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Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim + Redscaled Agfa Vista 400. (Courtesy ofThe Wishy.)
Holiday experiments with redscale... (August 2009)
I did not line up the film, nor take notes, nor plan the compositions.
I did decide to shoot the entire roll through on Lewis/Harris and
after respooling, shoot over it on the remaining islands we were
visiting - Berneray, North Uist, Benbecula & Grimsay, South Uist,
Eriskay, Barra & Vatersay.
The negatives were returned uncut as requested, but I did get lab scans. I have cropped where I feel it is most helpful to do so - the luck of the draw has meant there was very little (if any) frame overlaps on this roll, which made me very happy.
Redscaling.
Basically it involves taking a roll of ordinary 'bog standard' print
film, reversing it and respooling it into another film canister (all
done in a dark bag) so that the light is exposed on 'the wrong side of
the film' when you take a shot. You then lose two 'stops' on the
optimal exposure conditions from the original. It gets developed in
exactly the same way as print film, but be prepared for the technician
to be a little startled (at best) or a little irritated (at worst)
when they realise that something very odd has happened to the film. :)
Comments and faves
m+b, flippingburgers, Simon Hua, ~ thedreamsfactory., and 164 other people added this photo to their favorites.
m+b (43 months ago | reply)
Oh wow, this is stunning
There can be only one Rob! (43 months ago | reply)
Is that the Callanish Stones?
Trapac (43 months ago | reply)
@ m+b: Thanks. :)
@ There can be only one Rob!: *Points to the tags*
Yup!
Some old stones on one island, over some prehistorically old stones on another island further south. I couldn't have planned this one if I had tried, but I'm chuffed that this act of randomness worked out this way....
Simon Hua (43 months ago | reply)
just STUNNING!
sweet capture
amazing processing!
--
Seen in my contacts' photos. ( ?² )
-fiona- (43 months ago | reply)
She's back!!
This is gorgeous! It looks like some sort of weird astronomical event is about to take place.
ßlϋeωãvε (43 months ago | reply)
Wow, that came out well! Beautiful and a little mysterious and all done with film! :)
snakefeather (43 months ago | reply)
wow wow wow
Steve'sgotthedamncameraagain (43 months ago | reply)
Very otherworldly. Love the tones!
bbaakk (43 months ago | reply)
whoa you're lucky!!!!!!!!
Nick_Josh© (43 months ago | reply)
yup this one turned out good
--
Seen in some comments. ( ?² )
Walt Jabsco (43 months ago | reply)
Fantastic.........I visited Lewis in 2000, a friend was working in Stornaway.
The strangest place I have ever visited whilst still being in the UK.
Does the church still ban fun of any sort on a Sunday ?
When I was there, playgrounds were chained up and plugs removed from TV's in guest houses on Sundays.
Neighbours of the friend I was visiting even had their washing taken down from the washing line on a Sunday once and folded up on their front door step by ladies from the church .
It seemed you are only allowed to worship on a Sunday and nothing else.
We went surfing but turned the radio down and frowned everytime we drove past any sort of congregation.
Roadmouse (43 months ago | reply)
Beautiful! Very mystical atmosphere. :)
bernat... (43 months ago | reply)
Congratulations!!! your photo reach Explore Front Page
You can download the capture in lab.bernatcasero.com/flickr/frontpagecapture? user=8435139...
ρrakaz (Digital Monk) (43 months ago | reply)
You have so many on Front Page now. All FP well deserved. Congrats and good luck for the next one ;)
You can view all your FP photos right here.
The Gentleman Amateur (43 months ago | reply)
Very cool indeed! Good to see your stuff again.
Rob Fillion [away] (43 months ago | reply)
Great photo. I'm glad to see that there are still people who are willing to experiment - just say "i wonder what would happen if I..."
Holden Richards (43 months ago | reply)
remarkable.
misclyric (43 months ago | reply)
Dope
Agustin Arneodo (43 months ago | reply)
que interesante!ª
lawatt (43 months ago | reply)
marvelous work...
Jeniee (43 months ago | reply)
wow this is fantasy like, love it.
Jeffrey-Anthony (43 months ago | reply)
Wow great capture and awesome composition!
Chris Farrugia (chrisfarrugia.net) (43 months ago | reply)
Excellent shot, well done!
Faisal! (43 months ago | reply)
Absolutely gorgeous!
Jason Lupi (43 months ago | reply)
That is a stunner.
daða [deleted] (43 months ago | reply)
Eh?
cliffsmith1002 [deleted] (43 months ago | reply)
a full stop does not seem quite the right title for such a fab bit of photo genius.........but then again im guessing stuff this good dont need a title.....brilliant
www.calebbaty.com (43 months ago | reply)
nice vintage feel
dilpreetsandhu51 (43 months ago | reply)
Potos
Reybronx (on and off) (43 months ago | reply)
lovely double exposure!
Bong Tongol Photography 'Explore' Life! (43 months ago | reply)
Unbelievably Beautiful! Brilliant Capture!
We'd love to showcase your work at our Group!
Flicker it! (Post 1-Comment 2)
Please Join Us and Be Flickered Trapac.!
Lolo!! (43 months ago | reply)
excellent picture!
Carlosgg [deleted] (43 months ago | reply)
nice photo!!!
Samanthabrowning [deleted] (43 months ago | reply)
really cool photo :)
Ciuì (43 months ago | reply)
wow
Genius!
Edwin Taylor (43 months ago | reply)
I really like this. Sooo much.
Elle-Noir [deleted] (43 months ago | reply)
That's amazing!
| kenneth | mostly away from flickr (43 months ago | reply)
REally inspiring shot and great to read about the Redscaling - have to do a bit of trials myself one day.
From fellow film-shooter.
alexandragrace7 (43 months ago | reply)
this is stunning!
25ThC (43 months ago | reply)
This is simply awesome. Fantastic work.
TheWishy (43 months ago | reply)
I do like. Double exposure works lovely with the jagged rocky feel
Interesting how you've got a much darker red than I've ever got out of Vista 400. I suspect that'll be down to the way it'll be scanned.
Trapac (42 months ago | reply)
@ Noppie (Simon) Thanks for your enthusiasm Simon. :)
@ -fiona-: I'm not really 'back ' I'm a big fat fraud on the 'back' front - just desperately trying to clear the backlog of my archive in a manageable way, but it's lovely to have such a warm welcome.
I like the thought of capturing a weird astrological event - it would be entirely fitting if I could ever manage to pull it off with a genuinely random doubles exposure....I think I'd squeal a lot!
@ ßlϋeωãvε: thanks Tim - all done with film. Those islands simply love film, can't wait to be let loose up there again with some more!
@ snake~feather, bakrihafizhisham & ñ!§häñt_rÖÄMËR©: Thanks for all the positivity, you made me smile.
@ mozart&me: Thanks. The tones on this one (and about two others) were quite different than most of the rest of this roll, and I'm still not entirely sure why that was. These are definitely more pink than red/orange. It may be because both shots were taken on an overcast day, with only occasional sunshine peeking between gaps in the grey clouds. I'm wondering under-exposing this Agfa Vista increases the pink tones. It's the first time I've shot redscaled Vista, so it's too early to call yet - but one of the things I love about shooting redscale, is that you gert entirely different colour palettes with different film.
@ Walt Jabsco: We went surfing but turned the radio down and frowned every time we drove past any sort of congregation.
You crack me up!
It's still quite deeply ingrained in Lewis/Harris - the Uists and beyond seem to be more inclined to Catholicism. I think the whole Sunday thing has been under pressure in recent years, and CalMac took the decision to run Sunday crossings between Tarbet and Skye this year, which went down about as well as a fart in a spacesuit with many members of the population who had been there for decades. It's viewed as a tremendous erosion of island culture and community. I don't know what the answer is - they desperately need the tourism for jobs and income, but also seek to hold on to a long established way of life. It's a tricky one.
It still isn't wise to risk needing petrol, food or a pub meal on a Sunday, unless you know the place well and have figured out the exceptions...I stayed mostly cheerful and sang loudly in the car at pretty much any opportunity - even on Sundays. Does that count? :)
@ roadmouse: Thanks again for that, it was a very lucky act of randomness for me.:)
@ Bern@t & ρrakaz: Ahh - the gruesome twosome... ;) I'll direct you to here, because it'll save me answering you all over again.
@ The Gentleman Amateur: Aw thanks - I'm dreadfully inconsistent in my attendance at the moment though, but everyone is keeping me on my toes. I've been having adventures with Cyanotype this week - it's all getting very exciting....and hard work!
@ Rob Fillion: Hey thanks for that. I wouldn't know how else to approach my photography to be hoJeniee nest - it's great that there are people out there who aren't freaked out by the absence of clean lines, sharp edges, pure pixels and a detailed understanding of bracketing! ;)
@ Holden Richards & lawatt: Thank you both - again. It's always good to see each of you.
@ misclyric, aguarneodo & dilpreetsandhu51: Thank you all.
@ Jeniee, Jeffrey-Anthony, Chris Farrugia (chrisfarrugia.net), Faisal!™ & Jason Lupi: You have all been very generous. I had a consistently great landscape to play with and camera/film combination that I feel very comfortable with. That, and the luck of the randomness falling my way was really helpful. It's nice that so many other people have responded so well to the results. Thanks.
@ nilli48: Heee. When you know the answer - can you let me know? ;)
@ cliffsmith1002: I don't know what to do with the titles any more, so I've copped out. I really like making up titles, but with the doubles, there's so much going on in them I worry that a title I might choose, will be too prescriptive of the viewer. Sort of telling them what they should be seeing, or what relationship they should be making within the images. When the doubles are so random and not at all contrived, this feels a bit disingenuous; so I feel that the viewer should be free to look for the relationship and/or meaning that suits them, rather than what I impose. That way there's no right or wrong or feeling silly. It's been amazing to see how different people see completely different things in the same image, and then write about that in the comments. They do that much more when I don't give the image a title.
Now if I was setting up the doubles, or intending to tell a story - that would be entirely different.... Watch this space. ;)
Oh and thanks, once again - you've been very flattering. :)
@ www.calebbaty.com: Thanks, I think that 'vintage thing' can happen with redscale, especially when it's been over-exposed because then it really can look like a sepia tint.
@ reybronx: Thank you - 'twas a lucky act of randomness!
@ bong tongol photography: Erm, thanks but no thanks - I think I'll give that a miss if that's all right with you.
@ Lolo!!, Carlosgg, Samanthabrowning, Ciuì, Edwin Taylor, Elle-Noir, alexandragrace7 & 25ThC: Thank you so much all of you - all this visiting has been very much appreciated.
@ photos_by_kenneth: Hey thanks - but don't say 'one day'. 'One day' is like 'Some day' it rarely happens. Why not say, I must give that redscale technique a try before next Summer or something like that, and then MAKE it happen. Go on - you know you want to! I'd be happy to come and take a look when you do. ;)
@ TheWishy: Awww...glad you saw these, this was with your film, so very many 'thankyous' are due your way. As far as the colour tone thing was concerned - I've been wondering that myself, but I've only got the results from the one roll so it's a bit early to call. All these were scanned at the minilab in Asda, on cheap 2 day processing. These are straight off their CD. It would be interesting to see whether the 4490 would see the same differences direct from the negatives.
My working theory is that I shot this frame on a largely overcast day with only occasional sun peeking through the clouds, whereas most of the others were taken on very bright, light sunny days. It's a case of 'work in progress' to get a clearer, more consistent idea, I think.
Stephen Poullas (42 months ago | reply)
epic, truly.
- Hob - (41 months ago | reply)
I'm probably off the mark, but is the cairn image the unexcavated mound sat Vatten on Skye? I recall seeing them on the way to get the ferry to Lewis from Skye, and though they don't have the visual 'oomph' of Callanish, they are a very atmpospheric set of monuments.
This is one of the most interestingly conceived images of Callanish I've seen, in fact of any stone circle. And I've seen lots of photos of stone circles :)
Trapac (41 months ago | reply)
@ happyapplepoison: I don't know how else to respond to that, other than to say 'Thanks'. :)
@ Hobsonish: To be fair, you are not way off the mark, for the burial cairn in this image is on another Hebridean island. Not Skye though - but North Uist. This one has been excavated, and is known as Bharpa Langas.
We will be returning later this year and spending a bit of time on Skye as part of the return journey, I'll see if I can locate the cairn to which you refer and use if for a suitable double in the same spirit.
Thanks also for your generous compliment. :)
Mika ☼ (40 months ago | reply)
the color's look beautiful and the overlap looks perfect :]
Mika ☼ (36 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called The Unusual, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
seriykotik1970 (34 months ago | reply)
Oh excellent- this reminds me of a 1970s Doctor Who story (I don't think I ever saw it but I read the book) featuring druids, Stonehenge and aliens. In fact I think the aliens were the stones themselves...
An unearthly scene. Somebody in Hollywood ought to cotton onto redscale for those post-apocalyptic zombie mayhem films. Far more atmospheric than all that CGI.
Bottanissima (32 months ago | reply)
really great...congrats
rowanC82 (28 months ago | reply)
This is a stunning shot of Callanish Stones. I like the red in this shot.
Hugo Scialom (22 months ago | reply)
That's just wonderful !! Very nice landscape!!
Le.Sanchez (21 months ago | reply)
wow
Today is a good day (21 months ago | reply)
This is officially the most interesting shot on Flickr of the stones!!!
Yay!
The Thinner the Air (15 months ago | reply)
this is just genius! well done!