Introducing the Phoenix Film Revival
Papertype Portrait Booth
What is a Papertype?
The Magical Paper
One of the most important parts to our one-of-a-kind portrait booth is the special paper that we use to capture every photo. Manufactured by Harman Technology, the magic is in the unique direct positive paper we use. As opposed to most photographic methods generating a negative first, this paper is designed to yield a positive image when developed through standard black and white print chemistry. This paper streamlines the process in bringing every portrait to life. This paper is available in many different sizes depending on the application. We use the 4x5 size as this fits conveniently in our film holders for our camera.
Framing and Focus
Framing the subject and getting the focus right is our first step in creating each portrait. We invite the model to come in and stand on the other side of our vintage Graflex Speed Graphic 4x5 camera and place them so we are not cutting off arms or heads in the shots. Distance is critical as our depth of field is very shallow. Too far forward or backward and the person will be out of focus.
Getting The Right Exposure
Exposure is the most critical part of the process. Since we are shooting with positive paper there is little to no room for error with exposure. Before each session we calibrate our setup to find the right exposure balance between strobe output, distance from subject and aperture. Our shutter speed is set for 1/10 of a second, our strobes are typically at fill power and most of the time our aperture is set for f/8. The 3 strobes we use collectively put out 1920 watt seconds of power, which feels blinding the first time you stand in front of them.
Developing On The Spot
Stacy has enginieered a special portrable darkroom where she develops the portraits one-at-a-time. We have rigged the box with a special infrared camera and monitor so you can watch the process going on inside the box. The paper first runs developer to bring the image to life, then, development is stopped using an acetic acid bath. From there the image then moves into a fixing bath to remove the unexposed silvers and harden the silvers that create the image. This step allows us to bring it back into the light for a final rinse.
Dried And Ready To Go
Once the image comes out of the chemistry it’s dripping wet. Our last step before handing the portrait over to the model is to pull majority of the water out. For that we use a special setup that sandwiches the print between two absorbent cloths and presses almost all the moisture out. We then place it into a special envelop that allows it to finish drying allowing the model to take the portrait with them. No need to wait for these to be mailed out. From taking the picture to receiving the final print, the whole process takes roughly 5 minutes.
