I started off with a Canon 35mm SLR shooting consumer neg film, then after a year added a digital body as my primary camera. I ended up spending several years shooting principally with my Canon DSLR, and have amassed a pretty decent collection of L glass. I never printed larger than 11x14 (except for a couple stitched shots), and never had any lack of quality in the workflow.

However, I found that I wanted something a little more "tangible" in terms of the image making process. I started doing traditional B&W development in 35mm, then shortly afterwards added a 4x5 and haven't looked back.

Since then, my use of the DSLR has fallen off dramatically. All my creative energies are put into shooting 4x5, and more and more it's with traditional processes and B&W darkroom work. I do still do some color 4x5 work and scan for digital printing, but I find the B&W much more enjoyable.

I find that as a creative outlet, both LF and traditional processes have a more hands on feel to them. The step by step routine of shooting an image is much more enjoyable, and when I have made a final print in the darkroom I feel like I have crafted something myself, rather than something that was spit out of the computer.

Ultimately, I think it's the fact that I was involved - hands on - every step of the way in the crafting of an image that makes it so much more enjoyable to me.