B&W pinhole photography with the Vermeer 6×12 and 120 format Kosmo Foto Mono 100

It was time to have some fun with Kosmo Foto Mono 100 while tour skiing in the Alps. This time around the Frauenalpe in Austria. The Frauenalpe used to be a ski resort but they removed the equipment. Which makes it so much better to experience nature. Going ski touring or snowshoe walking is really breathtaking in terms of the incredible views. Of course, you got to climb and hike with skis or snowshoes but it’s worth it.

Ski touring skis have bindings that are different from the normal alpine skis – that most folks know about. The bindings allow your boot to hinge up and down – i.e hike up a steep slope. In addition to this there also a felt which is attached to the underside of the ski for going up. This is pulled off when you reach the top. When you wish to go back down the ski bindings are made fixed similar to alpine skis. It’s a great way to discover a wintery wonderland you just need to consider avalanches and snow conditions. Local knowledge is always a requirement for such adventures.

For this adventure, I took along a wooden Vermeer 6×12 pinhole camera to the top along with a tripod. Two rolls of Kosmo Foto Mono 100 medium format film was used up during the ski tour. Even though the wind was a bit wild and chilly the scene was set in white. Such perfect snow on a crispy day. We had a flask of warm tea to keep our spirits up too.

I had taken to the touring skis while Reiner rambled up with the snowshoes. We managed to reach the top and take some necessary shelter from the northern wind by the sunlit wall of the mountain lodge.

The pinhole camera was set up with a GorillaPod for this shot, we ask a fellow ski tourer to open the shutter for 5 seconds as we both seat still.

The alternative tripod

I had the GorillaPod wrapped around the top of my touring ski to provide some extra height to capture the snow of the ridge.

The ski was sent vertically into the deep snow. It seemed secure enough with the pinhole camera and gorilla pod to get a kind of steady image shown below. Not perfect by any means but considering the circumstances. (As there isn’t much to hold onto or stand on either for that matter. Especially when you’re on the side of a steep snowy mountain.)

In the image below, you should be able to see the wind blowing the snow up into the air off the edge of the ridge.

Later on, the girls arrived after waiting for us as we had gone the scenic route!

I used two recipes to develop the Kosmo Foto film. Recipe #2 is a general recipe I use when in doubt of developing B&W film. I actually preferred this recipe to the recipe #1.

Video

The video explains the use of the pinhole camera with additional landscape images in vertical composition and some color images too. It also demonstrates loading the pinhole camera with 120 film.

Prints

Back at base, I developed a 6×6 sized print from the 6×12 negative on some ILFORD paper I had in the makeshift darkroom we have set-up in the basement.

Finally

Overall I enjoyed using Kosmo Foto Mono 100. The images are contrasty enough. For the two rolls I used with this pinhole camera I was happy with the results.

As I had used the Pinhole camera many times before, I know that about 2-3 seconds exposure under bright sun gives good results for ISO 100 film. However this landscape with snow and with the sun not completely out I gave it 4-5 seconds.

Bear in mind the environment where I used the film was very windy and cold. At one stage, Reiner’s mobile battery froze up and the phone wouldn’t operate normally. The chill factor was quite something. I still have one roll of Kosmo left to use which I’d like to use with the Yashica MAT 124. But that will be another post for another time. I hope enjoyed the images and a little about ski mountaineering with skis.

~ Gavin

Development recipes

Recipe #1

• 1:25 Rodinal
• Presoak: none
• Duration: 4mins
• Agitation: Continuous for the first 30 seconds, then 10 seconds each minute.
• Rinse between developer and fixer
• 4 mins fixing with Ilford Rapid Fix

Recipe #2

• 1:100 Rodinal
• Presoak: none
• Duration: 11 mins
• Agitation: Continuous for the first 30 seconds, then 10 seconds each minute.
• Rinse between developer and fixer
• 4 mins fixing with Ilford Rapid Fix