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Cyanotypes XVII: Rajhrad Monastery Variations
Rajhrad Monastery EntranceReference B&W Photo
In today's seventeenth article on cyanotypes I am sticking with a single photograph but am exploring the different looks one gets by choosing different papers. The photo was originally photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE camera on Fomapan 400 black and white film and developed in Fomadon LQN. For reference, I am including a thumbnail of the original black and white photograph here.
Nikon FENikon FE, 24mm f/2.8
As I walked around the old monastery there was a lot to photograph. There are areas that talk to what the life at the monastery is like, there are beautifully renovated sections, and there are sections that still need a lot of help. The main entrance is part of the renovated building and is truly beautiful. I had no doubt that it needed to be photographed. The entrance and the whole area around the monastery provided a perfect subject matter for the old camera and a black and white film. And yes, as with all of my trips to the Czech Republic this one was no different and a Czech-made Fomapan 400 was the perfect capture medium.
Throughout my cyanotype printing I have confirmed the basic aspect of paper selection that seems to be a common sense. If you want details go for smooth paper. If detail is less important gentle or even a rough texture can be introduced. Some papers render clear white highlights and some pull them back a bit.
Rajhrad Monastery EntranceSmooth Watercolor Paper Cyanotype
Rajhrad Monastery Entrance, Czech Republic, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Smooth Cyanotype
Chemically Printed on a Hand-Coated Smooth Watercolor Paper
When I started with cyanotypes I was looking at them as an alternative process to darkroom. And since darkroom prints come out with plenty of detail I wanted my cyanotype prints to be more lo-fi. Thus I immediately gravitated to papers with a lot of texture. I also did not care about a smooth coating of the sensitizer and instead intentionally used less of it and made sure my brush strokes left visible trails. I still love that rough look of a contrasty print on the Shizen Design watercolor paper but I have also tried to match paper to the photograph.
Rajhrad Monastery EntranceTextured Watercolor Paper Cyanotype
Rajhrad Monastery Entrance, Czech Republic, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Textured Cyanotype
Chemically Printed on a Hand-Coated Textured Meeden Watercolor Paper
While some photographs lend themselves really well to the lo-fi look others need their contrast a bit more balance. Losing the midtowns can mean losing the picture. And the same goes for the texture. Some photos have enough large defining features that losing the fine detail in the texture is alright or even better as the content gets simplified down to the basic building blocks.
Rajhrad Monastery EntranceRough Textured Shizen Design Watercolor Paper Cyanotype
Rajhrad Monastery Entrance, Czech Republic, An Original Hand-Made 5" x 7" Rough Textured Cyanotype
Chemically Printed on a Hand-Coated Rough Textured Shizen Design Watercolor Paper
Today's photo is an example of one that seemed to work really well across all of the paper choices. The opening print shows the pure whites of the smooth (and the cheapest here) watercolor paper, Meeden watercolor pulls the highlights back slightly so while some details are lost due to the paper texture others are added as the highlights are brought in.
On that note, yes, I could have played more with the curve for my negatives to insure no highlights are lost but I did not. I still like to lean into the lo-fi look and let each print do its thing. Some work, some don't. Maybe overtime I will do some more tweaking but I definitely do not want to lose the surprise factor and the counterbalance to today's digital perfection. After all, If I wanted these to be perfect I could either go back to the darkroom, or even simulate the cyanotype blues with an inkjet print.
Rajhrad Monastery EntranceDeckled Edge Watercolor Paper Cyanotype
Rajhrad Monastery Entrance, Czech Republic, An Original Hand-Made 4" x 6" Deckled Edge Cyanotype
Chemically Printed on a Hand-Coated Egyptian Cotton Deckled Edge Watercolor Paper
The print on Egyptian Cotton is more new to me, I have just started experimenting with that. I definitely like the deckled edges on this variety as it adds to the lo-fi and an old-time look. Unlike my usual 5" x 7" prints this one is 4" x 6" and I do not make smaller negatives for it. I place it under the negative so that it further crops into the picture without losing critical features along the edges.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Previous posts in the Cyanotypes series: 1. First Cyanotype - 2. More Cyanotypes - 3. Highlands Cyanotypes - 4. How do Cyanotypes Happen? - 5. Cyanotypes V: Tweaking the Curve - 6. Cyanotypes VI: Toning - 7. Cyanotypes VII: More Toning - 8. Cyanotypes VIII: Toning Different Papers - 9. Cyanotypes IX: Horní Rozsíčky - 10. Cyanotypes X: From Black and White or Color - 11. Cyanotypes XI: Moravian Countryside - 12. Cyanotypes XII: Prague Castle - 13. Cyanotypes XIII: American History - 14. Cyanotypes XIV: Gulf Shores, Alabama - 15. Cyanotypes XV: Different Take on Travel Photography - 16. Cyanotypes XVI: Nostalgic Pernštejn - 16. Cyanotypes XVII: Rajhrad Monastery Variations - 17. Cyanotypes XVII: Rajhrad Monastery Variations
If you like cyanotypes, you can explore the Cyanotypes Photo Gallery dedicated to my growing collection of them. Would you like to browse through traditional darkroom wet prints? Visit my Darkroom Photo Gallery and enjoy!
Helfštýn Castle Tower and WallsCyanotype
Karlštejn Castle Tower and WallsCyanotype
Pernštejn CastleCyanotype
A Walk through Fall Orchard Park
With the Fall of 2024 on the scene I'd like to share a few photos from a photo walk through the Village of Orchard Park last year, fall of 2023. We're starting appropriately by the decorated village welcome sign.
Welcome!Village of Orchard Park, NY
Welcome! The Village of Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Agfa Vista 200 Color Negative Film
These Orchard Park walks with a camera in hand have become my favorite. As time passes by, things change, and it is interesting to realize the changes and remember the time when I took a photograph of something changed forever, something that is no more, or on the other hand a place that now has something new in it.
ColorsVillage of Orchard Park, NY
Colors, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Agfa Vista 200 Color Negative Film
Take for example the eastern side of the Green Lake. Yep, the dam side. With the "recent" repairs it looks completely different. And it looks a little less natural now, with more concrete on the shore, some trees gone, and even the woods down below the dam have been cut down significantly. Or Custard Lite becoming C's Custard Delight.
What's Left of the Fall at the Train DepotVillage of Orchard Park, NY
What's Left of the Fall at the Train Depot, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Agfa Vista 200 Color Negative Film
Or the photograph above, the Train Depot's platform getting a complete overhaul and looking like new! Or if we were going to turn 180- degrees and look towards the railroad bridge we'd no longer see tracks but a Rails to Trails path.
Pumpkins at the Chamber of CommerceVillage of Orchard Park, NY
Pumpkins at the Chamber of Commerce, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Agfa Vista 200 Color Negative Film
Look below, the Ginger Snap Patisserie is a relatively new addition to the village of Orchard Park having replaced the Gingham Gallery, I believe in 2021. Wow, a recent change and it's been three years already. A wonderful café and I hope they stay a long time. It seems that running a small business in Orchard Park is rather challenging.
Fall Decoration at Ginger Snap PatisserieVillage of Orchard Park, NY
Fall Decoration at Ginger Snap Patisserie, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Agfa Vista 200 Color Negative Film
Look at all of those colors too, whether the decorations or what Mother Nature brings. Fall is just such a wonderful burst of color and it's hard to get enough knowing what change is coming. It's not really winter that bothers me as I can enjoy a well made winter. It's the six months of gray that can get rather tedious. Weird, isn't it? I enjoy black and white photography a lot, yet, the lack of color in the world around for an extended period of time can get to me. It is the gloomy nature of it though. Cover the landscape with fresh white snow, clear the sky of the blanked of the monotonous solid layer of textureless clouds, place the wonderful sun there, and all of a sudden it is a happy scene, in color or in black and white. It creates an intense anticipation f the next season, spring.
The Lounging Leopard GiftsVillage of Orchard Park, NY
The Lounging Leopard Gifts, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Agfa Vista 200 Color Negative Film
Doesn't Green Lake look wonderful in blue surrounded by golden warm tones of the season? It's such a little think, but I've come to enjoy this little section of the lakeshore so much. I always remember to walk this path and turn around and see how the scene looks at that moment, knowing it will never look the same again, no matter how hard one might try. But maybe that is just a visual challenge of a person with a camera in hand all too often. Does everyone notice the fleeting nature of moments like this?
Remnants of Fall at Green LakeVillage of Orchard Park, NY
Remnants of Fall at Green Lake, Yates Park, Orchard Park, NY
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta XG-7 on Agfa Vista 200 Color Negative Film
Minolta XG735mm Film Camera
We've also reached the end of today's walk, almost back where we started. I already have similar walks through Orchard Park that I would love to post soon, and I am sure there will be more in the future. However, if you have been to my blog here and there, you know that I love photography too much to be able to keep up with it in my posts to this website, or anywhere. My backlog is too long to ever catch up on and maybe that's just fine.
I hope you've enjoyed the short visit to Orchard Park 2023 and if you live in the area, maybe you can try ti spot what's already different just about a year later. Do the decorations look the same? Are the even there? Did the storefronts change their look? Are all of the trees still in their place? There's only one way to know. Well, maybe two. You can head out on your own and check things out or you can wait for me to blog about it someday. The choice is yours.
Thanks so much for visiting! If you like the imagery, by all means, please, scroll to older posts or use the search to find posts about whatever topic that you might be wondering about. As years go by, my reference library is growing and I personally like that aspect of my website the most. It documents things that surround me and it documents my journey through photography that started in 2004 with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ10.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes and Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! For more travel photography, my Travel Photography gallery offers an interesting mix of places all around.
Historical Society MuseumOrchard Park, NY
This Way to SPOT CoffeeOrchard Park, NY
Fall Colors by the Train DepotOrchard Park, NY
Custard LiteOrchard Park, NY
Kaylena Marie's Bakery on New Year's DayOrchard Park, NY
Finality
The longer I take pictures the more examples of the finality of everything I have. Things change all the time, day to day, week to week, and over the years. And then things are just no more. Take your pictures today, take them now!
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Winter ThemeEast Aurora, New York
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Winter Theme, East Aurora, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Zeiss Ikon Contessa camera on Kodak Colorplus 200 Color Negative Film
This post is about a house, an old red cottage at Knox Farm in East Aurora, that I liked to photograph over many years. It would have probably called out to me in any color but the red just gave it the eye-catching old barn look. It also stood out in its surroundings, green in summer, white in winter.
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Cross-Processed Winter ThemeEast Aurora, New York
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Cross-Processed Winter Theme, East Aurora, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Pentax Spotmatic camera on Fuji Velvia 50 Slide Film, Cross-Processed in C-41 chemicals
I photographed the cottage in all seasons, in different weather, with different cameras, and on different film. I even dared to mess with the red color!
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Lomochrome Turquoise ThemeEast Aurora, New York
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Lomochrome Turquoise Theme, East Aurora, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Minolta SRT202 camera on Lomochrome Turquoise Color Negative Film
And I also captured the "no color" black and white versions that always seem to invoke the days gone by and a dose of nostalgia.
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Black & White ThemeEast Aurora, New York
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Black & White Theme, East Aurora, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Pentax Spotmatic camera on Fomapan 400 Black and White Negative Film
As you can see from these photos, there certainly were warning signs of time creeping up on this structure. I always wondered whether some miraculous funds would show up to save it or not.
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Winter Black & White ThemeEast Aurora, New York
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Winter Black & White Theme, East Aurora, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Zorki 4 camera on Kodak Double-X 5222 Black and White Negative Film
And then one day the answer laid in front of me and I even briefly wondered whether I was at the right place. Not only was the cottage gone without a trace but the lot was overgrown by grass as if the spot has been empty for many years. How does something disappear without a trace and gets replaced so quickly as if it never existed?
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Gone with the Wind ThemeEast Aurora, New York
Red Cottage at Knox Farm, Gone with the Wind Theme, East Aurora, New York
Photographed with an iPhone 7
Yes, existential questions now, questions about the purpose of life and more. So long, old red cottage!
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes and Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! For more travel photography, my Travel Photography gallery offers an interesting mix of places all around. And for more black and white photography hop over to the World without Color photo collection.
Litany of moon titles, including an eclipse
A full Moon, Super Moon, Harvest Moon, Corn Moon, and a few other titles I am leaving off as I have never heard of them before. These were all titles that the full moon of September 17, 2024 deserved.
Full Harvest MoonSeptember 17, 2024
Full Harvest Moon, Super Moon, Corn Moon, September 17, 2024
And just in case that list of titles was not enough the full moon was also promptly followed by a partial lunar eclipse. At 8% it was not as striking and if one did not know about the event it was easy to miss it. But it was also easy to see with bare eyes knowing about it.
Partial Lunar EclipseSeptember 17, 2024
Partial Lunar Eclipse, September 17, 2024
On the technical side, these photos have been captured with a Nikon D610 and the Nikon AF VR ED Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5 - f/5.6D lens fully extended to 400mm and mounted on the Kenko 1.4x Teleplus Pro 300 teleconverter for a total reach of 560mm. I have used wired cable release to allow everything to settle down after obtaining auto-focus. I also used the mirror lock-up feature and allowed for 5 - 10 seconds between lifting the mirror and firing the shutter. Oh, and did I mention the lens was attached to a tripod using its tripod collar?
While full moons are impressive to photograph and lunar eclipses are too, I believe the other moon phases where the moon is not fully front-lit actually result in better defined photos of the moon. As usual, shadows help add depth. I'll try to follow up this post soon with a comparison to a Waning Gibbous or Third Quarter Moon.
Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you! (#etbtsy)
Full Blue MoonKnox Farm
Blue MoonBuffalo, NY
Full MoonBuffalo, New York
Driftwood
Nikon FE2
This was a very fun photo series I did back in the spring. During one of my visits to the local Hamburg Beach there was a lot of drift wood pushed up the beach after the fall and winter seasons and some of it was rather picturesque. It happens every year and is the result of the beach being in the southeast corner of Lake Erie.
I returned back within just a few days but to my surprise, I found the beach almost empty, all debris cleared. The crews must have been very busy. As so many times, it confirmed that if there is a picture to be taken, it should be done right away. Returning back to improve or revisit is always an option but one has to start somewhere. And if it is a unique situation that catches one's eye, no time should be wasted. Clearly, a beach can be cleaned, trees can disappear, old barns can collapse, and my most recent experience showed that a whole house can disappear without a trace (other than the empty lot).
Broken Staff2024 Driftwood Series
Broken Staff, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
Not all was lost though, there were still a few pieces of driftwood either freshly washed up or able to escape their removal. It was a different approach to the planned Drift Wood series but I liked the challenge of searching for subject matter. After all, what's there to complain about walking around a beach and watching waves crashing in? Yes, it was after some weather moved through and the lake was rather talkative.
Driftwood Pattern2024 Driftwood Series
Driftwood Pattern, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
Each piece of wood was different. Some caught my eye by their shape, some by their texture, some by the place they were at and interacted with their surroundings, some a combination. The driftwood above had a great texture and contrasted the rocks it parked on.
Drums, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
Even from a distance the two logs above reminded me of drums. You don't see it? Well, I did and quite convincingly. Maybe it had something to do with me hanging around a marching band, maybe it was just wild imagination, but I had no doubts. I photographed the two a few times from different angles and in the end struggled picking just one. As you can see, the sun cooperated quite well of a beach scene helping with illumination, contrast, and even providing some shadows.
Drum & Stick2024 Driftwood Series
Drum & Stick, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
And look, another drum and this one even with a stick. Maybe it was a hint and I should have drummed a beat of a favorite song. Instead, I performed my little photo dance looking for the best perspective.
Above the Beach2024 Driftwood Series
Above the Beach, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
Just about midway through my wondering about I looked away from the lake towards the cliff above the beach and could not skip taking that photo. The silhouetted trees against the morning sun were a perfect distraction from being overly focused on my subject matter.
Grass, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
It was definitely not just driftwood thad caught my attention but I felt there was no problem leaving the series a bit lose and intertwining driftwood, rocks, trees, grass, and whatever else I found on or around the beach. That's what the morning experience was and that's how I captured it.
But look, we are back to driftwood in the next two photographs.
Wood & Rocks2024 Driftwood Series
Wood & Rocks, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
Shapes of Wood2024 Driftwood Series
Shapes of Wood, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
Another diversion coming up. The cliffs disappearing in the waters of Lake Erie have been the subject of many of my photographs over the years but it's hard to resist and it's even harder to find a reason to resist. Why? Watching the water clash with the rock over and over seems to have therapeutic properties. It's so calming and it is also fun to try to time the moment right. How to best tell the story of the water and the cliff?
Where the Cliffs DIsappear in Water2024 Driftwood Series
Where the Cliffs Disappear in Water, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
I had photographed the Watersports shed before too but on this morning, rather than isolating the building with the lake in the background, I took advantage of the pickup truck parked by and went for a combo.
Water Sports2024 Driftwood Series
Water Sports, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
Roots, 2024 Driftwood Series, Hamburg Beach, New York
Photographed with a 35mm Nikon FE2 camera on Agent Shadow 400 Black & White Negative Film
And as you can see, I closed off the experience and the series true to the theme back with a rather large piece of driftwood. I really liked the intricate pattern of its root bulb. And now looking at it finishing this blog post it became clear to me that this photo will need an alternative presentation too. How do you think it will look as a cyanotype? There's only one way to find out for sure.
Thank you very much for stopping by and spending a few minutes with my photography.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes and Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! For more travel photography, my Travel Photography gallery offers an interesting mix of places all around. And for more black and white photography hop over to the World without Color photo collection.
Street Flower Market, TorontoToronto, Canada
Juicery @ The HatchBuffalo, New York
Bridge between Canalside and Naval ParkBuffalo, New York