Fuji Lifts...an alternative to Polaroid

I'm still awaiting the arrival of the Arches, so I thought I'd give you a lift! Ha!

This is the first Fuji Film "lift" I did and I wanted you to see how it looks when you don't get it right. This is a view out of our balcony. Hey! When you have nothing else to shoot, shoot the pool.

But, I think I might have this figured out.

Fuji Instant film is a whole different animal than Polaroid. I don't know what they use for their emulsion substrate, but it is some tough stuff. Normally, making a lift with Polaroid was pretty straightforward, albeit a little dicey, to say the least. Fuji is downright bullet proof!

Trust me. It is not at all like Polaroid. So let me explain the "lift" process first.

Let your regularly processed Fuji Instant film "cure" for about 24 hours.

Immerse in just at boiling temperature water. I use a stainless steel pan and when you see the edges just start to peel, pour off the hot water and add cold water until it is completely cold.

Play with the emulsion from the edges moving toward the center. The film lifts very easily compared to the old Polaroid. When the film is almost ready to completely come off the substrate, slide a piece of Pictorico transparency film underneath and, as quickly as you can, let the emulsion adhere to the film. I tried paper first, then the Pictorico. That explains the wrinkles, by the way and also speaks volumes for the strength of the Fuji.

Let it dry normally. DO NOT USE A HAIR DRYER (which I did on this one assuming quite wrongly that it would act like Polaroid.) The stuff just shrivels up like those liquid plastic bubbles.

Once dry, I find that coating it with a light layer of Premier Print Shield holds it very well.

Don't let your fingers touch the stuff because it will show! Trust me.

Finally, "mount" the transparency on mat board both for permanence and also to make it visually appealing.

The example above is the result. Whew!

I shot this with my Zero 4x5 with 2 extensions for a 75mm focal length and f/216. The exposure was about 3 alligators.

I know I am lifted!

Pinhole Perspectives…Making friends outside the box.

My daughter, Justice (that’s her on the upper right in the followers booth), was visiting last week from Spokane “Just to hang out with Dad.”

We did our mandatory San Diego Harbor lookie loos and just walked around town.
It’s always fun to take my pinhole with me and shoot buildings and other “stuff.”
She is, rightly so, my first “follower” on the blog.

It never fails that almost everyone who sees the little wooden box asks “Is that a camera?” Odd, no one ever says that about the camera phones, digital cameras or even film cameras. It really is a conversation piece and you get to meet more people this way. The conversations give us a chance to meet people we might not otherwise even glance at yet alone talk with.

We were in the parking lot at the El Cortez Hotel in San Diego and a fellow leaned out of his car and asked (again) “Is that a camera?” It’s really kind of cool. You meet a lot of people this way and it is part of what makes pinholography fun.

Many people ask what cameras I use and I thought this would be a perfect place to show you some of my pinhole cameras. I use several, although my favorite is the Zero 2000 from Zernike Au in Hong Kong. It’s made from teak and has brass fittings and knobs. It is the most elegant of all my pinholes. It’s a 6x6 square format. I usually shoot Fuji Superia ISO 100 color film and, if I want black and whites, I simply convert in PhotoShop with a plug in filter.

My next favorite is the 4x5 also from Zero Cameras. It is also made from teak and I can attach an endless number of extensions (each is 25mm). My favorite combo is two extensions, giving me a 75mm focal length, wide enough but without any vignetting. One attaches the back using a very “hi-tech” method…rubber bands.

I use a Polaroid 545i back on it mostly and, fear not, even though Polaroid has gone, Fuji picked up the ball and film is available. I will be showing some Fuji transfers when I get some time to experiment with the film.

Diana uses an 8 Banners 6x6 and 6x4.5 multiformat. It is all metal and comes complete with a bubble level (like the Zero) and a compass. My guess is that the compass is to help you find your way should you get lost in downtown sometime. 8 Banners is now out of business, sadly. The cameras are rugged and very well made. They aren’t as esthetically appealing as the Zero’s but they are durable.

A lot of pinhole purists think that to be a true pinholer one has to build his own camera(s). Well, anyone who knows me knows that I am do it yourself challenged. No patience, I guess. Instant gratification is my motto!

I also use a Holga that has been converted to a pinhole. It is all plastic and, like all Holgas, you have to tape it up pretty well unless you want a lot of flair. But, for less than 60 bucks, it’s a pretty good user.

If you want to build a pinhole camera or just look around the “mall” I suggest you look at Chris Keeney’s website. There is a wealth of information there. Go to http://www.chriskeeney.com/photography/pinhole/index.html

And above all, have fun! Chris is a great photographer as well as a professional commercial and wedding photographer. He’s another San Diegoite. Take a look.

Pinhole cameras go way back to ancient China and there is evidence that the famous Dutch painter Vermeer, used a camera obscura to trace out his subjects. There is a great book available now called “Vermeer's Camera: Uncovering the Truth behind the Masterpieces” by Philip Steadman. It’s an interesting book. I suggest you take a look. Vermeer may have been one of the earliest pinholers.

Pinholers are an odd bunch, but we meet some interesting folks because of the little boxes without lenses.