[LargeFormat] Batches*

[rstein]

Dear Nephew Philip,

     I tried using my Nikon F3 with an 85mm Nikkor lens last year for the
calendar, reasoning as you have that it would produce wonderful 5 x 7's So
it did, and the models and their mates all liked the little pictures so much
that they wanted 12 x 16's of them - and the negatives just didn't yield the
saturation and lack of granularity that I want in such large size prints. I
did 8 x 10's as a compromise but this time I don't want to be stuck with
limited negatives.

    The first 4 months are in the files and I am very pleased with them.
Tomorrow sees the drunken flower girl and Monday the two condottiori.

    I am using Agfa film this time - a change from my normal dependance upon
Kodak Portra. I wanted to get less saturated colours but still preserve a
good skin tone. I am happy to report that I think the new film does exactly
what I wanted. I realise that I have broken the cardinal rule of never
varying a major factor before shooting test shots but I was prepared to
gamble. Actually, supply of film and paper and chemistry inthis town has
always been a bit of a punt - you just get used to one set of supplies and
the wholesaler dries up the stream!

     Uncle Dick