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Make a Mess – event Weston Super Mare
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/make-a-mess-tickets-56035951038 Saturday 9th March in Weston High Street, I’ll be there offering the...
Simon Williams
Mar 1, 20191 min read


Repairing a Thornton Pickard Shutter
I added a second plate camera (By Hora & Co – Wandsworth London 1902-1930) to my collection recently and it came with a Thornton Pickard...
Simon Williams
Feb 21, 20191 min read


Pre-Flashing the Paper Negative
Another useful tip from an online forum – to reduce the contrast of a photo paper negative, the advice is to “pre-flash” it with a short...
Simon Williams
Feb 17, 20191 min read


Vintage Photography with X-ray Film
With 5×7 sheet film being expensive, at over £1 a sheet, I have been looking for alternatives. I love the look paper negatives give to...
Simon Williams
Feb 7, 20191 min read


Now to get things in focus
Having learned how to set the exposure on the 100 year-old Thornton Pickard I have been working on getting everything well-focussed. The...
Simon Williams
Feb 4, 20191 min read


Bellows Camera in the Snow
With the sun out and the roads passable, I ventured up onto the top of the Mendip Hills with the Thornton Pickard and some film...
Simon Williams
Feb 2, 20191 min read


Still life with a bellows camera
On a snowy day, staying at home was the warmer option and gave me a chance to apply what I have learned about exposure for this camera to...
Simon Williams
Feb 1, 20191 min read


6 out of 6! – 6 Good exposures
On the frosty Mendip Hills this morning, I used the vintage Thornton Pickard camera to take some silhouette images of trees. Building on...
Simon Williams
Jan 31, 20191 min read


Mastering Exposure – Vintage Camera
Very pleased with exposure of paper negatives today. (Images here have been inverted in photoshop from a scan of the paper negatives) ...
Simon Williams
Jan 30, 20191 min read


At the fifth attempt – I’m happy
Finally, after five attempts, I’ve got a plate with; enough etch to make a relief print, a satisfying sky effect enough detail in the...
Simon Williams
Jan 29, 20191 min read


Another step in my etching eduction
Having another go with my Clevedon Pier photograph. This time I used a thinner application of oil for the sky and less etching time....
Simon Williams
Jan 26, 20191 min read


Latest etching – still learning …
Clevedon Pier – again from a photo – laserprint transferred onto aluminium with acetone then etched in copper sulfate and salt. Raising...
Simon Williams
Jan 25, 20191 min read


Relief printing from etched aluminium
First prints from the aluminium etchings. Very pleased with these first lifts – on 200gsm, glossy card. [Update! – when dry the ink...
Simon Williams
Jan 20, 20191 min read


Successful etching of the plates
Having successfully transferred the laser prints of my photos onto aluminium plate, the next step is etching in copper sulfate/salt. To...
Simon Williams
Jan 20, 20191 min read


Success every time!
I’ve cracked it! Using acetone to transfer laserprint onto aluminium plate ready for #etching. Plates on the left in this photo the...
Simon Williams
Jan 19, 20191 min read


Progress with etching – Exmoor tree project
After my initial experiments with the etching process, I started today to apply what I have learned to my Exmoor tree images. (See...
Simon Williams
Jan 7, 20192 min read


Success with the antique camera and shutter
Well, some success and still some failures(learning opportuntites). Saggy bellows have caused a shadow on the negative and one or two...
Simon Williams
Jan 5, 20191 min read


How to measure the speed of my antique shutter
My Boots branded 100 year old Thornton Pickard camera has a new addition – a mechanical shutter. This allows me to shoot at speeds under...
Simon Williams
Jan 5, 20191 min read


Adding a shutter to my antique camera
In order to access shutter speeds of less than 1s I need a mechanical shutter. I found one on eBay for a bargain price – and it is in...
Simon Williams
Jan 5, 20191 min read


Photo-Print-Transfer-Etch-Print!
Today was bringing together my photography and my relief printing. Starting with a B&W photo with a lot of contrast – An old oak door in...
Simon Williams
Dec 20, 20181 min read
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