11ª Bienal de Fotografia de Vila Franca de Xira - 6 Nov / 12 Dez 2010

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Catalogue of this year's Biennial of Vila Franca de Xira

My contribution to the exhibition in the town of Vila Franca was photographed in 8x10 inches. The images that you see on this post, are actually reproductions of (second choice) contact prints, made the traditional way on photographic paper.

The color of the images was obtained with traditional toning methods: I used Agfa Viradon. I find that the real prints look somewhat more brown, than they do on my monitor, where they look a little reddish.

Who knows how do they look on yours?

Gandolfi Precision 8x10 + Rodenstock Apo-Sironar W 210mm

Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50

Alcochete, May 1, 2010

Gandolfi Precision 8x10 + Schneider G-Claron 305mm

Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50

Alcochete, April 26, 2010

Gandolfi Precision 8x10 + Rodenstock Apo-Sironar W 210mm

Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50

Alcochete, April 26, 2010 (Mr. "Mota dos Touros")

Gandolfi Precision 8x10 + Schneider G-Claron 305mm

Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50

Cruzamento Quinta da Barroca, April 26, 2010

Gandolfi Precision 8x10 + Rodenstock Apo-Sironar W 210mm

Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50

Lugar das Hortas, April 26, 2010

Gandolfi Precision 8x10 + Schneider G-Claron 305mm

Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50

Praia do Samouco (Baía das Mocas), May 1, 2010

Preparing the camera for the last two shots...

Now you understand why I drive a pickup... That I can look a little more crazy than I really am!

(Both location photographs courtesy of Maria Helena, who was kind enough to also give a helping hand).

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The Making of a Photograph - Water Tower, 20th of June, 2010

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Near Montemor-o-Novo, 20 of June 2010

Gandolfi Precision 8x10"+Docter Apo-Germinar 11.5/600mm+Leitz Or Filter

Fomapan 100, Rodinal 1+50

You know my name, you know my face, you know some of my cameras, so why not let you take a look at me making a photograph?

So, I asked Helena to do a little reportage of me and my Gandolfi at work. Take this as a little story, how the image above came to happen.

It's almost 50ºC today, I drink some cool beer and I talk to you out there, what better way of spending a hot sunday afternoon could I dream of?

Hope that you have some fun...

Setting up the camera

First adjustments and leveling of the camera

Checking up the Copal 3 shutter

A little smile for the photograph...

(notice the box of the Rodenstock filter, to avoid bellows vignetting)

Another smile with the 8x10" film holder

Inserting the Fomapan 100

Abusing the comfort of the Rimowa cases...

Getting a little lazy

The beauty from the back

To filter or not to filter?

Waiting for the wind to stand still

A special thank you goes to Helena Roque who took these wonderful photographs with a Canon 30D, and who was kind enough to help me carrying the heavy equipment.

She was not only lucky enough to survive one more ride in the Defender, but she also survived the boring company of a photographer and his passion...

It takes some guts to accomplish that!

P.S.: The big camera above is equivalent to use a Nikon or Canon and a 85-90mm lens (in 35mm). That's more or less what you get with the 600mm in 8x10"...

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Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal, seen with an 8x10 inches Gandolfi Precision camera (Part 2)

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Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 9/480mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
October 18, 2009

Let me put it straight: I don't care if my photographs look old-fashioned; I don't mind if the cameras (and film) that I utilize to expose them may be considered by some as obsolete.

I don't give the smallest damn if some may think that I start looking and smelling like a dying dinosaur...

Just let me be me, because I get a kick out of it!

Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-W 5.6/210mm, Fomapan 100 in Kodak D-76 1+1,
November 16, 2008

Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 9/480mm, Fomapan 100 in Kodak D-76 1+1,
November 16, 2008

Largo General Humberto Delgado. The small monument honours the Portuguese soldiers fallen in World War I.

Schneider G-Claron 9/305mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
August 30, 2009

Schneider G-Claron 9/305mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
August 30, 2009

Schneider G-Claron 9/305mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
August 30, 2009

All three photographs above were made in Largo Alexandre Herculano, not more than a hundred steps or so from my studio.

The nearness was rather welcomed that day, as it was very hot and dry. Schlepping such a heavy camera (and its paraphernalia) under such heat is not always delightful...

You gotta dig it!

Schneider G-Claron 9/305mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
October 19, 2009

Everyday I walk this street (I did it again tonight), bringing our dog Charley for a walk (I named the dog so, after reading the travelogue by John Steinbeck "Travels With Charley").

The two ladies are actually neighbours. On warm winter days they like to bring their small chairs and sit outside, chatting and knitting, watching who passes by.
Their homes are so small, they must enjoy the fresh air and the sun warming their bones.

Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-W 5.6/210mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
October 24, 2009

This is Teatro Curvo Semedo. That's where I made the color photographs of "Sevilhanas" on a former post. The church in the back is Igreja do Calvário.

All sheet film was rotary processed in a Jobo CPP2, and scanned in an Epson Perfection 4990 Photo.

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Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal, seen with a 8x10 inches Gandolfi Precision Camera

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These images were made recently, using my 8x10 inches Gandolfi camera, loaded with Fomapan sheetfilm. To develop the negatives, on a Jobo CPP2 processor, I used Kodak D-76 or Adolux ATM 49 developers. I used an Epson Perfection 4990 to scan the negatives.
Sorry, I am not that good at scanning film...