As we continue our promise to put out regular shows (whistles self-consciously), it was with much delayed anticipation that we reached out to Master Printer and user of all film formats from half frame to 20x16 Mr Andrew Sanderson who agreed to come and chat with us.
Although Andrew confesses his website isn’t up to date here is the intro bio from that site.
“Photographer, master printer, author and tutor.
One of the UK’s leading Photographers and a master printer, Andrew has written the definitive book on Night Photography: A Practical Manual; the highly acclaimed Home Photography: Inspiration on Your Doorstep and; is a regular contributor to photographic magazines in the U.K.
He is an Ilford Master Printer, and regularly gives workshops to university tutors, students and private individuals.
Andrew is recognised as the leading practitioner of the paper negative process and one of the world’s best hand colourists. Examples of both of these techniques can be found in his third book; Hand Colouring and Alternative Darkroom Processes”
See below for links to all four of Andrew’s books including the recently updated book from Blurb on paper negatives.
Things we chatted about on the show:
Andrew kicked off the show by mentioning an obscure fact about Andrew Sanderson and Gene Nokon – Gene was the man behind popularising if not first inventing f-stop printing and Erik found this YouTube video.
Andrew recently reviewed his growing print collection, it’s useful toget help so he asked his friend and fellow photographer Matt Lathbridge to assist.
With the full gang back together it was a pleasure to get to talk to Nick Carver about his love for 6x17 large format photography, his recent commissioned trip to Spain, other formats to boost the creative juices, his You Tube Channel and much more.
If you’re not familiar with Nick and his work then here is a part of his bio from his website.
“Nick Carver is a working photographer and photography instructor based in Orange County, CA. His professional work centres primarily on architectural photography for commercial properties (office buildings, industrial buildings, retail centres, hospitality), and through his online photography courses Nick delivers instruction to hundreds of students in over 30 countries.
Nick’s career reflects a deep-seated dedication to the craft of photography with an enthusiasm for traditional analogue film. You may recognize him from his YouTube channel wherein he takes viewers into the classroom and out in the field to share the process behind his work”
Things we chatted about on the show:
We were talking about modern lights on buildings and how LEDs were ruining the character and atmosphere for us film photographers. Nick mentioned Technology Connections, an interesting You Tube Channel that picks apart and explains all sorts of modern and older tech ideas and explains them simply, they have some film photography videos there amongst a whole bunch of interesting topics.
Although Nick started with a 6x17 back he explains how he found it ultimately limiting so now has a dedicated Shen Hao 617 camera, if you want one too like Andrew does then head over to their website. If you’re in the USA then Badger Graphic are the importers of these and many other format iterations of these Chinese built large format cameras.
#67 Intended Art At Negative Thinking
Episode 68
Saturday, April 13, 2024 • Duration 01:52:33
It has been far too long between shows and hopefully we can now get back to some kind of regular output.
For this show our last guest Nick Davis (The 120ist on the YouTube) makes a visit to community darkroom / darkroom community that is “Negative Thinking” in Bristol where he gets to interview Tim Pearse about the space, the community he is helping to build, his love of the darkroom as a means of expression and creating unique works of art.
Steve (@stigofthedump) Starr has made a wonderful book of his lovely coastal images and thoughts and now an exhibition in North Wales where his prints are being sold for a good cause.
#66 On Safari With The 120ist
Episode 67
Friday, September 29, 2023 • Duration 02:14:36
#66 On Safari With The 120ist
In so many ways this show episode typifies what we love about making this podcast – it was just like being in a pub (or coffee shop) and having a chat with like minded folk about, mostly, large format photography. The fact that the conversation wanders around is exactly what happens when you have enthusiastic guests and hosts getting together to ponder the thing that occupies their minds for most of the time.
Nick Davis is better known for his YouTube channel the 120ist – contrary to the title it isn’t just medium format film and cameras that feeds his content but his sheer love for film, the process, the ideas, creativity, trying new things and explaining what he’s doing in a “come and learn with me” approach.
Things we chatted about on the show:
Zebra Plates and various other LF related accessories for wet and dry plate working.
Nick recently purchased a pack of Zebra Tintypes and his latest video shows how he got on – here is a link to learn more about the history of Tintypes.
We first interviewed today’s guest over 4 years ago, in fact he was our first proper guest to help us and our listeners along the “new to LF path”. Show 2 with Graham Vasey is worth a listen as we touch on many interesting subjects, one area Simon and I wanted to return to was Graham’s use of liquid emulsion on watercolour paper and that’s pretty much what we covered in show 65.
So thank you Graham for indulging us once again and we look forward to following up another topic in 4 years time.
Things we chatted about on the show:
We mentioned a few books that Graham has found useful.
This is probably the only printed definitive guide to using liquid emulsions and copies are getting more expensive, if you can get a copy then it’s an excellent resource for all things “liquid emulsion”
After relistening to show 2 Simon went out and bought a copy of Fred Picker’s book on the fine print, turns out its not the same one Andrew has, and Erik has neither (maybe he should make one). Anyway here are some links to both (shop around is my advice as some silly money is being asked for )
Our second catch up show of the year once again saw the return of Simon to the fold who, it turns out, has had sufficient time off to be reinvigorated and enthused for all things LFPP. What does that mean? Well, more shows we hope, at least three a year……
Things we chatted about on the show:
As we didn’t have a guest on show 63 Simon kicked things off by thanking those who had so very kindly sent in Ko-Fi donations (see link to the LFPP Ko-Fi site somewhere at the end of these notes) with nice words as well. So very appreciated and well, considering we haven’t had a show out since, a tad humbling.
One of the donors to the show mentioned Conflict Cameras who are making superb progress with an auto focus large format camera, I know, right! The mind boggles. Anyway follow along here whilst we see if they can be a guest on the show. https://www.instagram.com/conflict.cameras/
Simon had just come back from another “#MerseyMeetup” organised by the nicest Liverpudlian we know Steve Starr https://twitter.com/Stig_Ofthedump
George Walsh was there, we spoke about George and his repairs to Graflex cameras back on show 63 and George is another guest we have lined up. George’s Facebook details are here: (18) George Walsh | Facebook should you have a similar request.
Erik brought us up to date with his large format photo journalist escapades on the Paris to Roubaix cycle race in Northern France, this race was named “The Hell of the North” by those who took part in its inaugural 1919 outing, just one year after the WW1 Armistice when the land was, well, like hell on earth. Erik is getting his work published which is fantastic, here is the latest piece in the Radavist Cycling journal.
#63 The Return Of The Prodigal Gearhead
Episode 64
Monday, January 16, 2023 • Duration 01:10:00
#63 Return of The Prodigal Gearhead
We have been waiting for the return of our beloved Simon to the podcast for some time now, so a threesome to kick off the new year of 2023 was a perfect opportunity for us all to have a catch-up and hopefully make Simon realise he misses this whole podcast thing and there’s more to life than the 3d printing of camera accessaries.
As things turned out we didn’t get to cover everything we had planned, even Erik only managed a couple of swear words such was the focus on what Simon has been up to.
Anyway, that’s good as it means we will almost certainly have a follow up……
Things we chatted about on the show:
Our conversation was a tad shorter than usual due to Erik not being able to get out of bed, however, it was enough time for Simon to bear his soul and admit he doesn’t really know anything about photography.
OK, a bit harsh but once you’ve listened you will see what I mean.
His lovely MPP MicroPress, partnered with a Bronica S mount (6x6 medium format camera) Nikon (Nick-on) 25cm f/4 lens and the wonderful edge “otherworldliness” was the focus of a lot of chatter as he has now had it serviced (the MPP) by George Walsh – George’s social media details are here, should you have a similar request.
From Simon’s website - “I specialise in analogue and alternative forms of photography, this is my passion. Currently, I'm immersed in practicing the art of Victorian wet plate photography, invented in 1851 the process is still to be rivalled today. There are only a small number of people worldwide practicing wet plate.
I became an artist in 2016, travelling through various analogue and darkroom disciplines. In 2021 I won a global wedding award for my natural portraiture. I also worked closely with Channel 4 on the set of SAS: Who Dares Wins.
I have a bespoke studio and darkroom located at the top of the picturesque Nigg Hill, Ross-Shire, in the Scottish Highlands. The rest of my time is spent in the Isle of Skye, where I'm currently immersed in the Skye Collodion Project”.
And….. so very much we didn’t talk about.
If he survives his daring adventure up a mountain, in December, with wet collodion…..then I’m sure we will have him back on to finish the story…….
With Simon though, we are not at all sure there will be an ending in sight.
Things we chatted about on the show:
Andrew met Simon at the Photography Show in Birmingham and sat in awe as he presented some images from his widely publicised “Mental Collodion” body of work. If you aren’t familiar with this visual exploration of one man’s recovery from depression and PTSD then maybe take a look at these links.
Erik and Andrew are joined by the force of nature known as the Afghan Camera Lady for an enjoyable natter.
Sammy has a background in commercial photography but with the help of her local analogue photography group Leicester LoFi became obsessed with the Afghan box camera.
Currently Sammy takes her huge “portable darkroom and studio” camera to festivals and weddings to make unique “instant” portraits.
Bursting with enthusiasm and ideas for how she might develop her work Sammy made our life easy for this recording.
Things we chatted about on the show:
When Sammy lived in Leicester she discovered they had an Afghan Box Camera and decided there and then that “it was a camera to match her personality”.
For all things related to these wonderful cameras you should look at the Afghan Box Camera Project Website.
This project was initiated early in 2011 by Austrian artist Lukas Birk and Irish ethnographer Sean Foley. The aim of the project from the outset was to create an urgent record of the disappearing art of Afghan box camera photography and make that information freely available online for all. Funding for the project in 2011 as in 2012 came primarily via crowdfunding on the KICKSTARTER website. The Visual Anthropology Dept. at Goldsmiths University, London has also contributed funding.
#61 Alys Tomlinson - Vera, Lost Proms and Gli Isolani
Episode 61
Wednesday, July 6, 2022 • Duration 01:52:11
Alys was first on the show in 2019 following the hugely successful launch of her 5 year “Ex Voto” project researching modern day pilgrimages across Europe and photographing the relics/offerings left in the landscape (the ex votos) and the people she met along the way.
Since then she has published “Lost Summer” photographing teenagers who lost their summer prom due to covid, winning first prize in the 2020 Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait competition.
In 2022 Alys completed her second Kickstarter for her new book Gli Isolani (The Islanders) – link below to pre order the book from GOST books.
Simon mentioned the upcoming “Mersey Meetup” on 25th May, this one focuses on the back alleyways and unexplored side streets of Liverpool. These events are organised by Steve Starr and if you want to attend then turn up outside Lime Street Station in Liverpool at 10.30.
Steve is on social media platforms usually as @stigofthedump.
You can sign up via the excellent Photowalk.me website here:
If you want to get started with 6x17 photography using your large format camera then probably the best option is to head over to Steve Lloyd’s site at Chroma Camera. As well as hand held 617 options he offers a dedicated roll film back for your camera.
Erik explains how he loves to use orthochromatic film and how it fitted in well with this project as its close to the emulsion that would have been available at the time plus he was using his modified Kodak 3A till it broke, a camera that would also have been around back then over 100 years ago.
Foma Film are or have introduced a 400 speed Ortho film which is a welcome addition to those who love that unique look where reds turn very dark and skies are very light (as are blue eyes) read more here… https://www.foma.cz/ew/9e5c83a3-3971-4ee3-ac98-dbb6878ff953-en
Whilst in France Erik visited the grave or memorial to John Kipling (Rudyard Kipling’s Son) – and interesting story about him on the BBC History site. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35321716
Andrew brought us up to date on his “What lies beneath” project looking at the modern day landscape around the numerous WW1 grave sites around the Ypres Salient. Andrew started this project back in 2017 and shared some images and thoughts on his blog.
This time, with more negatives to add to the collection he intends to make 5x7 Warmtone prints for scanning then fibre prints with typed notes for a “box set”.
Earlier in 2022 Simon shared some photos from a LF trip he had in Snowdonia, a bit of a turning point for him really as the blank images he returned with made him realise he had to make things a bit simpler and not try too many new things at once.
In fact it was a photowalk with Simon’s friend, Christopher McKie, during a photo walk with Simon around the Queen Street Mill in Burnley with just one camera that Simon realised 1) HP5 is actually a pretty good emulsion and doesn’t have to be grainy and 2) It makes nice prints in HC110 dilution B.
So you have a combination that you like why change and indeed why not focus on that combo in LF?
More chatter followed………
Erik briefly told us about the million lens elements friend of the show Jason Lane sent him.
Jason is the man behind J Lane dry plates and is also an optical engineer. He is currently looking to restart coating more dry plates as life has gotten in the way.
Steve Lloyd invariably gets a mention on pretty much every show (don’t think we have seen that endorsement fee yet Steve). This time when Simon mentioned Dave Whenham and his lovely night time images made with Steve’s snapshot camera.
As we knew Simon was embarking on a project called #PeakPerserverence and that part of this “adventure” would involve filming a documentary with footage from the trip and interviews with mental health professionals we thought we would start there.
Simon is trying to raise some extra cash for the trip and has a Go Fund Me page which explain more about the project.
Simon and his fellow adventurers will spend time on the Cuillin Ridge helped by Mountain Guide Adrian Trendall – you can read more about this environment and Adrian here.
One (and there are a few) of the challenges of using wet plates on a mountain, in December is the lack of washing water so he has asked Steve at Chroma Camera to make a “holding tank” for his plates, which can be filled with water to stabilise the exposed plates for later washing.
The discussion turned at some point to the “6 degrees of separation” that led to Erik being a co-host on the show so we ended up talking about the work of former guests Wayne Martin Belger and Jenny Sampson.
Erik is building a camera around an RB67 back and Mamiya press lenses to take an Instax Wide back – Friend of the show Ethan Moses has helped him a lot.
Last but not least it was Suffolk photographer and all round lovely chap Mark “Jimmy” Hickford who first suggested that Sammy would be a good guest for the show.
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