Film Processing and Printing Resource - Ilford Lab Direct

Ilford Lab Direct









As you know I have an interest in film photography. I have for some time been trying to learn what resources are available to the film photographer especially those working in large format. While I am not going to pine on about the demise of analog photography I have noticed that resources, services and products are still becoming harder to access. The local film lab in my city while still developing C41, E6 and Black and White is doing so on a much less frequent basis causing me some concern about the freshness of chemistry when they do actually do a run. C41 seems to still be getting run more frequently than E6 which is now less than one time a week.

As such I am posting this link to a resource I recently came across. I also put a link in the Information and Inspiration section of this blog which will take you to  to the Ilford Lab Direct. They provide film development and film printing and scanning. As best I can tell while they develop, print and scan roll film sizes, they only develop/process large format film 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10. It does not appear they will scan or print those sizes. They do however process both C41 and E6 along with Black and White using Ilford chemistry. I would assume that anyone going into this business linked to a manufacturer would have reasonable quality standards but I have not yet used them myself. I don't have a dark room and at this time don't have the time or desire to set one up. My work flow is to shoot film, wet scan it with the Epson V700 Pro flat bed scanner and then print photos using various ink jet or laser printers I have at my disposal.

If anyone has used this service please leave comments for me and others.

Chipperfield Wing in Snow- St. Louis Art Museum

Overhang and Railing

Trees and Door

Anotherone Bites the Dust - Servco Warehouse fire South of the Gateway Arch

If you look back through this blog you will see another short series of photos form a fire not very long ago. That fire was only two blocks away. It was in the Western Building of the Crundon Martin complex. This building, I will call the Servco Warehouse, burnt on Monday, December 16, 2013. Again another dramatic fire that will decimate yet one more piece of the historic riverfront fabric. Likely caused by some accident, carelessness or stupidity as the cause is  yet to be determined when I am taking these images.

Fox News Story with Photos of the Servco Building Fire in St. Louis

Servco Burning-Flames



Servco Burning- Smoke



Servco Burning - Far Away



Interesting Photographers Work

Blog Site for Mikko Lagerstedt

So in my relentless searching to see what others have done and what they are currently doing I came across this site. This is a young photographer completely embracing the capabilities of digital with a great sensibility for composition and emotional connection. Enjoy!

Vivian Maier - An urban street photography addiction

Photograph by Vivian Maier

For many photogrphy is about capturing "pretty" images. I certainly have not issue with landscape photography, the capturing of natural beauty or at times even the sentimental beauty that one sees in a lot of photographic work. The capturing of every day and urban images however is not so easily understood and I have come across several historical photographers that did so with excessive compulsion. They pursued the capture of these images with seemingly little or no outlet or expecation that someone would ever see their work. Like many of us the capture and production of the images was far more important or compelling than the promotion or marketing of these images.

I recently came upon a photographer Vivian Maier,who seems to be quite the unusual example. For starters she is a woman. Aspinsterish woman who supported herself primarily as a nanny who also photographed her world with excessive compulsion. The fact that she was a woman, this single fact may have meant that she did not stand a chance of ever being noticed by an art culture that focused predominantly on men with a few notable exceptions.  As someone who has an affinity for photographing architecture, the urban environment and the more familiar things of may daily world, things not always thought of a "pretty" her work is extrordinary. What an unusual combination this quiet care giver living much of her life in upscale suburbia making these amazing images of the urban, the poor and the ordinary or our world.  These images have a quality to them that are quite compelling. Clearly she worked at her craft as these are not just snapshots. They come out of a deep knowledge and familarity with her subject, tireless compostion and timing and a relentless pursuit that borders on excessive compulsion. She had caputured thousands of images when she died many of which were on rolls of film which had not been developed as she had become destitute and homeless losing access to her darkroom. Take a look at these amazing images and remember that these images were caught on film when you had to calculate your exposure, depth of field in your head and when there were no autofocus or exposure computers. You could not just shoot 40 frames at rapid fire to get it just right.
http://www.vivianmaier.com

Lunchtime In the Rain

Today's post includes  photos from Carondolet Park in South St. Louis and images from a classical public library in South St. Louis the Carondolet Branch of the St. Louis Public Library at 6800 Michigan Ave. Hope you enjoy. Please leave me comments if you like or dislike my work. I am working on slowing things down an making compositions. These images have had minimum post shoot processing. I willl adjust the contrast, crop, do some aligment. I have recently been removing the camera distortion much the way you might with a large format view camera that has shift and tile. I am planning on working with the Graflex Super Graphic that I have now very soon. I am interseted to see how I can manipulate selective focus with the view/press camera. Thanks!

Footbridge

Tall Pine

Footbridge and Ducks

Classical

Public Cornice Black and White

Public Cornice Color

Column Capital

Some New Urban Industrial Images

These images from East St. Louis and Granite City were shot at dusk under clear sky. The weather had cleared from a number of mid-day thunderstorms which produced tornado's across much of the Midwest. No trace of that hours later.

Elevator and Highway Sign

Merchant of Venice - Eppilogue

Steel Mill

Steel Color

Muted Colors

Near the River

Today's post is a series of new images from areas just South and North of the arch. It is a gritty industrial  area that is somewhat of a no man's land  but very near my office so I spend time here. I have photographed this area a lot and you will see many of the subjects already on the blog. The St. Louis flood wall separates the workings of the river, with its giant barges for moving heavy raw materials such as coal, grain and petroleum from the city. The area is laced with both highways and heavy rail lines. Roads and train trestles transition onto Bridges that cross the mighty river. Here in St. Louis the edge of the city along the Mississippi has very often been left to industry. Heavy smoke stack industry, warehouses and many types of things that have long since become obsolete in the American economy. Yet the river remains an ever active place. All manner of work seems to always be going on along the banks as she remains ever powerful. Vast amounts of materials being made loaded or processed along it. Certainly it is still shaping this landscape.

Images from a lunchtime photography! If you like or dislike these images please comment! Thanks!

New Bridge and Barge Conveyor

Arch and Sign

1970

 

Tracks and Shed

 

Tankers and Tracks

Crane Gears II After High Water

Barge Crane II

 

Trestles Black and White

Suck This Cold Mother!

As it used to be

These shoes were made for walking

Photos from the last Cardinals Home game of 2013!

Had the game turned out differently I would certainly have different photos. But when a game goes this badly it is hard to be in the mood to take pictures. The one saving grace is that we were with some great folks and met some other great folks. We had a good time regardless of the outcome. How can you not have good time at a World Series game at Bush Stadium? St. Louis Cardinals fans are truly spoiled. We expect this every year.

Where's the ball?????

Old School

 

God Bless America

The Star of the Game!

Cardinal Nation!

 

In honor of those who have served!

A post in honor of all of those who are veterans and who have fought to protect our country and our freedom. In particular Melvin J. Reim Corporal, United States Army, WW II, Pacific Theatre, European Theatre. Stationed in Kauai Hawaii during Pearl Harbor. Transferred to Utah State to learn to fly planes. Transferred to England to serve as a German/English translator in the Signal Corp. Participated in the D-Day invasion and the Battle of the Bulge. Whitness to history!