Large Format Landscapes

[OCM]

(Cross posted on FM)

Last weekend I made the short trip up to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At the time I went, most of the trees were still bare. Also, the days that I was there were nothing but clear skies. Therefore, I decided to load up some 4x5 black and white film and concentrate on waterfalls and cascades. I drove to the park well before sunrise so that I could avoid both the crowds and direct sunlight. One of my biggest reasons for avoiding the Smokies up to this point (even though it's essentially in my back yard) has been the large amount of people. However, I have discovered that if you arrive before the sunrise, you can still have the entire place to yourself; it was very peaceful and I look forward to exploring the great park more!

The first image below was taken somewhere along the Middle Prong. Cascades like these are literally everywhere you look in the Smokies and the trick is bringing some order to the chaos. For this image I tried to anchor it with the water sweeping into the lower left corner and the rock on the lower right.

Images 2 and 3 were taken at Spruce Flats Falls. This hike is not listed on the trail map, but it is definitely worthwhile. Beginning just behind Tremont Institute, a short, easy hike leads to a beautiful set of falls. I had the entire place to myself for almost two hours. As I was packing up to leave, I probably passed 50 people on the trail! Timing is everything. Also, I can report that your feet will go numb in under a minute while standing in the water.

All images were self-developed in Ilfosol-3 and scanned with an Epson V700. C&C welcome and appreciated.

Smoky-Mountains003-copy by skiers4life, on Flickr
Shen Hao 4x5, Ilford Delta 100, Fuji 90mm, f/45, 1:20 exposure, Polarizer


Smoky-Mountains001-copy by skiers4life, on Flickr
Shen Hao 4x5, Ilford Delta 100, Nikkor 180mm, f/45, 3:00 exposure, Polarizer


Smoky-Mountains002-copy by skiers4life, on Flickr
Shen Hao 4x5, Ilford Delta 100, Fuji 90mm, f/45, 1:20 exposure, Polarizer

Well done Alan!
Superbe photograph!

[OCM]

This was with a Bender 8x10 camera -- that I built from a kit -- and a Turner Reich Triple Convertible lens, using the 12 inch element. I'm not too happy with it.

Attachment 114007

Why not, finarphin? My modest opinion maybe is that scan could be better, only but I haven't from of me the sheet. I like very much this landscape.
Regards.

(Sorry for my poor English)

[OCM]

Wilson Peak, SW Colorado, two weeks ago.



Deardorff 8x10, 450mm Nikkor, Artista 125.

Awesome, David!

Light, constrast, sharpeness and compo are perfect in my opinion.

Printing a contact with this sheet would be an honor for me.

[finarphin]

Gracias, OCM, I'm glad you like it.

Tolerances. Everything in photography revolves around tolerances: lens design, shutter construction, everything. The photographer handles the tolerances in depth of field and range in tone. Here I didn't think I achieved a good result, especially if we want to hold to the tenets of the f64 group. Zone I and Zone II (the trees) have merged. There is blocking on the Porcelain Wall (below the Diving Board, to the right of the face). And there is an unsuccessful differentiation between the figure (Half Dome) and the ground (the sky). On top of that I find it to be soft. I forget where I focused, but it was somewhere in front of the face. Washington Column (on the left) is fairly sharp, and the buttress leading away from Half Dome on the right is likewise fairly sharp, but Half Dome itself is soft. It was either f45 or f64. I couldn't believe it.

The scan could be better, especially since this is a scan of a print, rather than a negative. I think if I worked with it in the darkroom for a couple of days I could improve it, but there's something wrong with it in the range of tone, something that I notice with almost all the prints from this camera and lens, which I don't find in prints done from negatives from my 4x5 and a Schneider Symmar. Of course this is a contact print rather than an enlargement, maybe that has something to do with it.

[OCM]

Thanks for your kind explanation finarphin. I agree with you.

When a negative gives me problems probably due to complex exposures, sometimes when I make a print, I use as chemistry with Amidol. I take a nice surprise, just sometimes ...

Regards.

[kabbott]

Here is an image of the Arthur Ravenel bridge in Charleston, South Carolina that I recently made on Ektar with my Crown Graphic (4x5) and a Caltar 210mm f/6.1 lens:

[RHITMrB]

Mather Point by Isaac Sachs, on Flickr

[StoneNYC]

Mather Point by Isaac Sachs, on Flickr

G Canyon?

[RHITMrB]

G Canyon?

Yep.

[StoneNYC]

Yep.

Been there at 5am in -15 degrees and wind to get some good morning shots... Too bad they were on a Mamiya 7 so I can't show ya