Archive for the 'dyi photography' Category
Wednesday, July 21st, 2021
How to create Waterhouse stops for antique lenses
Large format photographers who work with antique Petzval lenses know the hassle. You get a pretty new brass lens, but there are no Waterhouse stops included. “Hey I don’t care, I shoot anyways wide open all the time” some might say. With some, I also include me. But then you find yourself on a very sunny day and struggle with doing a very quick exposure, like here https://youtu.be/nStEK3zV5tA?t=438 (and you will end up anyways with an overexposed image, even with the not so light sensitive wet plate process). Oh yes, and there is also the creative point of stopping down your lens – but wait, who really does that if you can have a dreamy, swirly Petzval bokeh, right? 🙂 Just kidding, I would have needed these Waterhouse stop more often than I thought of. That’s why I finally 3D printed them (there is also another option) and did a tutorial for you guys, so you can make them too without having to much trouble. At the end I also decided to make carrying case for them, to have them in a safe place. If you don’t want to make them by yourself, check out http://gear.mhaustria.com – where I will make them for you (Dallmeyer 2B and 3b Waterhouse stops are available right now, but you can contact me here https://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/ and we will figure something out for your lens).
Highend Waterhouse stops: https://camera-obscura.photography/ (you need to ask for it)
Thingverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/mhaustria/designs
Another Waterhouse stop Project on Thingverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4731495
Affinity Photo and Designer: https://affinity.serif.com/ Image
Vectorizer: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/image-vectorizer/id789656124?mt=12
Free online image Vectorizer: https://www.autotracer.org/
Morphi App: https://www.morphiapp.com/ Ideamaker: https://www.raise3d.com/ideamaker/
PETG Filament I used: https://www.extrudr.com
Get yourself a beautiful print here: http://prints.mhaustria.com
Get cool analog shirts here shirts.mhaustria.com
For online wet plate workshops, visit this http://online.mhaustria.com
For private wetplate workshops (Nassplattenworkshop contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/ (German and English available)
Tuesday, June 29th, 2021
Bringing a 50 year old Linhof tripod back to life – quick and dirty version
I have already one big tripod with a huge ball head from the large format manufactura Linhof. Linhof also produces their famous large format camera “Linhof Master Technika” which I own also one. So it was quite obvious that I couldn’t resist to repair this tripod I got. Somebody had a bicycle accident with it and therefore it was in a rough shape. But that did not stop me to give a repair a try. If you look how well these tripods are build, it would have been a shame to throw it away. This tripod was made in the 1970s and later. Thats another reason it fits good to my other cameras. Thanks a lot to Foto Koeberl from Graz who send me pictures and a video from a working ball head. Otherwise it would have been much more difficult to reverse engineer the function of it. Check out the video where you can see the whole process of the tripod repair.
Get yourself a beautiful print here: http://prints.mhaustria.com
get cool analog shirts here shirts.mhaustria.com
for online wet plate workshops, visit this http://online.mhaustria.com
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Wednesday, November 11th, 2020
Connected – a 5 minute wet plate exposure with 7000 km distance between us
click or scroll down for the English version
English version
Connected – a wet plate art project about the bonds of friendship
with Shane Balkowitsch
This is not about a technical perfect wet plate. This is about building connections from thousand miles away. Overcoming obstacles and being there for each other.
This 5-minute exposure captured more than just an image, it’s a short movie where the plate captured our thoughts and movements. Thanks to Shane Balkowitsch to be a part of it.
We couldn’t do a lot of things because of the pandemic, but I won’t let this get me down.
I also didn’t want to wait for some things I wanted to do. That’s when I came up with the idea to do things differently. With that I finally could meet Shane in a more direct way and we also were able to shoot a wet plate together. For me it was important to show, that there are always ways to do something. The only limits we have are in our head. At this point I want to say thanks to Pro-Digital in Vienna who lent me this wonderful Dedolight light head with the projection kit. This is an amazing tool! Without that it would have been much tougher to make this happen.
Darken my studio
First I had to darken my studio, because the tiniest lightleak would be visible in a 5 minute exposure.
I have blinds, but they were not enough. With a 5 minute exposure a tiny light leak could make problems, thats why I covered my windows behind the blinds with cardboard.
Background
I wanted to have Shane’s background in my studio. That’s wehre things got a tricky.
As you saw, I used the projector on a gray wall to not overexpose the background and Shane.
During the test shots I thought for a moment I could use the projector light on me too, because on a digital image I looked as bright as shane. But the wet plate process fairy was against me – The uv light just sees it differently.
So I knew I needed an additional light source to get the exposure right.
I have a Hensel spot adapter for a strobe and tried this one first. But with the modeling light the light was to uneven (it’s a 20 years old strobe), it just works with the strobe.
Then I tried it with the light blaster. This is a projector for speedlites where you can mount lenses on it to project images on as a background. But here I had the same problem, as soon as I used a flashlight, the light was to uneven.
Then I remembered a workshop where the guy there used a dedolight and that’s when I called Pro Digital and asked them if I can have one. Some days later I went to their shop and Andreas explained all the possibilities I have with the light and showed my also the projection kit. From there I knew this is the right tool. Good to have local shops like that!
As soon as I got home, I made myself a gobo that looks like me. A gobo is a Graphical Optical Blackout.
I printed it and then I used a cutter to cut it out.
And with that I could make a projection on myself that does not brighten up the Shane and his background.
Exposure
5 Minutes is very long for a portrait. And yet it was as short as I could get it.
I used my Century 8×10 camera with my Dallmeyer 2b Petzval lens – it’s a F3 lens by the way.
I could only shoot 13x18cm plates, because the camera would have been in the way of the projector for 8×10 plates (I had to go closer).
Using a longer lens would also have been an Issue, because then I would have an aperture of F4.5 or even F6. With that the exposure times would have been twice or four times as long.
Aa you could see in the videos, I set the timer on my watch and released the lens cap with a string that I squeezed between the lens cap and the camera. An then it was only us two and 5 minutes in front of the camera.
Manny of you have seen the apron I am using but only a view know that this apron is from my grandfather who used to have a shoemaker shop in this house. Thats the reason I like to wear it, because it is part of our family.
It was such a great experience and so much fun. I will for sure do it sometimes again. Maybe some people even want to do a portrait like that. It’s a great way to get memories during that time where we have to be at home
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Wednesday, October 28th, 2020
Shooting Wet Plates with Autofocus (FAIL)
click or scroll down for the English version
Ich hatte ja schon mal Freihand mit einer Nassplattenkamera Fotografiert. Diesmal war der Plan mit Autofocus auf Kollodium-Nassplatte zu fotografieren. Dazu habe ich das Mamiya 645 AF AFD Polaroid Film Back HP402 an meiner 645 AFD II verwendet. Leider wurde meinem Vorhaben ein Strich durch die Rechnung gemacht. Warum genau zeige ich euch im Video. Vielen Dank an Jasmin fürs Modeln: https://www.instagram.com/real_better_me/
Zum Lichttest habe ich ein iPhone Foto erstellt – das einzig Scharfe in der Serie 🙂 Manche Platten schauen ok aus, aber im Scan sieht man wie unscharf sie sind.
Nächste Nassplattenworkshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
Wollt ihr immer auf Letztstand sein, benutzt einfach meinen Newsletter ein Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
English version
I shot already wet palates handheld, but this time I wanted to shoot them with an autofocus camera. For that I mounted the Mamiya 645 AF AFD Polaroid Film Back HP402 onto my Mamiya 645 AFDII. Sadly it didn’t work out like I imagined. In this video I show you why. Thanks a lot Jamsin to for modelling: https://www.instagram.com/real_better_me/
For testing I shot one iPhone photo – the only sharp one 🙂
Some of the plates look ok for, but in my scans you can see they are way off.
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Wednesday, October 21st, 2020
Bringing a 140 Year Old Photographic Relic Back to Life
click or scroll down for the English version
“Gleich kommt’s Vögelchen raus”. Das haben meine Eltern immer gesagt, damit ich beim Fotografieren in die Kamera schaue. Viele von euch werden sich sicher auch noch an diesen Spruch erinnern können. Mit dem heutigen Video zeige ich euch den Uhrsprung dieser Aussage und bringe ein 140 Jahre altes Relikt wieder zum leben.
Diese Webseite berichtet, dass die erste Erwähnung dieses Fotografischen Relikts 1879 statt fand.
In einer Ausgabe der „Photographic News“ wurde ein Artikel von C.W. Davis veröffentlicht, der auf einen mechanischer Vogel verweist, welcher zwitschert wenn man einen pneumatischen Balgen betätigt.
Ich habe mich gegen die pneumatische Lösung entschieden, da ich eine Hand für die Objektivkappe und die zweite Hand für den Blitzauslöser benötige. Das Auslösen des Messing-Vogels mit dem Fuß war mir zu umständlich.
Oscar Schwarzkopf hat sein Patent 1445362 von 1923 als „toy bird songster“ benannt. Zur selben Zeit wurde auch ein “Victory Canary Songster” mit der Patentnummer 2073922 patentiert. Mehr Patente und Illustrationen gibt es hier: http://www.luminous-lint.com/__phv_app.php?/f/_watch_the_birdie_01/
Es würde auch Sinn ergeben, dass die ersten Modelle dieser Vögel sich nicht bewegt haben, damit längere Belichtungszeiten eingehalten werden können.
Je mobiler und kleiner die Kameras wurden, desto weniger „Vögelchen“ waren im Einsatz. Aber bis zum heutigen Tag kennen trotzdem noch viele diesen bekannten Ausdruck. Wenn euch diese Geschichte gefällt, teilt sie um das „Vogal“ (öster. Vögelchen) am Leben zu erhalten.
Momentan hat Covid19 wieder Hochsaison in Österreich, deshalb muß der Messingvogel noch auf seinen Einsatz etwas warten – irgendwann wird er mit Sicherheit bei einem Nassplattenshooting ein Kind zum Lachen bringen.
Nächste Nassplattenworkshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
Wollt ihr immer auf Letztstand sein, benutzt einfach meinen Newsletter ein Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
English version
“Watch the Birdie” – thats what my parents told me, to make sure I look into the camera before they took a photo of me. I guess lots of you guys remember this saying. With the renovation of a 140 year old historic brass birdie, I show you the origin of this phrase. Check out the video bellow.
As this website reports, the earliest sightings of this kind of photographic “tool” was found back in 1879.
An issue of the “Photogarphic News” contained an article from C.W. Davis, that mentioned back then, that photographers were able to buy a mechanical bird that chirped when a pneumatic bulb was squeezed.
I decided against that bulb, because I need one hand for the lens cap and the second one for the strobe. And I didn’t want to use my feet for squeezing.
Oscar Schwarzkopf labelled his patent 1445362 from 1923 as “toy bird songster”. A “Victory Canary Songster” was also patented that time with the patent number 2073922. More patents and illustrations can be found here: http://www.luminous-lint.com/__phv_app.php?/f/_
It also would make sense if early birdies had no moving parts, so the photographer can achieve a longer exposure time without the kid moving.
As more portable and smaller cameras were invented, the less “birdies” were seen. But until today most people still know that famous phrase. Lets spread the word to keep this great phrase alive.
Covid19 is again spreading a lot in Austria, thats the reason I had to postpone a wet plate shooting with the brass birdie. As soon as everything gets better, I will catch up with it.
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Monday, September 21st, 2020
A very helpful tool for wet plate photographers – Dremel Workstation
During my last shopping tour I found this helpful add-on for my Dremel 3000. It helped a lot to create a lens board.
become a Patron and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
Upcoming wet plate workshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
privat workshops in English contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Tuesday, July 21st, 2020
My Wet Plate Portrait of Paul at the Menschenbilder 2020 exhibition
click or scroll down for the English version
Ich bin wieder sehr stolz, dass ich es auch dieses Jahr mit einem Porträt auf Kollodium-Nassplatte zu den Menschenbildern geschafft habe. Ein so ehrlich lachendes Porträt auf Kollodium-Nassplatte zu erstellen ist eine Herausforderung, dennoch ist es mir gelungen. Deshalb ist die Freude um so größer, dass es das Porträt von Paul zu den Menschenbildern geschafft hat. An dieser Stelle möchte ich mich sehr herzlich bei der Innung der Niederösterreichischen Berufsfotografen für Organisation der Menschenbilder bedanken.
Termine der Menschenbilderausstellung:
17. Juli 2020 – St. Pölten
16. September 2020 – Neunkirchen
16. April 2021 – Stockerau
4. Juni 2021 – Armschlag
In der Gallery findet ihr mehr Bilder von der tollen Ausstellung
Nächste Nassplattenworkshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
Unterstützt mich: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
Wollt ihr immer auf Letztstand sein, benutzt einfach meinen Newsletter ein Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
English version
I am very proud that my collodion wet plate portrait of Paul made it again to the Menschenbilder exhibition (pictures of humans exhibition)
As many of you may know, it is very tough to do a collodion wet plate with this hones happy expression. This makes it double sweet to see it in that large size. This is only possible because of our professional photography association – Thanks a lot for organizing such great contests/exhibitions!
upcoming dates and locations for the exhibition:
17. Juli 2020 – St. Pölten
16. September 2020 – Neunkirchen
16. April 2021 – Stockerau
4. Juni 2021 – Armschlag
In der Gallery findet ihr mehr Bilder von der tollen Ausstellung
For private wetplate workshops contact me here: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/kontakt/
Or book other ones here http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Thursday, May 14th, 2020
I miss hugs
click or scroll down for the English version
Mir fehlen Umarmungen oder das Händeschütteln – Es ist schon zwei Monate her, als ich das letzte Mal meine Mutter umarmen konnte…
Das war der Auslöser dieser Kollodium-Nassplatte.
Wenn ihr auch selbst an Coronavirus-Kunstprojekten arbeitet, dann teilt eure Ergebnisse mit der United Art Gallery – https://unitedart.gallery – einfach den “be a part of it” button klicken.
In der Gallery könnt ihr sehen wie ich auf mich selbst fokussiert habe und wie ich die modifizierte Steckblende für mein Dallmeyer Petzvalobjektiv erstellt habe.
Fine Art Shop: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
Nächste Nassplattenworkshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Wollt ihr immer auf Letztstand sein, benutzt einfach meinen Newsletter ein Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
English version
I miss hugs, handshaking and all the other social habits. Haven’t hugged my mum for two month now. That’s how I came up with the idea of this collodion wet plate. This is the 5th plate of my coronavirus series, if you work on a covid19 art project yourself, consider joining out United Art Gallery: https://unitedart.gallery – check it out and click the “be a part of it” button to participate.
I had to be creative to focus on myself and I had to create a c shaped waterhouse stop for my Dallmeyer Petzval lens to archive the c-shaped bokeh. see how I did it in the gallery:
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
become a Patreon and support me: https://www.patreon.com/mhaustria
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Monday, December 23rd, 2019
Ho to make a Ground Glass for a large format camera
Today I show you how to make a ground glass for a large format camera/
Heute zeige ich euch wie ihr eine Mattscheibe für eine Großformatkamera selbst herstellen könnt
Used Gear:
grinding powder/Schleifpulver: https://amzn.to/2PVrVBj / https://baiers.at/shop/product_info.php?products_id=969
and https://baiers.at/shop/product_info.php?products_id=970
diamond cutter/Diamntschneider: https://amzn.to/2ttwJGl
Filming gear:
Canon EOS M50: https://amzn.to/2s8TcI8
Canon EF-M22mm 2.0 Lens: https://amzn.to/38iWw4d
Canon EF-M EOS Adapter: https://amzn.to/2PsiTLH
Canon 50mm 1.8 Lens: https://amzn.to/2E2kSkG
Wetplate /Nassplatten Workshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Fine Art Shop http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
If you guys want to experience yourself how a tintype is made and own a one of a kind wet plate, please contact me via my website http://wetplate.art
Don’t forget to subscribe to my Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/
Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019
Video Photo + Adventure 2019
Finally the video from the photo and Adventure.
Etwas verspätet das Video von der Photo + Adventure.
Im Video findet ihr Lois Lammerhuber, Pavel Kaplun, Lisa Bednarik, Fabio Antenore, Nadja Hluchovsky und viele mehr.
Fine Art Shop: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/front_store/
Nächste workshops: http://www.markus-hofstaetter.at/pages/workshops/
Wollt ihr immer auf Letztstand sein, benutzt einfach meinen Newsletter ein Newsletter: http://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/Newsletter/