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It is my opinion that some photographers mistakenly regard ILFORD HP5 PLUS and its predecessors to be a somewhat cheaper, lower quality response to Kodak’s Tri-X. I hope to demonstrate in this review that this assumption simply isn’t the case. There’s much more to HP5 PLUS than meets the eye – something that regular shooters of this film will be more than aware of (you folks can leave now, nothing new here). For those of you who haven’t shot this film before, this review will give you my tak...

A medium for the moment  I always travel with my 35mm SLR and a stack of Ilford HP5 and Ilford FP4 film. I definitely prefer the look and process of shooting film when traveling and photographing on the street and I find my small SLR with it’s 50mm lens is small and inconspicuous enough to capture intimate street portraits. Shooting everything on the same 50mm lens and film medium gives my work a consistent look and feel. I have always found shooting film slows down my process, it forces me to think mor...

The Grand Canyon at Plateau Point Technical info   Film Used:  ILFORD FP4+ Format: 4x5 Camera: Wista 45DX Lens: Rodenstock: 90mm f/4.5 Exposure time: 1/60th Other equipment: Red filter Location: Plateau Point, Grand Canyon National Park     Firstly, tell us the story behind this image. What inspired you to shoot it? One weekend at the last minute I decided to do a full moon hike to Plateau Point in the Grand Canyon. My plan was to hike down around ...

Images with feeling The most attractive element of analogue is its delicacy. The analogue process has remained so ingrained into my practice, I can't imagine working in any other way. Seeking images which stir a feeling within and seeing that image through each stage of the process to finally create a hand-made darkroom print. The print may not be perfect, I do not tirelessly work on test strips creating a technically perfect image, I never leave the confines of the darkroom to inspect the print once it...

An experiment in chemical possibilities When I took up a camera after a few years’ hiatus in 1990, I was surprised to discover that I could no longer get a black & white film developed through the nearest camera shop, never mind through the local pharmacy.  If memory serves, I was told it would cost $40 for a single film. Naturally, I returned to processing my own film just I had done when I first took up a camera in the early 1970s. The world had moved on, and colour film was the default medium f...

An Interest in Large Format Large format is an immensely rewarding and enjoyable way to make a photograph. It can also feel overwhelming when you’re just starting out, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. This article is for anyone with an interest in large format. I got into 4x5 because I wanted to challenge myself, and to try something new. Over the last two years it has become my favourite way to take a photograph. There’s something special about slowing down and being so deliberate with each...

Underbank Old Road   Technical info   Film Used  Ilford HP5 Format  35mm Camera Rollei B35 Lens  40mm Triotar Exposure time   1 minute 30 sec at f11 Other equipment Manfrotto Art 055 tripod, Gossan Lunasix F light meter. Location. Underbank Old Road, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.     Firstly, tell us the story behind this image. What inspired you to shoot it? I used to shoot a lot of Night photographs, in fact I wrote a book about it in 2001 (Nigh...

For the love of it all I’ve always had a love affair with black and white photography. I don’t know if it stems from the excitement of watching my first print emerge under the glow of a safelight, or that using texture and shape can make a barren scene look beautiful. Maybe it’s both. They say love makes you a better person. I think the same goes for the relationship between film and photographers. Trust & Understanding There’s a certain level of trust and understanding that goes on betwee...

I am a wedding and portrait photographer. The following portrait is of Roshni, a jewelry designer. Her designs are handcrafted and have a vintage feel to them. So, when the opportunity came to shoot her I wanted to create something classic and real. One look at her and I was convinced about black and white being the choice of film. Film used:      HP5 PLUS Format :          4X5 sheet film Camera:          Wista Field 4X5 Large Format Lens:                Schneider S...

Heading West Last September my family and I headed west. It had been a few years since we’d visited the West Country, we had come to love it when our family was young, and now that they were grown we decided to return to see if it still has a special place in our hearts. While my teenagers packed their essentials - clothes and iPhones, and my other half packed enough books to keep a large reading group going, I set about doing the important task of packing my camera equipment. My focus was on which...