Location shooting with a Buddy who shoots digital.

[Gene McCluney]

I love large format, and I shoot large format. A buddy and I go out almost every week and shoot vintage steel an Iron truss bridges and historic stone and concrete bridges. This is my ongoing subject.

He shoots digital only, and I shoot 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 b/w film. It is an interesting contrast to travel and work together, as we both share the same passion for the old bridges, and we travel together well.

When it comes time to shoot though, He can put on a light backpack that seems to weigh nothing, and climb down river banks and walk waay out away from the bridge to get a side view without even breaking a sweat while I am still sorting out what I want to take down the bank.

Many times I get out to where I want to shoot, and find I don't have the right lens or I forgot the dark cloth or something, and I get kinda stressed because he is a few clicks away from being done and I have yet to even level the camera.

He takes it good naturedly though, and I get my photos. I wouldn't want to shoot digital myself of my personal projects (such as this). It would take all the fun out of it for me.

[Ash]

Maybe you should hide his stuff, and get a head start :D

[Juergen Sattler]

That's one of the reasons I only shoot by myself - I hate the feeling to be rushed - which I always feel when shooting with others who do not use LF. My wife is incrediblt patient and puts up with my slow progress, but even with her I feel I need to hurry up. When it's LF I use, I am alone.

[darr]

I choose to shoot alone as well. Every time I have tried to share the time with someone else, (non LF photographers and male), they were always trying to help me when I didn't need it. Maybe it is just a guy-girl thing, but it eventually tired me out from trying to contain myself instead of exploding. :D

Darr

[Daniel_Buck]

sometimes shooting with someone else with a different format is fun, sometimes it's not as fun because they finish so quickly and you're still on your first shot.

I also shoot digital, and if I'm going with someone who isn't used to waiting around for me to finish, then I'll just skip the LF it and bring my digital, more enjoyable for both parties :-)

I enjoy my LF shooting best when I'm alone, or when I'm with someone who truly has no problems waiting around (or exploring the immediate area while I work), and who has the good sense to let me do my thing without bothering me :-)

[Ron Marshall]

I've shot with friends that shoot digital and LF. In both cases we found we prefered to drive to the site together, shoot alone then meet for lunch. Worked best in both cases.

[Greg Lockrey]

What you need to do is shoot with someone who shoots extreme panos with his digital. You'll find that his set ups are as long as yours. ;) ;) :)

[David Karp]

Go out shooting with someone who uses ULF formats. Then you will start to feel like your friend! :) :)

[Glenn Thoreson]

I wish I could just go where there are old iron truss bridges and decaying architecture to photograph. If anyone bothered me or hurried too much, I could always drown 'em or hit 'em with a rock. :D

[Bill_1856]

I photographed last Autumn with a little hand-held digital Canon Rebel, while the two ladies I was shooting with used 6x10 and 12x20.
Frankly, I enjoyed seeing them take their time to set up, while I was running around shooting here, shooting there.... And when I ran out of subject matter I was pleased to sit in the car and nap. I didn't feel that they were holding me up, or that I was pushing them to hurry.
I think that it worked out nicely -- at least for me. How they felt, I don't know.

[Rakesh Malik]

I take my 4x5 kit with me when hiking, and the rest of my friends shoot digtial, or are just along for the ride.

My experience has been great with this arrangement; I'm usually ahead of the pack anyway, at least until I stop for a picture, at which point most of the group winds up finding something to photograph. I don't feel like I'm rushing them, and they usually like the break when I shoot. I also don't feel held up by my gear, I just take it with me everywhere, in spite of the weight of my pack.

:)

[wclavey]

I choose to shoot alone as well. Every time I have tried to share the time with someone else, (non LF photographers and male), they were always trying to help me when I didn't need it. Maybe it is just a guy-girl thing, but it eventually tired me out from trying to contain myself instead of exploding. :D

Darr

Here, let me help you with that...

[Andrew O'Neill]

Go on your own. Working with some one can be fun, but some times a pain. The worst is when you want to put your tripods in the same spot...or when he starts setting up in your shot.

[Marko Trebusak]

I tried it with a good friend of mine. Luckily he is very polite, as I was just starting up with my LF. It was a good lesson and we are still joking about it, but now days I reserve LF for when I'm alone, and use digital when I'm in a company. Luckily for me, I'm quite often alone, and can choose what to work with.

Marko

[eddie]

put rocks into his pack to make it heavy.....may only be fun for you. :)

one question. does your friend have a problems with the arrangement? if he does not then you should not. seems like it is working just fine.

i shoot with many photographers and formats. when i make an invite i just say i shoot LF and it is slow. so they know. they can also go do whatever they want...no need to stay by my side.

i find it fun and interesting to shoot with others. i learn a lot on so many levels. and it is fun to talk about photography between shots or over food.

i also like shooting alone.

[Gene McCluney]

put rocks into his pack to make it heavy.....may only be fun for you. :)

one question. does your friend have a problems with the arrangement? if he does not then you should not. seems like it is working just fine.

i shoot with many photographers and formats. when i make an invite i just say i shoot LF and it is slow. so they know. they can also go do whatever they want...no need to stay by my side.

i find it fun and interesting to shoot with others. i learn a lot on so many levels. and it is fun to talk about photography between shots or over food.

i also like shooting alone.

My buddy doesn't complain. It is all within my head feeling like I am slowing things down. I really don't want to shoot alone in the locations I go to because of the possibility of falling and injury and no one to seek help. He is getting into digital infrared and also gradiated ND filters and tripod shooting, so he is slowing down.

[Bill Kumpf]

Sometimes my wife and I will shoot together. She shoots digital and I shoot 4x5.
She will walk around and snap off several shots then go back to the car and read. I will spend what time I need to finish my shots.

I do look at her work when I return to the car. More than once I held gone back to duplicate one of her shots. That costs me dinner at least………………

[Alex Wei]

I take my 4x5 kit with me when hiking, and the rest of my friends shoot digtial, or are just along for the ride.

My experience has been great with this arrangement; I'm usually ahead of the pack anyway, at least until I stop for a picture, at which point most of the group winds up finding something to photograph. I don't feel like I'm rushing them, and they usually like the break when I shoot. I also don't feel held up by my gear, I just take it with me everywhere, in spite of the weight of my pack.

:)


I did the same thing last weekend. If I carry a light weight 4X5 system with 2 lenses, I don't feel like its weights that much and I can catch up with my digi buddies no matte where they go. Even with my Chamonix whole plate camera in the bag, I can do the same. I took it to hike several times and feels fine.

Normally I would shoot alone, but if a digi friend want to go together, I won't mind and he knows my pace and he is fine with that too, If I feels like I am going to spend a long time at the location, I will tell him we can meet somewhere at certain time, so both of us feel comfortable.

Enjoy shooting:)

PS. Here is a picture of me with my 4X5 and hiking friends.

[Jim Graves]

Ask him if he'd mind carrying a couple of lenses for you ... and then hand him two brass 8x10 Petzvals ... that'll slow him down.

[IanMazursky]

I always go with a friend or a family member. I feel to exposed (pardon the pun) when im alone.
I have had too many outings, even with someone that i felt exposed. Between the dogs, people and crazies its always interesting.
My favorite line that happened only a month ago when i was shooting the 12x20 was....Hey is that Digital? What file size does that get?
Hah! I couldn't resist egging them on but in the end, we had a good conversation on photography.

Taking a friend is great, even if they bring a digi cam, they help document the trip.
Many of the shots of me on my site came from my friend and his little digi camera.
Without that, no family member would believe that i have actually shot the 12x20.

And it doesn't hurt to load them up with camera bags or film holders.

[Chris C]

My only shooting buddy is digital only. He took photography at high school a few years back though so understands my love for film and is getting a better and better understanding of big film. Usually I'll just plod on for a shot or few while he wanders off. We kind of do our own thing but catch up and talk about what each other's seen every 5-10 minutes though which is a nice way to do it. He doesn't feel held back, I don't feel rushed.

[Bob McCarthy]

Maybe you should hide his stuff, and get a head start :D

Better yet just hide his CF card (or equivalent). He'll never notice it missing until he goes to take the shot and will have to go back to the car to look for it. By the time he finds it, you'll have set up, taken the shot and you can be the one waiting for him.

Payback,

bob