Only in America-you don't have to worry about it in the UK......Originally Posted by Ash
Aperture and shutter speed are related?????
Only in America-you don't have to worry about it in the UK......Aperture and shutter speed are related?????
Well, perhaps a different take on the subject...
Last week our "photo club" (rather informal, that's why the parentheses are there) had an opening of film-based (analog) B&W show. The intention was to have a kind of "educational" photo exhibition, and we showed photos, but with a twist - together with the B&W traditional prints, we framed also the negatives!
Needless to say, mine were the biggest (4x5 and 5x7 - others had 120 as the biggest ones)
We also showed our darkroom, with all the trays, bottles, graduates, etc. neatly labelled... And the usual trick was to lure the visitors in, turn off the light, and turn on the red safelight, and then the enlarger.
Anyway, since I'm the only purely film-based shooter in the whole bunch (and with lots of outdated gear to boot), I thought it would also be rather educational if I was to show a part of my (working) collection.
So, in a side room I put my "Chinese Deardorff" (Seagull whole plate camera), Speed Graphic 4x5, a couple of Leicas and two of my light meters (Weston V and a Sekonic Studio DeLuxe). A couple of Rolleiflexes, too...
Strewn around as decorations were also some negatives of all sizes, some empty Fotokemika film boxes and several contact print sheets (mainly medium format).
Needless to say, I got quite popular - was filmed by two TV crews, and all the visitors had great time looking at the Seagull ground glass, under the dark cloth
And I got kicks out of telling them with a big smile on my face that the camera is actually defective, as they sent me buggy software, causing the image on the "LCD" to appear upside down... Most of them got the joke...
It was great fun, and I actually thought of you guys, and the usual "Is that a Hasselblad?" question...
I've had lots of questions, ranging from "I've got a Practica at home - belonged to my Dad. It must also be a very good camera, right?" to "Wow, a Rolleiflex - I have one at home!". And when they asked me if the cameras still work, I said "Sure they do! You can still find film for those - see that box over there? Made by Fotokemika, right here in Croatia! And you can see a couple of photos taken with this very camera right there in the next room...." - to which the usual reaction was just the sound of jaws dropping...
Denis
I recall shooting on the beach in Puerto Penasco, Mexico. The beach was almost empty, only few people there. I was potographing sand structures formed by tide. When I was working under the dark cloth a guy with a little compact digital camera appeared and started taking pictures of myself working, what a curiosity!
Jan
a while back i was with my speed graphic doing "street photography"
and some guy asked if i was like that guy "squeegee"
i just kind of laughed and said, "nope, jimmy olson"
I have been to yosemite twice in 2 years [thanks Kev
As my name isn't Man I ignored the voice. Wilderness, even Yosemite can be very quiet and peaceful.
However I hadn't counted on the ability of a digiblaster to fire off a million shot in 10 seconds. Was I wrong? I had to look
"You should be stiching"
Gosh, has my dark cloth begun to unravel?
"This is the latest XYZ wonderblaster and I can shoot this whole valley and fix it in Photoshop."
Now I must elaborate just a bit here ---- Kevin and I had travelled to many spots in and around the Sierra's and I had flown many many hours in a big metal tube with a pilot named Bob carrying way too much LF gear so a bit of sport was in order.
Me -- "Just curious does your new wonderblaster have the additional "new" thin removeable self powered sensor?"
Him - "What do you mean"
Me -- "I've had this camera custom modified to accomodate the very lastest 2gb self powered sensor. Each one is removeable and each one is self balancing and solar powered because of the black colour."
Him -- "Wow 2gb. Are you serious?"
Me -- "Absolutely -- and with the correct cables your Wonderblaster can connect to one, it is the very latest technology. Call your local camera store, I'm sure they can give you advice on where to go. I could tell you but it is better you find out for your self"
thanks for all the great stories guys
I don't have a story to share necessarily (my first LF camera is on the way), but when I was in college, by photography instructor shot with a 20x24 (I think) ULF camera and even had an enlarger for that size (he called it "Big Bertha"). This was before digital (1988) and he emphised the difference that could be obtained between 35mm and an LF camera. from that point on, I alway knew I would want LF.She is right - worrying about minor technicalities like this only hinders the forming of the great creative mind
I've been asked several times if my old Tachihara was a Hasselblad, apparently others have too. I was also asked if I could make color photographs with it. Nobody ever asked whether it was digital though.
But my favorite was the guy who approached my camera as it was on the tripod while I was doing something at the back. He got up to a few inches away from the camera and without saying a word, asking permission, or anything else, leaned his head forward and began staring intently into the lens. I was kind of taken aback and didn't know what to say so I said nothing. He just stood there peering into the lens for maybe a minute or so, then turned around and walked away, still without saying a word. I have no idea what was going on with him but it was a really strange encounter of the large format kind.
Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
OK, here is mine: I usually photograph in areas and in time frame when it's almost impossible to find another human insight (and I'm glad I do). But last year on our photo tour, participants would like to "take a look through my camera". They were all SLR folks, and it surprised me, when from under the dark cloth, I heard the voice saying, where is the image. Well, I later realised, that they were looking through instead on ground glass. And I saw that happen on almost every occasion when SLR photographer goes under dark cloth. But the weirdest thing happened, when I was photographing beside rather busy alpine road: a small coupe car stopped by my side, a window went down, a small P&S would come out pointed in general direction of my camera and a flash went off to illuminate a mountain range a few kilometres away. What an optimist...
Marko
Since I only take medium format or miniature out with me, I often got the "is that a leica?" when I had a Contax or Soviet camera. With a TLR I'm asked if I can still get film for it, and with the Leica people ask "so can it only take black and white photo's??"
Nothing new with my encounters, I'll probably have a LF story to add as soon as I've got a 4x5 restored and 'shuttered' to take out with me somewhere.
EDIT: Just remembered my own first encounter with LF;
I don't remember ever seeing my mother's 10x8 camera, but I do remember seeing the school photographer under a dark cloth. He must have been using 8x20, the images were so long. I wondered about the cameras but it all went over my head back, well maybe 8 years ago now.
In college last year, I took AS Photography (alongside AVCE Art). We were being taught about some cameras and the tutor I despised with a passion decided to talk us through larger format as well. She mentioned that she had been an assistant once, and had to load DDS's, and they cost about £10 or more per shot! "You can't afford to muck it up!" really hyping the small experience she'd had, whilst showing a photo of a LF monorail on the digital projector. All the kiddo's in the class (I'd hit 18 going on 19, they were all 16) were awe-stricken. I was mildly amused. A few weeks after that I stopped attending the lessons - total waste of time. A month or so later I bought my first LF camera.
I'm glad my first experiences of LF weren't my last, or they'd be tainted by the memory of that tutor.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks