Monster

Today I want to share a photograph from my book that I mentioned before. This image is one of my favorite one in the book. It was taken at April 2010, Kadikoy, Istanbul.

Contrary to common belief, taking photographs at demonstrations is very difficult task. There are lots of things going on all around you in demonstrations and you have to analyse and filter these complex situations as a photographer. Unfortunately, most of photographers are affected by this confusion environment and can not concentrate enough. 

Another difficulty is foreseeing the right moment in this fast evolving sequence of events and taking photograph at that right moment. For doing that a high concentration level and a sophisticated prediction talent are needed.

Here, I believe that I managed to overcome these difficulties in below image. Man with flag at the right and man with mask at the left of the image were both walking towards to me. I saw both of them in a second and I just imagined this frame. I could take only one frame in that moment. Even I didn't have enough time to focus. For this reason If you look carefully you can easily indicate that the image is a slightly out of focus. I felt I did something good when I took this photo. I am still getting exited when I look at this photograph.

Here are the image details:

Paper: Ilfrord Multigrade IV Fiber 1K Glossy
Paper Size: 24x30.5 cm (9½x12in)
Image Size: 19.6x28.5 cm (7.75x11.25in)
Developer: Dektol 1+2 (2 min.)
Toner: Untoned
Film Format: 35 mm

Rising the Bird

I have only one digital taken photograph in my portfolio. Hence I couldn't print it at darkroom, I was feeling uncomfortable. Then, one day I decided to print it by using an alternative processing technique and started to search an appropriate one that I can do. Most of them need several chemicals and they are too hard to find for me, but I faced with gum printing that need  just one chemical for making. It is potassium dichromate. I found it and decided to give a chance to it. 

For making these print I converted the digital image to negative and printed it to a A4 transparency sheet. Then prepared a 5%  solution of potassium dichromate. The other metarials that I used were gum arabic and  prussian blue gouache paint. For paper I preferred 425 gpm hand made, textured watercolor paper.

Paper was prepared under dim light conditions by applying solutions using a brush. Dried papers are contact printed under direct sun light.

Here are the print details:


Paper: Hand made, textured, 425 gsm, watercolour paper.
Paper Size: 21x29 cm (8.2x11.5in)
Image Size: 16.8x22.3 cm (6.6x8.8in)
Developer: Water
Toner: Untoned

Uploaded image is the best one that I could make. First problem that I faced was the exposure. What I read from the internet was suggesting 5 to 8 minutes exposure time under sun light. But in my situation I found best exposure time is 1 minutes. 

The other problem was details in shadows. I prepared three different negative which were low, normal and high contrast. This image was made with high contrast one. Unfortunately none of my negatives were not contain enough shadow details. I understand that I have to prepare contrast and more dense negative. 

BTW, most of the source I read about gum printing were suggested to size the paper but I didn't do it.   

Print taste

When printing a photograph generally you easily decide the contrast and exposure levels of the print. But pushing the boundaries at some photos may change the whole atmosphere. Here is an example of this.
At a heavy cloudy and very bad day, sun showed its face for a moment and below scene just happened. It was a perfect light with a darker background. I dreamed this atmosphere as soon as I saw it. In the darkroom I increased the contrast till the see was placed Zone II (Black areas with detail.) Also I placed the sail at Zone VIII (Textured white) by adjusting the exposure.

Here are the print details:

Paper: Ilfrord Multigrade IV Fiber 1K Glossy
Paper Size: 24x30.5 cm (9.5x12in)
Image Size: 18.5x28.2 cm (7.3x11.1in)
Developer: Dektol 1+2 (2 min.)
Toner: Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner
Film Format: 35 mm

Also you can see the standard print preference at the below:




Which one do you prefer? :)

Star of Greece

After awhile I manage to post another image. This image taken at Alexandroupolis (Dedeağaç is the Turkish name), Greece. This images is forcing my imagination. Whenever I look this image, I am dreaming lots of shapes and also I am making stories. Form on the sky part is a star or a dancer? What do you think? :)

Here is the print details:

Paper: Ilfrord Multigrade IV Fiber 1K Glossy
Paper Size: 24x30.5 cm (9½x12in)
Image Size: 18.5x28.2 cm (7.3x11.1in)
Developer: Dektol 1+2 (2 min.)
Toner: Untoned
Film Format: 35 mm

Intellectual effect

This image is very special moment for me. Two of the most important intellectual of Turkey are in the image. Baskın Oran and Yaşar Kemal. It is impossible to express my opinions about these two tremendous guys.

Print details:


Paper: Ilfrord Multigrade Warmtone IV Fiber 1K Glossy
Paper Size: 17.8x24 cm (7x9.5in)
Image Size: 15.1x23 cm (5.9x9.1in)
Developer: Kodak Dektol 1+2 (2 min.)
Toner: Untoned
Film Format: 35 mm

Pinhole

Today I want to share some pinhole prints. I made a matchbox pinhole just for fun and I loaded them with some old film that I didn't use. Here are the photos:

1)

2)

3)

Print Details:
Paper: Ilford Multigrade IV RC Glossy (1M)
Paper Size: 12.7x17.8 cm (5x7in)
Image Size: 11x11 cm (4.3x4.3in)
Developer: Dektol 1+2 (1.5 min.)
Toner: Untoned
Film Format: 24*24 mm

As you easily indicate there are lots of "printing errors". First of all, I couldn't estimate exposure values when taking photographs and as a result of this all images were heavily exposed. Moreover all images on the negatives have very low contrast. For this reason I had to print all this images at 4.5 grade.

Another issue there is a scratch at top part of the images. This film was a bulk film and I rolled it with bulk loader. When loading it I made a mistake and for this reason I scratched all of the bulk film ( approximately 20 roll).

Furthermore, in the first and second images there are marks due to light leaks. I have to use more electrical tape for light proofing.

Boiling Bridge

Today I want to present you an interesting image. It is taken from Europe through the Asia. 

Paper: Ilford Multigrade IV Fiber Glossy (1K)
Paper Size: 24x30.5 cm (9.5x12 in)
Image Size: 21.3x21.3 cm (8.4x8.4in)
Developer: Dektol 1+2 (2 min.)
Toner: Untoned
Film Format: 6x6

I took this photo with my super heavy Mamiya C330. I love this camera but it is almost impossible to carry it. Lens was Mamiya Sekor 80 mm f/2.8. It was long exposure in day light. I used Nikon R60 red filter. Film is Ilford Pan+ 50 @25 and aperture was 32. I wrote this details because people who see this print always ask me the details.

I made 4 edition with this print in the same session and each of them has a different boiling section :) It is almost impossible to print same looking print with this negative. I gave number 3 contrast filter to the upper part and number 4.5 to the bottom section. This is one of my favorite print and hanged on my wall