More LF in National Geographic

[Alex Hawley]

Browsing through the November 2004 issue of National Geographic, I took notice of the "On Assignment" article, which spotlights the photography and photographer of one of the issue's main articles. This issue's feature article was on evolution, titled "Was Darwin Wrong?" and this was also the subject of the "On Assignment" article. I was happily surprised to learn all of the photos were taken for the Darwin article were done in Large Format, and color Polaroid to boot!

This is good proof that LF, and LF Polaroid work, is not dead. National Geo is an iconic publication is several respects, and its photography has always been one of those respects. This feature follows the one in the October issue that was shot in LF tintypes, and I think they are both a strong endorsement for LF work. I may write a letter congratulating NG for their support of LF photography.

[QT Luong]

Dan, they have worked out the issue by having photographers sign a contract giving them an extensive set of rights. However, one doesn't have to necessarily accept their fee or terms.

[Melchi M. Michel]

Alex,

I was rather excited to see the LF work in these issues too. I just wanted to correct something in your post:

The images were not shot on polariods, but on Provia 100F (RDP III). Anyone who regularly uses Fuji transparancies should immediately recognize the notch pattern (the transparency borders were included in many of the images).

[Alex Hawley]

Melchi, looks like we are both right. I was looking at the shots in the "On Assignment" article. The article mentions these were polaroids, the proofs I guess. Back in the Darwin article, sure enough, there's the Fuji notches.

[Melchi M. Michel]

Alex,



I'm sorry. I thought I had read the entire magazine, but it looks as if I had completely missed the "On Assignment" section. I just saw the pictures from that section (which are quite obviously polaroids-- probably the proofs, as you said) and I don't know how I missed them before. Maybe my pages had been stuck together.

[Kirk Keyes]

Polaroid used to sell readyload-type packets with transparency film - Fuji made it for them. The film had Fuji RDP notch codes. But I think it's been a while since they sold it though...

Kirk

www.keyesphoto.com