After returning from our trip I’ve been using my time to experiment a little bit. I tried out my new camera – a lovely Zeiss Super Ikonta C 530/2 -, played with Ilford Pan F+ 50 and stand-development in HC-110, and I also shot some Rollei Retro 80S in 120 with an orange filter. Before I continue with the experimentation I will however make a little bit of a bigger effort to reduce the number of undeveloped rolls I have lying around. Whenever that number goes higher than 50 it starts to make me feel sort of uncomfortable. Next up on the list are a whole bunch of C41 rolls that have been lying around way too long.

But now, let’s finally get to the pictures. This time, as I have promised you before I’m showing you something special: All the slide film I shot in 2015! If you would like to read more about my experiences with shooting colour and slide in particular, head over to the Film Shooters Collective and check out my latest article about this journey into Velvia land.

By the way, this also addresses a mystery that might have puzzled you. Why did 120 film almost disappear from my blog in the last few months? Well, I’ve been mostly shooting colour in 120 since last April and hadn’t yet developed it all. Most of these rolls are 120 and there are still 7 colour rolls in 120 from last year undeveloped, some Portra 400 and Rollei CR 200 (for the latter, reasons below.)

Pictures taken with: Rolleicord V, Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 75mm f/3.5; Mamiya C220 with Mamiya Sekor 80mm f/2.8 s and Leica M6 with Zeiss ZM C-Biogon 35mm f/2.8.

First up: Rolleicord / Rollei CR 200. Turns out that this is aerial film and has way too much yellow to counteract the blues in the atmosphere. I colour corrected these completely ignoring the slides, because the original colours were quite hideous. Also, it curls like crazy and was nearly impossible to scan, even with ANR inlays. I never had these inlays defeated by 120 film, but CR200 did it. I still have 4 rolls of the stuff already shot and undeveloped, which makes me a little sad. The consensus is to cross-process them in C41 chemicals, because as slides they’d only work shot with a blue filter. This was also the only roll with some uneven blueness in the shadows, which suggests that it’s a problem with the film rather than the chemicals. I probably won’t be buying this stuff again, unless there is some real magic happening after cross processing.

Taken in January last year. By now the building is finished – it’s a big cultural centre – and they did a beautiful job on the renovations. Right after taking the shot the guys noticed me and waved!

It was a rather dark mirror … Note the blue streak in the shadows. Must be the film, since it didn’t appear on any of the Fuji slides.

Always makes me think of pineapples.

This was another building site on the other side of the train station where they were building the new bus terminal. They did an awful job on that one. It’s cramped, confusing, doesn’t have enough space to sit and it echoes in such a stupid way that it seems even more crowded than it is already. Such a stressful place! As if travelling wasn’t stressful enough already …

Another problem with CR200: light leaks. It seems extremely sensitive and doesn’t roll tightly enough. It’s noticeable on the right here.

I never know how to meter against the sun. Even worse with slide.

More blue shadow stuff. Kinda ok once I took some of the yellow out, but quite wasted on E6 chemicals actually.

Next: Rollei / Velvia 100. That’s more like it! Very punchy colours. We went to the local cemetery with a friend on a beautiful winter day. I guess we were tired of always going to the same park.

Somewhere I have a BW shot of this taken with my Zorki. Much better in square and colour though.

I would like to say that the silhouette was intentional, but it wasn’t. I was still trying to figure out my meter.

Velvia shadows turn out magenta / blue. A bit otherworldly.

I love how this one turned out. Half a stop more light wouldn’t have hurt I think, but not any more than that.

Velvia is perfect for reds and blues.

Now another roll left over from carnival in Düsseldorf last year. Velvia is a bit crazy for skin tones. It mostly looks like a bad radiation burn on Mars. However, in the case of these carnival pictures it kinda works. These were extremely difficult to meter by the way and turned out a little dark. It was a space with lots of deep shadows and strong lights.

Velvia means white = magenta / blue when shot in the shadows.

I love this one!

Followed by a horse.

Wasn’t sure where to focus this one, but I wanted to see something of the guys in the background too.

Shooting the whole thing wasn’t exactly comfortable. Awful music and drunk crowds – as close to my personal nightmare as it gets. I got some great stuff though. Shooting carnival this year wasn’t as awful, because getting drunk isn’t part of the tradition where we live now.

The light was impossible here. Any more and I would have blown the highlights in the guy’s hat, but like this it’s a tad too dark.

I had metered already, so this was rather spontaneous. In full light the Velvia skin tones are still acceptable.

Back in Spain mid summer, more of the same, Rollei / Velvia 100.

Fruit yes, skin tones, no. Shooting street on Velvia is a bit too much.

On request by these two nice guys! Had to tone this one down a little because the skin tones were way too much. Still looks like a sunburn even after taking some of the saturation out.

It does a really good job on everything else though! I love the red in this!

Catching up on the news.

Trying to get a better view.

Now … Velvia and the sea is a match made in heaven!

New roll, still July, still Velvia and Rollei, and I was in the mood for experimentation.

First ever long exposure on film, sunset. Hadn’t taken out the tripod in 5 years at least. And this scan isn’t half as nice as the original slide. Imagine! WOW.

Did I mention that my light meter does a pretty good job? I was quite surprised that I didn’t blow the highlights on the left. And yes, occasionally I forget that I live in a rather beautiful place.

Some long exposure ghosts. Generally Velvia long exposures are nice, but it could still do with some filtration under street lights. Will try.

Welcome to Mars! I think taking some long exposures down at the beach on Velvia might become a more regular thing once it’s warmer.

After setting up 4 tripod shots, metering etc. I had enough. I’m much more of a grab and run type photographer.

We went for a little walk, but there wasn’t much to see, so I forced my husband to sit for me.

The rest of the place was actually too dark for slide film without a tripod. I love the atmosphere in this.

Who can resist a cat street shot? I can’t.

I think the Velvia blue / magenta works wonderfully here.

Next roll taken in August with my stunning new big beast, Mamiya C220, which my friend Julia gave to me! Thank you again! Last roll of Velvia 100. The Mamiya is perfect for static things and perfect for slide film, but apparently very scary to the wildlife. You wouldn’t believe the looks I get on the street even when I’m not pointing it at anyone.

Wonderful lens.

You can see how much bigger than the Rollei it is.

At the pelota court. Strange place.

That hole freaked me out.

Major love for Velvia and rust.

Deserted football fields have an eerie quality to them.

I’m kinda proud of this, not easy to meter!

As a slide these colours are a punch in the face. Love it!

Shot wide open at f/2.8! I only have love for my Mamiya beast.

Next roll Leica M6, ZM 35 f/2.8 / Agfa Precisa CT 100. Lovely stuff, which is unsurprising since it’s repackaged Fuji Provia 100F apparently. The Pakon raw scans gave me more trouble with the colour correction and I didn’t have the slides next to me when I did it. Probably took out some of the typical Fuji magenta / blue.

New rivers.

Dramatic skies.

Uhm … weird.

Beach joys.

Provia 100F skin colours are great. I’m shooting more of this stuff these days too.

Yes, skin tones.

On break.

Sky + beach + pretty girl drinking water and slide film. Can’t get any better.

Concentration.

Messy fun with ice-cream. Summer galore.

Next roll in September: Mamiya C220, Provia 100F

Even small cities have their share of weird people. In this case I met a woman who was ranting about the “Latin American drug traffickers” who took over the cultural centre where she used to volunteer. Apparently they didn’t want her to work there anymore and she got somewhat upset about it. After spending 5 minutes with this woman I could only conclude that those “drug traffickers” (doubtful) are completely justified in not wanting to spend any time with that person. Mad as a hatter! She was feeding these stray cats who live on the mountain and are apparently protected because they keep away the mice. While I stood there listening to her ranting she was also shouting at dog owners who let their dogs off the leash.

Probably waiting for the cats to finish.

Wide open probably. That Mamiya lens is a stunner.

Too small to see, but there is a dog halfway around the corner in this one too.

I’m not up on this mountain often, but it’s rather beautiful up there. It’s the one you see in one of the sunset shots above.

I was obviously too chicken to walk up that path. I probably would have ended up smashed on the cliffs.

Old fortress up on the hill.

I didn’t feel like going all the way up the hill though, so I turned around and took a couple of shots in the old town. I like the atmosphere in this one.

Yep, there is no hiding with the beast.

Next: September, Rollei / Provia 100F.

Reading the newspaper with a beach view.

For a while I was hunting this tag everywhere. There isn’t much graffiti in town.

Preparations for the film festival and an ice cream cone that has disappeared since. Maybe it will be back in summer?

My favourite on this roll.

Yummy basil.

Not quite happy with the framing, but still …

Caught them twice last year. The kind of thing one wants to be carrying around town. Not.

Next roll, November. Rollei / Provia 100F.

Funky decoration.

No, I didn’t mix up the dates, November! It was an exceptionally warm day, but certainly not as warm as these people pretended.

Can’t resist mirrors, especially when I’m out with the Rollei. And a cat purse!

Stylish.

Couldn’t resist the colours of this one.

Breaker with wave breaking and guys relaxing. Summer? No, almost winter.

We had this little guy sitting next to us.

Super cool kid with super cute dog.