Having had a creative dip….

Hello everyone!
Now I’m (hopefully) on the way out of this creative dip I have been in for a month.
Much depends on the incredibly long, dark and cold winter we have had here in Sweden, it has really taken its toll.

But also because I have got too many “must haves” for me to really enjoy ….. Strange that I never learn …. Gah.. …

So, out with all the “must haves” and back in with the freedom, joy and light again! 🙂
So for those of you who like the weekly charts of various kinds can I just say, sorry, I can not do it anymore.
From now on it will be just a little of everything that I want to do right now!

Today I have some crazy dog pictures of my dogs playing in the snow, which I took when nothing else was to photograph, just to start taking photographs again.

The focus is set by using hyperfocal distance, my dogs are far to fast for any other method, so nothing else is possible if I want them in action.

The black and white films are exposed for 3200 and ISO 6400, and developed the so-called “stand-development” in Rodinal for two hours. I’m not thrilled with the midtones, but there is certainly room to try more, and in different circumstances. And it was fun to try something I’ve never done before.

Enjoy! 🙂

Hasselblad SWC
Kodak Tri-X @3200-6400
Rodinal 1:100 2hrs

Tags: 120film, analog photography, analogue photography, blackandwhite, Bordercollie, dogs, film photography, Hasselblad SWC, Kodak Tri-X 400, photography, Shetland Sheepdog, stand development, winter

38 thoughts on “Having had a creative dip….”

lautal on April 7, 2013 at 15:38 said:

That is beautiful set of storytelling pictures. Like it.

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- Marie on April 7, 2013 at 21:25 said:
  
  Thanks a lot! 🙂
  
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The Wanderlust Gene on April 7, 2013 at 15:46 said:

So glad you’re getting over the winter blues and getting out and enjoying your photography – and your dogs! Welcome back 🙂

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- Marie on April 7, 2013 at 21:26 said:
  
  Thank you very much, I’m glad you like them! 🙂
  
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johanstellerphotography on April 7, 2013 at 15:51 said:

welcome back

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- Marie on April 7, 2013 at 21:26 said:
  
  Thank you!
  
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jesús joglar on April 7, 2013 at 15:53 said:

welcome back!
as usual, you are always experimenting and sharing your results, and so you are giving us more than expected!

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- Marie on April 7, 2013 at 21:30 said:
  
  Thank you very much Jesús for your very kind words! Yes, I guess I’m that type, always experimenting and easily getting bored, and then have to do new tings again…. C’est la vie….
  😀
  
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JK Bevill - Lost Creek Publishing on April 7, 2013 at 17:23 said:

Reblogged this on lost creek publishing.

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graziella on April 7, 2013 at 17:36 said:

great as always! I miss these dogs. Have a great day Marie

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- Marie on April 7, 2013 at 21:31 said:
  
  Thanks a lot Graziella, and same to you! 🙂
  
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Richard Guest on April 7, 2013 at 18:08 said:

Welcome back! These are lovely.

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- Marie on April 7, 2013 at 21:31 said:
  
  Thanks a lot Richard! 🙂
  
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mjculverphotography on April 7, 2013 at 18:10 said:

Beautiful dogs Marie and glad you’re back. We all suffer from creative slumps from time to time. Hope you have a fabulous rest of the day. Also sending you some sunshine for tomorrow. 😉

Joey

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- Marie on April 7, 2013 at 21:32 said:
  
  Oh, I sure need that, thank you so much Joey! 🙂
  Happy you like them, my crazy dogs….
  
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ilargia64 on April 7, 2013 at 21:11 said:

Welcome!!! I was missing you….Love your pics…Your dogs are just beautiful!!! You know I love Collies….;)

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- Marie on April 7, 2013 at 21:34 said:
  
  Thank you so much! 🙂
  Yes, me too, all the collie breeds. But they sure are hard to photograph with no fast motor camera…
  But this is more fun, on the other hand….
  
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Luddy's Lens on April 8, 2013 at 03:04 said:

Yaaay, you’re back! And what a great set of doggie action shots!

Those creative slumps are frustrating, but I think we just have to get through them, not force it, take some time off. Let our batteries recharge! 🙂

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- Marie on April 8, 2013 at 15:36 said:
  
  Thanks Luddy! I guess you’re right, frustrating but necessary …
  Yeah, ain’t they cute? My bordercollie is a real nutcase, and I love them dearly… All three of them… 😉
  
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jdtphotography.co.uk on April 8, 2013 at 17:00 said:

It’s great to have you back Marie and to see you are pushing the boundaries of film again is terrific. Your Sheltie still gives me a smile….adorable. Enjoy the week and I hope it is beginning to brighten up at your end as today has been rather grey.

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- Marie on April 10, 2013 at 09:46 said:
  
  Thanks a lot James. Yes, ain’t they sweet? But the little black (tricolour) one is constantly giving me headache… But I guess she will grow up at last, even she… 😉
  The sun is back, and at daytime it is rather nice, but still freezing at nights, and almost all the snow is still here…
  Have a lovely week you too.
  
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margottrommelmans on April 8, 2013 at 18:30 said:

I’m not sure.. in the first photo, are there two or three dogs? Beautiful photos, I’m glad you’re back…
It’s been a cold winter for a lot of people, we all miss the sunshine.

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- Marie on April 10, 2013 at 09:50 said:
  
  Thank you Margot!
  Yes, they are three, two shelties and one bordercollie, or at least their backs and tails, digging in the snow.
  
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John Pickles on April 8, 2013 at 18:59 said:

Good to see you posting again Marie and great photo’s. I was trying Rodinal stand development for a while but kept getting uneven results, particularly ‘extra’ development along the bottom edge of the film where the developer was sinking during the development time as well as compressed mid tones. I’ve gone back to a normal development regime and am much happier with the results. Here’s to looking forward to some warm weather and the spring flowers!

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- Marie on April 10, 2013 at 09:54 said:
  
  Thanks a lot John!
  Well, I just felt I had to try something new, and I still have a roll of Tri-x exposed for 6400 ISO, which I took at Fotografiska in Stockholm at the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibition. I have not developed it yet, but I think I will give the stand development another try because of the heavy pushing done to the film.
  I totally agree, here’s to the sunny and warm spring to come, SOON!! 😀
  
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pjbrez on April 9, 2013 at 08:18 said:

I’m glad to see you’re back! Lovely photos here as always. I’ve been in a bit of a slump lately, too. I’m eager for the weather to finally become consistently warm so I can go out and take more photos and try to reinvent myself again 🙂

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- Marie on April 10, 2013 at 09:56 said:
  
  Well, this kind of incredibly long and cold winter can crack the strongest, so now it can only get better, right?
  Thanks a lot Patrick, and have a lovely day. 🙂
  
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  - pjbrez on April 10, 2013 at 16:22 said:
    
    Cheers, likewise take good care!
    
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janaobscura on April 10, 2013 at 23:19 said:

Hello Marie, so good to see you posting! The puppy portraits here are absolutely wonderful, I kept scrolling through the whole series. I went through a bit of a funk myself – I think weather has a lot to do with it. I wanted to experiment with infrared and the Seattle weather just didn’t want to cooperate with me. Glad to see you shooting and sharing again – looking forward to seeing what you capture as the season changes!

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- Marie on April 11, 2013 at 21:31 said:
  
  Thanks Jana. I got a bit bored of everything, and I think you are right about the weather, we have had snow and minus degrees for four months now, and I’m really tired of it, and that frustration shows in everything…
  It can only be better. I’m also looking forward to testing my new Rollei IR film, as soon as the nature start coming to life again, hehe…
  
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malinhphotography on April 11, 2013 at 08:21 said:

Det viktigaste är att man gör det man själv vill.
Nu närmar sig den riktiga våren åtminstone och sommar snart…

Härlig serie!

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- Marie on April 11, 2013 at 21:35 said:
  
  Tack Malin.
  Jo, så är det nog, inte så lätt alltid dock, och jag kände att jag tokfastnat i olika saker, och det fixar jag inte riktigt… Men med våren i antågande så känns allting lättare…
  Ha det gott
  
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Inspired and pretty on April 17, 2013 at 01:38 said:

So fun to see your dogs in action ! I adore shelties, I have one myself, my second sheltie 🙂

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- Marie on April 17, 2013 at 08:54 said:
  
  Thank you very much! 🙂
  Yes, I agree, it is a truly wonderful breed, adorable dogs.
  
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grumpytykepix on April 28, 2013 at 17:14 said:

Having just got back myself after a month ‘away’ from blogging, now plodding through 400 notifications in my ‘grumpytykepix’ email (and I haven’t even started on grumpytyke yet!), it was such a delight to see you back again too. You’ll know from the past that I’ve become a fan of the ‘stand’ (or in my case semi-stand) development in Rodinal. It’s just so unstressful – mid-toned or not. But for my today’s post – the first for over a month – I went to my local photo-developer – £1.99 for a roll of C-41 back to me in 15 minutes. I’ve got a roll of Acros 100 almost finished – in a Minox GT – though so it’ll be back to the Rodinal for that. Hope you have a lovely Spring.

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- Marie on May 6, 2013 at 21:14 said:
  
  Thanks a lot my friend. I’m still not “up to date”….
  Hope things are easier for you.
  My cameras attract me more than what my computer does. I hope it will be better soon….
  
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streetpixels on May 25, 2013 at 12:54 said:

oh my, I adore the third one! so much dynamic, and that expression on the dogs face… this one’s really stunning

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lomoherz on June 3, 2013 at 08:52 said:

Love ❤
(especially no 3)

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