Black and White Film

My true passion in photography is film.  I have struggled with it over the years, especially with the large format stuff.  It is decidedly not easy, but therein lies the challenge that drives me onward: the desire to get it right, and to attempt to do what Ansel Adams did all those years ago: to create magic.  I’m still a long way from that goal, but I keep trying.  Here is a smattering of what I have done with black and white film over the years.  Enjoy!

©2022 Gary L. Quay

This was the first time I made it to Thor’s Well since I have lived in Oregon. The day was very bright, and a little washed out, but the contrast at this spot was spectacular, so black and white was the obvious choice. I didn’t need any contrast filters to make it pop.

Camera: Hasselblad Flexbody
Lens: 50mm Zeiss Distagon
Film: Catlabs 80

©2021 Gary L. Quay

Cape Disappointment has one of those great place names that express some of the hardships and horrors that abounded during the settling of the Wset. This one happens to come with a lighthouse.

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM
Lens: 250 Zeiss Sonnar
Film: Fuji Acros II developed in FA-1027

©2015 Gary L. Quay

This is the view from Rowena Crest in the early Spring 2015. I didn’t record the specifics on this one like I usually do, so I’m not sure of the developing. I know the rest, though.

This is the first picture I printed in my new, very small, darkroom.  I hope to figure out how to develop larger pictures with limited space.

Camera: Deardorff 8×10.
Lens: 240mm Nikkor-W.
Film: Ilford HP5+
Printed on Ilford MGIV developed in Ansco 130

©2016 Gary L. Quay

This is the interior of the abandoned power station at White River Falls, near Tygh Valley, Oregon. Nobody is allowed in there anymore, so I’m glad I got it when I did.

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM
Lens: 50mm Zeiss Distagon
Film: Ilford Delta 100

©2023 Gary L. Quay

The trees at the Barlow Wayside Park remind me of tentacles.

Camera: Fuji GSW690III
Lens: 65mm Fujinon
Film: Rollei Retro 80S developed in PMK Pyro

©2019 Gary L. Quay

This is from the Cape Horn viewpoint on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge.  It’s a bit of a grain fest. It seem extreme even for 400 ASA film, and despite using a pyro developer. I’m interested to see how it prints when I fire up the enlarger.

I had to guess on the developing time for this film because for 510-Pyro, the Massive Developing Chart shows the film speed as 1600, and I shot it at 400, which is its rated speed. I developed it at 8:30 at 68 degrees. It seems to have been correct. The negatives are very nice.

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM
Lens: 50mm Carl Zeiss
Film: Rollei RPX 400 developed on 510-Pyro.

©2017 Gary L. Quay

This is the view from Ruthton Park in Hood River. It’s one of the Columbia Gorge’s best views. I was there with the film camerason a somewhat snowy day, and got a good one.

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM
Lens: 50mm Carl Zeiss
Film: Fuji Acros 100

©2014 Gary L. Quay

I took this from the Memaloose Overlook near Mosier, Oregon in the Summer of 2014. This area was fast becoming the place I wanted to be. I almost moved there in 2015, and the rest is history.

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM
Lens: 50mm Carl Zeiss
Film: Kodak T-Max 400 Developed in Divided D-23.

©2013 Gary L. Quay

This is one of my favorite spots along Route 14 in southern Washington State.

This Negative was a little thin. It prints well in the darkroom with a little boost from contrast filters.

Camera: Speed Graphic 4×5
Lens 8″ Cooke Anastigmat
Film: Kodak TXP 320 Developed in PMK Pyro.

©2016 Gary l. Quay

In the middle of the road near Mosier, Oregon.

Camera: Speed Graphic 4×5
Lens: 90mm Nikkor
Film: Kodak T-Max 400 developed in Ilfotec HC

©2017 Gary L. Quay

Windmills as seen from the Maryhill Loops Road at Maryhill, Washington in the Columbia Gorge

Camera: Sinar Alpina 4×5.
Lens: 150mm Fujinon
Film: Kodak T-Max 400 developed in Clayton F76+.

©2014 Gary L. Quay

A hot, summer day in the eastern Columbia Gorge.

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM.
Lens: 50mm Carl lZeiss.
Film: Ilford HP5+ developed in Kodak Divided D-23

©2016 Gary L. Quay

I am attracted to interesting light. Call me a moth with a camera.

Camera: Hasselblad 500Cm
Lens: 80mm Carl Zeiss.
Film: Ilford HP5+ developed in Ilford Ilfotec HC.

©2012 Gary L. Quay

I took this in 2012 with a 5X7 view camera that I purchased recently at Blue Moon Camera & Machine in St. Johns, Oregon. The camera is of the same vintage as my Cooke lens: around 1906. This was a light tightness test for the adapter board that I made. It passed the first test.

The wind was blowing so hard that I had to pile equipment up around the tripod to keep it stable. I was left with the choice of whether to keep my shutter speed up, and accept some unwanted bokeh, or to attempt to get the entire image sharp, and add the risk of an entirely blurred negative. I split the difference. I opted for a little motion blur, and a little less Bokeh.

Camera: Camera City View (by the Seneca Camera Co. of Rochester, NY.)
Lens: 180mm Caltar II, no filter.
Film: Arista.edu 100, stand developed in Agfa Rodinal 1:00 for 1 hour.

©2013 Gary L. Quay

This is from a Columbia Gorge trip from a few years back. I finally had a day off, and was dying to get out and do some photography. Gaia and I drove out to the Mosier area, which is 6 miles past Hood River, and visited Rowena Crest. I saw the light on this hillside on the way back down the hill, so I stopped to take a picture. I used my ancient Cook Anastigmat: an uncoated brass lens that I picked up in 2011. It’s an excellent lens to use when a modern lens would give too much contrast.

Camera: Super Speed Graphic 4×5.
Lens: 8″ Cooke Anastigmat.
Film: Kodak T-Max 100 developed in PMK Pyro.

@2019 Gary L. Quay

Taking pictures on film facing into the sun with a wide angle lens can be tricky. A little lens flare never hurt anyone. Well, maybe.

Camera: Deardorff 8×10
Lens: 165mm Schneider Angulon
Film: Ilford HP5+ Developed in Kodak HC110

©2013 Gary L. Quay

This is the Working Girls Hotel in Pendleton, Oregon. It’s part of the Pendleton Underground Tours. The town had a reputation as a brothel town in its early days, and many of the downtown buildings still reveal its secrets to those who know.

Camera: Speed Graphic 4×5
Lens: 127mm Kodak Ektar
Film: Kodak T-Max 100 developed in Ilford Ilfotec HC

©2013 Gary L. Quay

I have made two pilgramages to Pendleton, Oregon, which is many too few.

Camera: Super Speed Graphic
Lens: 127mm Kodak Ektar
Film: Kodak T-Max 100 developd in Ilfotec HC

©2013 Gary l. Quay

This is from my trip to Pendleton in March of 2013. The negative suffered from dust, and a few light scratches, but they weren’t hard to remove, just tedious.

Camera: Sinar Alpina 4×5.
Lens: 210mm Schneider.
Film: Efke PL 50 developed in PMK Pyro

©1999 Gary L. Quay.

This is the 21st anniversary year for this picture, which has travelled far and wide. The situation in Eastern Europe that spawned the idea has faded from view, so folks read into it all kinds of interesting stuff. Enjoy.

Model: Michael Jensen.

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM.
Lens: 80mm Carl Zeiss
Film: Kodak Tech Pan developed in Kodak Technidol.

©2007 Gary L. Quay

During a brief stay at Breitenbush Hot Springs, I took the opportunity to wander around with my Hasselblad. The weather was gray, but summer was on its way. I was testing out some Maco ORT 25. It seems to have the ability to deliver some punch to dull lighting. Later, it was being produced under the Efke label, but they went out of business when their one-of-a-kind film coating machine broke in 2013.

Breitenbush Hot Springs burned in the the Beachie Creek and Lionshead fires in 2020.  I heard that they saved the main building, but I’m not sure about the Powerhouse.  They are accepting donations to rebuild at their website.

Camera: Hasselblad 500 CM,
Lens: 80mm Carl Zeiss,
Film: Maco (Efke) ORT 25 developed in Clayton F76+

©2014 Gary L. Quay

This is the Waldron Drug Store / Gitchell Building in The Dalles, Oregon.  I just love turn of the last century western architecture.  I heard that it is going to be demolished soon, but I don’t know when.

Camera: Speed Graphic 4×5.
Lens: 127mm Kodak Ektar.
Film: Ilford HP5+ developed in Ilfotec HC.

©2014 Gary L. Quay

Developed in coffee!

Camera: Sinar Alpina 4×5
Lens: 90mm Nikkor.
Film: Kodak Tri-X 320 stand developed 70 minutes in Caffenol L.

©2013 Gary L. Quay

I’m rather proud of this one.

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM
Lens: 50mm Carl Zeiss.
Film: Agfa APX 400 developed in Ilfotec-HC

©2012 Gary L. Quay

I drove out to Woodland, Washington on an early Autumn morning in 2012 with my Deardorff 8×10 camera, hoping  to capture the Grist Mill in all of its fall foliage glory.  The leaves were changing, but not quite a peak, so I got out some black and white film, and made this picture.  I knew that it was going to be good the moment I pulled it from the fixer.

Camera: Deardorff 8×10.
Lens: 240mm Nikkor.
Film: Ilford HP5+ developed in 510 Pyro.

©2008 Gary L. Quay

Taken on the Burnside Bridge in Portland, Oregon, with the former Made in Oregon” sign in the background. It now reads “Portland Oregon”.

The Deardorff I use was made in 1939. It isn’t a museum piece. It’s heavy, and bulky. I have to be very careful not to break the ground glass while carting it around. Folks stop and ask, “Do they still make film for that?” while I’m using it. That’s the question I was asked while setting up for this shot. What inspires me to continue using bulky, old camera with weighty optics is, quite simply, magic. I am always amazed by what film can capture, especially while using tiny apertures. I want as little technology between the shutter and the film as possible. I want to control the exposure. I want to control the focus. I don’t want a fancy camera that makes perfect shots every time. I want to make mistakes. I’ve gotten some great images from mistakes.

Camera: Deardorff V8 with 8×10 back.
Lens: 12″ Kodak Ektar
Film: Ilford HP5+ Developed in Kodak HC-110.

©2010 Gary L. Quay

This is the Southpark Fish House in Portland, Oregon.

The exposure was 80 seconds at F16. The meter indicated 12 seconds with HP5 rated at 200 ASA instead of 400. Reciprocity failure compensation took it to 40 seconds, and I added 1 stop to correct for N-1 contraction in development to help control the highlights. In the darkroom, the time suggested for Harvey’s Panthermic 777 developer was 11 minutes @ 74ºF. My darkroom was at 65 degrees, which took it to 18:45. I subtracted 30% for the 200 ASA rating, 30% of the remaining time for N-1 contraction, and 20% for compensation for reciprocity. I ended up with 8 minutes total development time. This seemed to work. I was always afraid to make all of these adjustments because I had so much trouble with thin negatives early on, but I seem to be better at metering at night, and I’ve gotten better in the darkroom.

Camera: Deardorff 8×10.
Lens: 19″ Goerz APO Artar.
Film: Ilford HP5+ developed in Harvey’s 777.
Contact printed on Ilford MGIV FB glossy, developed in Ansco 130.

©2014 Gary L. Quay

During our stay in The Dalles, Oregon back in February, and just prior to the “Snowmageddon” that trapped us in a hotel room for 5 days, we took a day trip to Yakima, Washington. On the way, we found this.

Camera: Sinar Alpina
Lens: 90mm Nikkor,
Film: Kodak Tri-X 320 developed in Ilfotec HC.

©2011 Gary L. Quay

I was looking for a way to photograph this waterfall, and get as much of it into the picture as possible, while not having it be too busy. I think I achieved it with this one. I went there two weeks in a row, and shot 8 8×10 negatives, and a few 5×7’s as well.

Camera: Deardorff 8×10
Lens: 165mm Schneider Super-Angulon
Film: Ilford HP5+ developed in PMK Pyro
Contact Printed on Ilford MGIV RC developed in E72

©2012 Gary L. Quay

This is from my first trip to White River Falls, which was in 2012.  I fell in love with the area, and tried to spend as much time there as possible.

Camera: Super Speed Graphic 4×5.
Lens: 135mm Rodenstock Optar
Film: Kodak T-Max 100 Developed in PMK Pyro

©1997 Gary L. Quay

This is from the first roll of black and white film that I ever ran through my Hasselblad. I was new to handheld metering, and to medium format in general. I let the negative sit in its sleve in a notebook for over a decade until I saw a Chinese painting on the wall of a restaurant that reminded me of it. I decided to give it a try in the darkroom, and liked the results.

Camera: Hasselblad 500 CM
Lens: 80 mm Carl Zeiss
Film: Ilford XP2.
Printed on J&C Polywarmtone (Forte) FB Museum Weight, toned in Selenium 1:10 for 6 minutes.

©2011 Gary L. Quay

I took this picture when I was discovering just how much I love Oregon’s dry side.

Camera: Sinar Alpina 4×5
Lens: 150mm Fujinon with a green filter.
Film: Ilford FP4+ Developed in 510-Pyro

©2019 Gary L. Quay

This is the view from Crown Point in the Columbia Gorge, Oregon.  It doesn’t get much better.

Camera: Nikon D810
Lens: 24-85mm Nikon

©2023 Gary L. Quay

This monolithic hunk of basalt was once known as Thor’s Heights. Now it is Crown Point. The iconic Vista House is perched at the top. I like the view from the bottom as well.

Camera: Fuji GSW690III
Lens: 65mm Fujinon with a red filter.
Film: Rollei Superpan 200

©2009 Gary L. Quay

This is the Hawthorne Bridge in Portland, Oregon. The river was unusually calm, and reflected the bridge, and the city.

Camera: Sinar Alpina 4×5
Lens: 180mm Caltar II

©2012 Gary L. Quay

This is from my east coast trip in June of 2012, when we flew out to PA and NY to visit family, and didn’t get out much to take pictures. On an few occasions, I did make forrays into the hinterlands with my Speed Graphic, and photographed some old barns—a favorite subject of mine. I usually try to steer clear of having power lines in my pictures, but this time it was unavoidable, so composed the picture with them coming diagonally from the corner to make them somewhat compositionally pleasing.

Camera: Speed Graphic 4×5
Lens: 90mm Nikkor
Film: Kodak Tri-X 320 developed in Kodak HC-110

©2016 Gary L. Quay

I’ve been trying to get this picture right for a very long time. From negative defects to developing mishaps, I never seem to get it quite right. This negative took an extensive cleanup. There are micro scratches all over the sky area, and some kind of residue from the developing left a streak of spots across the top. I managed to remove them with Photoshop, but this will never print in the darkroom. I need to find a foolproof method of developing. I’ve tried a lot of them, and none seem to guarantee a good outcome.

Camea: Sinar Alpina 4×5
Lans: 180mm Caltar II
Film: Ilford HP5+

©2014 Gary L. Quay

I took this picture somewhere in Utah on a whirlwind trip to PA and back.

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM
Lens: 50mm Carl Zeiss.
Film: Ilford HP5+ developed in Ilfotec HC.

©2007 Gary L. Quay

The Blue Heron paper plant in Oregon City. This was an image from my exhibit called “The Night Shift.” It’s the first image I took with my Kodak Commercial 8×10 camera. This is a scan from the proof sheet, not from the final print that hung in the exhibit.

I was inspired to take this image by the industrial photography of Ansel Adams. I have always liked old things. I seek out landscapes and cityscapes that remind me of the early to mid 20th century.

Camera: Kodak Commercial 8×10
Lens: 12″ Kodak Ektar
Film: Ilford HP5 developed in Kodak HC110.
Contact printed on Ilford MG RC and scanned.

©2012 Gary L. Quay

This was a difficult subject to shoot. The difference between the lights and shadows was such that I was afraid that I would lose detail in both extremes, which was most of the picture. So, I decided to add one stop of light when I took the picture, and subtracted 2 during development. To further support the shadow detail, I used PMK Pyro as a developer. I think that this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to infrared without actually shooting infrared.

Camera: Super Speed Graphic 4×5.
Lens: 135mm Wollensak Optar.
Film: Ilford Ortho Plus developed in PMK Pyro.

©2013 Gary L. Quay

I shot this on a warm day in February in the Columbia Gorge. We didn’t make it too far up the trail, but I stopped for a few shots where the lights and shadows were challengingly interesting.

Camera: Super Speed Graphic 4×5.
Lens: 8″ Cooke Anastigmat.
Film: Kodak Tri-X 320 developed in Ilfotec-HC.

©2007 Gary L. Quay

I took this at Trillium Lake on a still morning.

Camera: Linhof Technica,
Lens: 150mm Linhof (Schneider),
Film: Kodak Tmax 400

©2009 Gary L. Quay

Another image of my favorite Bridge in Portland. This one was taken from Tom McCall Waterfront Park near Riverplace. Of all of Portland’s bridges, Hawthorne is lit up the best.

Camera: Calumet 45,
Lens: 150 Fujinon,
Film: Arista.edu 100

©2011 Gary L. Quay

This was from my first ever trip to the Grist Mill back in 2011.  The mill is located in Woodland, Washington, and is the oldest operating mill in the Pacific Northwest.

Camera: Deardorff 8×10 with a 5×7 back.
Lens: 165mm Schneider Angulon.
Film: Ilford FP4+ developed in 510 Pyro.

©2010 Gary L. Quay

The West Linn power plant as seen from across the Willamette River in 2010. I took this picture with a large format camera and lens combination that needs to have the bellows extended at least 1 yard to focus at infinity.

Camera: Kodak Commercial 8×10
Lens: 760mm SK Grimes (APO-Nikkor optics)
Film: Ilford FP4+ developed in Kodak HC110

©2011 Gary L. Quay

I love the eastern Columbia Gorge. Apprently, it loves Adox film.

Camera: Hasselblad 500CM.
Lens: 120mm Carl Zeiss with a yellow-green filter.
Film: Adox CHS 100 developed in Kodak Xtol

©2021 Gary L. Quay

I recently stumbled upon a new place to take pictures. The area around Mt. Hood is dripping with moss, and is mostly a wonderful mess. I like that. It’s so full of decay that the ground there eats tea leaves in about 15 minutes.

I had a 8×10 camera there in January 2021, and this is the result.

I’m certain that this picture will not look very good on a small screen.  It’s better viewed on a computer monitor.

Camera: Deardorff 8×10
Lens: 12″ Goerz Dagor
Film: Bergger Panchro 400 developed in Kodak HC-110.