The Razzle in Action (Portraits)

[Ash]

I decided to post these separately, although they'd fit in the portrait or new picture posts.

A little while ago (many thanks to ManGo, and the others from rfcameras forum) there was a small meet of RF users at the UFFC Protest in London.

Here are the shots from that. 4x5 in the Razzle. It was surprisingly easy to use. Shot at f/8 with around 1/125 I can't remember - pushed to 800iso (that much I do remember).

[Ash]

[Ash]

[Colin Robertson]

Ash, this might be the best stuff you've posted yet. Calm, engaged, direct. Very fine.

[Ash]

Thanks Colin

I do like my ad-hoc portraity stuff.

[Asher Kelman]

I have enjoyed this set of pictures especially and bookemarked this page!

Ash, you have done a great job in recording them mood of the demonstation. The one with the priest is a real character shot!

Tell us, how many shots in all did you take? Were these ready loads and what film? Did you use the RF or did you zone focus.

What film?

Did anyone else have shots too with Mamiya VII, Leica'a and the like?

Anyway, this is a magnificent job and great that you share.

Asher

[Frank Petronio]

Ash - gotta teach you to find the black eyedropper tool on curves...

I hate to be a prick (but I am one, so what the hell) but how are these any different than what you would have shot with a 35mm? They look like they were shot with a Nikon, which speaks well to the fast-footed nature of the Razzle and your growing skill, BUT they don't really exhibit any of the character of the large format format that you've gone to such great pains and expense to use.

[Christopher D. Keth]

Originally Posted by Frank Petronio

Ash - gotta teach you to find the black eyedropper tool on curves...

I was about to mention the same. The darkest tones on there are around 30 in RGB.

[Randy H]

Originally Posted by Frank Petronio

a prick (
I am one,
how are these any different than what you would have shot with a 35mm? They look like they were shot with a Nikon, which speaks well to the fast-footed nature of the Razzle and your growing skill, BUT they don't really exhibit any of the character of the large format format that you've gone to such great pains and expense to use.

yep. you could just get a 35mm P&S and go to the local roach-hotel... seems I've seena few of them shots around here....

And in what manner should it "exhibit the character of..." if you gonna crit, at least elaborate.



Lookin good Ash.
Keep shootin'

[Frank Petronio]

Ash can take it, he is in art school ;-) Besides, have you seen his piercings?

By "exhibit the character of..." I mean that the pont of going through the trouble of using 4x5 over 35mm or digital is to gain something... whether it be the increased resolution (impossible to see on a 600 pixel wide jpg online) or richer tonality or a more dramatic difference in the depth of field and edge separation... or maybe in how the subjects react to being photographed with a larger camera? To my thinking at least one of those factors needs to be the reason for using the larger camera.

Now I could take my roach motel P&S and go shoot a shot of Half Dome in Yosemite and the resolution of the one-hour photo CD might be good enough that I could Photoshop it and post it online here and claim that I did it with my 12x20 Ebony with the Super Symar XXL lens. And maybe I could fool you over the interweb. But when you see the actual prints side by side, even the most dense casual observer will see a huge difference between the P&S and the large format.

But with this work, I don't know that I would. They are fine photos in themselves. I just don't see the point of using 4x5 to get them.

And yes of course, all encouragements to Ash, he has come a long ways. But kissing up to him isn't going to make him a better photographer, and yeah, he should understand how to talk about his work and also how to get a black in his scans.