Large Format Landscapes

[Roger Thoms]

Nice stuff here, as always.

One from New Mexico open country.



Arca-Swiss 4x5, Efke 25 processed as a chrome by dr5

Nice, especially the sky, the clouds are gorgeous.

Roger

[David Hedley]

Grimsel pass

Sinar F, Schneider 180mm, Ilford Delta 100 / PMK Pyro

[Richard M. Coda]

Grimsel pass

Sinar F, Schneider 180mm, Ilford Delta 100 / PMK Pyro

Wow! Beautiful! I'd love to have one of these

[Ken Lee]

Joshua Tree

Toyo 45A Rodenstock Grandagon 90mm F/6.8

Perhaps it's a monitor issue (I'm at work) but I think this is an excellent image - except that the contrast is a bit excessive for my personal taste.

I would love to see a version with greater detail in the clouds and shadows. Not an easy task of course. What are you doing to control contrast ?

[GabrielSeri]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the compliment. What I did to print this image was first put a 0 filter in the enlarger and make test prints to get the highlight detail and then put a 4 filter to get the shadows with test prints. I then printed with the 0 filter the required time and then with the 4 filter. I could also use selectol to bring down the contrast.

I still need to work on developing with the 2 stop bath to rein in my highlights. I'm using rodinal 1:50.

The sun in Joshua Tree is pretty harsh, so my highlights are almost blown out. Any suggestions? It looks pretty good on my monitor but I know it could be better so you are most likely seeing my error as well. The main area that I would have liked to improve would be the "elephant trunk" area that is right next to the whitest cloud. See example.

Thanks,

Gabriel

P.S. I just lowered the levels in photoshop so there is more detail in the highlight I think.

[Steve M Hostetter]

Grimsel pass

Sinar F, Schneider 180mm, Ilford Delta 100 / PMK Pyro

Nice shot,,, check out that figure in the water down on the right and to the far bank..

Blow that up and see what it is ! I think you might have got a Sasquach washing his hands..!

[Ken Lee]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the compliment. What I did to print this image was first put a 0 filter in the enlarger and make test prints to get the highlight detail and then put a 4 filter to get the shadows with test prints. I then printed with the 0 filter the required time and then with the 4 filter. I could also use selectol to bring down the contrast.

I still need to work on developing with the 2 stop bath to rein in my highlights. I'm using rodinal 1:50.

The sun in Joshua Tree is pretty harsh, so my highlights are almost blown out. Any suggestions? It looks pretty good on my monitor but I know it could be better so you are most likely seeing my error as well. The main area that I would have liked to improve would be the "elephant trunk" area that is right next to the whitest cloud. See example.

P.S. I just lowered the levels in photoshop so there is more detail in the highlight I think.

If you're making the print in the darkroom, then it should be fairly easy to burn in the areas you like, using the contrast filters of your choice (if you use a multicontrast paper).

I like the adjusted version: the sunlit stone feels less "bleached out". The distant white clouds look a bit too close to pure white for my taste - but that's me. (I rarely have things in my images that are pure white, because most objects that we see have some amount of texture.)

The subject is a challenging one of course - but I am certain that with a more robust form of contrast control, you could easily encompass the entire range and print on Number 2 paper or its equivalent.

I prefer Divided Pyrocat for this sort of thing: you'd end up having to add contrast to this scene, rather than soften it, believe it or not. Other people like stand development, water bath development, etc.

To me, Divided Pyrocat is a no-brainer: time and temperature are almost irrelevant: the image just comes out in a few minutes and you're done. I've talked about it enough on this forum, and don't want to sound like a broken record.

[sly]

FWIW, rooster - I like the first one better, the second looks too flat for me. Personal taste? monitor issue? photoshop issue? If you're not happy with your print, keep working on it.

[jp]

First one looks best to me. I don't like things blown out, and your it's not, if you look at the right angle at your screen.

Compositionwise, the more I look at it, the more I like it. The view under the arch looks like a reflection in a puddle to me, which is pretty cool. Lots of nice shapes, angles, light and dark.

[Cor]

First one gets the vote from me too, judged on my system, that is...

Best,

Cor