A B&W Environmental Portrait on 12x20 - Large Format Friday

[@ope19head]

That outro is the perfect thing to trigger a happy afternoon LF nap 🤤

[@alexiscuarezma]

You're a legend brother. I enjoy your channel

[@johnverna9693]

Fantastic shot, Mat!

[@andyvan5692]

GREAT video mat, and nice to have a teriq video again, but one tip too, for the negative size, there is also some contact printing paper, from Iilford, the so called 'paper_Negative' aproach, which would also save some money, as compared to the real emulsions, and you could buy up big, in size, not just quantity, so you can cut it up yourself, just get a paper guilotine, and do it in the darkroom. (one which has all the 'safety's ' to save your fingers, of coarse!!)- you could do it 'safely' by setting up, and doing a 'dry run' on normal card stock, then all you have to do in darkness is similar to film loading in the holders, align the paper in the guides, and pull the knife bar, which you can do two handed, so nothing can harm you.

[@DJPixelList]

That is one impressive negative and print! Great video. Best wishes, David in the UK.

[@TheTariqtarey]

Thank you for inspiring us all!

[@MatMarrash]

^-- the man, the myth, and my lighting guru! Thank you sir!

[@kzed0]

what a lavish print. great work.

[@MatMarrash]

Thank you so much 😀

[@mechanicalcanvas]

Waxing the print will help increase its dmax as well as give it a slight luster. You can use a commercial wax like Renaissance Wax or make your own with beeswax and lavender oil (I used safflower as that what I had on hand). Also, if you're in a major city and not on well water, dichromates waste water can be poured down the sink with little worry. It would take an entire neighborhood, printing large quantities everyday all year to saturate the dilution at the plant. The neighbor painting their walls and rinsing the paint off in the sink probably does more harm.

[@melaninxhalide1165]

That portrait of Tariq looks fvcking amazing! 🔥🔥🔥

[@MatMarrash]

I'm always nervous when Tariq is in front of the camera because I want to put him in the best light possible. Glad you liked this portrait! :)

[@imrannuri]

Holy moly man seeing the size of the negative is mind blowing 😅 beautiful photo. Can't imagine a better way to capture Tariq and his environment

[@MatMarrash]

Thank you so much! 😀

[@SYLVAINDURAND77]

This portrait is awesome!

[@madsmeierjger9558]

That negative is … huge … makes my 4x5 look like a toy! Excellent video!

[@MatMarrash]

With big negatives come big problems, but sometimes you make one that makes it all worthwhile!

[@madsmeierjger9558]

@@MatMarrash Yes!

[@melaninxhalide1165]

Also: that outro music? :chef’s kiss: ❤️

[@jimwlouavl]

So, so very cool! Thanks for sharing stories like this.

[@MatMarrash]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@michaelharmon721]

Nice image and a informative video.

[@MatMarrash]

Many thanks!

[@ChristopherMay]

If your test strips can function as portraits on their own, you might be shooting ultra large format. Great video and a great environmental portrait, Mat.

[@MatMarrash]

Considering how much watercolor papers are going for these days, I'm keeping these test strips! ;)

[@paulalanputnam4592]

Love the video, Matt. I would have liked to have the pic on screen for a while to enjoy though.

[@MatMarrash]

10 seconds is an eternity for this darn algorithm, I'd recommend heading over to the Flickr page for higher res: www.flickr.com/photos/mat4226/52296124866/in/dateposted/

[@ChrisVidouras]

Beautiful portraits and wonderful prints!!

[@MatMarrash]

Thank you so much 😀

[@toulcaz31]

That looks like the start of a cool series of environmental portraits of artists and artisans in their creative space, followed by a 12x20 contact prints book... :)

[@MatMarrash]

Nico you're spot-on with the project...but I've gotta think over how a photo book would happen at that size 0__0

[@yay-cat]

stunning result!

[@ZachSaintWard]

The final contact print looks amazing. So cool man

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Zach! ULF prints always invite the viewer to dive right into the paper and I can't wait to make more.

[@ZachSaintWard]

@@MatMarrash If I was ever in Columbus do you think I could take a peak at that print?

[@MatMarrash]

@@ZachSaintWard sure thing!

[@ariaan_]

Really fantastic portrait, Mat, and great to hear about your thought process. Makes me want to go out and shoot some environmental portraits myself. :-)

[@TAWPhotography]

Amazing video! Can’t wait to see more

[@MatMarrash]

This is starting to become a project, time for some more artists!

[@inkaststudio]

Great shot! Love that you included the environment! 👍🏾 Wish I had a film buddy lol None of my friends have the faintest interest in film or photography for that matter 😑

[@Necroblob]

Incredible shot and a great video as ever. Your videos in large part inspired me to get an 8x10 Ansco and a 12" commercial ektar - an absolute beauty! I still need a few more bits before I can give it some exercise, but I'm looking forward to a small project of friends and family portraits.

[@bernardkelly235]

That was wonderful, Mat. Thanks. I asked you some time ago whether you and Tariq had ever considered using a camera stand, and there you are with two of them. I should have known. More ULF, please.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Bernard! The camera stands are wonderful tools, and Tariq and I use them a lot for up-to 8x10. In fact, I think the main shot for this video was done with a stand. Time to find one of those giant Foba stands for the 12x20! ;)

[@bernardkelly235]

@@MatMarrash Now that would be true commitment. Those things weigh a ton.

[@tylerhuttosmith]

This one was awesome! I’m planning an environmental portrait project and also love to see any alt process stuff! Thanks for all the info!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Tyler! It's fun diving back into working with portraits and it helps that my first few subjects are all photographer friends. Can't wait to make some more!

[@Pollock.iconoclast]

So glad a watched! I'm trying to enlarge a negative for internegs and those extra chemicals to my developer might help.

[@MatMarrash]

Hey Jordan, the dichromate as a contrast agent is only for specific alternative processes and not recommended for negative films. I might recommend raising pH of your developer with added sodium carbonate (monohydrate). Develop at normal times with ~20 g/L of sodium carbonate to start; if still not enough contrast raise temperature by a few degrees C.

[@Pollock.iconoclast]

@@MatMarrash thanks so much! I'm making them for albumen prints.

[@joshuarhea1648]

That was very interesting inspiring

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Joshua!

[@juliussternfeld428]

The wide angle creates not enough separation IMO.

[@andyvan5692]

mat, a question, what was the lens you used for the portrait, you say the f number, but not the focal length, also, for us 4x5" shooters out there what lens do you recommend for us to use, a 90, 75 or 65; I have just got a sinar kit, 90 inc. and just augmented this with a 65; as I shoot architecture, environmental and urban landscapes, including street art; was wondering how wide is too wide for portraits?

[@enigmatic_lee]

What's the huge ball head you use for the Wista Field at the beginging?

[@RogerHyam]

Thanks Mat. I must try out Pyrocat-HD. It's on the bucket list. No dichromates available in Europe - unfortunate for photography - fortunate for life!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Roger! A great EU alternative to Pyrocat HD that I can highly recommend is Moersch Tanol. Less nasty with very solid results!

[@RogerHyam]

@@MatMarrash pyrocat is fine in the EU it is dichromate that is banned.

[@chilecayenne]

Good Morning Mat!! Well, it's always a GREAT start to my Friday when I see a new episode of LFF pop up on my feed!! ;) I really enjoyed this one...and WOW, is that one large camera and negative!! How hard is it to get film for that thing? Is this one of those things you have to buy all your film for one once a year with a group buy? I just recently acquired a 4x5 rail camera for a good price on eBay. I've not yet had a chance to unpack it (day job busy), but I'm thinking one of my first things to attempt with it, is some sitting portraits of my friends. Of course, I gotta get a changing tent first and a tank to develop....and learn to develop, and....and....and... Oh well, that's the fun of it all, eh? Thanks again, keep up the great work and see you again in a couple weeks!! CC

[@MatMarrash]

Getting film for the 12x20 isn't terrible, especially because Ilford has their ULF program once a year. This is more or less buy as much as you can, when you can strategy. Only downside is the price does climb higher with each passing year. Once you get the 4x5 kit assembled and ready for processing you should definitely get those portraits going of your friends! I'm terrible at documenting those close to me and it's projects like this one of Tariq that can help. Cheers!

[@Austinite333]

Not sure I could handle 12x20. I just took my first shot on 8x10 and now my 4x5 seems like a point and shoot in comparison. 😉