First Twenty, v4 - 8x10 portraits

[Henry Ambrose]

First Twenty

Here's the fourth installment of my First Twenty project - (my first 20 photographs on 8x10). I've rearranged the page so the most recent work is now at the top.

I am completely spoiled by the big film and the whole experience of working with this format. In some ways its actually easier than 4x5 as any movements are easier to see and apply. Focusing without a loupe is no problem. The raw horsepower of the huge negative is just amazing.

If any of you have large format portraits to show -- put 'em up!

Thanks for looking.

[Don Wallace]

Henry, you are a keener. Thanks for sharing this. I also just got started in 8x10 and you are an inspiration.

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

Henry, it is refreshing to see someone having fun with their 8x10 as opposed to creating "art" or worrying about burning film needlessly. Good job and a fun little series..... :-)

[Eric Rose]

Jorge echos my thoughts perfectly. Now all you need is an 8x10 Graflex and do it Weegee style LOL.

[Ralph Barker]

"Now all you need is an 8x10 Graflex and do it Weegee style LOL"

Or, an 8x10 twin lens Gowlandflex and photograph young women in bikinis at the beach. ;-)

Nice job, Henry.

[Jim Ewins]

The best looking girls arn't in California!! Great shots. I'm still working on my first 20- will have to get busy.

[Darin Cozine]

What a great collection of photographs!

Thank you for sharing them. Lovely detail in them BTW.

I just exposed my first two sheets of 8x10. Portraits of my wife and kids.
I will be developing them this weekend, but I will be lucky if they turn out at all.

It's nice to see some portraits for a change.

[Henry Ambrose]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments!

I -have- been having fun with this, that's one big part of it. Sometimes photography can be way too deadly serious and if that goes on too long I start wondering why I do it and then stop making pictures and get in a blue funk about the whole thing.

A fun project is one way to get going again and this one lets me learn more about my new camera, the new format and do something different and fresh for me. And I like looking at and sharing the results. Posting it here helps provide the structure to make me finish. Since I've announced to the LF forum and the world that I'm doing twenty pictures, well, I have to finish!

Again thanks for looking and if you have something to show be sure to post it. If you don't have anything to show, you might think about your own little project to get you out photographing! It does not have to be portraits, I picked these because people interest me and they're everywhere! So just go out and make some pictures that YOU find interesting and show them to someone (like here perhaps).