Selfie with Noosa tee shirt

[Barry Kirsten]

Our daughter lives near Noosa and we all gathered there for her 50th birthday last month. One of her friends said that a southerner visiting Noosa should have a Noosa tee shirt; she gave me two.

This image lowers the tone of the forum and I pray your forgiveness. It was done on x-ray film (why didn't I use FP4+?) - Kodak 5x12" dental panorama film expired 2009, cut down to 4x5 and developed in PMK. Printed on Ilford MGiv in D-72. Image very soft due to the double sided emulsion. Linhof Kardan Super Color monorail; CZJ Tessar 15cm lens. Air bulb release.

I've told my daughter to look out for a guy using a Tachihara, as it'll certainly be Maris. She knows Tachiharas; I've had two of them

[Mick Fagan]

Oooh, Barry, nice shirt; your daughter has taste.

Nothing like a VW Type 2 Kombi Flat Bed vehicle, to cart your photographic gear around, a Linhof Super Color Monorail, no less.

As for the X-ray film, why not, unless you're afraid we'll see right through you!

[Barry Kirsten]

Thanks Mick. Yes you certain;y need something hefty to carry the Linhof around. I bought it many years ago and I love it to bits, but I can only give it a run at home or from the boot of the car. But I'll never get rid of it, a thing of beauty for sure. I rather like the film too although I use it mostly for pinhole work.

[Maris]

Barry, that is a fine shirt with a nostalgic dimension to it. In years past Kombi vans were everywhere when the surf was up. Board riders would drive in from all over and sleep in them at the National Park. This to hit the waves at first light and get lots of good rides before the lazy locals arrive en masse. Now the Noosa Council bans and fines van sleepers ... if they can catch them. If.

Last couple of days I've carried my Mamiya C220 TLR instead of the Tachi. I'm trying to get through a roll of
220 format Shanghai GP-1 (re-spooled ORWO UN54 movie film). Behind a red filter this film has an effective EI of 3 so its all tripod work and reciprocity compensation. Same agonies as large format but with tiny negatives.

[Barry Kirsten]

Thanks Maris. Local councils are spoil sports, aren't they? They seem to have the mentality that requires them to make and pursue petty regulations as justification for their existence. I have no time for them. O for the times when things were simpler and folk who weren't hurting anyone else were free to have fun.

I like the idea of the UN54 movie film, good luck with it. I'm having a love affair with Kodak XX 5222 at the moment. There's a lot of fun to be had with these old emulsions. Might we be able to have a MF section? I'd love to see some of yoru efforts with the C220.