# Broken-up tree



## limr (Jul 27, 2014)

I seem to be into deconstruction these days 




rs Collage sans text by limrodrigues, on Flickr

Five shots on Fujifilm 100C instant peel-apart film in a Polaroid Land Camera 100. Recover the negatives, scan, and turn into a collage.


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## Theo2 (Jul 27, 2014)

Where's the like twice button?


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## limr (Jul 27, 2014)

Theo2 said:


> Where's the like twice button?


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## vintagesnaps (Jul 27, 2014)

Cool! Other than I like it a lot, my only observation is that the bottom one seems lighter than the others but might just be how it's showing up on here.

How do you recover your negatives? From what I've read it seems to involve - a mess!! I think you posted before about your process but I can't remember offhand.


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## limr (Jul 27, 2014)

vintagesnaps said:


> Cool! Other than I like it a lot, my only observation is that the bottom one seems lighter than the others but might just be how it's showing up on here.
> 
> How do you recover your negatives? From what I've read it seems to involve - a mess!! I think you posted before about your process but I can't remember offhand.



The bottom one did indeed get a bit more washed out than the others. It's never quite predictable what these negatives will do, which is kinda why I love them 

It's a little messy but not complicated. After peeling the print off, let the back dry. Cut off the extra paper so you're just left with the negative (same size as the print). Put on some latex gloves (I use the ones that come with my hair dye) and place the negatie emulsion down on a piece of wet glass. Some say to tape it but I never bother because if the glass is wet, it sticks pretty solidly to the glass and nothing gets under it. So now you are looking at the black stuff on the back of the negative. This gets washed off with bleach. I use gel bleach and gently rub it in circles with my fingers - just a few passes over the back. Wash it off. 

This should all be done over the sink, since the black stuff is goopy, it spills, and it (and the bleach) can stain things. I also keep the water running because it doesn't really take very long at all. Wash off the goop. If there's still a few spots of the black backing on just use a dab more of the bleach and rub gently. Wash it completely, and then take the negative off of the glass and wash off the green goop on the other side. That's the stuff that transfers the dye from the negative to the print. Hang and dry like you would any other negative. Then they can be scanned. They're a size bigger than medium-format but smaller than 4x5, so it's still a huge negative.

I've been thinking lately that the color shift might be more drastic if you wait a few days after shooting to get the negative. I haven't been doing mine the same day and I think it might affect the color. I've got about 10 negatives that I need to wash that I took a few weeks ago. The next pack I shoot, I'll try to recover the negatives the same day to see if there is any difference.

So far my experience has been that the negatives are more washed out than the prints, so if you have a print that is either over-exposed or even correctly-exposed, the negative is going to seem very light. If you intend to shoot specifically for the negative, it's better to underexpose the print and then the negative will seem like it's correctly-exposed.

Oh, and I don't know that this works on the original Polaroid emulsions. I've got a few precious packs of it that I haven't shot yet, but otherwise, everything that goes through the Land Camera is Fujifilm. Also, this process is only good for the color emulsions. The black and white works very differently and you can still use the negatives, but they have to be scanned as-is as positive images and then reversed digitally in post.


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## timor (Jul 27, 2014)

Leonore, you NEED darkroom ! Your soul will be richer.


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## limr (Jul 28, 2014)

timor said:


> Leonore, you NEED darkroom ! Your soul will be richer.



You'll get no argument from me! As soon as it's feasible, I'll have one. In the meantime, I have my Polaroids and paper images from the pinhole. I haven't tried it yet, but I'd like to do some paper negatives and learn how to contact print.


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## timor (Jul 28, 2014)

limr said:


> timor said:
> 
> 
> > Leonore, you NEED darkroom ! Your soul will be richer.
> ...


For that you don't even need a darkroom. Such a things you can do at night in a slightly protected bedroom. That is how I started over 35 years ago. Nothing feels better, than real print in the hand. Just yesterday I was shown small collection of prints made on Ilford Art paper and I know, at some point I will maybe go hungry for few days, but I've got to have it. 

[h=3][/h]


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## limr (Jul 28, 2014)

timor said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> > timor said:
> ...



You're right, I already have the means to do the paper negatives and contact printing. I have a bathroom with no window and that's where I've developed the direct positive paper images I took in the pinhole. And if I understand correctly, for simple contact printing, I don't need an enlarger, right? So with my film negatives, I can make a contact sheet (but not enlarge, of course,) and if the paper negative is, say, 5x7 then the positive will also be that size. Correct? And I can do that with just a piece of glass and some directed light, yes?


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## timor (Jul 28, 2014)

All correct. Just make sure the glass is clean.


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## terri (Jul 28, 2014)

I adore these deconstructions; what a wonderful way to use this film!   Always interesting, artistic results.   :heart:



> Leonore, you NEED darkroom ! Your soul will be richer.



Of course, she does.   How much fun will we have when she tells us she's started the process?       It will be a group thing, I'm sure!


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## limr (Jul 28, 2014)

terri said:


> I adore these deconstructions; what a wonderful way to use this film!   Always interesting, artistic results.   :heart:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks  It's one of the reasons I love the peel-apart instant film. There are so many ways to be creative with it.

And I look forward to being part of the club when I finally do get around to darkroom work!


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## terri (Jul 29, 2014)

I got into building my darkroom right about the time Polaroid went away.   I had been SO involved with P-film; me and my Daylab were best buddies.   I felt I looked away for 10 minutes and lost something precious (Polaroid).  

Your images make me itch to find time to start playing with instant film again.  It's still around, and I love it - you need to know how inspirational your work is for me!!   (Now, if only you could put more hours in my day!)   :mrgreen:


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## limr (Jul 29, 2014)

terri said:


> I got into building my darkroom right about the time Polaroid went away.   I had been SO involved with P-film; me and my Daylab were best buddies.   I felt I looked away for 10 minutes and lost something precious (Polaroid).
> 
> Your images make me itch to find time to start playing with instant film again.  It's still around, and I love it - you need to know how inspirational your work is for me!!



:love: I can send you an emulsion lift and that will really get you itchy 



> (Now, if only you could put more hours in my day!)   :mrgreen:



Preach, sistah!


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## avraam (Sep 26, 2014)

cool idea! thank you for sharing)


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## limr (Sep 26, 2014)

avraam said:


> cool idea! thank you for sharing)



Glad you liked it


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## avraam (Sep 27, 2014)

limr said:


> avraam said:
> 
> 
> > cool idea! thank you for sharing)
> ...


you are creative, man!


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