What is Large Format Photography

[Donald Miller]

I'm not being contentious either. I think that 18 foot high rez prints are very cool, but this needs to be on a forum type of it's own that's all I'm saying. You have me "keyed" since like I said before I do similar things but on a smaller scale. (I stitch 2x3 FF 35 mm digital to copy art work for life size reproduction.) Just for curiousity, how fast is that Pix-Orb when making images to stitch? Where do you stitch these files this size, I don't think PS can handle 3.8 gig byte files. Is PTGui that good? (I better shut up too, I don't want to raise the dead here.)

Greg, Rather than inflaming anyone by discussing this further on this thread, I will start a new thread under digital processing or digital equipment and will answer your questions there.

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

However when one looks at the end result, from your perspective and in your opinion, what does large format have to offer other than tradition?

Nothing Donald, this is why perhaps you and Jeff should start a forum about super creative stitched images with ultra big files and leave those of us who still prefer to take our snapshots with big film enjoy the bliss of our ignorance.

Trying to re define the traditional name of this forum, and the tools we use for participation in this forum, to include dslr stitched images is simpy trying to impose your preferences on us close minded ignorant bufoons who prefer big sheets of film.

Just to be clear, you and Jeff are right, there is nothing I can do with my LF cameras that you cannot do better and more creatively with your stitched images and big files. None of my snapshot contact prints will ever be as good as any of your digital prints. So there, you have won, digital is the panacea in photography and nothing is equal to it. Can we move on now and talk about about snap shots taken with big cameras and big film?

[jetcode]

seems to me all the bucking in the world will not change a thing here

the case of cranky old coots versus headstrong young blood now in session, the honorable judge pixel grain presiding ...

[Greg Lockrey]

seems to me all the bucking in the world will not change a thing here

the case of cranky old coots versus headstrong young blood now in session, the honorable judge pixel grain presiding ...

How about if I add this to my reciept header:

LIMITED EDITION PRINTS
Custom Wide Format Pixelography

[David A. Goldfarb]

As I see it, attaching a DSLR or MF digital back to a view camera and using a sliding back or rise/fall/shift to compose a high resolution image is within the scope of the forum as I understand it. You still compose on the groundglass and use the same movements--only the sensor has changed (and the possibility of instantaneous capture for multishot backs).

Using a DSLR or MF SLR with a high resolution digital back and a pano head to compose stitched image is a different discipline in my opinion. It seems more like expanded 35mm or medium format photography to me, only related to traditional large format by virtue of the file size, but not by the method of composition or control of perspective and the focus plane. Of course some of these things can be done in post-processing, but we wouldn't say that when someone tilts the enlarging easel to square up a 35mm image that it becomes large format photography, just as I wouldn't say that skewing an image in PhotoShop or changing the projection of a stitched image digitally makes it large format.

[jetcode]

How about if I add this to my reciept header:

LIMITED EDITION PRINTS
Custom Wide Format Pixelagraphy

Judging by your watercolors (which I admire) I'm surprised you even use a camera.

I have an 8x20 landscape (print size) in the local art show and the show coordinator called me about my 2 hour slot to watch the gallery. He then proceeds to go on about how the art teachers are taking their classes to the show and teaching the kids "why painting is better than photography" ...

apparently the war on art is not limited to this forum ...

[Kirk Gittings]

I stitch dslr images all the time. It is a vital part of my tool kit, but by any definition that is realistic......it is not large format photography (4x5 or larger) or utilize some kind of view camera (the only two points of reference that have always mattered here).

I don't understand the desire to make this forum so all encompassing, which will simply dilute and weaken its focus.

[IanG]

Well put Kirk.

I've stitched digital images together for extremely wide format prints, but they aren't Large Format images, I'll never state they are either. It's a completely different ball game.

Ian

[h2oman]

Scroll to the top of this page. If your camera don't look pretty similar to the prehistoric monster there, it ain't large format photography!

[jetcode]

if anyone knows of a good forum on art or the art of photography with no restrictions on format let me know - while I certainly appreciate all things LF this forum does not cater to my global love of art - time to do some surfing to see what's out there