Kodak bankruptcy plan approved, former film giant exits consumer business

The Kodak planning to exit from bankruptcy on September 3rd looks very different from the familiar imaging company that filed for Chapter 11 last year. The U.S. Bankruptcy court has approved Kodak's plan for reorganization, a step that means the company can resume independent operation soon. CEO Antonio M. Perez issued a statement emphasizing Kodak's move into commercial imaging for a profitable future, including "packaging, functional printing and professional services."

Over a year into bankruptcy, Kodak has moved rapidly away from consumer business. With approval of the bankruptcy plan, its Personal Imaging business, which includes kiosks and production of Kodak film, will now be sold to UK employees' pension plan. The brand name is also under license by J.K. Imaging, currently selling superzooms, compacts and waterproof video cameras bearing the Kodak name. It's also teased a Kodak S-1 - a prototype Micro Four Thirds camera with built-in Wi-Fi - and an enthusiast compact with a 28-112mm equivalent F1.8-2.5 lens that's suspiciously similar to the Olympus XZ-2's zoom.
Kodak also dropped its consumer printing division last year - what remains is Kodak's commercial and B2B imaging services, business that could carry the much leaner company back into profitability. Betting on this segment of the market for survival, a post-bankruptcy Kodak is hardly recognizable as the company that inspired its own 'moment.'

Via: USA Today

 

Pyrocat HDC

Favorite Film Developer: Pyrocat HDC

Most of the photos on this site were developed with Pyrocat HD or its variant HDC. It's inexpensive, lasts forever when prepared in Glycol and gives excellent negatives with fine grain, excellent tonal separation and good film speed. Because it's a tanning and staining developer, grain is blocked in proportion to density and highlight rendition is excellent.
People have used pyro-based developers since the 1800's, not only because they make good negatives, but also because the pyro stain results in negatives that are perfectly suited for printing with UV-sensitive materials: Platinum/Palladium, Carbon Transfer, Kallitypes - as well as materials that are sensitive to the visible spectrum, like silver paper and... scanners !
Although Pyrocat HD is sold as a commercial product, the inventor (Sandy King) has given the formula to the public domain, so you can mix it yourself if you like. There are several variations on the formula, and I like the one which uses Vitamin C, because it's readily available, cheap and... good for you!
Here's a tip if your negatives have a bit of pink stain in spite of adequate fixing: rinse them briefly in water after fixing, then soak them in a 10% solution of Sodium Sulfite for around 10 minutes (1 teaspoon per liter). Then wash normally. Sodium Sulfite is the active ingredient in Hypo Clearing agent: if you use an acid fixer, you need that anyway (see below). If you use an alkaline fixer, a washing aid is not required, but a little Sodium Sulfite will reduce the overall image stain just enough to clear the film edge.
You can read all about it on Pyrocat HD web site.

Very Simple Film Developer: D-23

D-23 has only 2 ingredients, but produces clean negatives with fine grain, excellent tonal separation, and good film speed. It's so simple, you can mix it fresh every time. There's no need for a stock solution - nothing to expire on the shelf and surprise you.
It's very similar to D-76, but contains no Hydroquinone. As a result, it works a bit more slowly, with less danger of "runaway" high values.
Ansel Adam's classic image "Winter Sunrise from Lone Pine, 1944" was developed in D-23. Click here to read more about D-23 and his lovely photograph.
by: Kenneth Lee

Film Developing

Divided Pyrocat for Extremely High Dynamic Range

For situations of extreme contrast, Divided Pyrocat HD developer performs miracles. It's genuine divided developer: developer is absorbed in Solution A, and activated in Solution B. Developer is quickly exhausted in the high values, but continues in the low values. As a result, you scan shoot scenes where the contrast ratio is 14 stops or more, and still retain full definition across the scale.
To learn more about it and see a number of sample images, see this thread on the Large Format Photography Forum. There's another discussion concerning rotary development, here. Mixing instructions can be found on the Pyrocat HD web site.

Odorless Stop Bath: Citric Acid

You can make your own Odorless Stop Bath using Citric Acid. The Kodak SB-8 formula calls for 15 grams per liter, or 1/2 oz per quart. Or you can also use plain water for stop bath if you like. Using an acid stop bath, development is stopped instantaneously. Using water, it is stopped also, just not as abruptly. I use a weak solution of Citric Acid: 1 teaspoon per liter. Citric Acid is very cheap and harmless.

Favorite Fixer: Alkaline

Ingredient	Stock	Working
Ammonium Thiosulfite	800 ml	160 ml
Sodium Sulfite	60 g	12 g
Sodium Metaborate	5 g	1 g
Water to make	1 liter	1 liter

You can mix your own Fixer, using the traditional T-3 Alkaline Fixer formula. It has only 3 ingredients! Alkaline fixers require much less time to remove via washing, and do not require a washing aid. They have much less odor too !If you use a non-alkaline fixer, you can easily make your own washing aid: just use a teaspoon of Sodium Sulfite per liter of water, and toss it when you are done.
According to Anchell and Troop, in The Film Developing Cookbook, Alkaline Fixers have the following advantages over more traditional Acidic formulas:

1. Less danger of over-fixing
2. Shorter washing times
3. More archival
4. Greater capacity
5. More stable
6. Can be formulated to have low odor.

The T-3 Alkaline Fixer formula is intended to be diluted 1+4. Instead of making stock, you can making a working solution by dividing the amounts by 5.
It's fun - and far less expensive - to mix your own chemistry. Many of the classic formulas are available in books, and on-line at sites like Jack's Photographic and Chemistry Site.
Article by: Kenneth Lee

Camera Support

Favorite Tripod and Head

This tripod is neither the largest, smallest, heaviest, or lightest - but the Bogen 3021 BN Pro is an affordable all-around solution for holding up Medium Format, 4x5, 5x7, or 8x10 cameras. It's built strong enough, and light enough. It's not made of carbon fiber, but unless you are a trekker... who cares !
Have a look at the Manfrotto 3275 410 tripod head. It lets you make geared fine adjustments in 3 directions, independently. It's small, light, and strong. It's a treat to make adjustments this way: there is no drift.
Here's a cold-weather tip: wrap some pipe insulation around the legs, and hold it down with some inexpensive duct tape. This will keep your hands warm when you carry the tripod. Pipe insulation is very inexpensive, but you will find this very helpful in winter time. It also helps if you want to carry the tripod on your shoulders: it's soft on the body.

Leveling Head - What a Relief!

A leveling head like the Manfrotto 438 sits just below the tripod head (see yellow arrow). You get a level platform without having to adjust the legs of your tripod. This piece of equipment doesn't weigh very much, but makes life much easier - especially when shooting in the field, where the ground is rarely level.
On the right you can see the leveling head in action. The tripod itself is not level - as the red line shows - but the tripod head is level, because we have adjusted the leveling head beneath it.
With such an arrangement, we can move the 3 gears of the 410 head in any direction we like, and we don't have to correct anything. To adjust the leveling head, just loosen the lever and use the bubble level. It's much faster than changing the length of the tripod legs. If you've tried to work with a tripod that isn't level, you'll appreciate this improvement.
by: Kenneth Lee

Budget Photography

Carry Your Gear on a Budget

Some photographers buy expensive cases and packs to carry their gear. I prefer a canvas bag and a beverage cooler. The Sinar P folds down small enough to go into the bag, upside down. The Sinar is built like a tank. The only thing it needs, is a carrying strap, and that's what the bag is for. Everything else goes into the cooler, which has a nice sturdy strap to go over your shoulder.
The beverage cooler keeps the equipment cool in summer, and warm in winter... How does it know ? Even more importantly, it looks like a beverage cooler, to anyone who might see it in the car. Some people like to flaunt the name of their camera, as a status symbol. I prefer the safety of my gear looking like nothing more than a case of soft-drinks.
If you look closely, you'll see that the camera has a Sinar Shutter on the front, and a blank home-made wooden lens board to protect the shutter blades. The Sinar Shutter adds very little weight to the camera, all things considered - but makes it possible to use barrel lenses in the field. It's generally the film-holders and large lenses which add bulk to your gear.
Note the pipe insulation on the tripod legs, held on with duct tape. Pipe insulation is very light in terms of additional weight, but vital when shooting in cold weather: it can keep your hands from freezing when you carry the tripod !

Affordable Equipment for Film Development and Washing

Some people purchase expensive custom equipment to wash their film. Nowadays, you can construct your own washer out of inexpensive and widely available materials.
A Dish Rack Film Washer costs only a few dollars. Your film just soaks, in a bunch of standing water. There is no need for a fancy syphon or drain system: Just let the film soak, and replace the water now and then. Save the water, and let diffusion do the work for you. You can use a similar technique to wash roll film too.
Photo trays are great for developing prints, but you can do things better - and cheaper - with items available almost anywhere. Plastic Food Containers are more affordable, use less chemistry, prevent scratches, and require less room. Once you try them, you will wonder why you ever used traditional "Photo Trays".
This article courtesy of: Kenneth Lee Gallery

More "Old School" Photo Tips

Calumet Shutter Tester Brochure

Thanks to Boston-based Architectural Photographer Peter Lewitt, you can see the manual for the Fidelity Calumet Digital Shutter Tester, which is no longer offered by Calumet Photo. The Shutter Tester allows you to test the shutters on a variety of cameras and lenses. Even though it is no longer sold, you can click here to read the manual. Perhaps you can purchase one on the used market.
If you like to control the visual quality of your photos, and you acquire equipment from others, it's nice to know how close it is to the correct speed.

Polarizer + Yellow Filter for a Natural-Looking Sky

When shooting in Black and White, many people have been taught to use a Red or an Orange filter, to darken the sky and clear the haze. Sometimes, this can be the ideal solution, but rarely. Why ? Because red and orange filters not only remove blue light from the sky: they also darken the green light in vegetation.
Unless you want a vivid look with ink-black skies, it's better to use a polarizer - and perhaps a weaker filter. With a polarizer, you can control the amount of darkening, while maintaining a normal balance of colors. It's great for color photography for that reason. If you need even more richness in the clouds, then reach for a medium yellow filter, or a light orange filter, and place it on top of the polarizer. That's how this image was made (on 8x10 film). Note the tones in the grass and the trees: the yellow filter has actually enhanced the details. If you really want to go all the way, then a red filter, or a red filter + polarizer, will give you the strongest results.
Courtesy of: The Kenneth Lee Gallery

Folding Cameras - the Latest in 1950's Technology

If you want a camera that makes large negatives, and yet folds up small enough to fit in your pocket, then the only choice is one of the folders from the 1950's. They lack most of the modern conveniences, but pack the full punch of medium format. They're made of real metal, and are great for traveling, especially if you bring along a small portable tripod.
Many folding cameras were manufactured during this era, by such respected companies as Zeiss and Voigtlander, but in my humble opinion, Agfa seems to have come up with the most attractive design. Hold one in your hands and you'll know: they're the BMW of folders. These photos were made with my 6x9 Agfa Record II camera, and these with my 6x6 Isolette.

The Agfa Record produces 6x9 images, and the Agfa Isolette shoots 6x6 on the same 120 roll film. To advance the film, you watch though a little red window on the back, and wind until the next number appears. Then you cock the shutter. The shutters on these cameras are almost inaudible. Depending on the model, you get manual focus, rangefinder focus, or even coupled rangefinder focus in later versions. Many models have double-exposure prevention, which locks the shutter release until the film has been advanced to the next frame.
Some shutters have built-in self-timers, which are perfect for making exposures with no vibration - and for including yourself in a group portrait. Newer models have flash synchronization, and can sometimes be purchased with original leather case, still in good shape.
Scanning at 2400 dpi with an affordable consumer scanner such as the Epson 4990, a 6x6 image comes to around 25 megapixels. A 6x9 image gives around 40 megapixels. With a dedicated film scanner such as the Nikon Super COOLSCAN 9000 ED, you can get much better image quality, and even more megapixels. The Nikon can scan at 4000 spi, down to the grain of the finest film, and get everything there is to see.
To the right is a sample image, taken with an Agfa Record II, with its 3-element 105mm Apotar lens, a classic Cooke-Triplet design. The film is medium-grain TMax 400, and the picture was taken hand-held. The detail section is taken from the whole image, scanned with an Epson 4990 at its setting of "2400 ppi". It has been enlarged to a size of 14x26 inches at 300 dpi.
You can see the screw heads on the sign, even though the photo was taken from a great distance... hand-held ! For best results, use a fine-grained film like TMax 100 or Fuji Acros, place the camera on a tripod or a monopod, and shoot the lens at f/8 or f/11, where it is sharpest. (Most lenses are at their best, when stopped down just a few stops from wide-open).
Click here to see a 40-Megapixel scan of a negative made with the same camera, (caution: 4 MB file download). It was scanned at 2400 spi, making a file that is roughly 8000x5000 pixels. Your browser will display it small by default, but if you click on the image you can see it full-size. The image is practically life-sized: not bad for a 1950's camera with a simple lens!
Here is another image made with the same camera. The camera was placed on a portable tripod and the self-timer was used so that the photographer could also appear in the photograph.
The top-of-the-line Agfa Record III model came with a better lens, the 4-element coated Solinar, and had its own built-in uncoupled rangefinder. The Solinar lens was designed to give better results for color images, but as this sample photo suggests, even the 3-element coated Apotar on the Record II, is plenty sharp !
A great place to learn more about these cameras is Medium Format in Your Pocket. Jurgen Kreckel is the fellow from whom many purchase their folding cameras. He's a great guy, and restores them to perfection. His web site shows a great variety of folding cameras, along with a gallery of sample images taken by the cameras. See Vintage Folding Cameras
Courtesy of: The Kenneth Lee Gallery

Best Portable Medium Format Cameras

Among Medium Format folders from the 1950's, the camera with the best optics was the 6x9 Voigtlander Bessa II with Color Heliar lens. Rolleiflex 6x6 cameras of that era had terrific optics, but they were not folding cameras. Add to that the additional enlargement (and subsequent loss of image quality) required for a 6x6 to match a 6x9, and the Bessa was a champion of its day. Even by modern standards, the Color Heliar lens is quite good.
If you want to get the absolute best optics in a highly portable Medium Format camera, go for the Mamiya 6 and 7 cameras, which were made in 6x6 and 6x7 formats respectively. They were manufactured right into the 21st Century. The lenses for those Mamiya cameras are among the best lenses ever made, almost optically perfect ! With an ultra-fine-grained film like TMAX 100 or Fuji Acros, you can make images of outstanding clarity and fidelity. When scanned at high resolution, these cameras can match the quality of large format. Here is an image made with a Mamiya 7 and 150mm lens. Here is another one.
Considering that the Mamiya cameras come with a built-in light meter and coupled rangefinder focusing, they are really just as portable as their ancestors: the folding cameras of the 1950's. They may not be as... cute as the folding cameras, but with their ability to use longer and shorter lenses, they represent the Summum Bonum of Medium Format.
Here's something wonderful: The new 6x7 Voigtlander Bessa III. It's a modern folding camera - based on the venerable Voigtlander Bessa II shown above - with a coupled rangefinder, a modern Fujinon lens, and 21st century precision. It takes 120 and 220 film, and lets you shoot in both 6x6 and 6x7 format. It folds ! Fujinon lenses are superb. Please purchase two of these cameras: one for you, and one for me :-)
This article courtesy of : Kenneth Lee Gallery

HDR

If you don’t like these kinds of photos, please move along. No complaints will be accepted.
35 Fantastic HDR Pictures
This post covers 35 beautiful and perfectly executed HDR pictures. Some of them may look surreal, too colorful, even magic or fake, but they are not. Keep in mind that they’ve all been developed from normal photos; not a single image is an illustration.

HDR Tutorial
HDR how-to guide, mostly related to Mac users.

HDR: High Dynamic Range Photography
HDR how-to guide with Photoshop CS2
In-Camera HDR detailed tutorial
YouTube video tutorial
My HDR Tutorial
Clear tutorial on using your digital camera, Photomatix and Photoshop, by Markus Linke.

HDR tutorial
Tutorial on HDR with free-of-charge software GIMP and Qtpfsgui

HDR Tutorial
Tutorial on HDR with Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop CS2 and Photomatix Pro

Macro Photography

25 Beautiful Macro Photography Shots
A round-up of some truly revealing and inspiring macro photographs which are sure to have you marveling at the world around you.

Macro Photography
How to take close-up pictures of small things, by Philip Greenspun
Introduction to Macro Photography
Set-up and camera settings for macro photography (8-minute video).
Reversing Lenses for Macro Photography
A guide to building a lens for extreme macro shooting.

Woven Shadows
Digital photography video tutorial (48 MB).
Macro photography
A round-up of gadgets that will help you move really close to your subject.
Captain’s European Butterfly Guide
Engaging guide for this special kind of hunting (of course, you can use it outside of Europe, too).
Macro Photography Tips for Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Most of the articles here are geared to DSLR owners. But they are also useful for macro photography with compact cameras, too.
Extreme Macro Photography on a Budget
DIY extreme macro lens with a Pringles container.

Macrophoto Journal on deviantART
A number of excellent photos, forums and technical articles.

Macro Photography Tutorial
Short review on insect shooting, and amazing photos by M. Plonsky, PhD.

Motion Blur Photography

45 Beautiful Motion Blur Photos
A showcase of motion blur photos. Motion blur is frequently used to show a sense of speed. You can artificially achieve this effect in a usual scene using cameras with a slow shutter speed. Also Adobe Photoshop can be used for this purpose, though sometimes images may look unnatural and unprofessional.

How to Capture Motion Blur in Photography
Capturing movement in images is something that many photographers only need to do when photographing sports or other fast-moving events.

Professional-Looking Motion-Blur Effect for Your Images
“In this tutorial we’re going to show you how to create a very popular motion blur effect used in many magazine and various other professionally crafted images.”

Photoshop Tutorials: Create Silky Smooth Waterfalls
“In this Adobe Photoshop tutorial, we’re going to look at how to give waterfalls a silky smooth appearance, as if the photo were taken with a longer exposure, which would normally require the use of a neutral density filter.”

Long Exposure Photos
Long exposure can be used to create very interesting photographs. It can be used, for example, to create a bright photo in low-light conditions or to create motion blur for moving elements in a photograph.

Night Photography

60 Beautiful Examples Of Night Photography
60 amazing examples of night photography, created by some hard-working and dedicated photographers. Take a look at their websites and portfolios.

The Nocturnes
The Nocturnes is an organization dedicated to night photography. Founded by Tim Baskerville in San Francisco in 1991, it has grown to become the premier source of information and education on night photography, as well as an international community for night photographers.

Lost America night photography
Wandering the deserted backroads of the American Southwest, Troy Paiva has explored the abandoned underbelly of America since the 1970s. Since 1989 he’s been taking pictures of it… at night, by the light of the full moon.

Long Exposure Night Photography
This article shows you how to take pictures of night scenes with no moving objects.

Night Photography by David Baldwin
Night photography of landscapes and architecture.

Learn Night Photography
Quick and dirty guide to defining exposure time for typical night subjects.

Night Landscape Photography
Capture stunning landscape images during the black of night.
by: Andrew Gibson

Beautiful Black-And-White-Photography

Toni Frissell
In her legendary photos Toni Frissell impresses with a strong trend toward surrealism or realism. The photo presented below, although in black and white, is both extremely sharp and clear. To achieve such level of clarity in black and white is extremely hard.

Alin Ciortea
Alin Ciortea presents examples of modern street photography. In black and white, of course.


Birds
Unfortunately, the photographer is unknown. The photo seems to be taken at exact the right moment from exactly the right angle with a perfect lighting. Black and white can be powerful as well.

Sally Mann
This photo, titled Candy Cigarette, not just displays something, it tells a story. It is both emotional and beautiful. This is what the originality of black-and-white-photography is all about.

Larry Towell
This shot was taken in El Salvador. Child with star mask during “Day Of The Dead”. Other child in background rolls tire for repair in garage where he works at an adult’s job. The photo is full of tiredness and stubbornness. Simple motif conveying strong emotions.

Aneta Kowalczyk
Aneta Kowalczyk specializes in portrait photography. Some of her photos are provoking, some are strange and some are extremely beautiful. The example below displays the beautiful side of black and white photography.

Nick Brandt
Nick Brandt is a renown animal photographer which has become famous with his book of photographs, “On This Earth”, which was published in October 2005.

Gary Winogrand
Taking a shot just at the right moment.

Larry Louie
Woman Of Tibet. Realism at its best. Awarded with International Photography Awards in 2007.

Gabriele Caretti
Tour Eiffel: extraordinary contrast and perspective. Strong, clean and very precise shot.

Ghost Town Charm
Excellent lighting.

Ansel Adams
One of the most famous contemporary black and white photographers. Classic!

Maurizio Polese
Polese’s works pay close attention to small, tiny details. The tones are perfects and compositions are beautiful which is why the photos are presented in this post. Notice the sharp contrast and the lighting at the first image below and the sharp pathway leading to the light in the second one.


Top 10 Wired.com Reader Black-and-White Photos
Ten extraordinary black and white photographs sent to the Wired.com editorial by its readers.



Michele Clement
Artistic yet beautiful and extremely powerful shot. Michele Clement is the winner of Black & White Spider Awards 2007 in category “Outstanding Achievement”.

Snyder Alison
This photo has been taken in South Crillon Glacier, Washburn.

Abbas
Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami on the hills surrounding the captital, where his film “Taste of Cherry”, which was co-awarded the Golden Palm in Cannes 1997, was shot.

Patrick Figaj
Ceremony.

Jack Radcliffe
Alison’s life in black and white photos. The significance of these pictures emerges in retrospect. “When my daughter Alison was born, in the tradition of a new parent, I began to photograph her, initially in a separate and private body of work. However, in the process of documenting Alison’s growth, I developed a passionate interest in human relationships and capturing intimate moments in the lives of family and friends.”


Arndt Laude
Alignment. Sometiems all it takes is to be at the right place in the right moment and take a shot under the right angle. That’s what happened here.

Ralph Gibson
Staircase is an example of Gibson’s high-contrast, minimalist black and white compositions have influenced a generation of photographers. By isolating the essential elements of a scene, his pictures show a style that is unique and immediately recognizable. [via]

Elliott Erwitt
Erwitt, an advertising and journalistic photographer known for his black and white candid shots of ironic and absurd situations within everyday settings — the master of the “indecisive moment”.


Roy Mckeown
Snowy Sheep.

Adam Hinton

Van Shnooken Raggen
Two Warehouses.

Rodney Smith
Rodney Smith has his own understanding of professional black-and-white-photography. Unusual, abstract and surrealistic works.

Drole Deciel
Smiley.

Shazeen Samad
Simple yet excellent composition. This photo manages not just to show something, but to capture a moment of life in all its beauty and vividness.

Scott Bush
Berk-plage – France. What a sky! A really strange squadron: octopussy, teddy bear and skates.

Pedro Meyer
Pedro Meyer shows the life of people across the globe. This photo was taken in Rio De Janeiro.


Mitch Dobrowner
Mitch Dobrowner is famous due to his Earth photos.




Robertino Nikolic
lighting plays with geometry. Or geometry plays with lighting? The winner of the Black & White Spider Awards 2007.

Matthias Just
747.

Unknown
Capturing the right moment at the right point of time.

Bert (Quasebart)
Perfect timing, perfect lighting. A dreamy shot.

Hughes Leglise-Bataille
That’s a quite unusual perspective for a photograph.

Santosh Korthiwada
“No peeping please!” Very powerful, emotional and somehow sad photo.

Rui Palha
Rui Palha photographs simple people in simple situations. Result: extraordinary photos of simple things surrounding our life.



Watanabe
Straws.

Lauren
Two Tree Hill. The composition looks very surreal, yet powerful and beautiful.

G. Diaz Deleon
Ventana XIV. Geometric minimalism at its best.

Maurizio Polese
Escape. Unusual angle, unusual perspective.

Jana Stolzer
Nameless.

Vega Omer
Struggling to survive.

Ezra Caldwell
Dog snout. Sometimes the moments from our life are the most valuable moments we should enjoy and keep in mind.

Last Click

Crossing Lines

Classics in Lego
An illustrative summary of iconic pictures with their pairs of Balakov’s Lego figure pictures which are reconstucting famous moments in the history of mankind.


Mark Daniel Owen
I heart you. Do you see what we see?