Description: Seasonal window light framing a scene
Background: In late autumn and early spring, light comes through the dining room’s clerestory window. The shape of the window makes for a narrow, well-defined shadow that creeps across the room in the late afternoon.
Minimalist images intrigue me, especially black and white ones with plenty of contrast and deep shadows. I’ve made images of this shadow pattern with a Minolta A rangefinder. However, that camera did not replicate the scene as well as I would have liked. Since rolls often sit undeveloped for weeks, I rarely know the outcome until it is too late to replicate the scene.
Hoping to get a better image, I had to wait from February until November for this scene to reappear. This time, the scene was enhanced by decor courtesy of my wife, who likes to add seasonal touches to our home.
Technical: Minolta Maxxum 7, Minolta AF 100mm f2.8 macro, Ultrafine Xtreme 400, DF96 Monobath, Epson V600 scan
Frame Works??? Yes. The metering capability of the Maxxum 7 paired with the 100mm f2.8 lens gives a sharp image that precisely captures the level of light and shadow desired.
What is surprising (at least to me) is how the Ultrafine Xtreme 400 performed. I have a love-hate relationship with the 400 ISO version. The 100 ISO has always given good results, but the 400 ISO has been outstanding at times (as seen here) and, at others, lousy. I changed my developing technique with DF96 Monobath to perform fewer agitations and a temp of exactly 70F temp. Looking at the rest of the roll, I see that finickiness made all the difference.
