Jake Gale

Jake Gale Large Format film photographer and darkroom and alt-process printer specializing in landscape, family, and editorial photography, based in Minnesota, USA.

Spent some time today updating the website. I added an editorial collection and some other recent photos. The basement darkroom/lab is offline for a bit for an electrical project, so this made me feel like I was still accomplishing something!

The Analog Allure of Photographers’ Contact Sheets

Enjoyed this piece from the NYT over coffee this morning: The Analog Allure of Photographers’ Contact Sheets www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/a...

My platinum/palladium developer (late 2023 I think) is aging like a fine whisky. Needs a top-off, though! I’m filtering after each developing session.

I was careless recently and may have accidentally contaminated my developer (Pyro HD). I tested it but couldn’t tell if it was compromised, because unwisely I used a roll of expired 200 iso film and my Holga, at dusk. Tried again using unexpired film and my Leica M3. Seems okay at first glance?

LOL It helps to know I’m not alone!

I submitted this print to the Minnesota State Fair’s juried fine arts competition earlier this year, and learned today that it wasn’t accepted. Only about 10% of submissions were accepted last year, so it was a long shot. I’m a little disappointed but I’m glad I tried, and I learned some things.

It was nice to finally have a chance today to do some proofing in platinum and palladium of an 8x10 image I captured during a week up north celebrating my folks’ 50th wedding anniversary. This is the better of two images, but there’s a distinct scratch that I’ll need to try touching up.

Developed the final rolls from last weekend’s No Kings rally, and because it’s ridiculously hot outside, and because my darkroom is in the basement and the basement is the coolest place in the house, I decided to make contact sheets. It’ll be weeks before I get around to scanning the negatives.

I did some salt printing yesterday. Two of three—the second and third—turned out terribly. Same paper as usual, same amount of chemistry. The failed prints lightened in the fixer and lost all detail in the final wash. This is what the back of the paper looked like. Any ideas what happened?

Some images from the 19 April Earth Day/50501 demonstration in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It took me a while to develop and scan the film. All rolls were developed in Pyro HD, and I’m really satisfied with it so far. Lesson learned: the secret to keeping Maggie happy at a protest is chocolate.

Thank you kindly, @maureenbond.bsky.social! Helps to have a near dead-on southern exposure!

The scene from our roof over roughly six months, captured using a pinhole (can) camera zip tied and gaffer taped to a humble vent stack. A little water intrusion but otherwise no worse for the wear!

Here’s the platinum-palladium print of the Beaver River I shared earlier, this time captured via the copy stand rather than scanner. These are handmade prints and I love seeing the way others apply their emulsion, so it’s fun to be able to share this.

Added a copy stand to the home studio…which is gradually taking over the entire basement. I don’t have access to a scanner that will accommodate larger prints, so hopefully this will do the trick!

50501 Earth Day Demonstration at the Minnesota state capitol on 4/19/25. Kodak Tmax 100 developed in PyroHD. The reel malfunctioned and I damaged the film, but I really like the chemistry. I’ve stocked up on 35mm, as there’s going to be a lot of this in my future.

Trying Pyro HD as a more economical developer, compared to what I’ve been using (Ilford DDX). This stock solution (100ml) should dilute to 10L of working solution at 1:1:100, which seems crazy. Like all things film, I’ll believe it when I see it…

North of University Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota. March 2025. Industrial neighborhoods are playgrounds for large format photography, especially on Sundays when they tend to be deserted. I loved the “marbling” on the pavement here, created by loose bitumen and salt deposits.

Jake, @jakegale.bsky.social, pt/pd and salt!

Found chair in ice, March. I’m disappointed in this image. I really liked the subject but I badly misjudged the metering and had to do a lot of editing to make it serviceable. I had hoped to print this, but the only way that’ll happen will be as a digital negative which I’m not equipped for!

Platinum palladium proofs from an 8x10 negative made in 2023. Fast Eddie!

Platinum Palladium print from an 8x10 negative on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag, March 2025. Image made on the North Shore of Lake Superior in November 2024.

Lovely afternoon in Midway Saint Paul with the big camera. Time well spent.

Platinum palladium print from an 8x10 negative on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag. 01:25 exposure FTW.

Iowa Legislature passes bill removing civil rights protections for transgender Iowans Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate passed a bill Thursday afternoon to remove state civil rights protections for transgender Iowans, sending it to Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk for her signature.

If anyone’s civil rights can be stripped away, if anyone can be effectively disappeared, then so can you. Don’t assume this will stop here.

I have the house to myself…perfect for some quick Platinum Palladium proofing. These are the results after some test strips, with the original proof at rear. Contact print of an 8x10 @ilfordphoto.com negative using a light box and chemistry from Bostick & Sullivan.

Onion River rock, north shore of Lake Superior, January. When it gets cold enough it’s possible to hike upstream on many of the frozen rivers flowing into Lake Superior. The Onion is smaller and quite intimate once you get way from Highway 61. Coldest ever large format outing for me, -5f.

Baptism River, Tettegouche State Park, November. Time spent composing an image next to a cascading river is time well spent, regardless of the result.