The following image is the reason why I wanted to get a scanner.

I took this image in 1997.  It is on Ilford HP5 black and white film.  I think, if I remember correctly, HP5 is ISO400, I should look it up.  Okay, just did and it is.

I had a dark room set up in my laundry about this time and this is one image that I spent a great deal of time on.  I knew that the sky could be darker.  I tried every trick I knew to make it happen in the darkroom and couldn’t.  I even went to see this woman I knew and she tried to help me to get the sky darker and the rest lighter.  Can I just say, after I don’t know how many sheets of photographic paper, I never got the photo that I wanted.  I might still have all those attempts here somewhere.

If you read the post from Christmas then you know I got a scanner.  I have been going through my negatives and I found these ones for the old Abattoirs.  I knew I had to do this one.  This is the one image that I always wondered if I could make better in Photoshop.  Would I be able to do to it what I couldn’t in the darkroom?

I don’t know about you, but I am so happy with the image above.  I love how it has turned out.  I probably should have shown you the before image, but oh well, just take my word that this one is heaps better.  It didn’t even take me too long.

One of the problems I’ve found with the scanner is the graininess of the images.  I had forgotten how grainy film could be, especially once you started using ISO400 and higher.  It took me a few scans to realise that is why they didn’t look as good as I thought they should.

I have lots of photos to scan now and will, from time to time put some up here.  I hope you won’t mind.