Planet Randy

Dallmeyer 3D, 20 seconds exposure, wide open, 4×6 tin

Here’s my first portrait in Collodion. It’s a little overexposed and I couldn’t get the silver to sensitize evenly using a tray. So, I ordered a 5×7 silver tank from Lund Photographics, hopefully that will resolve the issue. This experience taught me to really keep a CLEAN equipment – it’s hard to fathom doing this process in the field.

I find myself scouring for small pouring bottles and non-ridged trays everywhere I go, even though I already have several that’s appropriate (hahaha…).

Thanks wife!

Dallmeyer 3D, 6 seconds exposure, wide open, 4×6 tin

Getting better in exposing tintypes but still have to deal with unwanted artifacts. I know the key is a “clean, clean, clean” equipment.

Dallmeyer 3D, 2 minutes exposure, wide open, 4×6 tin

After taking Dunniway’s workshop on collodion last month, I was able to gather enough materials and chemistry to makes some plates. This 4×6 tin was taken with a Dallmeyer 3D for 20 seconds wide open under a 500 watt halogen lamp. I’ve still got some technical issues but I’m getting there.

Finally got my lift kit installed on the ’93 Cherokee. Apparently, the previous owner had put a budget lift with 2″ spring spacers up front and 2″ shackles on the back. I decided to keep these in addition to the Rusty’s 3″ lift kit; I gained a total of 5.25″ up front and 5″ at the rear!

The stock tires looked really dinky, so I found a set of used 31″ tires at Craigslist for $250 and five new D-windows black rims from Summit racing at $47 a wheel (shipped). What a difference on how she looks!

BEFORE

AFTER

UPGRADES

Suspension: Rusty’s 3″ Full Spring Pack + unknown 2″ spacers and shackles (5″ lift yielded)

Driveline: Rugged Ridge SYE with Tom Woods Drive Shaft

Steering: Rusty’s Tie Rod and Drag Link, KOR Track Bar, KOR Stabilizers and KOR Steering Box Brace

WHAT’S NEXT

• TJ Fender Flares
• Rock rails
• Front bumper with winch mount and Pre-Runner
• Rear bumper with swing away tire carrier
• JKS Quicker Disco’s
• Clayton’s Long Arms
• ARB Lockers
• Home Depot EMT roof racks
• Fix the “weeping windshield”

I think this list will never end – photography is on the back seat for now. Time to find some rocks and dirt to try this “grocery getter” on.

A quick snap from Judiciary Square in Washingon, DC – the memorial honors those in law enforcement who gave their lives in the line of duty.

…soft focus that is. I plan on doing some collodion work next year and this Dallmeyer Petzval 3D soft focus lens became available from a trusted source. The “3D” is not for three dimensional, though it does impart a 3D look due to the awesome “bokeh”.

Here’s a couple of first – first soft focus image and first paper negative. I wanted to try this  lens out but was too lazy to develop film, I new people used paper negatives before so I gave that a go. I had some old 5×7 Arista EDU RC paper around; I scoured the  forums and the recommended sensitivity for this paper is ISO 3. Loaded some holders, dragged the Korona to the back yard, found a small bottle, plucked a flowering weed and viola! Cheap as chips.

I’ll prolly enlarge this if I get to enjoy it enough.

A nearing dusk shot of the US Capitol. Lot’s of digi-snappers and got harassed by a couple of Japanese tourist about film. I eased their concerns by inviting them to look at the Hassy’s finder.

Night shot of the US Monument. Cropped to 2.5 ratio from 6×6.

This was visualized by my wife and she told me to press the button. She also gave me permission to try it on lith.

Work sent me to DC for a demo a couple of weeks ago. I called our Congresswoman’s DC office to see if they can give us a tour of the Capitol. A few people wondered why I was laying on floor, if they only new what I saw on the “blad’s” ground glass. The lighting was quite dim so I had to compromise on shutter speed and DOF – best I can do without a tripod.

More to come…

Going through some Tonopah scans and thought this might be a good candidate for Ilford’s Warmtone paper and Moersch MT3 Vario Thiourea toning. It’s from a 5×7 negative but I think I prefer a square cropping. Perhaps next week when my paper arrives.

Mexico is such a beautiful country I’d love to visit this place again, but unfortunately the on going cartel problems down south makes me apprehensive.

This was taken  a couple of years ago with an old Zeiss Ikonta rangefinder 6×9 folding camera.

A potted plant outside our Portola Hotel room. Printed on Ilford MGIV glossy, developed in Dektol and split sepia/selenium toned. I’m surprised it stayed sharp as this was a hand held shot at F/8.0, 1/60th.

This past weekend we went to the Weston Gallery to meet with one of my favorite photographer’s (Brett Weston) daughter, Erica Weston and to have her and John Woods’ book signed. We also got to see some of Brett’s prints and they are wonderful! The images in his books do not do them justice. I can see why one of my favorite prints has a price tag of $29,000!

As a bonus, I got to see other prints from other photographers that inspire me such as Michael Kenna, Edward Weston, and Ryuijie. I was really curious on how Kenna’s toning look – it has a subtle coolness in the dark and warmth in the highlights, I really like it.