Presented photographs were shot in 1987 – 1993 with old wooden 
large format cameras ranging in format from 9x12cm (4x5”) to 
18x24cm (8x10”) plus recent material on 35mm film. 
The photographs were not intended for a publication or any 
specific show. 
They were for, say, internal use. 

In an attempt to revitalize the spirit, which drove the creation of 
the old large format pictures, and approaching it in a logical 
and systematical way I summarized my method in numbered points:

1. Avoid making photographs if you can.

2. Use old large format cameras from the beginning
 of the 20th century. My favorite is Globus 5x7” by 
Ernemann in Dresden from 1910s.

          3. Use as old film or glass plates as possible. 
Most negatives were made on Soviet Svema film which expired
 in 1978. 
I still have the stock of it.

4. Never ever use a lightmeter.

5. Do not carry a tripod – it’s too heavy. 
Use stones, stumps, trash bins.

6. Never count exposure time in seconds. 
Shutter is not necessary at all. 
I count an exposure by a time of another process I involved in while
 exposing the film. On the presented photographs it varies from 
a ‘sip of cognac’ to ‘three glasses of wine’.

7. Always have a little bit of light in the room when cutting or 
loading film (because it’s good to see what you are doing).

8. Do not hurry to develop a film after the shot. 
Let it mature in the film holder for 1 – 2 years, – also helps to avoid 
shooting new stuff, 
because keeps film holders stuck  with old stuff in (see point 1).

9. Do not measure temperature of the solutions and time of the 
development. What’s the use of measuring it after the 
exposure time was so uncertain (see point 6)?

10. No red light in the dark room. 
Just leave the paper in the developer.

11. Do not mix developer and fixer (I had to write it down 
because I had problems with that).
 Mixing of old and fresh or of film and paper developers is highly 
recommended. Smell a developer to determine if it is good enough.

12. If a picture did not work out after following the method 
consistently that means you were not worth it.