MPHQ print musings

Amos for Tony Chestnut SS19 in the cobalt cotton Tuxedo Frock (captured on Tmax 400 run through the 100 year old collapsible 6x9 Voigtlander Bessa). Winnipeg, MB; June 2019.

Bronwyn for Tony Chestnut SS19 in the hand-dotted Tart Tunic (captured on Tmax 400 run through the 100 year old collapsible 6x9 Voigtlander Bessa). Winnipeg, MB; June 2019.

Jen walks her farmyard with pups in tow for Tony Chestnut SS19 in the peat/citron Modest Frock (captured on FP4 run through my new Yashica 72-E half frame camera). Warren, MB; May 2019

Friesen-Leeck clan feeds the flock. Jenn in the Modest Frock (captured on FP4 run through the Kiev 60). Warren, MB; May 2019.

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While my little boy had a lengthy afternoon nap today, I set up the trays after many moons and finally got to work in the darkroom. Decided to print a few new exposures captured and created in collaboration with Tony Chestnut. It has been a treat to do a few mini shoots for Jill's latest Tony Chestnut collection (with Bernard in tow) and experiment with a wide assortment of camera gear and film in the process. Feeling' funky these days. I am especially digging that half frame exposure of Jenn walking up the worn path toward that wise old tree in the pasture at the edge of her farm, dogs following along, frock skirt flowing in the Spring breeze. Magic in the space of one 35mm frame. Diptych's for LIFE. I was so dissapointed when I received the scans back from the lab. The tech did NOT grasp the beauty of the half frame and instead scanned each half frame as a stand-alone. Bummer. I decided to take things in my own direction. As my dad often says, 'Do it right the first time'. You said it. And so, I did just that. Well--I did it right the second time 'round :).

Nothing inspires me more than printing from a negative with long shadows, high but gentle contrast, motion and deep tones. That half frame exposure of Jenn took four minutes for the right side with two filters stacked on top of each other--a 3.5 and a 4 filter--to get those tones to really sing, plus another minute to better burn in the detail of the left side). I sat at my tiny darkroom letter writing station and wrote a letter to Jillian while it took its sweet time exposing. Love a good blind experiment (especially when it comes out even better than I hoped).

Darkroom musings from a print enthusiast. Feels good to dip my toes back into the practice. I have stacks and stacks of new work but no heart to print it all. Sharing the digital version takes the heart right out of it so I am going to try to commit to printing a few each week to lay here. Sometimes printing the full (black) frame does it for me and other times it takes away and a crisp white border better suits the print. Fickle thing.

I will leave this little spread here for now and try to add to my Tony SS19 print collection as time goes on. The Lane files are the best and I have yet to dive headlong into that territory. Have mercy...

Margot was here. xo