#1.2 [Pollux]: The White Stripes (HP5)

The last picts of 2015 and the first in 2016: This my first roll of HP5 ever which I like.

Others love this film, I don’t get it and prefer Tri-X. The contrast is low, which means there is a lot of information on the film, but (in my case) it has to be processed to get back the expression and the feel of ambience.

In addition, the emulsion seems to be sensitive and my tongs to pull off the water of the negative might be too old, but these stripes – man!

I don’t mind, there are some shots left which I am happy about. The HP5 was added in a big film package I bought and it’s simply not by bag. But processing some Silvermax film in Silvermax developer 1+49 (24 min), I just added the roll of HP5 into the tank just to see what happens.

This Silvermax developer not only works well with Silvermax film, but also with HP5: I think the tonality (not the texture) resembles TMax with TMax developer. Maybe I can get this also with Rodinal (should be similar to Silvermax, I guess), but what dilution should I try for that kind of look?

I like this, and with the scanner I emulated the printing tonality of Baryta with a hard gradation, which makes this interesting.

I like to show some white stripes on the negative because Emiliy presented her ‘Partial disaster’. Her pictures reminded me of my case. I plea guilty and I’ve already ordered new tongs and next time will treat HP5 like a baby. Not all the frames are affected, but when they are, the damage done is obvious:

This time, I like the skin tones and the tonality of the wooden floor. I shot these frames because I was curious about the new ME super and the 28mm and 40mm, but they also showed me that HP5 isn’t that bad:

I’ll stick with Tri-X, but whenever I have to come back to HP5, these photographs will give me some orientation to develop the film in a way I like.

The last one reminds me of Luigi Morandi. Canisters with Hydro Agent (big one), one with some D76 (looks transparent, but it’s not) and a black one for old fixer.

Conclusion: Some people say they prefer 50mm for family shots. I prefer 28, 35 and 40mm for this. Sometimes even 24mm. Or 85mm / 105 mm. And it’ll be nice to shoot more in manual mode with the ME super. That works but the ergonomics in manual mode are a little fiddly at times. The camera reminds me of the guitars of Jack White. Simple and rocking.

Pollux on 52rolls: