22nd October 2021, Rock House Wood

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Last Friday I took a drive up to Hartoft – about a 15 minute drive from where I live – mainly to try out the Bender 10×8 that I modified with a new rail system. It worked well. I also wanted to try the 450mm Liesegang brass lens I bought a few years ago on eBay for £30. I was looking for a place that was sheltered as it was a windy day and I came across this Forestry track.

22/10/2021 – Forestry Track, Hartoft, North Yorkshire

I parked up and had a look around and though at first glance there wasn’t anything much to photograph I decided to dig in and limit myself to this small stretch of track. As it turned out I made 8 frames on 10×8 Foma 100. Six frames with the Liesegang lens and two frames with the Hermagis 310  brass lens.

22/10/2021 – Bender 10×8 with modified rail system and Liesegang lens

I’m just on with processing the film at the moment and here’s one of the first from the Liesegang lens.

22/10/2021 – Rock House Wood #2

New enlarger and first print!

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So, the inevitable happened. After much discussion on Photrio and many great suggestions from mates about using LED panels etc. I decided to drive to Scotland last Tuesday to collect the LPL 7451 enlarger. (Thanks Alex!) I brought the enlarger back and wired it up that afternoon and did my first printing session last night. I’m pleased with it – especially now I have found a major (taller!) Paterson focus finder in my loft. One great feature of the Beseler was the flexible knob/ handles which hung down – not so with the LPL and I ended up doing the funky gibbon impression.

LPL 7451 enlarger in position

I met up with a neighbour last week and we had a coffee (outside, of course) and she asked if was I thinking of doing an exhibition this year especially as an event is, hopefully, taking place in our area which would be good to be involved in. I haven’t actually exhibited my photography since we moved here. When we had the gallery going we showed other photographers work but not my own.

As a test I found this negative from 2011 and printed it last night and it’s the first using the new enlarger and a Rodagon 135mm enlarging lens I bought years ago. It’s from a visit to Staithes we did with a friend on 26th November 2011. I’m not so sure I like the composition (or the print) but I’m going to post it anyway. It was taken using my Mamiya C330s and the 80mm lens. Film was Ilford HP5+ at 800 asa and developed in Kodak HC110 (Dil.B) for 8 minutes.

The Volunteer, Staithes, 26th November 2011 (Work Print)