my first 4x5 shot (scanned in): Foggy Woods at Outer Banks

[dh003i]

Here's my first 4x5 shot scanned in and cropped. The original is there too, but because my lens was only 203mm, couldn't get close enough to get the framing I wanted, so had to crop afterwards.

This was the one where I totally screwed up the film loading because I didn't know the film had to go underneath the guide-rails, so the film was misaligned and scratched; but I think I still got plenty of detail out of it at f/45 (could've had more if I used a lower f-stop).

Thoughts, criticisms, suggestions?

[Sascha Welter]

I like your picture with the misty tree and I like that page, as it shows the ability of the large format to crop and still have huge potential for enlarging. I think people worry too much about "do not crop, compose when you're there". If the composition needs some cropping to improve, so what.

[Pete Watkins]

You're really brave using colour sheet film for your first shot. I used a roll film back for weeks before I was even brave enough to use b&w sheet film. Nice shot.
Best wishes,
Pete.

[Imaginara]

Very nice! Love the tones on it and the subtle light.

As for suggestions, you could possibly crop a little tighter to get rid of the left side bush, but not necessary really.

Its fine as it is and a great first shot.

And yes you are brave to use color sheet film I started with polaroids and B&W myself.

[dh003i]

thanks for the input guys...

re being brave to use color film: Why, film is only a couple of dollars? I try to be selective with my shots, but if I see something I like, I want to at least have the possibility of having a great shot with it in 4x5.

It took me a while -- almost a year -- to actually photograph anything with my 4x5. So I took it with me to the OBX, thus forcing myself to use it.

I'm actually going to do B&W with Adox/Rollei Pan-25 negatives too...I want to use the tri-color method (with R, G, B filters) to get superior resolution/grain and dynamic range. Does anyone have any information on the reciprocity failure of Adox / Rollei Pan 25?

Imaginara,

Thanks for your crop suggestion. Are you talking about cropping the 2nd picture (the already-cropped one) further, to get rid of that little bush/shrub in the lower left corner and put the main tree closer to the left side?

[Imaginara]

Lol no i meant exactly like how you cropped the 2nd picture. I actually missed that crop, i blame early senility at 37

[dh003i]

I like your picture with the misty tree and I like that page, as it shows the ability of the large format to crop and still have huge potential for enlarging. I think people worry too much about "do not crop, compose when you're there". If the composition needs some cropping to improve, so what.

My thinking has always been that it's best to get the ideal composition straight away; most of the time that's possible. It wasn't in this shot; if I got closer, I'd lose that view and be too low (and I really didn't want to wade through bog / swamp). Since I didn't have a longer lens (this is why I'm contemplating the G-Claron 305/9), I just used the longest one I had and cropped afterwards.

I also don't see any reason to be hesitant cropping after-the-fact; because if you have a less than optimum composition -- vs. what you could crop to -- then you just have more detail on an inferior picture. I feel a little regretful for film when I have to crop and think about how to do better next time, but as for the shot, that's just a sunk cost.

[dh003i]

PS: I should add that this photo was developed and scanned by Edgar Praus of Praus Productions in Rochester, NY. He does first class work, and is a great guy.

[James Olson]

Could I ask how much it costs to have a 4x5 negative scanned at Praus. I have
been thinking of using them rather than buy a scanner myself

Jim

[dh003i]

James,

Praus' pricing is $55 for a scan of over 201 MB. I think that is getting towards the maximum resolution of his scanner, the Imacon 848. He does great work, and you can see the results for yourself and how much detail is in those crops (mind you, this was a photo shot at f/45, with badly misloaded film, and it still came out great).

I also have Edgar Praus do all of my film-development; I've had about 40-50 transparencies developed since that first shot. Whenever I go in there, Edgar has useful advice for me regarding whatever I ask. You can tell that he really loves his work.

I'm going to have another one of my 4x5's (a railroad bridge) scanned by him and then sent to Eiger Photo for scanning with a Aztec Premier, and compare the results. (I just got done talking with Lenny Eiger on the phone, and he also seems like a great guy). Then I can figure out when I want to send things out for drum-scans.

Mind you, I've only had one transparency scanned so far. I figure I'll just let prices on ultra-high end scanners drop, thus presumably also the scanning price, and only scan if I'm thinking of making a print that I think will sell. I may also at some point buy a "high-end" consumer scanner like the V750 for routine things, although that in no way replaces the $20+K Imacon scanner that Edgar uses, or a Tango or Aztec drum scan. Oddly enough, I don't have a single print of my own from my work (digital or 4x5). I look at the file on my computer, or at the slides on a light-box. I'm also thinking of getting or making a projector for that purpose.