35mm BW - Kodak Technical Pan Film!

    

Item Description

The Film Photography Project is amazingly happy to offer 35mm hand-rolled Kodak Technical Pan (or plain 'ol "Tech Pan" as frequent shooters call it!)

Supply has been stored frozen by experienced film shooters. Supply is limited!

35mm / 20 exp / iso 25 / no DX coding

above: Tech Pan in action! A leaf of a big Monstera vine in the Matthaei Botanical gardens conservatory by Mark O'Brien / Minolta X-700, Tamron 90mm Macro

What is Tech Pan? “Technical Pan was an almost panchromatic black-and-white film produced by Kodak. While it could reproduce the visible light spectrum, it leaned to the red, and so unfiltered outdoor shots would render blues, most notably the sky, with additional darkening and reds with some lightening. These unique characteristics have not been replicated. It was generally used as a very slow film, rated at ASA 25 or even 16, although it could be rated at up to ASA 320 with a distinct loss of tonal range and a bunching of shadow and highlight detail. This film had unmatched fine grain, especially when rated at a low speed, and made excellent enlargements while preserving fine details.” More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_Pan

above: "The quality from a Tech Pan negative never fails to amaze me" says Mark O'Brien

What the friends of The FPP say:
Mat Marrash says – "Tech Pan is a magical emulsion. It has the resolution to make 35mm look like 120, 120 look like large format, and large format to take your enlargements where they've never gone before. If you're never tried Tech Pan, I urge you to get a roll and your fastest glass and get shooting!"

above: Tech Pan image by Leslie Lazenby / Mamiya M645, Mamiya - Sekor C 80mm, on tripod / Processed in Technidol LC, time and temps not recorded

Leslie Lazenby says – “this stuff is so sharp it will cut you.”
Mark O’Brien of the Random Camera Blog says – “TechPan -- when shot and processed as a pictorial film, gives tremendous resolution as there is virtually no grain.  It is hard to beat for landscapes and architectural photography.  No other 35mm film gives you nearly large-format results on a single frame.”
Dan ("Nano_Burger" on Flickr) says: "Tech-Pan is microfilm optimized for pictorial photography. It has all the advantages of microfilm...ultra fine grain, superior resolution and high contrast. However, the real difference is its extended red sensitivity that gives the film a unique look that cannot be replicated with regular microfilm and filtering (believe me..I have tried). It renders skin tone in a flattering manner prized by high fashion photographers. The theory is that since it sees deeper into the red, it sees deeper into the skin to smooth out any irregularities and give a flawless look."

"The Old Dog" shot by Nano Burger on Tech Pan. "Nothing like high contrast film to really highlight the gray on our black dog."

How can I process Tech Pan? You can send your film to The DarkRoom or do home processing.
Regarding home processing Mark says: “ Develop in Technidol if ya have it, otherwise, the Photographers Formulary TD-3, or Dektol 1:10 for 5 min.
Dan says: "There is no particular trick to developing in a small tank environment. It is of normal thickness and loads easily in rachet plastic or steel reels. You need to use a soft working developer to get near normal contrast. Kodak used to make Technidol specifically for the film and can still be found today, but they don't make it anymore. There are many replacements such as TD-3 from Photographers Formulary that will do essentially the same job. My personal favorite is Perceptol LC (an Ilford product). It has the benefit of enhancing the speed of the film so you can rate it at 50 ISO instead of 25 ISO. Regular developers can be used as well if you don't mind the high contrast. Another option is to use dilute developers in stand development. The massive development chart has all sorts combinations you can try."
Other developers? “The thing with Tech Pan is that you want to tame the contrast for pictorial work. D76 will definitely be too contrasty a developer. You will get full tonality with the Technidol LC (low-contrast) developer (as well as the TD-3).  Rodinal 1:50 also works, but i do not recall the times. 

Brownie Flash Six-20

I love shooting with vintage film cameras and here’s a beautiful little camera that’s just about as basic as it gets. The Brownies were made for the tourist market in the 40's and 50's and came in a number of variations. I picked this one up on ebay for around $20, it’s a sturdy little camera, solidly built, all metal and still functioning perfectly. There are two missing parts on mine, a strap that was attached to the top along the rangefinder ( you can just see the metal rings in this picture, which quickly came off when I started fiddling with it) and a very old school looking flash that gives this version of the Brownie it’s name. The flash originally attached to the front of the camera onto those two protruding metal buttons on the face.

Your two available adjustments, “I” for a standard exposure “B” for long exposure and a focus adjustment of either 5-10 feet, or beyond 10 feet

There are only 2 adjustments you can make. A standard exposure setting “I” for “instantaneous”, and a long exposure or “B” for “bulb” which holds the shutter open for as long as you hold the button down. An interesting side note, the “bulb” function is still available on cameras today and stands for the same thing, even though the bulb is in reference to the pneumatic functioning of the earliest of cameras. On those beautiful ancient cameras there was actually a bulb you would squeeze to activate and hold open the shutter.

You also have the choice of focus between “5 to 10 feet” and “beyond 10 feet”. I love old labeling like this. What makes it even more charming is the functioning of the focus. When you flip the switch to “5 to 10 feet” a small lens snaps into place over the stationary lens. That’s it! Want to focus to infinity, flip the switch back and the little lens snaps back into the camera. The closeup “5 to 10 feet” lens on mine is pretty dirty and I don’t want to bother trying to open up the assembly so I just shoot with the stationary lens which is very clean.

---

Here you can see the original Kodak label on the inner section and on the outer shell the small red window through which you can view the numbers on the film as you advance it

The camera comes apart into two sections and is opened with a switch on the bottom. Here you can see the original Kodak 620 film label. Once apart you can load the film. I usually find at least one spool inside these vintage cameras when I buy them. This one was no exception and you can see the original metal spool on the left.

Inside the camera compartment

620 vs 120

620 is a medium format film size, no longer available, which was created by Kodak as a way to save space and create a more compact camera. In doing so they simply shrunk the size of the spool and not the size of the film. This means it’s still possible to shoot with these old cameras using the standard 120 roll film that’s available online or in camera stores. Just get a couple of 620 spools and roll your 120 film onto them (in the dark!). It’s a pretty simple process which I’ll show in another article.

Here you can see the empty metal take up spool

That being said anyone who develops 120 film can develop your 620 rolls. You’ll just want to ask for the film spools back so you can roll more film. Apparently up until 1995 it was still possible to buy 620 film although I’ve never come across any of the newer rolls. An interesting feature of the older 620 spools is that they were manufactured before folks started using a lot of plastic in things. All the ones I’ve found, inside cameras and for sale on ebay are metal as opposed to the plastic 120 rolls used today.

Empty benches at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk on a bright November morning.

---

The Shots

The vignetting on this camera is beautiful and with the right film and light you can get some great results.

Here are some shots I got on an early winter morning at an empty Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk using expired Fuji Velvia slide film.

---

Sea Swings back lit with early November morning light.

Mark L. Hannah

artist and analog photographer

North Korea in Hideous Distortion

Vietnam Photographer Aaron Joel Santos

Never before or since my short trip to North Korea have I felt so perplexed about the realities of a country. It’s easy to know certain things: it’s a hermit nation, it’s citizens have little to no access to the outside world, it’s been run by a family of despots since the end of the Korean War, and it seemingly revels in its own bad behavior, taunting the world but stopping just short of biting the hands that feed it. But like all things worth exploring, what’s on the surface can be a very shallow reflection of the place as a whole.
During my few days in country, I met some of the nicest, most intelligent people I’ve ever had the pleasure of speaking with. North Koreans, born and raised. They would talk to me about the US’s foreign policies, about Vietnam’s peculiar brand of communism, and about many other things, but they would never talk about their own country. Except to say how great their Dear & Great Leaders were, or to proclaim how they wanted for nothing in North Korea. Which, well. Obviously. It made for a perplexing read on things. Lines were blurred from the start. I would see the same people over and over again. The man in the park was also the man in the museum. That family over there was having a picnic in the woods the day before. Maybe. I think. I don’t know. In a nation where every piece of reality seems fabricated, where is the final line drawn?
So that’s what I tried to show in the photographs I took. An unreal reality. A constant fog over the eyes. Blurred edges. Shadowy figures. A constant kind of questioning. But even now, so far removed from it, I have no idea what I really saw.

Developing Black & White Film at Home

 Anonymous

In the last few weeks there has been an explosion of interest in home development from listeners of The Film Photography Podcast. After 16 months and 27 episodes I'm surprised that it has taken this long for us to launch the "Darkroom Corner" segment led by FPP co-host Duane Polcou.

Darkroom Corner was launched on episode 26 of The Film Photography Podcast.
I've even jumped on the bandwagon and just ordered a home development kit from Freestyle Photographic. It's been a long time since I've developed my own BW negs so the recent input from FPP listeners has been very, very helpful. Plus, when I have a question, I just shoot an e-mail out to one of the FPP listeners for a quick, speedy response.
The Film Photography Podcast has become a really awmazing community of folks over the last year and what better way to start a creative project than with film friends!

Here's links to the FPP home development blogs:

• Developing Black & White at Home
• Coffee Break - Develop BW at home with Caffenol
• Both blog contributions by Darren "Pancho" Riley

Today's edition, contributed by long-time FPP listener Dan Domme is a detailed step-by-step of the home development process. Thank you, Dan. I hope this entry is as helpful to others as it's been helpful to me!
Dan writes:

Image by Dan Domme - developed in Rodinal

Greetings, FPP listener! You say you’re interested in developing your very own black and white film! Of course, there are guides out there for developing your own film, some even penned by our own FPP listeners. But when it comes to learning something new, it never hurts to have more fresh perspectives. I’m Dan Domme, and I’m writing this guide just so you’ve got all the information at your disposal before you start developing 35mm or 120 film. I think that you’ll have a lot of fun developing, and it can be a real money-saver as opposed to shooting color. Note: in my instructions that follow, I will keep referring to a Paterson Super System 4 Tank, which is what I use to develop my film. If you decide not to use a steel tank, your plastic tank may vary.

Step 1 - Equipment Checklist

Unless you have the required equipment, you could risk ruining your film before you get a chance to develop it. I’ll list everything you’re going to need here, with the giveaway items marked with an asterisk:

• developer—I prefer to use a liquid developer, since powders can produce flying particles when you mix them, but that’s just me.
• stop bath
• fixer
• a pitch-black room or a light-tight changing bag. I’d recommend a bag if you can get one.
• developing tank, plastic or steel. More about plastic vs. steel in a second.
• appropriate reel for the tank. - plastic for plastic and steel for steel.
• graduated cylinders or other measuring device, about 700-800 mL. (I'd recommend eventually getting one for each chemical you use.)
• a reliable timer, such as a stopwatch
• 2 or more chemical storage bottles (usually black or dark brown plastic, get one for each chemical other than wetting agent, and don’t get one for the developer if you’re working from a liquid rather than powder.)
• black clamp-style paper clips or equivalent to hang strips for drying.
• a thermometer (dial or digital) is also highly recommended.
• hypo wash (optional but not recommended)
• wetting agent (optional, recommended if you have hard water)

Notes: virtually anyone’s fixer will suffice, and if you’re going to buy stop bath, I’d recommend “indicator” stop bath, which changes color when its pH gets too high to be useful. For developers, I prefer either Kodak HC-110 or Agfa Rodinal, which is currently available as Adox Adonal. Both are liquids. D-76 is a powder developer, which is also a great choice for a newbie. I use Zonal Pro stop bath and fixer, but Kodak also makes great stop bath and fixer.
Before buying tanks and reels, here are some key differences. Steel tanks generally take less chemistry per roll than plastic, and they don’t have to dry completely before you use them again. However, it can be more difficult to load, according to who you speak to, and you need different reels for each size of film. I use plastic for the following reasons: they’re just as easy to load as steel; they are less susceptible to temperature changes; they don’t have to be flipped to agitate, and you can fill and drain the tanks faster. It’s also less likely that you’re going to put an image-crippling kink in your 120 roll film if you use a plastic reel.

Step 2 - Chemical Preparation

First and foremost, make sure you check the instructions on the chemicals you buy. Usually they're pretty straightforward, but if you have any questions, do the magic series of steps to find your answer: (1) Use “Da Google” to see if you can find an answer. Usually links to threads on photo.net or apug.org are helpful if they’re not overly technical. (2) Don’t be afraid to ask the FPP group on Flickr - we all try to be as friendly and as helpful as we can! (3) If you’re still stuck, try asking over at apug.org - if you tried your research and take your time when writing your question, I’ve found everyone to be quite helpful, even if there are a lot of different opinions. But anyway...
Mix up the stop bath and fixer and store them in your chemical bottles. When mixing the fixer, make sure you mix for the film dilution, which is stronger, rather than the print dilution. If you’re choosing to use hypo wash, which I have not used before, then you may have to dilute it and store it as you would the stop bath and fixer. You can dilute and store Kodak’s wetting agent, but I only put a few drops in my final round of rinse water. As always, check the instructions for your chemicals if you’re not sure.
If you're using HC-110 or another liquid developer from concentrate, you will likely not need to use a chemical storage bottle for it, since you'll be dumping it down the drain afterward. Stop Bath and Fixer should be re-used until they’re exhausted. I believe hypo wash may be reusable, and the wetting agent should also be reusable if you’re deciding to mix it all at once. Check all the instructions.

Step 3 - Loading the Film

Here's where the fun begins. You might want to take a second to see if your reel is adjustable, such as the Paterson Super System 4. The reels for that system are sold as 35mm, but you can twist them apart to unlock them, readjust the size, and use them for 120 film. Make sure your reel is set to the appropriate size before tossing it in the changing bag (or turning the lights out!)
If you’re working with 35mm film, clip the thin part of the leader so that you’re starting with the full 35mm width of the film, and round the corners just a little bit. If you don’t have access to your leader, then you’ll have to do these steps in the darkroom or changing bag, which can be a hassle. I’ve found I can just pry the felt opening apart to get to the film, but be careful about sharp edges! Other people use a bottle cap opener on one end of the 35 mm canister.
In your changing bag, put your film spool(s), your tank, and your reel(s). Then zip it up and stick your hands in the sleeves. (If you're in a darkroom, just make sure the room is now completely dark.) For 35mm film, I just pull all the film out of the canister, careful to handle it by the edges, and clip it at the canister once I can’t pull any more out. For 120 film, what I do is slowly unravel the spool. for a while you will only be unspooling paper, but soon the film layer start to unroll. Start collecting this into a roll, using your fingertips to hold it along the edges. At the opposite end of the film, there is masking tape attaching the paper to the film. I detach this from the paper and fold the sticky side over so that it forms a tab on the end of the film. Make sure no sticky parts are exposed, or else you might get some gunk on your film. In either case, now you have a complete roll of film in your hands.
Plastic reels load from the outside in. There are some tabs on the reel which I call thumb rests. You feed the first inch or so of film (the end without the tape) past these tabs and the ball bearings in the reel. Then, you can twist the reel back and forth, with your thumbs on the thumb rests to prevent jamming, to automatically feed the film into the spiral. If you have some extra 35mm or 120 film you don’t mind wasting, it’s VERY helpful to try this in the light first.
Steel reels are different - they load from the inside out. At the center of the reel, there is a spring-loaded clip (or even two teeth to grip the sprocket holes on some 35mm reels) which you use to hold one end of your film. Then, holding your film straight, but ever-so-slightly curved, like a celery stick, rotate the reel so that it gently pulls the film from your hand. Typically I hold the reel in my left hand and the film in the right hand.
Once you've loaded the reel, put it in the tank. Plastic reels usually go on a center post, which forms a light seal with the funnel top, and then covered with a lid. Steel tanks have the light trap built into the lid. Once the tank is closed up, you're safe from light and can take the tank to the kitchen sink.

Step 4 - Development Times

What you need to figure out now is how long you're going to develop your film. Different speeds, films, and developers all have different times, and it can be a real hassle keeping them straight.
So go to the Massive Development Chart, it has most of the possible combinations of films and developers. Select what film and developer you have on the left hand side, and you'll get a table that probably shows you different dilutions and ISOs. You can mix your dilution down to either conserve your developer or create subtle tonal effects. In general, though, more dilute developers give you more pronounced grain. Select a dilution and ISO combination, and read the time (in minutes) from the 35mm or 120 column - they should be the same 99% of the time. Also, check to see if there are any notes to read in the last column. If there are no notes, assume constant agitation for the first minute, and 10 seconds every subsequent minute (more on this later). (5 seconds of agitation every 30 seconds should also work)
Stop bath times are usually 1 minute with constant agitation, and fixer times are usually 5 minutes: constant agitation for the first minute, and 10 seconds every subsequent minute. Hypo wash usually takes 2 minutes or so, and I use wetting agent for a minute, both with constant agitation. Needless to say, a timer really helps.

Step 5 - The Chemical Process

Measure out your required chemicals in your 3 graduated cylinders, which I have labeled in Sharpie marker as "Develop," "Stop," and "Fix." If you don’t have three graduated cylinders, use one to measure, and transfer the contents to large cups you’re not planning on using for drinking. It is important to have all three liquids ready to go, since this is a time-sensitive process.
Paterson tank volumes are printed on the bottom of the tank. I think it’s 300 mL for a roll of 35mm film (600 for 2 rolls) and 500 mL per roll of 120 film. Steel tanks hold 8 or 16 oz, depending on whether it’s a 35mm or 120 tank. Note that a steel 120 tank will also take 2 35mm reels.
Open the tank while keeping the light-tight part of the lid on. Patersons have a thin black plastic Tupperware-like cover. This is the only thing you should remove... anything else will expose the film to light. For steel reels, only take the smaller part of the cap off.
Pour the contents of the developer cylinder into your tank, strike it lightly against a counter to dislodge air bubbles, and then start agitation - if your plastic tank came with a small black plastic wand, you should be able to stick it in the center hole and twist back and forth gently to agitate. This is quicker than trying to put the lid on as quick as possible after the chemicals go in. Otherwise, replace the cap tightly, and slowly turn the tank upside down and right-side up. Go slowly, about one inversion every two or so seconds. I've found it's not terribly important how many twirls or inversions you get in every 10 seconds, just that you agitate for 10 seconds.
Developing converts the silver salt on the film which has been exposed to light into silver. This silver remains on the film throughout the developing process and as long as you have your negatives. This is why areas of the image that have been exposed to more light become darker.
Once the developer step is done, remove the cover, pour it down the drain, and immediately pour in the stop bath. Gently agitate the tank (via the stick or inverting it upside down and back upright again) for one complete minute. Then pour the stop bath back into its chemical storage bottle (a funnel helps).
Stop bath is a simple acid - usually acetic acid, which is the primary component of vinegar. Since all developers are bases - chemicals with high pH’s - stop bath makes the tank very acidic very quickly, making sure that any leftover developer on your film won’t continue to work.
It's not as important to be so immediate with the changing of fluids from stop bath to fixer, since the most time-dependent step, developing, is over. With the stop bath back in its container, you can now pour in your fixer. Treat it as you would your standard developer: one minute of constant agitation, then 10 seconds per minute until you've done a grand total of 5 minutes. Then pour the fixer back into its storage bottle.
During the fixer step, all the silver salts that didn’t get converted to pure silver by the developer are now sucked away into the fixer chemistry. This leaves the film with nothing but stable silver on the plastic film base.
Now, you'll want to wash that nasty fixer (also known as “hypo”) off your film. Typically, water is all that is needed, but if you want to be super-extra-safe, you can pour hypo wash (at the appropriate dilution) into your tank and treat it as you would stop bath - constant agitation, but give it a bit longer... around two minutes. Note that I don’t do this step myself. Hypo wash is typically used for prints, and even then only on fiber-based papers, which are harder to wash than resin-coated papers. If you’re deciding to use this hypo wash, follow the instructions and pour the hypo wash back into its storage bottle, or down the drain - whichever is appropriate.
Regardless of whether you’ve chosen to do the hypo wash step, fill the tank with fresh water and give the tank five inversions. Empty the tank, then repeat except with 10 inversions in fresh water. Then, do it again, only with 20 inversions. You are now done washing your film. This is known as the "Ilford Method." It is a pretty simple method of washing, and it uses a relatively small amount of water.
Alternatively, you can also use a force-washing hose, which you just attach to your faucet and turn on at a relatively low flow rate. It doesn’t matter how much water is moving over the film, just that it’s moving. This is done for five to ten minutes, depending on whether you are using a hardening fixer, which takes more time to wash off.
Note: If you have hard water - i.e., tap water with a lot of mineral content - you'll want to prevent film spots. This is why you have wetting agent. I use Kodak Photo-Flo, and rather than dilute the whole bottle, I use a drop or two in a final tank full of water. Your wetting agent may be different, so read the instructions. But mix the appropriate solution and treat it just like the stop bath - constant agitation for a full minute.
Finally, disassemble your tank and get to the reel. With a Paterson reel, you can twist the reel apart just like you do to adjust the reel to fit 120 film. If you have a steel reel, just unwind it from the outside.
If your fingers are clean, you can slide your index and middle finger once down the length of the film strip to "squeegee" it dry. They also sell film squeegees. This is especially important if you did the wetting agent step, since your film will have bubbles over it. I use two black paper clips to hang the film to dry overnight - one with an attached piece of dental floss to hang it to my shower curtain rod, and the other used as a weight to keep the film straight. They also sell film clips for this purpose. Just make sure you choose a dust-free environment, or else you might get spots on your negatives. If you’re in a bathroom with a shower, running it before you develop might help eliminate some of the excess dust.
If you need a video guide, I’d recommend this video:

The following day, or a few hours later, you can trim up the film strip and then either scan or enlarge your photos. The downside: you need a scanner or enlarger. Or, you can send the negatives to a photo lab that can make prints for you. Just be sure to contact them first to be sure they can make black-and-white prints.
Anyway, there you have it. don't hesitate to contact me on Flickr.com (username yeknom02) if anything I said was unclear or if you have more questions. I hope this was helpful, and please let me know if it was! I hope you have fun developing black and white film!

—Dan Domme

Dan Domme

Cornel Lucas: Shooting stars

In 1948, a young photographer named Cornel Lucas was walking between sound stages at Denham Film Studios – home of Alexander Korda’s production company – when he heard his name being called.

“I understand you get on well with female artists?” asked the man who had been looking for him.

Lucas nodded. He had six sisters, he explained, and that had given him an advantage. Why?

“Would you like to photograph Marlene Dietrich tomorrow?”

Lucas was 28. He’d owned a Box Brownie since he was 11, worked in film labs since he was 15 and in the stills department at the film studio since the end of the war, but none of that – nor any of his sisters – had prepared him for Dietrich, who was in need of a photographer because she’d just fired her last. He said yes.

The next day, Lucas prepared a set. He lit it carefully, and arranged some suitcases on which he would ask Dietrich to perch. She arrived wearing a mink cape that had been made for her in Paris to the tune of £10,000, sat patiently, and demanded to see the proofs the following day.
At that second encounter, she took an eyeliner pencil and a huge magnifying glass from her handbag, and marked the proofs with the letter “X” or “O”. The Xs, she explained, were rejects. The Os were to be retouched. Then she shook Lucas’s hand. “Thank you very much, Mr Lucas,” she said. “Join the club.”

^{Marlene Dietrich photographed by Cornel Lucas in 1948}
The “club” Lucas joined was a dream factory – Britain’s answer to Hollywood. While Clarence Sinclair Bull headed up the stills department at MGM, Lucas was given his own studio at Pinewood (which had merged with Denham), built on the site of an old swimming pool.
Not only did he produce portraits of the stars who came to work there, he could make a younger actor's career, or break it. One of the first things a would-be starlet was asked to do was have a portrait taken by Lucas. A screen test was only part of it; if the stills didn’t turn out well, a contract was out of the question. Lucas went on to become the only stills photographer to be awarded a Bafta, for services to the film industry.
‘I met him when I was 18,” says Susan Travers, who was married to Lucas until his death just over a year ago, at the age of 92. “The Rank Organisation wanted to put me on to contract, so they sent me down to Pinewood for a photographic session. He was very charming, but he didn’t like what I was wearing, so he lent me his sweater, and a coat.” The resulting image – taken in 1957 – is about to be used on the banner advertising an exhibition of Lucas’s work at the National Theatre.
Travers had always wanted to act. Her mother, Linden Travers – with whom Lucas photographed her later, in a beautiful double portrait that looks almost like a reflection – was a well-known actress who had worked with Hitchcock in The Lady Vanishes. (Indeed, Susan Travers later had a small role in a Hitchcock film too, though she’s dismissive of the part she played in Frenzy.)
But in the event she turned down every contract she was offered in 1957 – not just Rank’s, but one from Twentieth Century Fox and others too. She opted for a marriage contract instead, and did a good deal of live television work while bringing up the four children she had with Lucas.
Travers confirms the “ease with women” that Lucas’s experience with his sisters gave him. And it was just as well, since the stars who passed through his studio all had their quirks. Katharine Hepburn refused to wear make-up (she would rub her cheeks with crushed ice instead, to make them glow) and didn’t want any artificial set-ups, so in order to cast some light on the “casual” scene Hepburn had agreed to, Lucas would have to make surreptitious arrangements for one of the electricians in the gantry to shine a beam on her from overhead.
Lauren Bacall, similarly, asked to be photographed in the relaxed environment of her apartment, and wouldn’t allow Lucas to retouch the results. Brigitte Bardot came in to his studio in 1955 – she was young and self-conscious and kept putting her wrist up against her mouth in order to hide her slightly buck teeth. The publicity director, who was watching, laughed and said: “She’s like a sex kitten.” That, according to Lucas, is how the phrase was born.

^{Brigitte Bardot photographed by Cornel Lucas in 1955}
Diana Dors, on the other hand, was – as Lucas recalled in a book of his work – “a tremendous self-publicist”. She dreamt up her own famous stunt at the Venice Film Festival in 1955, in which she appeared in a gondola in a long coat. She had warned Lucas that he should get himself to the right place at the appointed time, and, assured that her performance would be recorded, she whipped off her coat to reveal a mink bikini. Or at least, she said it was mink. Lucas later found out it was made of rabbit.
Others could be less self-involved. Lucas’s greatest admiration was perhaps reserved for Gregory Peck, who was not only “the most handsome of all the film stars I ever photographed”, but was so kind that when Lucas’s assistant (or “prop man”), Ernie, was dying, Peck visited him in hospital every day that he was in the UK.
David Niven used to make Lucas laugh. Once, when he stopped by the studio, he told a story about his modelling days, when he and Errol Flynn established a syndicate in order to prevent agencies from taking advantage of them. They would each only model certain body parts, so they had to be paid separately. On one occasion, Niven was due to model a pair of trousers and was asked to hold a drink. “Not my forte, old chap,” he said, “I’m left-handed and feel rather awkward. But I do know just the man for the job.” And there was Flynn, on hand to demand his own fee.
When Jack Buchanan came to be photographed, Lucas had a confession to make. This was 1955, but Lucas had already had a close encounter with Buchanan, in 1938. He was 18, and working as a junior technician in the film processing lab.
He was responsible for Buchanan’s film Brewster’s Millions, each reel of which had to be taken off the processing machine at the critical moment. The room was warm, and Lucas became drowsy. Evidently, he fell asleep, because when he woke up he was covered in celluloid, and large chunks of the movie had to be reshot.

^{Susan Travers with her mother Linden Travers, photographed in 1961}
Whether that persuaded him to keep his eye on the technical side of things from then on, it’s hard to say, but there’s no doubt he became an expert. Lucas worked as a photographer during the war, going on secret night missions with the RAF – none of which he would ever describe to Susan Travers, though he did tell her he once shared a bunk with T E Lawrence.
And when he came to devote himself to portraiture, he “painted with light”, as Travers puts it. Dietrich appreciated straight away that he had identified “the 12 o’clock highlight” she liked so much – the cheekbone-enhancing light from overhead. And even after fashion photographers such as Norman Parkinson in London or Richard Avedon in New York were moving at fast speed with medium-format, he continued to use his 12in x 10in plate camera, a machine the size of a small car.
Lucas pointed out that you could tell how long his sitters had to remain still by observing the amount of ash at the end of their cigarettes.
In 1959, as the studio system was winding down, Lucas set up his own photographic studio in Flood Street, Chelsea. He did more fashion work then, and advertising – but, before long, the Sixties took over, and that era belonged to the likes of David Bailey and Terence Donovan.
It seems odd, perhaps, that Lucas never moved to Hollywood. Travers says he considered it, but when he went to America after the war, he found the portions of food so enormous he couldn’t think of moving there. “I had just come from a country still on terribly strict rationing,” Lucas later recalled, “I found that very offensive.”
In any case, he built a family in Britain. “I spent practically all my life with him,” Travers reflects. The qualities that charmed even his most diva-esque sitters clearly influenced the rest of his life too. “He had a great sense of humour,” she says. “Most arguments ended in laughter.

by: Gaby Wood

Film Portrait Photography by Natalia Abashidze

Natalia Abashidze is a 27 year old artist and photographer based-in Tbilisi, Georgia. She loves shooting film and shoots mostly people portraits. Natalia also owns some of film cameras that we featured her portraits with film cameras here. And today, here are some examples of her work on film photography.

Youth letter: Is it necessary to be worried about Kodak leaving Windsor?

Being a student photographer myself, I know that film photography will never completely fade out. In classes, we still use the “old-school” Kodak Tri-X film that has been very popular with professionals and hobbyists alike.

The film has stood the test of time, starting production in the 1940s. I believe that Kodak could save a lot of money if it cut its products down to what people actually buy.
I know for me personally, I buy Tri-X film, 400-speed film, 200-speed film and nothing else. I believe that Kodak is trying way too hard in order to appeal to other markets that they do not belong in.
The company is involved in such industries as touch-screen sensing technology, graphics and packaging. Kodak is an industrial giant in the production of film, and that’s where I believe they should focus.
As for being worried about Windsor, I am not. I believe that Kodak will downsize but will not completely leave. There are plenty of job opportunities for those living in Windsor around Northern Colorado. We are lucky to be surrounded by huge companies such as HP, AMD, Avago, OtterBox and many others.
There does not seem to be any shortage of jobs for those looking for industrial careers.
Windsor has plenty of the resources it needs to be successful without Kodak to bring in tons of people.

Ryan Arb, Fossil Ridge High School student

 

Film Photography by Mukadder Gülpınar

Film Photography by Mukadder Gülpınar

Mukadder Gülpınar is an amateur photographer from based-in Istanbul, Turkey. She shoots mostly film with her old camera Canon AE-1. "One of my father's friends gave me this cameme as a gift when he saw I'm interested in analogue," she says. "So I feel proud when I took remarkable photos with it."

Here's a selection of her work:

See more of Mukadder's work on her 500px page.

Pentax K1000 - FPP's 35mm Camera of the Year!

by: Michael Raso

Update 1/20/2014
This January The FPP donated 15 Pentak K1000 cameras (and over 100 rolls of Kodak film)  to Louise Contino and her Project Wanteete so she can teach photography remotely while in Uganda, Africa January to June 2014. Louise is working with two nonprofit organizations, ICP NYC and the FPP to make it all happen!
Michael Raso hand-picked the K1000 as "the" perfect camera for the job and tested each camera before its long journey.
More info soon on her project. In the meantime, you can help by visiting and donating to Louise's Kickstarter page HERE.
Why is the Pentax K1000 FPP's camera of the year? Read on!
Here at The Film Photography Podcast, listener questions are a big part of what we do. You ask, then we do our super best to get you the answer you seek. For at least one out of every ten of these questions, we’re bound to get a question like, “What’s a good camera for somebody just starting out in film?” or “What 35mm camera should I get?”. Though the choices are plentiful, there is one camera that has quickly made its way to the top of our recommendations list, the Pentax K1000.

"Cowboy Joe" by Michael Raso, Pentax K1000 SE

Hitting the scene in 1976, the Pentax K1000’s intuitive design, sleek form factor, and modest price point captivated photographers world wide. After being in production for over 30 years, and with 3 million+ units sold, the Pentax K1000 has been labeled by many as the sturdy “workhorse” of the 35mm world. But just what is it that makes this camera stand out from all other 35mm SLR’s? Let’s have a look at the specs:

•     Fully mechanical SLR
•     TTL metering system, powered by readily available LR44 batteries
•     Wide range of shutter speeds, 1/1000 - 1sec. and Bulb
•     ASA Range from 20-3200
•     Hot shoe with flash sync @ 1/60th sec.
•     Accepts all Pentax K-mount lenses

A fine assortment of K-mount lenses to choose from!

Is there anything really ground-breaking here? Absolutely not. But what is there is everything you need to function as a photographer, and not a lick more. The lack of auto-exposure modes and the ease of operation made this the ideal student camera. Even to this day, The University of Findlay (my Alma mater) still has a fleet of these cameras for its incoming film photography students.

FPP Midwest Meetup attendees Dave Mihaly & Jason Benning

By Michael Raso, Pentax K1000 SE

So how do you know if the Pentax K1000 is the camera for you? If you are: a student, on a budget, a camera junkie with GAS, someone that never has fresh batteries, or just a no frills kind of photographer, the Pentax K1000 is right up your alley. Still need an excuse to try out this bangin’ bargain bin camera? FPP host Michael Raso and regular guest Lauren Bagley love, love, love this camera! Here’s some more on what Mike thinks of his fabulous Pentax K1000SE:


If you’re now on the hunt for a Pentax K1000, have no fear, there are plenty to be had. Just head on over to “the bay”, Craigslist, or even flea market, a used K1000 is bound to turn up. And with prices more reasonable than a dinner and a movie date, you should try one today and see why it’s one of the best selling 35mm SLR’s of all time!
Happy shooting, and long live film.

"For the Love of Polaroid" by Lauren Bagley, Pentax K1000

Why Shoot Expired Film?  Update!

by Michael Raso
Back in the 1990s the concept of shooting on expired film seemed crazy. You would buy or drink an expired carton of milk? Nuts, right?
The digital photography explosion has pushed traditional film photography out of the spotlight and into the underground, where a rising cult of film shooters grows daily. Many shooters are attempting to steer away from the crisp look of digital and are open to the idea of using expired film to achieve that different, vintage look.

above: Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett on his 2013 Genesis Revisited II Tour (Times Square NYC 25 Sept).

I shot the Steve Hackett image on expired Kodak Tri-X using the point and shoot Olympus Stylus 80 camera. I processed the film in exhausted Kodak D-76. That combined with the slow shutter speed of the camera gave the film it's low contrast "spent" look.

above: FPP Guy Mark Dalzell / below: John Fedele (with his "Road Rage" face. Both shot with the Canon T70 / Tele-Lentar f2.8 135mm lens on "Batch Fried" Kodak Portra 800 (expired 04/2005)

Open to the grain!
With the advent of pockets of communities like this (The Film Photography Project),  Lomography and other companies promoting fun, plastic cameras, the new breed of film shooter seems less rigid and has embraced shooting expired film for the various funky colors and effects it can produce.

So, you ask…why shoot expired film and where can I purchase it?
Both retailers and private shooters alike are literally dumping their refrigerated stock on e-bay as they convert to digital. This is an excellent way for you to save money as well as being able to pick up some film stocks that are no longer produced.

FILM TYPES
Before buying or bidding on expired film, lets talk about film type. Color Print Film (processed in C-41), Color Slide Film (processed in E-6) and BW film (traditional BW processing) are the most common auctions. You will see auctions for instant films and for unique stocks like infrared film. Use “The Google” to look up stocks you might not of heard of before to make sure that processing is still available.

THE BAY
Door # 1
What to look for when buying film on "the bay" ( http://www.ebay.com/ ) are professional photographers that have switched to digital and are cleaning out their fridges & freezers. These auctions are GOLD. Film could be 15+ years old and still great because these guys stored it properly. Most of these films were also “batch tested” by the seller. As I mentioned, these are the best auction for purchasing expired film.
Door #2
The 2nd type of auctions I look for are guys selling bulk CVS, WALGREENS or other off-brand films. Most big pharmacies are liquidating their 35mm film and are selling for well under the $5. per roll sticker price. Most of these films are stored at room temperature so, don't buyer beware if the expiration date is pre-2007.

Door #3
The 3rd type of e-bay seller is the “I don’t know nuthin” guy. These sellers state that they know absolutely nothing about the product and have no idea how it was store or where it came from. This film was most likely stored in basements, attics and sock drawers and probably tortured in high temperatures. Buyers beware!
Regardless of what type of auction, don’t be afraid to ask the seller questions and/or try to find how the film was stored. If your into weird or funky film and want to take a chance on the “Type 3” e-bay seller, you might find that tortured film yields a desired effect!
The Final Door
The final door also happens to be The Best Door!  Why? This is the door to the FPP Store where I've been compiling lots of expired film just for you! Not only do you get film batch-tested by yours truly, but you are also helping support the Film Photography Podcast by making this purchase! So, sashay over to the FPP Store to check out the current inventory! Expired 35mm (and fresh-dated) film HERE.

Above: The many moods of expired film! See my Flickr Expired Set HERE (or the slide show below!)

Have fun shooting film and feel free to drop me a line to tell me about your shooting experiences!

- Michael Raso / Podcast@FilmPhotographyProject.com

Originally published July 27, 2011 / Revised November 16, 2012 and September 26, 2013