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Anupam
20-Oct-2008, 19:41
I am thinking of an effective way to shoot 4x5 portraits and wondering how well handheld press cameras with RFs work. I am looking for the conventional approach to portraits: head or bust shots, wide open with a pin sharp plane of focus on the eyes and smooth OOF backgrounds. How accurate is framing and focusing. Also, in your experience, what are the shutter speed ranges you can handhold?

Thanks for examples and thoughts on this.

erie patsellis
20-Oct-2008, 21:12
anupam,
google Sanders McNew, if I remember right, or Frank Petronio, he shot a lot of his alt lifestyle work on a 4x5 press (Linhof or speed if I remember)

Anupam
20-Oct-2008, 23:56
Thanks, Erie. I'll take a look.I think Sanders uses a tele-rollei mostly, though and they both use strobes. I'm mostly thinking of available light candid stuff.

robert fallis
21-Oct-2008, 00:06
this is me taken by my grandaughter on my 5x4 crown graphix
bob

Walter Calahan
21-Oct-2008, 04:13
Speed Graphic
http://www.walterpcalahan.com/Cheers/Portfolios/Pages/Portraiture.html#5

4x5 Graflex w/178mm Aero-Ektar
http://www.walterpcalahan.com/Cheers/Portfolios/Pages/Portraiture.html#6

4x5 Graflex w/178mm Aero-Ektar
http://www.walterpcalahan.com/Cheers/Portfolios/Pages/Portraiture.html#7

Ash
21-Oct-2008, 04:42
I use handheld Razzle 5x4, I was in the studio yesterday with it also. See the New Portrait thread for october - http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=41259&page=6 .

All shot with RF, around f/8 or so on 100iso film.

This is probably the best one of my blogs full of image samples- http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=9040683&blogID=374775396

Handheld portrait on fuji instant film with flash, bad scan
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/fda-digi/razzlefujibrief043a_sm.jpg

Night time handheld with flash, again fuji instant
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/amyday3/img003sm.jpg

Outdoor, no flash, b&w
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/razzlefeb/Untitled3.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/razzlefeb/Untitled2.jpg

Studio
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/razzlefda2/img052_sm.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/razzlefda2/img059_sm.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/razzlefda2/img056_sm.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/razzlefda2/img068_sm.jpg


See here for outdoor reportage - http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=30410

jnantz
21-Oct-2008, 04:56
anupam

a lot of the black and white portraits on my website
were done with a press camera ( speed graphic )
none were hand held though, all tripod.
i use a lumedyne flash with the shutter around 1/30 or 1/60 and stop down
to around 11 or 16 with the flash set to 100 ws or 200 ws ( "tupperware lid diffuser" ).
i hand hold the flash and bounce off a nearby wall or low ceiling.
sometimes i put the flash to 50ws and use a faster shutter speed and direct the
flash right to the subject ... sometimes no flash at all ...
it all depends on the space, the person, the situation and the portrait ...

a few were shot with a 35mm, and 6x6 the sameway---camera on tripod, flash off camera ... &C


good luck!

john

Frank Petronio
21-Oct-2008, 04:58
I handheld a lot, if not most, of my 4x5 shots, but I always had a stick up my ass to steady me.

Ash
21-Oct-2008, 05:14
I handheld a lot, if not most, of my 4x5 shots, but I always had a stick up my ass to steady me.

From all the models I thought you simply steadied yourself with a natural tripod arrangement ;)

Geert
21-Oct-2008, 05:47
From all the models I thought you simply steadied yourself with a natural tripod arrangement ;)

You're overrating Frank ;-)

David A. Goldfarb
21-Oct-2008, 05:49
All these are handheld using cammed lenses, no strobes:

Tech V 4x5" and 135/3.5 Planar--

http://www.echonyc.com/~goldfarb/who/9.jpg

Tech V 4x5", DaYi 6x17 back, Gaoersi adjustable 6x17 viewfinder, 150/4.5 Xenar--

http://www.echonyc.com/~goldfarb/who/23.jpg

Tech V 23b, 6x7 back, 105/2.8 Xenotar--

http://www.echonyc.com/~goldfarb/temp/CapnClay,Ulua,HaleOLono,Ansco130,final.jpg

I've been doing a lot of handheld shooting with the 2x3" Technika lately. When I get some of it scanned, maybe I'll post some more.