Tripod Hole Chasing

[Ben Crane]

I became interested in large format photography after seeing the work of masters such as Ansel Adams, John Sexton, Paul Caponigro, and others. When I was starting with the 4x5, I would often try to revisit the "tripod holes" of some of these great photographers (especially Ansel). My purpose in doing this was partially in hopes of creating a master piece of my own, but more realistically I hope to gain insight on why these locations were chosen, see how they have changed, and hopefully learn something that could improve my own work. In some of these locations I found it nearly impossible to make a decent photograph (ie Hernandez, New Mexico) in others I got results that I was satisfied with (Yosemite's Half Dome from the diving board). In recent years, I have made visits to some sites after having seen interesting photographs of the area (ie. Antelope Canyon, Grand Gulch, The Zion Narrows), but usually don't try to find specific tripod holes in these cases although in some cases like the White House Ruin in Chaco Canyon and Yosemite's Glacier Point it is all but impossible to avoid them. I'm curious if other readers have purposely re-photographed in the 'tripod holes' of the great masters and what they have learned from these experiences?

Here is my re-photography of the Ansel's Monolith:

[Bill_1856]

Ben. this is probably hearsy, but I like yours better than AA's.

[Walt Calahan]

Perhaps photographers should adapt the golfing rule of replacing one's divots - thus no tripod holes. Grin!

Bill, there is no hearsy, but the hearsay is Ben has committed heresy amongst the orthodox. Perhaps he needs to go to AA. Double grin!

That said, beautiful image Ben. Good luck with your project, Perhaps the next project is to revisit the tripod holes of Robert Adams?

[Bruce Watson]

I'm curious if other readers have purposely re-photographed in the 'tripod holes' of the great masters and what they have learned from these experiences?

I've looked at it and thought about it, but not done it. At the end of the day, I just don't see the same way as Ansel Adams. Like you Ben, Ansel's prints inspired me to take this large format road. I love his work. But it's not my work.

I think one can learn from the masters, but one has to be true to one's own vision.

[Donald Brewster]

I wonder if Jock Sturges left any tripod holes on the beaches in France, or Peter Gowland in LA . . . . .

[Walt Calahan]

Donald

Let's put together a LF European tour to look for Jock's tripod holes.

You are brilliant!

LOL

[BrianShaw]

In the early 1990's I tried this "tripod hole" idea at two of the Arizona missions: Mission San Xavier del Bac and Tumacacori Mission. I, too, was interested in the 'why/how' of AA and his photos from these sites. I found his locations with no problem.

The images I was interested in are from his 1976(?) Images of the Southwest Exhibit: Missi0n San Xavier del Bac, Tucson, AZ -- "Mission San Xavier del Bac, domes and finials, Tucson, Arizona, ca. 1950"; and Tumacacori Mission, Tumacacori, AZ -- "Churchyard, Tumacacori Mission, Arizona, 1952" and "Interior of Tumacacori Mission, Arizona, ca. 1952".

At San Xavier I found that Adams must have used a viewcamera and a very small aperture. I could not replicate his exact image with my TLR due to keystoning, but with some careful in-camera cropping I could nearly-replicate his image. My interpretation of his vision is *okay*, but not as precisely perfect as AA's. I also learned that he must have used a ladder since I was straining at my tippy-toes because the tripod had to be quite high.

At Tumacacori I found the exact grave photographed by AA in the VERY small graveyard. The image was easily replicated with a TLR and probably would not have been improved with use of a viewcamera (except for the larger negative). The interior of the mission was a different story. Camera movements would have helped a lot and my TLR-shot version was wholly unacceptable!

At both sites, the one thing I learned is that AA took some masterful images, but there were plenty of other great images yet to be taken.

[Alec Jones]

Since a lot of Walker Evans' work was done here in the South, he's been my source of rephotographed sites. I've located and photographed a number of them.

I think it was Mark Klett who coined the term "rephotography" with his books - Second View, and Third View. In addition to those books, there are a number of others - do a search using that term.

The value to me of such work is the pleasure in hours of comparing the old and new shots to see the changes which have occured over time. They are most effective when you obtain good prints of the earlier shot, then hang or present them side by side with your own prints.

The FSA collection is an excellent source of original photographs which can be rephotographed.

[John Kasaian]

Ben,

Tripod holes are unavoidable. Many of AA's tripod holes also covered the same ones as those from photographers who came before him, but AA's photos were profoundly different from what had been done before. Adams writes about this and even gave workshops in Yosemite where the subjects were the same ones He'd been shooting for decades, but the objectives were to assist each student to find one's own vision.

Consider those high dollar fashion models---the same girl is shot by many different "togs" but the pictures all turn out differently(aside from the changing frocks)

I think re-photographing the same subjects as AA, EW, WE, et alia is a useful learning tool, much like art students will go to a museum and sketch paintings of note (or more morbidly--a medical student working on a cadaver) since it permits a student to experience the substantial as opposed to the theoretical.

My 2-cents :-)

[Nicholas F. Jones]

Two different things are being discussed here. One, retaking another, earlier photographer's well known image in order to understand purely photographic matters such as view or non-view camera, choice of lens, aperture and DOF, and of course (tripod) position. Two, taking a new photograph of a scene previously photographed long before in order to appreciate differences in the scene between then and now.

The latter is how I for one understand the term "rephotograph" /"rephotography." Isn't that what the RPS, initiated in 1977, was all about?

A little later, in 1979, Allen Dutton, using 8x10 and 11x14 view cameras, undertook a similar project resulting in the book Arizona Then and Now. Recently I picked up a remaindered copy of Strange But True. The Arizona Photographs of Allen Dutton, the catalogue of a show in Washington D.C. in 2000. Some of his historic photographs go back to before 1900, but others are very recent.

The key to either project, it seems to me, is to have good set of original images to use as a springboard for your own re-takes of the same scene. Dutton certainly did, and his own shots I personally find arresting and well-crafted.