Large Format and Contemplative Photography

[tim atherton]

Intersting post on Paul Butzi's blog

http://photomusings.wordpress.com/20...e-photography/

watcha think - slowpoke fumbly LF types or contemplative LF types...?

[stevebeyer]

I think I am a fumbly contemplative photograher.....

[Michael Graves]

He missed my category.

Fumbly inconsequential photographer.

[Diane Maher]

Who cares and why does it matter? Just go out and shoot your chosen subject.

[Greg Lockrey]

I'm definitly fumbly, but I look contemplative.

[Vaughn]

Frustrating article. The author seems to be right on and pretty open minded, and then goes super judgemental...back to reasonableness, then back to judgemental.

I suppose if someone pointed a gun at my head and said I had two minutes to set up my 8x10 and take a photo, I could. Without the gun, I see no reason to rush and I enjoy the whole experience of carrying the camera, looking at the light, setting up the camera and studying the image on the ground glass. Sometimes I even wait many minutes for the light to shift or change before taking the photo. For me the whole process is contemplative -- not a speed contest.

But I suppose that if he wishes to judge my 25 years of experience using and teaching LF based on how long I am under the darkcloth, that's cool. It just means that I can't place a whole lot of trust and value on his ability to judge.

Vaughn

[Brian C. Miller]

Who cares and why does it matter? Just go out and shoot your chosen subject.

Hey! Some of those subjects shoot back! (There's a few times when I've been the subject of some street photographer.)

Seriously, I don't do much with small formats because then I'm left with a big reel of shots to make. Yes, I think that half-frame is neat, but filling up 72 good exposures takes some time. I do agree with Paul, you should be able to set up your camera and make the exposure quickly. I can make a shot with my Pentax 6x7 or Graflex Super Graphic in about the same amount of time. The 8x10 is slower because it weighs a lot!

[Kirk Gittings]

I don't get it. Much wasted verbiage. I'm never sure why Butzi thinks that what goes on in his head is of any broad interest.

[Marko]

I don't get it. Much wasted verbiage. I'm never sure why Butzi thinks that what goes on in his head is of any broad interest.

In all fairness, this could be said for most of us too, and he is at least doing it on his own site and on his own dime.

I do agree about not getting his point, though. If speed is of any importance, there are other formats/capture methods that would be much better suited to the task.

[Joel Truckenbrod]

I think the biggest pitfall is that everything is dealt with in broad generalizations. The key is being able to respond to the situation at hand in the best possible manner. In other words, judgment and experience come into play. There is a time to slow down, look, adjust, and simply respond. There is also a time to set up and have the film exposed in a minute or two.

I do agree that there is some degree of romanticism attached to the notion of "contemplative" large format photography, but I also think that how he defines what that even is, is short sighted. Just my $0.02.