Acros 100 - the best film I have come across so far! In Rodinal it comes super soft, no grain, wonderful tones.

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-879754301115389162010-08-11T23:11:00.001+01:002010-08-11T23:12:39.480+01:00

So it might seem to you you have seen this before, however, this is Di Lieto's final edit. It has been indeed a painful process. Painful because I have shot a lot of stuff. Really. There are pictures I love and there are pictures that can be put together to make a lot of sense. My story started with the bread. It was supposed to be a story about the bread. Gradually Giovanni came in, eventhough

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-61710913574818082832010-08-03T21:21:00.000+01:002010-08-03T21:21:22.292+01:00

I have realized that anyone can take a good picture. Seriously. The issue is editing whatever you have shot. It is so bloody difficult. I am so stuck on editing the Di Lieto photo project that words can't possibly describe. After deciding the story is about the bread, my tutor ever so nicely asked, can she please, see some more people on my pictures. As most of my stuff was close ups - hands,

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-70852759530209335432010-07-27T22:23:00.001+01:002010-07-27T22:25:05.434+01:00

It is now two weeks after my first to Di Lieto visit and I have shot 11 films. One came underdeveloped, three have been developed with the wrong amount of developer, four have been over developed, three came out as they should may be. You live you learn. It has been a very exciting process, not only in terms of actually being out there and putting myself out of my comfort zone when I had to talk

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-71812812593287912332010-07-20T21:24:00.003+01:002010-07-22T23:15:01.544+01:00

I thought no drying misfortunes this time. I will share something I have been working on for past few weeks. I started a Documentary Photography Course at Zoom-in which is another reason why I love SW9! It is smack on my door step. Also compared to the ridiculous fees at St. Martin's this seemed like a great value for money. Our assignment in the first week was to shoot portraits, relationships

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-44017745004138052142010-07-12T19:06:00.001+01:002010-07-12T19:08:04.789+01:00

Will, I ever get this right? This time we have water marks! Yeah! Not too much wiping, so the hard water did its best to leave marks. I have bought now a bottle of Photo Flo and it will hopefully save me from more drying disasters.... Yes, I am talking about the white spot in top left corner...

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-90069083780104703242010-07-12T18:51:00.000+01:002010-07-12T18:51:04.035+01:00

This is to remember I should not be using the Fuji 100 film. Ever. Again. This is why - flat colours. This is quite striking compared to the Fuji Superia which back in autumn has given me this. Well, ok, this was also shot on the Zenit. The above by Pentax MeSuper, but still....

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-14765025739411326322010-06-30T22:11:00.000+01:002010-06-30T22:11:15.195+01:00

So far my biggest issue has been drying negatives. I don't seem to be able to dry them without leaving any marks... I thought this time to avoid the scratching I will use a tissue to wipe off the water. Bad idea. Tissue is fluffy, so leaves stuff behind and you can end up with this - lot's of small white stuff. On another note. I have tried a new film Acros 100, which is a different speed

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-54053745747339944162010-06-23T20:44:00.002+01:002010-06-23T21:03:31.401+01:00

Just when I thought I got it right this time: almost no spilling around, metering correctly, right development time, etc. here comes my newly discovered 'not to do'. One of the spirals I use is a bit sticky and of course I managed to get that one, as a result the film would not roll in properly as a result on a shot which otherwise would have been rather nice I get those white lines out of

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-53872609462921412842010-06-15T21:29:00.000+01:002010-06-15T21:29:43.245+01:00

With the confidence that I now know how to do it I thought this time I will develop the two Ilford HP5+ films together, in other words in the same developing tank. So far so good. With a bit of spillage and mess since I didn't get everything mixed when I should have done so I got the films developed. Opening the tank, first film looked ok. However disaster struck with taking out the second film.

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-88883231949959888692010-06-15T20:43:00.001+01:002010-06-15T20:47:43.180+01:00

The first try after buying lots of chemicals, thermometer and all was with a half of Ilford HP5+ film that was left over from the course I did in January. I have used half the film so I had been left with more or less 16 exposures.  So there we are. I am using R09 one shot developer which means I need to measure very small (like 7 ml) amounts of developer to mix with water. The tall bottle is

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-676048298429616902010-06-13T21:32:00.000+01:002010-06-13T21:32:08.667+01:00

I currently have four cameras: three film and one digital. The digital is a Nikon D60 and the film cameras are (left to right): Zenit Em with a 44 mm lens, Pentax SuperMe with a 50 mm SMC lens and Smena 8 with an incomprehensable lens. :) The Zenit is my dad's, the Pentax I got from a colleague who no longer uses it and the Smena came from a friend of my mum's after my desperate cry for long

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5825372564715477523.post-81169040472588021092010-06-13T21:03:00.001+01:002010-06-13T21:07:49.715+01:00

I will keep this simple and very much usual. I am Irina, I was born Bulgarian and currently live in London. The first camera I ever used was my dad's Zenit EM which is still with me and takes beautiful pictures. I love photography and I have discovered the wonderful art of at home black and white development only now. This is my dedicated place of sharing my experience, misfortunes and luck of

Irina Rusevahttps://profiles.google.com/113946262025153468426noreply@blogger.com2