More Pyro Negatives

Over the last couple of months I have been processing numerous batches of Kodak Tri-X Pan film in PMK Developer.  This is a Pyro based developer that imparts a proportional stain on the emulsion.  It is exceptional at retaining highlight detail and I really like the tonal range that results.  It has become on of my favourite developers.  Back in last August, just before the Labor Day long weekend, I processed a mixed batch of film in this developer.  This included the last few of my Tri-X negatives, as well as a number of sheets of Ilford Delta 100.  With all that happened in the last few weeks I have just now found time to scan this latest batch.

These first few shots are from a Spring Photo Weekend in 2012 with the Monochrome Guild.  We spent a couple of days in May photographing in Kananaskis Country and in Banff National Park.  These first three were taken on Kodak Tri-X Pan 4x5.

Buller Pond, Kananaskis Country

Beaverpond Stumps, Banff National Park

Roadside Pond, Kananaskis Country.

This next one was taken way back in the spring of 2009 on Ilford Delta 100 4x5.  This slope with Saskatoons was along one of the ravines in the Paintearth Badlands.

Here are two shots that I took this past summer when we were travelling down in the badlands with our relatives visiting from Germany.  Both were taken in Dorothy, and both were captured on Kodak Tri-X Pan 4x5.

Here is a mixed selection of stuff taken over a number of years, during various travels and trips around Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Chungo Creek, Ilford Delta 100, taken by my daughter Hailey, 2012

Abandoned House, Ilford Delta 100, 2012

Old Car, Kodak Tri-X Pan, 2011

Jacket, Abandoned Monastery, 2011

Medicine Lake, Fall Photo Weekend 2011, Ilford Delta 100

Abandoned Schoolhouse, Merid, Saskatchewan, 2009, Ilford Delta 100

One plus Four, Battle Lake Trail, Kodak Tri-X Pan, 2013

Ram Canyon, Ilford Delta 100, 2012

Will anyone believe that this is actually valley fog, or a sunbeam?

In fact it is a light leak from a damaged 4x5 film holder.

Red Rock Coulee Natural Area, Kodak Tri-X Pan, 2013

Winter Rills, southern Alberta Badlands, Ilford Delta 100, 2013

This last one was shot on one of my last packets of Polaroid 55 film.

I captured this image a few weeks ago out at Elk Island National Park.

It was obviously not processed in Pyro, but was just washed and dried together with the rest of this batch.

Pohl Family Reunion

A couple of weeks ago, at my Dad's memorial service, some of my Aunts and Uncles suggested that someone really needs to organize a Pohl family reunion.  It has been many years since anyone has attempted something like this.  I seem to recall going to one when I was a very young boy, but nothing since.  Of course there were the traditional family Christmas dinners years ago, while my grandparents were still alive... but that was a long time ago.

I talked to my brothers and my cousin Vic about it and we decided to go for it.  It wasn't long before my cousin Donald also came on board.  So now the five of us are moving forward, making plans for a family reunion in 2014.  We probably should have got our act together and done this years ago while some of the older generation was still around... but we didn't.  We can't change the past and all we can do is make plans to do it now.  Better late than never.

My grandparents both passed away in the 1990's.  Only three of their six children are still alive, and the oldest, Walter, will be 90 next summer.  There were 17 kids in my generation, including myself and my two brothers.  All of that generation is around and living within a reasonable driving distance.  Most are married and most have children.  I'm really not sure if there are any in the next generation, but I guess we will find out.  Depending on how many are able to make it, we could potentially have 50 or more people.

We have decided that June would be the best time of year as the weather will be mild and everyone will not yet be busy with summer vacation plans.  The weekend of the summer solstice has been chosen and we have booked a Community Hall not far from the old family farm.  This is kind of central for most of the family, and close enough for the older generation to be able to make it out, at least for part of the weekend.  Now it is just a matter of contacting everyone and inviting them.  Then we will have the entire winter to organize all the details.

Winter Hockey - Game Two

The Renegades played game two of our winter season, a late ice time, on Wednesday night.  The puck dropped at 10:15PM and it was after 1:00AM when I finally got home after the game.  I had to sleep really fast to be able to wake up and go to work a few hours later.  Two games into the season and the Renegades are undefeated.  This time we beat the Buzzards by a score of 7-2.  If we continue to dominate the way that we have in the early going, it is likely we will be moved up to a higher division.  But, so far we have only faced off against a couple of the weakest teams in the league... and we've been playing with really good back up goaltenders.  Once we face off against some of the stronger teams, and get our regular goaltender back, I expect the scores won't be quite so lop-sided.  Kris our regular goalie is getting married next weekend and then going away on his honeymoon.  He won't be available to play our first few games but will return to the roster in early October.

Winter Hockey - Game One

Summer hockey wrapped up back in July.  Since then I haven't even been on skates so it was with mixed feelings that I packed up my gear and headed over to the rink last night for our first game of the Winter Season.  The Renegades are faced with the task of defending last winter's championship.  

The season started a little late for us this year, and it seems that many of our players are still busy with summer activities.  We had eight of our regular full time players unavailable for this game for various reasons including vacations, work, suspension, etc.  Then a ninth player just didn't show up.  We ended up playing with six of our spares, a backup goalie, and a slightly short bench.

There was a bit of confusion at the beginning of the game as our backup goalie had a style of mask that is not allowed in our league.  But he was a good sport about it, and borrowed a mask from another goalie that had just played in the game before us.  In all of that confusion the officials had to start the clock and assess our team a delay of game penalty.  The Oil City Wings scored during that power play and when we finally got settled down and into the game we were in a one goal deficit.  But, we blew the rust off pretty quickly and never looked back.  We scored eight unanswered goals and coasted to an easy 8-1 victory.

It sure felt good to get back onto the ice and out with the guys again.  Lots of hockey left to be played over the next eight months but we sure started off on the right foot.

TXP in PMK - Sixth and final [for now] Batch

Here is another batch of images.  These were actually processed and scanned some time ago and I just never got around to posting them.  A real mixed bag here... mostly taken around Alberta on various camping trips and day trips.  It includes images taken in the foothills, the mountains and the badlands and even a couple from my February trip down to Estevan, Saskatchewan.

Aspen Trunks, Elk Island National Park

Mountains Avens gone to seed at Blackstone River

Aspen Trunks in Banff National Park.  A version of this image was included in the Procession West exhibition.

Beauty Creek in Jasper National Park, from the Monochrome Guild Fall Photo Weekend 2012

Rapids, Blackstone River

Brittle Bush, Alberta Badlands

Cat Tails in Snow, Elk Island National Park

Forgotten Chevrolet, Victoria Trail

Frosty Yard near Beaubier, Saskatchewan

Cat Tails in Snow, Elk Island National Park

Icy Layers, Beauty Creek, Jasper National Park, from the Monochrome Guild Fall Photo Weekend 2012

Maintenanace Shop, Nordegg Mine Site

Rills, Pronghorn Coulee, Alberta

South Saskatchewan River, Alberta

Old Siding, Nordegg Mine Site

Stream Course, Pronghorn Coulee

Frosty Yard, near Beaubier, Saskatchewan

White Point, southern Alberta badlands

Labor Day Long Weekend

Here are some snapshots from the Labor Day Long weekend.  These were taken at the Monitor Mud Buttes, and at the ghost town of Loverna, Saskatchewan... all before we got the bad news.  I've also included one shot taken after Dad's memorial service this past weekend...