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Matt Peers

  • Home
  • Work
    • Bourke's Regulars
    • The Future's Bright
    • Portraits of Employees Deceased, Left, Retired
    • From Around These Parts
    • Pictures of People in Public Places
  • Short Stories
    • Bye Bye Baker Building
    • Demolition
    • New Faces
    • On the Steps
    • Out of Season
    • Socially Distant
    • The Touring Shroud
    • Somewhere In-between
  • Publications
    • Framelines
    • Normal Service Will Be Resumed
    • No Smoking After 4pm
    • Portmanteau
  • Black & White
    • Darkroom Workbook
    • Black & White Gallery
  • Commercial
    • Family
    • Portraits
    • Product
  • Blog
  • Contact

Alec on the bus in Rome - May 2025

June 06, 2025

Camera: Rolleiflex 2.8f

Film: Ilford HP5

Paper:Ilford MGRC 8x10 Glossy


Enlarger: De Vere 504

Column:19cm/7.5in

Lens: Rodogon 80mm APO


Test Strips

  • 4 secs / f22  / flt 2.5

  • 14 secs /2 secs /  f22/ flt 2.5

  • 30 secs / 2 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Base Image

16 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Notes:

No D/B required - great negative to work on.

Comment

Tine & The Town Hall - April 2025

May 15, 2025

Camera: Rolleiflex 2.8f

Film: Kentmere Pan 200


Enlarger : De Vere 504

Column: 19/7.5

Lens: 80mm Rodogon APO


Test Strips

  • 4 secs / f22 / flt 2.5

  • 28 secs /2 secs / f22/ flt 2.5

  • 32secs / 2 secs / f22 / flt2.5


Base Image

38secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Notes:

Test film Kentmere PAN200. D&B - sky 3/4 seconds dodge

Comment

The Flow, Coney Island, July 2024

May 08, 2025

Camera: Mamiya 7 II 65mm

Film: Ilford HP5

Paper:Ilford MGRC 8x10 Glossy


Enlarger: De Vere 504

Column:21 cm/ 9in

Lens: Rodogon 80mm APO


Test Strips

  • 4 secs / f22  / flt 3.5

  • 16 secs /2 secs /  f22/ flt 3.5


Base Image

16 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Notes:

3.5 filter on the Ilford 500H head is the best balance for printing foggy scenes.

Comment

Lakeside Portraits, Chicago, July 2024

May 02, 2025

Camera: Rolleiflex 2.8f

Film: Ilford HP5

Paper:Ilford MGRC 8x10 Glossy


Enlarger: De Vere 504

Column:19cm/7.5in

Lens: Rodogon 80mm


Test Strips

  • 5secs / f22  / flt 2.5

  • 10 secs/  f22/ flt 2.5

  • 30 secs / 5 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Base Image

35 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Notes:

wonderful neg to print from

Comment

Bus Stop Portraits, Birmingham, February 2025

April 28, 2025

Camera: Rolleiflex 3.5f

Film: Ilford HP5

Paper:Ilford MGRC 8x10 Glossy


Enlarger: De Vere 504

Column:19cm/7.5in

Lens: Rodogon 80mm APO


Test Strips

  • 4 secs / f22  / flt 2.5

  • 11 secs /2 secs /  f22/ flt 2.5


Base Image

11 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Notes:

Dodge 3 secs across the eyes

Comment

Portmanteau Cover , June 2024

April 25, 2025

Camera: Mamiya 7II 65mm f4

Film: Ilford HP5

Paper:Ilford MGRC 8x10 Glossy


Enlarger: De Vere 504

Column: 23cm/9in

Lens: Rodogon 80mm APO


Test Strips

  • 4 secs / f22  / flt 2.5

  • 20 secs /2 secs /  f22/ flt 2.5

  • 23 secs / 2 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Base Image

23 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Notes:

Sky burn 4-8 secs. Prints made to coincide with release of Portmanteau.

Comment

The Gates, Birmingham, January 2025

April 24, 2025

Camera: Rolleiflex 3.5f

Film: Ilford HP5

Paper:Ilford MGRC 8x10 Glossy


Enlarger: De Vere 504

Column:19cm/7.5in

Lens: Rodogon 80mm APO


Test Strips

  • 4 secs / f22  / flt 3.5

  • 20 secs /2 secs /  f22/ flt 3.5

  • 30 secs / 2 secs / f22 / flt 3.5


Base Image

30 secs / f22 / flt 3.5


Notes:

3.5 filter on the Ilford 500H head is the best balance for printing foggy scenes.

Comment

Tine in Digbeth, November 2024

April 23, 2025

Camera: Rolleiflex 3.5f

Film: Ilford HP5

Paper:Ilford MGRC 8x10 Glossy


Enlarger: De Vere 504

Column:19cm/7.5in

Lens: Rodogon 80mm


Test Strips

  • 4 secs / f22  / flt 2.5

  • 24 secs /2 secs /  f22/ flt 2.5


Base Image

23 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Notes:

Dodging around face and hand 2/3 secs

Comment

The Valleys, South Wales, November 2024

April 22, 2025

Camera: Mamiya 7II /65mm f4

Film: Ilford HP5

Paper:Ilford MGRC 8x10 Glossy


Enlarger: De Vere 504

Column:23cm/9in

Lens: Rodogon 80mm APO


Test Strips

  • 4 secs / f22  / flt2.5

  • 14 secs /2 secs /  f22/ flt 2.5

  • 16 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Base Image

16 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Notes:

Multiple masks created to dodge and burn

Comment

Limo in the Fog, Birmingham, January 2025

April 22, 2025

Camera: Rolleiflex 3.5f

Film: Ilford HP5

Paper:Ilford MGRC 8x10 Glossy


Enlarger: De Vere 504

Column:19cm/7.5in

Lens: Rodogon 80mm APO


Test Strips

  • 4 secs / f22  / flt 3.5

  • 16 secs /2 secs /  f22/ flt 3.5

  • 30 secs / 2 secs / f22 / flt 3.5


Base Image

30 secs / f22 / flt 3.5


Notes:

3.5 filter on the Ilford 500H head is the best balance for printing foggy scenes.

Comment

Peter Pucella, Bridgend, November 2024

April 22, 2025

Camera: Rolleiflex 2.8f

Film: Ilford HP5

Paper:Ilford MGRC 8x10 Glossy


Enlarger: De Vere 504

Column:19cm/7.5in

Lens: Rodogon 80mm APO


Test Strips

  • 4 secs / f22  / flt 3.5

  • 18 secs /2 secs /  f22/ flt 3.5

  • 22 secs / 2 secs / f22 / flt 3.5


Base Image

22 secs / f22 / flt 2.5


Notes:

Weather conditions were over cast with low contrast

Comment

Welcome to Darkroom Workbook

April 22, 2025

The darkroom is full of variables — enlarger height, exposure time, contrast filters, paper types, dodging and burning, developer temp… the list goes on. A workbook helps you track all of it, session by session.

More importantly, it gives you something the darkroom doesn't always offer in the moment, namely perspective.

  • Repeat your successes – no more guessing games when revisiting a favourite negative.

  • Learn from mistakes – trace back what didn’t work and why.

  • Sharpen your eye – over time, your notes reveal patterns and preferences.

What to include

Everyone’s process is different, but here’s a basic structure I use:

For each print:

  • Image info: film stock, ISO, camera/lens used

  • Enlarger settings: lens focal length, height, aperture

  • Contrast filter usedLens: types and settings

  • Paper: brand, type, grade

  • Test strip times and observations

  • Final exposure time of the base Image

  • Dodging/burning: what, where, how long

A final thought

A good print isn’t just about contrast and tone. It’s also not about relying on your memory. A darkroom workbook helps you preserve more than just the image — it preserves the process of its creation.

Matt

Comment

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