Never thought I'd get to shoot Type 55 again...

Earlier this year a very good friend mentioned that he had a few boxes of Polaroid Type 55 stashed away, and he offered them to me.  For those who don't know, Type 55 was a very special kind of Polaroid.  It produced a nice black and white 4"x5" print and a gorgeous 4x5 negative at the same time.  They discontinued it around 2007, and my last box had long since dried up.  I used to love shooting it, and still have my 545 holder and my Calumet tank for "clearing" the negatives in sodium sulfite.  I figured I'd never shoot it again, now I have a small amount of the rare film and I'm saving it for special shoots.

The Triangle Tweed Ride is held every year in City Market, and this year I was asked once again to set up a "photo booth." The tweed ride attracts folks who want to ride bikes, dress up, and party like it's 1899.  What better subject for this special extinct photographic process? Here are some of the results.

I'me very happy with how they turned out.  The borders are the classic Type 55. In most shots, I achieved a solarization effect, most dramatic in the 3rd one from the top here.  The prints do not have this effect. My theory is that the chemistry in the Polaroid "goo pod" has lost it's potency over the years, and the shorter my processing time was the greater the solarization when I pulled the underprocessed negative out into the light.  I didn't exactly time each sheet, some of them sat and processed while I photographed other folks with the digital camera. I'll keep that in mind for the next shoot.

If you'd like to see the whole shoot, including the digital, check out my Triangle Tweed Ride 2014 album on Flickr.

I'm actively seeking interesting subjects to photograph on my remaining stash of Type 55. I don't know how much longer the chemicals will last before they dry up completely. If you would like to be photographed please get in touch. I'm looking for interesting faces, interesting costumes, interesting couples, etc. You can always contact me through my website.

Two Wheels To Work: Meet Branson and Aubrey

Branson has been a bike commuter for about 20 years, and now commutes 8 miles each way with his 3 year old son Aubrey in a bike trailer behind his fixed-gear bicycle. He says bike commuting has helped keep him in shape, reduced his carbon footprint, and has given him another cool thing to share with his son. Aubrey has quickly become a big fan of cycling, and now has his own "big boy bike" with training wheels!

Branson says cycling has made him a happier person and has allowed him to experience places and things that he never thought possible. Most recently, cycling took him to France for his second participation in the once-every-four-years Paris-Brest-Paris 1200 Kilometer bike ride, one of the oldest cycling events still regularly taking place. He completed the over 750 mile course in good time- riding a fixed-gear, of course.

When asked what advice he’d like to give motorists, Branson says “We’re human beings too- look after us, as you would want us to look after you." If you see him and Aubrey out on the road, slow down, give them a wave hello and plenty of space when passing.

Two Wheels To Work: Meet Esther

Esther started riding a bike about 9 years ago after her doctor suggested exercising to help reduce the risk factors for Type II Diabetes. Now she does a combination car/bike commute, driving to a shopping center parking lot in the morning before cycling the final 6 miles to work.

Esther became a below-knee amputee in a pedestrian-bus collision during gradeschool, and says her favorite piece of commuting gear is her sparkly prosthesis cover. She'd like motorists to be more aware of cyclists on the road and know how wide their vehicle and mirrors are. Her advice to anyone who would like to try bike commuting? "If I can do this, you can do this!"

If you see Esther out on the road, give her a friendly wave hello and at least 3 feet of space while passing!

Night Race

In bicycle racing a criterium is a race held over a short course, usually under 5km. The length of the race is either determined by a number of laps or a total time. Many crits are held on closed-off downtown city streets, sometimes at night under the streetlights. This makes for an exciting race, and the low-light conditions gave me the opportunity to play with light & motion blur.

These images were made using my Leica M7 rangefinder and cross-processed film.