"X2Ag" in the Snow, p. 2

I wish I had more Baby Graphic film holders. I really wish I'd had pure colorblind film along to test against the X2Ag. At sea level, with colorblind film, I know I would have gotten blank white skies. At 9,000 ft? I have no idea. As it was, with X2Ag sensitized for orthochromatic, even without filtration, I lost enough negative density in the bright blue sky to differentiate it from the snowy peak. I can see intermediary color sensitivity at sea level, but not to this extent (I think. Note to self: More tests.)

There's a second reason to wish I'd had TLF#2-Ortho along. I think it's a much better ortho film, but it will take side-by-side exposure tests to know that for sure. Because of the differences in the way the two films are precipitated, they almost certainly react with the erythrosin differently. Perhaps also with the Steigmann's Gold. My very initial observations are that X2Ag is faster without filtration, slower with it (medium yellow), but has more ortho characteristics without filtration than does TLF#2-Ortho. No matter how many of those observations survive the tests of time, it is clear why there were so many different film formulations in the heyday of analog. Who could resist?!

2/15/2012. Mid-morning. Bright sun.

X2Ag: f/22, 1/30 sec.
Developed in D23/Kodalk; 1 min, 4 min, 1 min, 4 min.

2/15/2012. Mid-morning. Bright sun.

X2Ag: f/16, ¼ sec, medium yellow filter.
Developed in D23/Kodalk; 1 min, 4 min, 1 min, 4 min.

Colorblind film does nice things for shadows. They glow with something like an inner light. This is a good thing or a not-so-good thing depending on the scene. Here, with colorblind, I picked up detail in the forest. When I added a yellow filter, I lost in the forest, but picked up detail in the tiny shadows that are all that define the ski tracks down the hill.

Continued...