This is the first of a set of periodic and more detailed discussions concerning what I do as part of my photographic process which I outlined here a couple of weeks ago.  Remember this is what I do. Your mileage might vary. In any case you should do what works best for you. The key is to have a consistent and repeatable work process that supports your creativity.  Note for all the Zone System photographers: I only use Normal development times; I do not use Minus and Plus development times. I also use a variant of the Zone System called Maximum Printable Density (MPD) that Fred Picker developed.

I have grouped these steps together because they form the foundation for producing a good negative that will enable you to make a decent print without having to resort to heroic measures … assuming your exposure is close to the mark.

Much has been written about these two steps, especially by Zone System practitioners. And they’re right in doing so, because establishing the proper film speed for your film of choice and the correct development time for with your developer of choice is essential. The key however, is not to go crazy over this.

As mentioned in my summary piece, there are a number of ways to get the results you need. For example, many film speed tests incorporate the use of a densitometer to locate the negative that produces a minimum printable density of a Zone I exposure, which is equal to a density of .08 – .10 above “film base and fog”. That negative is the one having the proper film speed; using that film speed will ensure that your shadows are nice and luminous. Once you have established you personal film speed you can then determine what development time will enable a Zone VIII metered placement you make in the field to produce a Zone VIII print value in the darkroom. Too much development time will blow out your highlights, not enough and they will be too dark. These are the methods I used to establish my film speed and development times years ago and I still use their results. But testing needn’t be intimidating and can be as simple as cutting your film speed in half of the manufacturer’s stated box speed and cutting the manufacturer’s development time by 20%; then making adjustments as you go along.

Of the two steps, film speed testing has historically been given the greatest amount of ink.  And both often get discussed in the context of the Zone System.  I think this is where the confusion and over-complexity comes in to play. It turns off a lot of people, leading them to cave in and do whatever Kodak or Ilford tells says. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The Zone System is merely a method that takes into account the basic principles of sensitometry and allows you to incorporate them into your photography.

The standard text for all of this is of course Ansel Adams’s The Negative, but after multiple readings I just couldn’t get it. Then I stumbled onto Fred Picker’s little book called The Zone VI Workshop.  All of a sudden everything became clear!  Film speed and development time testing now made sense, not to mention the Zone System itself! You can buy this monumental yet tiny book for a song and read the whole thing in less than an hour. I highly recommend it!  J.B. Harlan has written wonderful set of work books focusing on the art and craft of large format black and white film photography, with one in particular called The Film Exposure Work Book. It contains a number of chapters that tell you how to conduct film speed and development time tests, building on Picker’s original work and the Maximum Printable Density (MPD) concept he developed to completely simplify and demystify the Zone System (more on this to come!). I own J.B.’s entire series and have had the pleasure to meet him and his wife Susan. They are both outstanding photographers and wonderfully helpful people! Picker’s explanation of MPD and related matters can be found in his Newsletters #46, #47 and #48.  Note: Complete sets Fred Picker’s newsletters come up from time to time on eBay and are worth getting!!! I have read all 82 newsletters many times and always seem to learn something or gain some new insight with each reading.

I am not going to go over the details on how to conduct theses tests beyond what I have said above. My recommendation is to get both the Picker and Harlan books and be done with it (there are also countless discussions about how to do this on the Internet that you can find). Otherwise just start by cutting your film speed in half of the manufacturer’s stated box speed and cutting the manufacturer’s development time by 20% and make adjustments as you go along. Even the great photographer and printer Bruce Barnbaum discusses this approach in his book The Art of Photography.

This year I’ve made a lot of medium format Tri-X negatives developed in Kodak HC-110 (more on this development at another time) and my personal film speed and development times haven’t changed since I conducted my first tests for this sacred combination over thirty years ago (there was a slight change in development time when I began using a Jobo processer over twenty years ago). My film speed is 250 ASA and my development time is 6 minutes using HC-110 dilution B.  Yes I know Tri-X had a revision during this time and some users reported that the look of HC-110 changed slightly, but you know what, I have still gotten the same consistent results so why mess with what works!  If I detected a problem it would have been easy to make some subtle changes in film speed and/or development time.

There is one developer I am familiar with that enables me to get close to box speed or use the stated box speed, depending on the film. Kodak Xtol allows me to use 35mm Ilford Delta 100 at 80 ASA and Tri-X at full box speed!

All of this having been said, a great many photographers, especially those that are street shooters use box speeds or higher and manufacturer’s stated development times for a grittier and/or more contrasty look and feel. Think Ralph Gibson for example. It really is all about what you want.

Bottom line – establish your foundation and don’t look back!

Sometimes things don’t work out as planned the first time around. Sometimes they don’t work out the second time you try. But sometimes the third time’s a charm. That was the way it turned out for me recently.

In landscape photography the masters have often revisited a location numerous times waiting for the right light or a beautiful cloud formation to arrange itself overhead. Then think of how may times Edward Weston photographed his pepper to get exactly what he was looking for. In the case of street or documentary photography you often only get one chance, as the picture is there for a fleeting moment and then it’s gone forever.  But not always, especially if you are persistent and not willing to give up!

Such was the case when I went to the large open air Italian Market in South Philly last summer. First things first; as soon as I arrived I grabbed some quick chow. Then off to make some photographs. After walking around the central area I decided to keep going … I always find it the most interesting when I have no clue where I am headed. I quickly came upon Capitolo Park and the semi annual Capitolo Park Flea Market.

The exterior of the Park along the sidewalks was packed with vendors selling their wares on top, on the sides and beneath tables, which they sat or stood behind. In some cases they had things hanging from or leaning against the metal chain link fence behind them that bordered the playground and basketball court. I walked around, mostly in the street because there were cars parked in front of the tables and the sidewalks were jammed. This of course made for some challenges when trying to make some of the pictures I was interested in.

I finally stumbled upon a gentleman selling the usual stuff, but behind him leaning against chain link fence were stuffed animal heads mounted on some kind of wooden board. A little bizarre, so naturally I got excited and made a few pictures. Unfortunately I couldn’t get what I really wanted due to the parked cars and the mass of people I wasn’t able to control. But you do the best you can or walk away empty.

I eventually got around to developing the film but the proof sheet turned out the way I thought it might; the pictures were not worth printing. Nevertheless, I stored what I saw in my memory for future keeping. On a Saturday morning this June I drove back to the same location hoping the flea market and the guy with the animal heads would be there. Of course I hadn’t done any checking beforehand and so no flea market and no guy with his animal heads. I walked around and made a few pictures but felt a little dejected until I spoke to a nice woman who I guessed live lived in the neighborhood and asked if she knew about the flea market. Yes she did; it takes place twice a year and the upcoming one would be next Saturday!

With great anticipation I drove back to South Philly the following Saturday.  It took forever to find a parking space within walking distance, but I finally found one and started hiking towards the park.  It was packed with people, tables and of course the damned cars parked in front of the tables. I walked around the park and playground and then I saw him with his animal heads against on the fence, in the exact same location as last before!  And yes there was a car parked in front of his area, but with enough of a space to hopefully get a decent shooting angle.

I had a nice chat with him about what he was selling, especially since he had a couple of boxes vinyl LPs and I only own several thousand myself. A few more couldn’t do any harm. Good ice breaker. In a short while he was happy to move into position so I could make some photographs and I was able to get the passing onlookers to stop while I made them. All very enjoyable!  I finished what I set out to do and went to find my car.

A few days later I developed my film and made my proof sheet with a certain amount of anticipation. And yes, third time was a charm!

I really wanted this picture and wasn’t willing to give up on it even if the probability of success was pretty slim. There are a number of pictures I have missed either because I didn’t have my camera with me or I couldn’t quite get it right or I just screwed up completely. I wanted to keep trying to see if I might capture this one. I thought somehow that if I kept trying the photography gods might look kindly upon me and magically it would happen.

I did, and it did.

If your picture really matters to you, don’t give up!

Both my parents were WWII veterans and I have always been grateful for their service and sacrifice.  I always think about them on Memorial Day, but this year was special because we were also the 75^thanniversary of D Day.

I think it is hard to fully grasp the peril that the world faced in 1944 unless you grew up during that time. You can read about it, but the best way is to communicate with those who lived it.  And while America has endured many conflicts since the end of WWII, nothing can compare that conflict in terms of total horror and number of casualties.  Over 400,000 Americans lost their lives during WWII. Then there was the mass amount of casualties our allies suffered. All so tyranny could be defeated and we could maintain the freedoms we take for granted today.  But what about today? There are storm clouds on the horizon … neo-Nazi groups, white supremacists, growing racism and anti semitism at home and abroad, and ultra nationalism spreading across Europe like a disease.

Those Americans that fought in WWII so that their children and grandchildren could have the kind of lives that they could only dream of are passing away at a rate of 372 per day. That is why the recent 75th anniversary of D Day and events surrounding it like Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s 29th Anniversary WWII weekend are so important!  They help us remember, to imagine, and teach those who are not familiar.

I decided that one of the ways I could become more immersed in the anniversary was to take the drive to Reading, Pennsylvania and check out what the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s 29th Anniversary WWII weekend was all about … and of course make some photographs. After all, the Reading Regional Airport was only about an hour and a half from where I live, so it would easily fit within my self imposed Two Hour photography plan I have been operating under and have previously written about.

There were tons of vintage WWII aircraft on the ground and flying overhead. My father-in-law was a B-17 jockey and would have felt right at home! Then there were the hundreds of WWII era re-enactors milling around in uniform or civvies, not to mention important world leaders giving rousing speeches.  And there were bands playing the great popular music of the 1940s. Of course there was a lot of food.  So far so good!

My hope was that I would see some WWII veterans and make some photographs of them. I did see a few and thanked them for there service, but they were in a very crowded area inside one of the air hangers.  So I didn’t have much luck in terms of the type pictures I was hoping for but seeing them was worth far more.

Now what? No problem. Look for other opportunities! They’re always there if you are open to the possibilities and I had a lot of fun finding them. In the end I got a few keepers I’m happy with and I have now started printing them.  But most of all I was able to be part of a truly wonderful event. It reminded me of how great the “greatest generation” really was and what they fought for to protect.

It really was a different time.

Thank you for your service!