The
one thing I like about traditional photography is it can be
unpredictable. Even though the method you use is tried and
tested, guaranteeing to a certain extent, good results, when the
unexpected happens there are a lot of questions. Checking the method
and chemicals used is great when a clear mistake can be tracked down,
but what happens when there isn't?
Sometime
ago I pulled a set of FP4+ 120 format negatives from the processing
tank that at first glance looked normal. I was studying the negatives
in their sleeve when I noticed that the grain was not as usual.
Anyway,
I did no more about it until I printed a number of them, then it
became apparent the grain structure was different, so much so that it
gave the photographs a mottled affect. I was not impressed, however
once the prints where dry I filed them away.
I
went back over the way I processed the negatives, checking
everything, but could not find an obvious reason for the way they
had turned out. To add to the mystery it was not present on all of
them. At the time I had just started using a new batch of PMK Pyro
developer. I asked myself a lot questions about: 'did I mix it
properly?' 'in the right order?' etc. etc. but could not come to a
clear answer. So I shelved the developer metaphorically and
literally.
The
reason I'm telling you all this is that recently I have been looking
through some of my boxes of prints when I came across these pictures
again. The funny thing is I now quite like those mottled pictures, so
much so that I'm going to print some of the other negatives and do
some reprints on different paper. I find it baffling that when
revisiting prints or negatives that did not appeal at the time,
either compositionally or technically, they have now come into vogue.
It is almost as though you are not mentally ready for what your eye
is telling you works. In other words you need to keep an open mind
even if it is not what you set out to do.
Since
writing this I have been reprinting some of the negatives making me
question again whether it was a developer fault. There is only one
way to find out.
It is now 2021 and the fault is down to the backing paper in some cases if it is 120 format film.
