NEWS

June 2008

IN FOCUS with Tri Tran


For many years, I shot only small and medium formats, mostly weddings in color. I even managed to win some prizes and made good money, too. I got bitten by the large-format bug a couple of years ago and bought my first LF camera: an Ebony 4x5. After merely three months, I swapped it for a bigger 8x10 Deardorff because I got addicted to contact printing, and bigger negatives were needed. I have been on a slippery downward slope ever since: an 11x14 camera followed by a 12x20 in less than one year. I could not stop and was debating whether my next purchase would be a 16x20 or a 20x24. There were issues of cost, weight of the camera, and the difficulty level of operations. I called Hugo, Chamonix Camera's US representative. We figured out that I should skip the 16x20 if 20x24 was my final destination, given the fact that a Chamonix 20x24 camera costs only 10% more than their 16x20 camera.
      My goal is to shoot both vertical and horizontal formats with still life, portraiture, and landscape as subjects. I also want to use big brass lenses from 100 years ago to give my platinum/palladium prints a special look. Based on my unique needs, Chamonix built me a 20x24 camera with a reversible back and a big front standard to use my Toyo lens boards. When I go out and shoot landscapes, I carry the main camera, and its 35" bellows is more than enough for my 35" Artar lens. When a long bellows is needed for still life, I simply put on the extension frame and rack and attach the extra bellows, giving me 65" total bellows draw. So I am all set with my tools now.
For the last two months, I have had lots of challenges and fun with shooting, processing, and printing. For film, I choose Lith film for two reasons: It is a slow film that works very well with the brass lenses I have, and it is fairly inexpensive at $4/sheet for 20x24.
      I prefer .007 polyester base and the Ultrafine Ortho Litho is highly recommended if you shoot format bigger than 8x10 to avoid film sagging. It can be processed with Dave Soemarko's LC-1B, PyroHD diluted or Jim Galli developer. The film is blue sensitive only, so you can use red light during loading and processing. Its ISO rating is around 3. With my brass portrait lens wide open, the exposure takes from 4-8 seconds in the open sun and up to 20 seconds when your subject is in shade. I develop the film for 15-18 minutes, rinse and fix like any other film.

I am still trying to solve some problems, but the following are what I have learned so far with this big 20x24 size:

1. You need a bigger work area, including a big table for coating the paper if you do platinum/palladium and adequate space to dry your prints. You will also need a 30x40 processing tray.

2. A lot of chemicals are needed for this size. For example, I use a JOBO 3063 drum to develop my film and at least one liter of chemicals for a single sheet.

      One nice thing is that you don't need a sink anymore because you bring the print out to your back yard and just use the hose to wash your print. Working with 20x24 is fun, but very labor intensive. After two hours, it feels like a good workout.
      What I have done most so far with my 20x24 camera is portraiture. I've photographed my family and friends, and any willing sitters. I even did some portraits shots with other photographers three weeks ago during a Chamonix "shootout." Looking at beautiful curves on the 20x24 ground glass is just heavenly. The biggest challenge in natural light portraiture with lith film and shutterless brass lens is the movement of your models. Few people can stand or sit perfectly still while you count your 15 seconds. Some of your pictures will inevitably be blurred. But a good one will bring a big smile to your face.
Yes, 20x24 is very challenging. But what fun I have with it!

January 7, 2008

2008 Platinum / Palladium Work Solo Display in Montreal, Canada


Friends and colleague,
For those who are currently living in Montreal or are planning to visit Montreal, I currently have my work on displayed permanently at the following locations:

Restaurant Ong Ca Can
Vietnamese French Cuisine
79 Ste-Catherine Est,
Montreal, Quebec.
H2X 1K5
Phone : 514-844-7817

Restaurant CoBa
Sushi Bar/Fine Dinning
1124 Laurier Ouest
Montreal , Quebec.
Phone: 514-908-1889

There are 50 prints currently on display, in 8 x 10, 11 x 14, 8 x 20 and 12 x 20 format, printed in Platinum and Palladium. Come by, enjoy fine dining and take a look at some fine photography.