Quote Originally Posted by Ben Horne View Post
I know there are those on this forum that seem to dislike what I do for various reasons, and I suppose there's nothing wrong with that, but it does seem strange to me. I'm a fellow photographer and forum member here since 2009 (though with a different username in my early days) That all being said, the videos are formulaic because they reflect my actual process in the field, and I'm very much a formulaic person. Aren't we all when it comes to large format? The videos reflect my actual experience in the field. They're not something I create for entertainment, or as tutorials. If they were less formulaic, they wouldn't reflect the true experience.

I don't tell other people what to do or how to do things because I see that as talking down to the audience. I simply show the process and explain why I did what I did. As such, I don't consider the clips of me hiking or exploring as "B-Roll" which seems to imply they are just filler. It's all part of the greater story, and my favorite moments in the field are often the ones when I'm exploring and searching for potential subjects. To those who say they want to see more of the photography, well, I record the entire process of taking the photos, which is often very brief. Sure, those moments are fun, but there's far more to these trips than just clicking a shutter. And I also don't understand the comment about picking up trash being "self-congratulatory"? I've visited Death Valley every year since 2009, and every year I pick up quite a few mylar balloons. I pick them up and have kept every single one of them as part of a long-term project to raise awareness of the issues they have on the environment. California recently passed a bill that will ban mylar balloons by 2031. Every fall I spend time cleaning up trash I find alongside the road in Zion not because I'm being "self-congratulatory", but because seeing it there makes it difficult for me to concentrate on photography. It's like trying to get work done on a messy desk. I need a perfectly clean desk before I can have the proper mindset. Picking up trash honestly makes me feel better and allows me to be more productive in the field.
I watch your videos especially since taking up LF photography three years ago. As I mentioned in my earlier post, photography is the whole process not just clicking the shutter. The whole process is contemplative. I especially like how you determine what and how to photograph a subject. That's the most creative part. Keep up the good work. Alan.