One thing I've noticed that happens when you approach photography from an engineering background is that you tend to loathe black and white photography. I know that, starting out, I did. I was talking to another photographer and she said that one of her friends was an engineer like me and he also had a similar problem with black and white photography, always preferring color. It's throwing information out and we just don't like that.

After I started shooting black and white film and then developing it myself, what was left but to print it myself, too?

I've been spending a lot of time in the past year or so on finding ways to continue to shoot film, but doing it more economically. The first step was getting my own scanner so I didn't need to pay somebody to print or scan my photos. Lately, I decided that my cost of B&W developing was too high, so I set up my own darkroom

I've tried to research black and white developing as much as possible before starting in on it, ranging from the writings of Ansel Adams to modern notes from other folks. It turns out that there's a fairly small number of absolute, un-arguable facts, so I decided to just post my personal opinions.

It's been two years since I last wrote a comprehensive roundup of different types of film. I've shot a lot more film and I have a lot more to say this time around, so this article is going to be correspondingly longer. Several parts, in fact...

My first look at Efke IR820c

I'm going to write out a proper entry about my exploration of IR film as part of my series black and white and how I explore it. But I'm in the midst of information to share, so I'm going to share my thoughts and news now and worry about writing out a proper chronology of exploration later.

A classic Kodak film.

Kodak's chromagenic B&W film.

Foma's 400 speed (very optimistically boxed... it's really only about 250-320 most of the time) inexpensive B&W film.

I'm not sure how different the 35mm versions and 120 versions really are. They are coated on different bases. The 35mm version is on a clear base and the 120 version is on a blue base.

Kodak's highest speed film. About 800-1000 true speed, pushes easily to 3200 and beyond.

Ella lying on the ground near a creek

Ella making an arc, reflected in the water.

Ella making arch forms

Ella making arch forms