Mistakes in at-home development, part 3

After covering previous mistakes, I thought I had more or less covered my bases, until I started looking at pictures I developed rather recently from a fresh batch of chemicals.

At first glance, everything looks fine enough, if this was shot on 800 or 1600 iso film. But it wasn’t…

This was shot on good-old Lomography Color 100 stock.

So where did all that grain come from?

The developer was way too hot. I put the tap on hot and walked away for a bit to let it warm up before mixing the chemicals. Before I knew it, I was mixing chemicals at 120, instead of 102…

I let the developer sit in a lukewarm water bath for awhile, but got impatient, so as soon as I got a reading below 110 on the thermometer, I went at it…

Good thing I’m not a pro shooter, I guess, but I still got some nice shots, and I’ll share some over the next few days, God willing, but here’s a reminder for me first: C-41 development requires a fairly specific temperature. It’s not as critical as the instructions—or commenters on the internets—claim: I’ve developed as low as 96 or 98 and as high as 104 with no ill effects.

But 110 is just too hot.

Digital Darkroom Software Review: Lightroom CC, part 1 – Lightroom Mobile

Program:  Lightroom Mobile
Platforms Tested Available:  iPhone, Android
Price: “free” as part of the $9.99/month CC Photography plan (with Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC and some other goodies)
Installation: its a usual download from the app store, but it won’t work without a Creative Cloud membership and one of the monthly plans.

With my 30 day trial of Lightroom CC 2015 nearing its end, it’s about time I share what I’ve found so far.

First up: Lightroom Mobile.

Is it enough to convince me to pay the $10/month? Will I go back to Lightroom 5? Maybe just drop $80 to upgrade to vanilla Lightroom 6? Or will I drop Adobe altogether and do my photo editing in some combination of open source softwares?

Honestly, I’m not entirely sure yet… If you’re interested, read on as I go through what I’ve found of interest in Lightroom Mobile. (Some thoughts on CC will be shared in a few days or a week or so.)

And if you make it all the way to the bottom, there’s a surprise…

Continue reading “Digital Darkroom Software Review: Lightroom CC, part 1 – Lightroom Mobile”

Dua for protection, taqwah, rememberance, purification, supplication, forgiveness, repentance…

O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from incapacity, from sloth, from cowardice, from miserliness, decrepitude and from torment of the grave.

O Allah, grant to my soul the sense of righteousness and purify it, for Thou art the Best Purifier thereof. Thou art the Protecting Friend thereof, and Guardian thereof.

O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from the knowledge which does not benefit, from the heart that does not entertain the fear (of Allah), from the soul that does not feel contented and the supplication that is not responded.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْهَرَمِ وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ اللَّهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا وَزَكِّهَا أَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا أَنْتَ وَلِيُّهَا وَمَوْلاَهَا اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لاَ يَنْفَعُ وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لاَ يَخْشَعُ وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لاَ تَشْبَعُ وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لاَ يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا

Muslim.

Eid is tomorrow… Just a bit longer to make dua and dhikr, seek forgiveness, and ask Allah to grant us good in this life, good in the next life, and save us from the fire in this blessed month.

May Allah bless us with the ability to witness many more Ramadans, and to grow closer to Him with each passing day, Amin.
Continue reading “Dua for protection, taqwah, rememberance, purification, supplication, forgiveness, repentance…”

Nearing the end

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ

O Allah, I seek refuge in You from grief and sadness, from weakness and from laziness, from miserliness and from cowardice, from being overcome by debt and overpowered by men (i.e. others).

Al-Bukhari Continue reading “Nearing the end”

Walking to the Masjid

With Eid rapidly approaching, a reminder to me first:

“It is from the Sunnah to leave for the Eid walking, and to eat something before leaving.”

At-Tirmidhi

and

On the Day of `Id the Prophet (ﷺ) used to return (after offering the `Id prayer) through a way different from that by which he went.

Al Bukhari Continue reading “Walking to the Masjid”

“I’m fasting. I’m fasting.”

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Allah said, ‘All the deeds of Adam’s sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.’ Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting.’ By Him in Whose Hands my soul is’ The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.”

Sahih Bukhari. Continue reading ““I’m fasting. I’m fasting.””

if you don’t know, don’t speak

وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart – about all those [one] will be questioned.

Al ‘Isra: 36

So I posted a somewhat rambling discussion of Laylatul Qadr on Friday and exhorted to rush to worship, as it was an odd night…

Well, guess what: I hold a master’s degree in Art History, not mathematics: Friday was an even night.

I might have done better with my 1, 2, 3’s, but I grew up counting the days from sunrise (or the time I woke up in the morning). In Islam, the day starts at sunset. So while Friday was an odd day, Friday night was even. 

Allah knows, and it is best to worship Him, give thanks to Him, seek His guidance, protection, comfort, and favor regardless of what day it is.

So even thought tonight, like Friday, is an even night, may Allah give us the strength and focus to worship Him with extra gusto and fervor tonight; may He accept our prayer, our fasting, our charity, and all of our good deeds. And may He excuse our errors.

And, in case I haven’t mentioned it before, if what I say here on james.com is good and provides some benefit to you, then it comes from Allah azza wa jall; and if what I write here is wrong, bad, or otherwise of no benefit, then all that comes solely from me. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is the Most Wise, the Most Great, the only Forgiver, and His is the only Wisdom, Guidance, Sustenance, Strength, Focus, Beauty, and Truth, and to Him we all belong and to Him we shall return.