Hey, That Was Awkward

**dazedgonebye** · 10-Jan-2009, 16:30

Well, I sat my kid down on a chair and set the Crown up in front of him. Really very little light available and little thought to posing (not something I've done much of). I just wanted to get my first shots through a large format camera.
I have to say, that felt awkward. I used an improvised dark cloth for focusing, but I had to shoot nearly wide open, so...we'll see. I did get a little fancy by actually using a bit of shift(? rise in the portrait orientation) to get the edge of the window out of the picture. I was proud of myself for remember that.
Anyway, next is seeing if I can actually process the things. I did a wet run last night and I think I'll be able to swing it.
Scans, if they're not too embarrassing, soon as I can.

**David Karp** · 10-Jan-2009, 16:51

Hope it was fun too.

Starting with LF portraiture is pretty brave. My first LF photo was of an old locomotive's wheel. Not much chance it was going to move anywhere!

Congrats, and have lots of fun.

**BrianShaw** · 10-Jan-2009, 17:10

That is the kind of photography when I thank God that my Graphic has an accurately calibrated rangefinder.

**jnantz** · 10-Jan-2009, 17:37

the best thing to do
to make things seem not THAT awkward
is to open one of those collapsible reflectors
and have it smack you in the face when you remove it
from its pouch.
it helps if you have shoes
as well.

good luck with the processing !

john

**dazedgonebye** · 10-Jan-2009, 17:56

Yea...I didn't think the portraiture thing through. On the other hand, I'm up to my rear in snappin' alligators this weekend and not sure what else I could have shot at.

I do know I messed up one of the 4 shots. I took the darkslide out while the shutter was still open from setting up the shot. I'm guessing I'm not the first one to do that.

**Frank Petronio** · 10-Jan-2009, 18:02

Year ago my 2 year old daughter was standing on a table so she could be up at her Mom's level for a 4x5 portrait. I was focusing under the darkcloth and told her to back up. Suddenly she disappeared from the ground glass -- she walked right off the edge of the table.

That's embarrassing. At least your kid wasn't damaged.

**BrianShaw** · 10-Jan-2009, 18:45

Originally Posted by dazedgonebye

I took the darkslide out while the shutter was still open from setting up the shot. I'm guessing I'm not the first one to do that.

And if you ever put the darkslide back in and forget which sheet was inadvertantly exposed... you wouldn't be the first.

**bspeed** · 10-Jan-2009, 18:56

my first misadventures - now about 2 weeks into LF were :
way too much front tilt. Nice "photoshop" effect resulted.

double exposed one negative.

accidently allowing the dark slide to open up - result of using rubber bands for "safety".
the rubber band got caught on another holder as I grabbed the holder. lesson was "slow down".

scratching (badly) two negatives with the kodak 4a hangers during developing.

**David Karp** · 10-Jan-2009, 20:45

Originally Posted by dazedgonebye

I do know I messed up one of the 4 shots. I took the darkslide out while the shutter was still open from setting up the shot. I'm guessing I'm not the first one to do that.

This is my specialty.

Originally Posted by BrianShaw

And if you ever put the darkslide back in and forget which sheet was inadvertantly exposed... you wouldn't be the first.

I have taken to immediately pulling the film out when I do this. It is nice, you can show it to all the people who are asking you what the heck you are doing with that old fashioned camera. Or to the people who don't understand when you say the word "film."

**Richard K.** · 11-Jan-2009, 09:30

Originally Posted by dazedgonebye

I do know I messed up one of the 4 shots. I took the darkslide out while the shutter was still open from setting up the shot. I'm guessing I'm not the first one to do that.

We should check with the rest of the forum members but I think that you ARE in fact the first one to have done that! Whew! Thanks for pointing this out!