Your method for matching lens to landscape composition

[Leigh]

Hi Alan,

Yeah. I'm just funnin' wif ya.

I carry 16 lenses from 65mm to 450mm for 4x5.
That's the way the kit is packed, and it's not worth the effort to remove any.

The wide selection of FLs gives me a lot of latitude when selecting subjects and views.
I tend toward shorter FLs to ensure that I have room to crop or change aspect ratio if needed.

I have some mobility issues, so I'm never far from the van when shooting. No hiking for me.

- Leigh

[Maris Rusis]

Perfect landscape composition? Easy steps:

1. Learn and use the rules of composition, rule of thirds, all that stuff. People naturally find some picture arrangements more attractive or persuasive than others. The "rules" are the ploys we picture makers use to persuade our audiences to fall in love with our pictures. They don't know why they embrace some pictures and not others, but we do.

2. Have something in mind before you start. Random scouting for masterpieces rarely delivers. A good half-hour think before going out is more productive than a day of bush-bashing or fussing in the darkroom (or in front of a computer) trying to spin straw into gold.

3. Go and get the subject matter you need so that the photograph says what you need it to say. This often involves effort and travel.

4. Put the camera in the subject space so all the things in it have the right relationship front to back and side to side. That's composition finished. What's right? See items 2 and 3 above.

5. After composition comes framing. Framing is not composition. Don't move the camera, don't step forward, don't move away. Doing any of those things changes the composition and you are back to square one. Either change lenses, zoom or crop to include only those things that support items 2, 3 and 4 above. Importantly, always choose the wider angle lens that includes all the subject matter you need. Large format negatives are generous. Include some extra air and crop as required.

6. Complete the picture making process faithfully and without hurtful error.

The resulting picture features good composition and good framing. The goodness comes not from the physical arrangement of pictorial details but because a sentient photographer in full possession of their faculties and skills chose those details, that arrangement. The picture is a mind-map of the photographer; Art in a nutshell.

[Jody_S]

I find I compose landscapes according to whatever lens I feel like using that day and happen to have in the bag. Usually 2-4 brassers of various lengths and configurations. I do urban landscapes and night shoots very differently, but for better or for worse when I do landscape I do think in terms of the lenses I happen to have on me.

[Alan Gales]

Leigh, I figured you were messing with me. If carrying all those lenses works for you then I'm not about to argue with you. I'm sure you know what you are doing. For me though I have found that less is more.

Maris, I don't quite agree with your #5. I do understand where you are coming from with framing is not composition. Sure, there may be a one perfect focal length for your desired composition. The problem lies with practicality. How many focal lengths are you going to carry with you? Leigh obviously agrees with you. He's carrying 16 lenses from 65mm to 450mm.

[Leigh]

As I said, the van is carrying the lenses. If I were back-packing the situation would certainly be different.

- Leigh

[Alan Gales]

As I said, the van is carrying the lenses. If I were back-packing the situation would certainly be different.

- Leigh

Yeah, I understand you, Leigh. You make plenty of sense. I don't back pack either due to a bad back but I do take what I need with me in a big cordura tool bag from Home Depot. It has a telescoping handle and wheels on it. I just started using an 8x10 so I have even less room in the old tool bag for lenses!

I don't think there is any right or wrong answer here. I do think it is a great discussion especially for people new to large format.

[Leigh]

Yeah, it's certainly a matter of personal preference. No right or wrong.

My lens kit is reasonably compact. I long ago standardized on Technika boards.
They're only native to one of the five LF cameras, but I have adapters so I can use them on all.

- Leigh

[Alan Gales]

Smart! I did the same thing. I have learned so much from guys like you on this forum!

I own 3 large format cameras right now. Well, three for me. I have at least another 4 cameras around here I'm going to sell. I sell camera gear to help support my photography hobby or obsession as my wife refers to it. Notice I said help support, 8x10 film ain't exactly cheap but of course you all ready know that!

My Tachi takes Technika boards and I have adapters for my Sinar P 4x5 and Wehman 8x10. My 14" Commercial Ektar however is mounted on a Wehman board. Ilex #5 shutters are huge!

[Leigh]

An Ilex #5 is certainly a large shutter. I have nothing that big. I suppose the Sinar boards would handle it.

For field cameras I have a Toho (yea, Toho, like a Wista), and a Zone VI in 4x5, and an 8x10 Tachihara.
The studio cameras are Sinar F2 in 4x5 and 8x10 (a real 8x10, with the large heavy standards).

If I'm going to shoot something interesting in the field, I take the Tachihara since I have a 4x5 reducing back for it,
and film in both sizes. It simplifies matters a bit, but I still have all the lenses.
Two backpacks plus all the film is a lot of stuff to schlep around.

- Leigh

[Alan Gales]

Nice collection, indeed!

I wish I had an 8x10 standard for my Sinar P like you have for your F2. Field cameras are great for their light weight, I could never carry around the Sinar P in the outdoors but like Frank says a quality monorail is a joy to use!