5 Frames with Adox HR 50

Image above: Veterans representing each branch of military service in the US as the event gets started with a formal wreath laying.

For the last few years I’ve volunteered to photograph the annual Wreaths Across America event. Every December people gather to lay wreaths on the graves of veterans.  I photograph a small cemetery in Montevallo Alabama where family member lay the wreaths. Last year I took my Leica M4p and shot a roll of Tri-X with a Voiightlander 35mm. So this year I tried my new Summicron 50mm f2 and took a chance on a roll of Adox HC 50 I read about here in a post from Geoff Chaplin.  This is the second time I have used the new-to-me Summicron. The first time, a No Kings protest I shot on Tri-X on a sunny day so I didn’t get to see how the lens performed wide open. I thought the 50 ISO Adox would give me a chance to shoot with a more shallow DOF.

It did.  I’m not a big fan of grain so I like the slower aspect of the Adox.  Though I was expecting sunshine we ended up with a grey overcast sky rendering low contrast. I think the Adox added a lot of tonality and contrast. And I like the focus fall off with the 50mm as most of my exposures were 1000 sec between f4 and f2.

I started developing film and scanning at home over the last year or so but for this decided to try a commercial lab. I was pleased with their work. But I think going forward I’ll keep it at home.

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