Being trapped in the house during a global pandemic, what with stay-at-home orders in-effect, etc., has put a damper on my photographic endeavors. While I could certainly take a film camera along with me during walks, hikes and other permitted outdoor activities (well away from other humans), I decided this past weekend to instead load a roll of Kodak Tri-X in my Rolleiflex SL35 (my favorite 135 camera), set it to push to ISO 1600, put-on one of my heretofore unused extension tubes, and set about finding photographic subjects hidden in plain sight. Microcosms is what I’ve called the surprisingly satisfying results, and this article is the guide to the series.
I’d wanted to use the extension tubes for some time. I got them at a killer price from KEH (killer compared to what eBay sellers are asking for them), so it was a good excuse, this project. I also dig macro photography in general; there are so many interesting things you just don’t normally see. And I’d also wanted to try pushing Tri-X — just for giggles. It all came together.
All the images in this series were shot as I said with my Rolleiflex SL35, and all were with my Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.8 lens. Most of the images were with the 30mm Rollei QBM extension tube, which seemed to provide a good, solid closeup without being so close that there’s no visual context.
I knew ahead of time that pushing Tri-X two stops would have an impact on contrast and grain. In an attempt to moderate that a bit, I decided to develop the film with HC-110 Dilution H. The weaker solution can sometimes help with these things, or so it has appeared. The results were thin negatives; I really should have stuck with Kodak’s recommendation to use Dilution B at their suggested times.
But — the other potential problem is that I did not take the extension tube into account during exposure, and it probably justified at least a stop more light. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a stop to give it — I was pushing to ISO 1600, and the lens was opened-up to f/2.8. That was about as good as it could be made to get.
Regardless, the images scanned fine, and a little brightness adjustment with Photoshop, and I think the images were quite interesting, despite (or perhaps because of ) the visible but soft and pleasant grain. I always scan my black and whites into color images, and frequently — as with these scans — they end-up with some warmth that I actually prefer over purely greyscale images.
The pictures I happened to take also just sort of naturally split into five categories, and I decided I would tackle each of the categories individually, one per day. I’ll update this post each day with another category’s worth of images, and post them here, as well as on social media.
One more thing: If you’re looking for ideas and inspiration, feel free to steal this one and see what you come-up with in your own environment. Or refer to my longer article on creative inspiration for additional ideas that you can use or adapt.
Day One: Photography
The first group of photos, ten in all, were an obvious choice: things camera and photography related. I shot whatever was convenient and nearby. Some of these were very cool, some were not, and I don’t think all ten are worth sharing. But I think these are, so here’s Day One: Microcosms: Photography.
Day Two: Espresso
Like a lot of people, I find myself having some trouble sleeping these days. When the afternoon energy dip comes, I also find myself gravitating toward my espresso machine. It of course made an obvious choice for some shots related to making an espresso drink, which for me, is generally a cappuccino. So here’s Day Two: Microcosms: Espresso.
Day Three: Food
Another aspect of staying at home is eating, of course. Restaurants, as they are in many places, are still open — for delivery and takeout. And while I fear how this plays out for those in the service industry, I’m still wanting to minimize contact with others to the maximum extent possible. That means cooking all meals at home. As a result, lots of food prep here these days, as reflected in the following shots from Day Three: Microcosms: Food.
Day Four: Around the House
As I was exploring around the house to find interesting macro shots, I came-up with all sorts of things, but a lot of them were related to the activities you’d expect when you’re trapped at home: video games, other games, doing long-set-aside home projects, and the things you see when you’re occupying the same spaces much, much more often than usual. And so, Day Four: Microcosms: Around the House.
Day Five: Telephony
In this last day, just three shots, all of something I’ve been fascinated with since I was a kid: telephony, as in, telephones. Old school classic telephones, the kind we used before there were cellular mobile phones, let alone the smartphones nearly everyone on the planet uses these days. While this is an interest of mine and has been for a long time, credit where due: I took these images largely having been inspired by Don Froula, someone I met on Instagram. He’s into film photography as well, but also enjoys the same sort of geeky fun I find interesting. So for you, Don, Day Five: Microcosms: Telephony. I only regret not taking more images in this group!
In Closing
I found these images interesting in one way or another, and I hope some of you do as well. But more importantly, make sure you keep-up with your creative endeavors. It may require a little out-of-the-box thinking to come-up with ideas, but they’re out there. Happy shooting!
