Large format photography, or photography in general is for me a long-term journey. A series of experiments, variations and continual tinkering in hopes of getting what I see in my head to to a final print. I am often inspired technically by what I see in historical works. What really pushes my buttons is smoothness of tones and a dimensionality that looks like you can reach out and touch what you're looking at. From what I've seen I see this most often in images made using LF with film like Kodachrome which is obviously not still in production. With that in mind I have been working to find a way to achieve a similar look and feel that is reproducible and intensional. I have finally achieved something close to what I'm looking for but I need to continue to see if I can do this with different subject matter and different lighting situations.

Here is an image that is closest to what I'm working toward:


2013 Hot Rod Reunion by ScottPhoto.co, on Flickr

This was made using a Speed Graphic with the Aero Ektar stopped down to f8. This shot is on Kodak Ektar and the black and white conversion done in PS as the colours were entirely too distracting to my eye. Compositionally it is strongly average but I love the tones, smoothness and dimensionality. Scanned on an Epson V750. Toned but no sharpening or other PS trickery has been applied.

The big challenge to me is achieving a 3 dimensional quality in a 2D world. The only thing I can equate this to is the first time I achieved a three-dimensional, spacial sound from my two-channel audio system after upgrading my turntable, tube-preamp and optimizing my speaker placement while listening to "For Duke", one of the most incredibly recorded LP's of all time.

This is another "aha" moment in my journey.


Tim
www.ScottPhoto.co