8x20 in the Smithsonian Magazine

[andy]

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/photographic-requiem-americas-civil-war-battlefields-180955746/?no-cache&no-ist

[Oren Grad]

Looks like he's putting two sheets of 8x10 color film in an 8x20 holder.

Also looks like the writer for the Smithsonian didn't understand what she was told about his tools - I can't think of an 8x20" camera that weighs anywhere near "50 pounds". Not that it's impossible, but she was probably confusing the weight of his outfit with the weight of his camera.

[John Jarosz]

Here is his website:
http://eliotdudik.com/gallery/broken-land/

but there's nothing about his technique.

If it were me, I would make the gap between the two sheets as small as possible. OTOH, he's the one in Smithsonian Mag.

Edit: one word means so much

[vinny]

He uses two sheets of 8x10 film.

[andy]

fyi, from an interview here:
http://www.lightleaked.com/2014/06/eliot-dudik.html

"ED: Although they certainly look like diptyches, they are actually one image, exposed simultaneously within the camera. A close friend allowed me to borrow his 8x20 Korona view camera, and I was trying to figure out how I could use color film in it. Traditionally, only black and white film was available for the 8x20. I thought I would try to build a jig that would allow two sheets of color 8x10 film to come together, and slide into the 8x20 inch film holder. The separation in the film also lent to concepts I was interested in exploring, namely cultural and political divides in this country. "

[Pali K]

These are so beautiful. Never thought you could just shoot two sheets of 8x10 in a 8x20 but the result is spectacular and probably makes much easier to process and scan.

[Corran]

I saw some of these when he first started the project (I believe there were threads about it). I like the images, and the technique. I also tried the same thing by just taping two 8x10 x-ray negatives for my tests of 8x20.

[Pali K]

I saw some of these when he first started the project (I believe there were threads about it). I like the images, and the technique. I also tried the same thing by just taping two 8x10 x-ray negatives for my tests of 8x20.

Bryan, did you post any of your double 8x10s here? Would like to check out how your test turned out.

Pali

[John Jarosz]

Well when I did that in B&W (my first tests of the 8x20 camera), I found that there is always some overdevelopment in the edges compared to the center. So when you place the prints side-by-side the overdevelopment of the edge(s) that make up the center of the combined image becomes apparent. So for me I found the printing to be much much tougher(than a single 8x20 neg). Or, there may be some Photoshop work there as well, but if you're going to digitize it, what's the point of (2) 8x10 negs?

His images are very well done. But again, we're looking at a video screen - all you can really tell is about the composition. I'd like to know what we're looking at. Is it a photo of the finished print? the rebates on the negative look too perfect. He is implying that these are 2 simple 8x10 contact prints side-by-side.

[Corran]

HERE's (http://www.oceanstarproductions.com/photosharing/8x20-0030s.jpg)a link. It's not a great image or anything, just testing the camera and there were light leaks and such. My "seam" was almost invisible because the two negatives were right next to each other and I just taped them together. The images from the story have a somewhat thick border at middle, so he must've had something in the center blocking the light.

[Corran]

John, why would there be overdevelopment issues? Wouldn't that depend on the developing method and agitation scheme, rather than how the film was used? As for digitization, there's plenty of reasons one might want to use a hybrid process, but that's probably not a discussion for this thread.

[Pali K]

HERE's (http://www.oceanstarproductions.com/photosharing/8x20-0030s.jpg)a link. It's not a great image or anything, just testing the camera and there were light leaks and such. My "seam" was almost invisible because the two negatives were right next to each other and I just taped them together. The images from the story have a somewhat thick border at middle, so he must've had something in the center blocking the light.

That's quite nice Bryan. Thanks for sharing.

Pali

[Thom Bennett]

Eliot received our PhotoNOLA Review Prize in 2014 and will have a solo show in our gallery during this year's PhotoNOLA:

http://photonola.org/2014-review-prize-winners/

http://photonola.org/

His work was recently featured in View Camera Magazine.