My first successful roll of 120 shot in my Holga.True, I have shot one roll before, but what hapened in the darkroom, shall forever stay in the darkroom.

I was stumbling around the inter-webs and came across the work of the Romanian photographer Rares Cuciureanu. His photos on this page have a beautiful archival quality about them, and I just wanted to share them with you.

via 2photo.ru

JPG Magazine

If you ever develop your own black and white negatives, you may have noticed that a roll may come out purple on the odd occasion. This is more prevalent in a community dark room, where the fixer is reused, but still, it happened to me last night. I was developing a roll of 135 and 120 in 2 tanks, and poured the fixer from the 135 to the 120 and regret to say that I didn't leave it in long enough! My negs are purple!

If you ever come across this problem yourself, it's because it isn't properly fixed. Put it back in the fixer for another 2 minutes and have another look. It won't be as good as if you had left it in for long enough to start with, but still...

If you fix it properly a sliver-based (black and white) negative can last more than 100 years, so you'll have plenty of chance for reprints.

Wouldn't we all love to shoot 120 on a Hasselblad or Rolleiflef all the time? No? Well be that way (darn Internet folk, tsk).

OK, so you probably like the look of medium format, but don't want the hassle of 12 shots per roll and getting it developed at extortionate prices. I have done this little tutorial to show you how to do it in Photoshop. If anyone feels like making an action, go ahead, just drop me a comment.

Here is a real 120 photograph taken on HP5+ 400 in a Ensign Ful-Vue:

And here is my fake one taken on a Nikon D60:

Great! Let's get started!

Step 1: Open your chosen image and crop it into a square. Using the shift key and the crop tool will let you get a perfect square.

Step 2: Make it black and white. You can do Cmd+Shit+U (mac) or Ctrl+Shift+U (pc), but the best method that will keep the most data (and result in better results) is to create a new layer (1), then go Edit> Fill... (2). This will pop up a little box, (3), choose 50% gray and OK it. Set the transfer mode to Colour (4).

Step 3: Select the gray layer and press Cmd+J (Ctrl+J) and set the transfer mode to Normal. You then want to go to Filter>Noise>Add Noise... and check Gaussian and Monochromatic. Play with the amount until it looks good and OK it.

Step 4: Set the transfer mode of this noise layer to Overlay and mess with the Fill Opacity until it's not too overpowering no un-noticeable.

Step 5: Here's another little trick... click the little menu icon in the corner of the Layers palette and Option (Alt) click Flatten Image. This creates a copy of the document and flattens it to one layer at the top. This way you still have all the editable layers underneath. Clever huh!?. Don't forget to use the Option/Alt key, though!

Step 6: Remember creating the 50% gray layer, do the same again but this time choose black. Move it underneath the top (flattened) layer. Select the flattened image and press Cmd(Ctrl)+T and drag one of the corner pins in towards to centre whilst holding down the Shift and Option/Alt keys. You want to create a border like the one on the original photo.

Step 7: For the black layer I added a bit of dark gray in the bottom right and an over exposed edge. The gray is easy, but to get the edges, I played with different settings for the brushes, using textures, etc... if you play, you'll find a way that works for you. Do this on a separate layer to the black.

Step 8: The image is still a bit clean, select its layer and press Cmd/Ctrl+J which will duplicate it. The the Gausian Blur form the Filter>Blur menu on to make it so the borders are just a bit softer. Add a layer mask (click the little circle in a rectangle at the bottom of the layers palette) click the newly created mask and a black border should form around it, paint black over the middle of the image (where it doesn't want to be blurred). Hold down the Option/Alt key and drag the mask to the other layer. Select the bottom mask and hit Cmd/Ctrl+I and hey presto, blurred edges and a hard centre.

Step 9: Add the stock info text in the font Futura (for Ilford film at least). To get the little arrows, you can use a font like Wingdings 3 and use Photoshop's text options to stretch the arrow out. Select the text and both images and rotate them slightly.

Step 10: For added authenticity, add a new layer and use the single pixel column Marquee tool and fill a few lines with white.

Step 11: Now play around with brushes, using the eraser this time. to get a scratch like result. Finally set the transfer mode to Add and drop the Fill Opacity until it looks awesome.

Et voila! Fin! If you like post a like to your results in the new-fangled comment system.

I can't find much infomraion on these pictures but it's a fantastic concept! I just want to walk right into that photographic portal into the past. Check it out: http://woa2.com/a-walk-through-time/!

We all know that normal Holgas take 120 film, which you either have to develop yourself (and mess it up if your me) or send it off to an expensive lab. But it is actually very easy to temporarily convert it to take 135 film without buying the back! So let's get started.

You will need:

• Your Holga120 (mines the GCFN)
• A used 120 spool (I don't know why I put two in the photo)
• Electrical tape (gaffer tape will also work, but it leaves sticky gunk)
• Bits of foam
• Rubber bands (the thick, Royal Mail, ones work well)
• A roll of film (I know this one is already developed, it was completely over-exposed so I put it in a canister for tests like this)

Step One: Open the back of your holga. You will need either the 6x6 or 6x4.5 mask if you want to get the images printed normally.

Step Two: Get the spool and wrap the rubber bands around either end to leave a gap that is big enough the let the film through.

Step Three: Attach the film leader to the spool with tape.

Step Four: To make the 135 mask, get some black card stock (160g is good) and cut out a square that's about 63mm square, then in the middle cut out a gap that is exactly 36mm wide and either 24mm or 35mm high (depending whether you want the sprockettes exposed).

Step Five: Place the spool in the right hand side, like loading the 120 film.

Step Six: Place the canister in the left had side and support the top and bottom with the foam. Layers of thick card might work, too.

Step Seven: Because 135 has no backing, you will need to block off the window with the electrical tape. I have only done one layer hear, but feel free to do more.

Also block it off on the inside for maximum light-proofing.

Step Eight: Close it all up and wind the film on a turn and a half and your all set. For even more security, you may wish to seal all round the edges with tape.

When you have taken a shot, wind the film on 21 clicks, if you want to try with wider shots, calculate yourself how many clicks you'll need. It helps to use a piece of paper or something.

What do the results look like? Take a look for your self.