Fabulous Film Fridays, September 23 – Down In the Mine
These are some images from the Nordegg minesite taken with Effie, my Nikon FE. I’m still waiting on my 4×5 film from our August photo tour to the mine; there’s no one in Calgary who will process this film anymore, so we had to ship it to Vancouver. Perhaps the anticipation of waiting for film is part of the fun, but having to wait weeks is stretching it. I just hope that someone in Canada still keeps accepting it! Technology can be great, but it can also be a big, fat bummer.
I took these images so long ago that I can’t remember the film in the camera (a hazard of using film when you are a lazy, digital shooter). They are so grainy though that it must have been 400 speed film. Or else all the old film I’m using up is breaking down, one of the two. I think it adds though to the rustic, industrial nature of the mine. An abstractionist’s paradise!
Sam's Rant 
Sam
As a one-time user of a 4×5 Speed Graphic and long-time user of a wet darkroom, why nor soup your own film? It’s the E6 process, or C41? Either are manageable in a home darkroom. Heck I used to do Cibachrome printing. Now THAT was touchy stuff.
ps I regret selling my FE every time you write about Effie. Bought the F3, Not as much as I regret selling my FM, however, which I did when I went digital three years ago.
I may just have to do that…I have some darkroom stuff but I’ve been intimidated to start. The thing is, it is a very cool and thoughtful art process but it is impractical for modern day businesses in photography. I think I’ll continue with film but perhaps more as a ‘slow’ hobby where you really take your time and make a print every month or so. Then I’ll sell them for a zillion dollars and retire to a lofty peak somewhere!
I was just thinking the same thing. I’ve never done color development/darkroom work though, only B&W, so I don’t know how hard the color stuff would be. If you shot B&W film it’d probably be easier to develop yourself.
I really like these, Sam, looks like there’s some good “character” (if I can call it that) to these frames. Can’t wait to see some from the 4×5!
Peter may be right — if you guys keep hangin’ with the film, you may end up needing your own darkroom. 🙂
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Hi Sam – you might like this video – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr3KFa0pLbI – C41 is just as easy..
Why don’t you show us some rebate (ooh err!) so we can tell you the film…
Tim
Thanks for the link! Uhh, what’s rebate (remember my tender years!)