I just finished loading a half dozen 6x9 sheet film holders with Efke PL 100.
For those (most) of you who don't know, this is an old-fashioned B&W film with
a very high silver content. In a format more than five times the size of 35mm,
even developed in Rodinol, the grain is not even close to being a problem, and
the tonal scale, acutance and detail are just out of sight -- way too good to
waste time scanning and posting for viewing on computer screens, where even
digital stuff looks good.
But I noticed that the instructions on the back of the film box say this: "The
emulsioned [sic.] side of the film is facing you when the cutting is in the
right or in the left lower corner." What's Croation for "upper right"? Good
thing I still remember which way is which with sheet film.
And shooting MF B&W more and more these days is keeping me further and further
from digital. Digital don't do B&W worth a s**t. And having been temporarily
seduced by color, I had almost forgotten that B&W is more like REAL
photography. It's about light and shadow and seeing. Color is just ... well,
it's nice for the butterflies, posies, vacation pictures and family snapshots.
But how many of those pictures can you take and still feel proud when you get
'em home still warm from Wally-World?
I'm going to take that promised afternoon nap now. Tomorrow, I'm going out
early to do some real photography while the light is still magic and the coffee
is kicking in. It'll be B&W, of course.
Walt
--
"Anything more than 500 yards from
the car just isn't photogenic." --
Edward Weston
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