Photo Restoration Blog

Archive for the ‘large format negatives’ Category

Just some nice old photographic plates described a few blog posts ago “old photographic glass plates” I now have the permission to show you what was in those boxes!

Shipping in the hunters by the truck load!

The hunting trip: If you had the money, you booked your transport and gathered a few mates and, off hunting you will go. These were times of men, showing they were real men and what they could do and what “trophies” they could shoot.

Building the hunting platform in the trees

It was probably safer to shoot wild animals from up high in a tree, hence the need to build yourself a suitable hunting platform around a sturdy trunk.

Bagged a trophy

Once you bagged your Tiger you could pose for your photo and then have the jungle Sherpa’s carry it home for you.

Carrying home the trophies

Jungle Sherpa’s carrying home the trophies. Of course hunting was not limited to tigers, anything that moved, there was plentiful supply back then. Including the Asian bear.

Boar or Leopard

Above is a Boar and the magnificent Leopard

Preparing the Leopard skin

After the animals were shot and carried home they were the prepared for display or sale.

The above images were kindly donated for display by one of my clients. I do not condone hunting of any kind these are simply a record of what used to happen and a photos of historic interest.

To see where these plates came from and what they were boxed in, see my post on “old photographic glass plates“

From time to time i get some interesting photos to restore. Wednesday I took a delivery of some old photographic glass plates. They came in these lovely boxes. Two sizes of plates 5×4 inches and 7×5 inches. Both Kodak and Ilford plates, the Kodak selling point was “Anti-Halo” and the Ilford “Auto-Filter”. From research it seems they were circa 1923. The subject matter of the plates were hunting trophies. Leopard, Tigers, bears and Boar. (sorry permission not yet granted for display)

Old Kodak and Ilford Glass Photographic Plate Boxes 5×4 and 7×5 inch

What was very interesting to me is that the larger box came with the instructions for development.

Recipe for developing glass plates for Ilford Auto-Filter Anti-Halo 400

The recipes make interesting reading, I like the mention of the warning on the smaller box…

” Before returning unused film to this war-time package, care should be taken to ensure the film is wrapped in light proof paper. “

They were confident that unused film would be returned safely and unexposed even in war time!

Some old and varying sized negatives came along with the package for photo restoration in this envelope. The negatives, still hunting photos may have been intended for “The Explosives Department” at “Imperial Chemical Industries” in Calcutta as the envelope that came with it, was ready printed with the address. ICI eventually became defunct in 2008 after many years producing chemicals, explosives and paints before it was taken over by Akzo Nobel. Perhaps one of the employees was a hunter and simple kept his negatives safe in the envelope.

Old envelope ready printed for posting back negatives

Certainly an intriguing story developing…

During my chosen educational path, I chose photography. It was something i thought I was good at. My first camera was at around 14 or 15 when I bought a Minolta 35mm SLR. I took loads of images with this camera but it wasn’t until i started my BA in photography did I buy the camera i fell in love with. My photo retouching career was not even a consideration at this stage.

Mamiya C33 Medium Format camera that took me everywhere. A quirky camera with a bellows and quick change twin lens. Solidly built to break your back.

This camera was by no means light. It was a very heavy piece of kit. I carried with me my 35mm SLR too as i could not afford a light meter. I used its built in meter and transposed settings over to the “brick” as i nicknamed it. Along with a tripod and various other bits of kit my camera rucksack regularly weighed in at 23 Kilos! Especially if i packed a drink and lunch and cycle padlock and lights!

Its almost absurd to think that i’d carry that much weight everywhere i went. I’d carry it on my back whilst cycling the hills of Hampshire, walking the cliffs of Cornwall or just milling about in Newcastle. I almost never took the bus always train and cycle.

Back to the camera. It took the most wonderful pictures, square, crisp, silky images, which lead me down the path of landscapes and anything outdoors, i hated the studio. The best time for shooting with this camera was just after rain, the clean air, dramatic clouds and great lighting that followed led to some great shots.

One time whilst walking the cliffs in Cornwall the wind was so strong the waterfalls running of the cliff face were blown upwards never reaching the rocks below. Of course taking pictures in these conditions meant me being out nearest the sea, looking back at the cliffs on a small spur or rock. Here the wind was very strong and the weight of my rucksack hanging from the center of my tripod was not enough to keep it steady and take a crisp shot. Below are two that i could take without falling off my perch.

Cornish waterfall defying gravity

Its places that your camera takes you and the memories that come along with taking the pictures that should be preserved. The story behind the photo is as important as the photo itself. Photo restoration helps preserve the photos but it up to you to research and keep the stories behind those images safe, so they can be preserved and passed on to future generations.