The History of the High Iron Company 1966-1973

New Book Just Published

New Amazon Listing - Great memories from a Great Era of Steam

 

"Spheres"

This image was captured at the New York Botanical Gardens. What caught my attention was the repetition of the spheres hanging from the ceiling of the main rotunda. I rested my medium format camera on the edge of a bench and took the shot. Glad I did since I didn't have my tripod at the time. It's an interesting print once mounted and matted.

New Darkroom Paper

I recently tried a new product from Ilford, new to me at least. It's their MGFB Multigrade FB double weight paper. No doubt it's been around but new to me since I've not used it before.

At any rate, it gave me brilliant whites and distinctive blacks. The negatives I created were on Ilford HP5 (ISO 400) which I dropped down to ISO 100. Perhaps more than what was needed but the negs are very strong. No need for a contrast filter in my enlarger and, at f8, all negs printed around 10 seconds for a 4x5 print. The MGFB was easy to work with and very consistent. The images created were from a custom car show in Flemington, NJ. The negatives and the paper worked together very well. The results were sharp with enough contrast to highlight the details of each car. 

Needless to say, the only draw back to FB paper is the drying process and the resultant curl of the final dried photo. Surely there's a better procedure than my hanging the prints to dry but before investing in any more equipment, I'll revert to RC paper which I've used all along. Just wanted to try a "new paper".

If you're a B&W film photographer and do your own printing, please let me know about this film/paper combination or whatever it is that you like. 

Thanks - Hank

 A New Gadget

After many years of shooting, I found something that is making things a lot easier. Often I'd capture an image using a particular filter for a special effect. My favorite infrared film used to be Kodak's HIE which, as you know, is no longer available. To get the best infrared effect required your using a 25 red screw in filter. No big deal until you dropped it when you were finished with it. I had this happen more than once.

Now there is a resolution to this situation, at least for me anyway. I recently purchased a "Rapid Filter System" (manufactured by UURig) from B&H in New York City. Maybe it's been around for awhile but I just noticed it. It's quite clever and vey easy to use. It resembles a circular clam shell. One half screws into your lens while the other half holds your filter screwed in place. When you want the filter effect you simply "close" the clam shell and expose accordingly. When you wish a non-filtered exposure just "open" the clam shell take your next shot.

Ilford SFX 200 has been my film of choice since I can get a standard B&W image (no filter-clam open) and then proceed to create the infrared ones (R72 filter-clam closed). My shooting sequence is first negative at whatever my meter suggests rating SFX at ISO 100 and then (clam closed) for f8 @ 1 second and another @ 2 seconds. This way I have a standard copy of the image and 2 trial infrared copies, knowing what the image originally looked like. That's personal choice helpful to me.

I'd like to hear your comments if your using any kind of filter or SFX film.

Thanks - Hank

 

     

A new venture. Have you ever tried one? Well, I did and came up with this:

"NEW LIMITED EDTION POSTER SERIES - B & W steam locomotive prints 24 x 36 from the Webber Collection of negatives dating the 1930's. Published on premium luster paper, packaged in a sturdy mailing tube and sent to you via FREE shipping. Available on eBay at listing # 274728704267 (also-"steam locomotive posters"). Get your wall art today."

Like so many things in life, we never know unless we try.  Could be a new business, or something new in your business, a new relationship, a new job, or adjusting to the loss of one, on and on. Better to have tried and lost than to never have tried at all. Obviously, easier said than done but not impossible,

How are things with you now? Can I be of any help? Are you trying something new and it seems to be going nowhere? Don't give up, you're not alone. "Success is just one more failure that didn't succeed". If you believe in your heart it can be done, than do it. Just be ready for all the pitfalls, you'll have plenty of them. Remember, life is too short not to try. Stay on track!  

All prints sold - this offer is discontinued

 

"Overhang" - this images is one of my favorite infrared photographs that I captured more than 20 years ago while visiting our younger daughter, living in New England at the time. We came upon this quaint sea shore town. Walking around I saw a number of subjects and photographed most of them. As we moved closer to the water, I noticed this tree. It caught my attention. It provided me a unique composition, a tree so close to the building, and a whimsical title as well.

Have you ever come upon a special scene that appealed to you whether or not you photographed it? If you have, please a comment. I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks - Hank  

 Award-Winning Memory

In 1939, my father was a 25-year-old, Bronx-born amateur photographer who volunteered at the New York World’s Fair, which granted him expanded access to the grounds and a unique vantage point from which to photograph the event. Although numerous popular snapshots and professional photographs of the Fair exist, my father’s images taken in September of 1940 just weeks before the Fair closed, offer a distinct perspective: he artfully captured architectural shots at night with few, if any, people populating them. In spare, striking contrast, his images evoke the solemnity of the time, and conjure the sinister settings characteristic of the period's film noir.

I inherited my dad’s negatives from the 1939 Fair, and have the pleasure of reprinting them in my darkroom as interest in the Fair persists. His images have been exhibited in museums and licensed for use in television shows.

Perhaps his most iconic image was that of the 700-foot-tall Trylon and 200-foot-diameter hollow Perisphere--the centerpieces of the Fair--with a nearly sixty-foot tall statue of George Washington as he faces the future.

I’ve always considered this image to be a winner, and have submitted it to numerous competitions. I most recently entered it into the Vintage Image Photo Contest for the April 2021 issue of Black & White magazine, one of my favorite fine art photography publications. I’m happy to report that the image won! 

The magazine is on newsstands now. You can also view this image and all of my dad’s photographs in the 1939 World’s Fair Gallery via the link above to my website.