Experiments in film soup - part 6

Welcome to part 6 of my occasional experiments with the film soup process. 

This is a continuation of the same roll of 35mm Kodak gold that I shot in part 5, on my Olympus OM10.  I souped it for about 24 hours with dish soap.

I absolutely love a good pedestrian bridge, with all those struts and angles and shadows.

The soup effect on the clouds is particularly nice here.

I also captured some images of a small artificial waterfall in South Park, Allegheny County, PA. 

The way the colors are randomly altered is always such a joy. 

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Experiments in film soup - part 5

Hello, and welcome to part 5 of my occasional series where I share images altered by the film soup process.

These were taken on 35mm Kodak gold film, with a vintage Olympus OM10 camera.

After finishing the roll, I soaked the film canister in a solution of water with a bit of dish soap for 24 hrs., drained it, and let it dry out for several weeks. 

I then sent it off for special processing (don't use a regular lab, it will mess up their chemistry) and these are the results.

I'm still learning the ins and outs of this camera, so some of the images are not perfectly exposed, but I likes the eerie vibes of the above photo nonetheless.

All of these images are from various places along the Montour Trail, south of Pittsburgh PA.

I'm finding that in general, dish soap, which is a base, gives a very different vibe than lemon/lime juice, which is an acid. Of course there are a lot of variables inherent to the process, just like working with cyanotype, but learning to control for some of the variables is what makes these experiments so much fun.

Thanks for viewing!

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Experiments in film soup - part 4

This first set of striking images were taken in a somewhat mundane place, the Waterfront shopping center in Homestead, PA, just outside of Pittsburgh. One of the reasons I love it here is that the mundane is often side-by-side with the transmundane; there are relics of the industrial age everywhere, hinting at history.

I used my Nikon N6006 camera, which is rapidly becoming one of my favorites, loaded with Kodak Max 400 35mm film. 

I souped the film for about 24 hours in diluted lime juice, then let it dry out for several weeks.

I had them processed by Film Lab 135 , then lightly edited the digital images.

As with my wet cyanotype work, I absolutely love the unpredictability of the process, and the way the resulting images challenge my preconceived notions about what the world looks like.

A pink bridge, with green clouds? I'm mesmerized.

These last three images were taken while hiking along the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail, an old familiar haunt of mine, along the Susquehanna River near Marietta, PA. 

There was a light glaze of ice along some of the shadier sections.

And I never tire of this view, looking towards the bridges in Columbia.

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Experiments in film soup - part 3

I make these film soup images as a sort of special treat to myself. It's a mildly complicated process; taking pictures with an eye as to what might translate well to the format, "souping" the film in a solution for a period of time, drying the film, sending it out for processing, then slightly editing the results. (I have mine processed by film lab 135.) Part of it also accepting that a certain percentage of them will be duds. But when I get a set like this, where everything worked, it is entirely worth it. These fill me with joy, as I love a good alternative version of reality.

My camera here was a vintage Nikon N6006, which is rapidly becoming my favorite. I enjoy the interface, it's easy to use, and I like the vibe of the pictures it takes. Film was Kodak Max 400, which is easily available. I souped the film with lime juice.

 

This next set of pictures was taken near the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail.

I've taken a bunch of photos of these structures in the past, but souping takes them to another level.

This is Chickies, or Chiques, rock, located along the trail, and again I've got a zillion pictures of it, both the ground view and from the top, but these give me a sweet new perspective.

Hope you enjoyed these! 

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Experiments in Film Photography - part 5

In this edition of experiments in film photography, I shot a roll of Lomochrome turquoise 35mm film. I used my Minolta Maxxum 50, a camera I use often, and shot in familiar locations so I could casually compare the results with previous experiments.

This film took me on a wild ride. I was perplexed, or perhaps bemused, but also entertained by the results. 

The turquoise is a lovely hue, but the amount of it varies considerable from shot to shot. In some it's just highlights, in others it's basically monochromatic. 

The film is also very grainy in my experience, and while this is quite possibly operator error, and I do like a bit of retro grain, the extent of it combined with some prominent vertical lines is something I'm having to work on appreciating. 

That being said, there are a few standout images where I really love the effect.

Those pops of turquoise trees here and there are a delight.

There's a fair amount of complementary orange/rust tones in some of the images, which works well.

 

I like this horse of a different color and the moody atmosphere of this one.

I see online some marvelous results other photographers have achieved with this aesthetic. I feel like I would need to experiment more rigorously to better my chances with this film, and I'm not invested enough in the outcome to dive deeper. I'm glad I tried it but I'm moving on, while emphasizing how grateful I am that Lomo is giving us these fun films to play with. 

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Experiments in film soup - part 2

 

It's time for more film soup goodness! This batch of photos is from a roll of Fuji film 200 in my Minolta Maxxum 50 camera, souped with lime juice, dried, and specially processed. (See my previous post for more details on how the process works.)

Again with this roll, the effects are subtle-to-mid, enhancing but not substantially changing the imagery. It's a happy space for me.

The Greer tunnel on the Montour trail is turning into a perennial favorite subject. The addition of the metal panels done during an extensive renovation just takes everything to the next level, in person and in photos.

St. Francis looks appropriately ethereal.

The effect on bare sycamores by a creek is a great enhancement of something that I wouldn't have thought needed enhancement.

A historic house, and a glimpse of a bridge through late winter trees-- it's just thrilling to me how this process adds another layer of interest and meaning.

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