Large Format Landscapes [Archive] - Page 8 - Large Format Photography Forum

mandoman7

14-Jul-2010, 08:21

Dear John;
The graveyard is very haunting and the image is beautiful. I have a question. I notice that on my monitor the image looks to be toned differently in different areas of the print. Some warm, such as the area from the front gravestones to the back gravestones and the area in front of the front row of graves to the middle of the road and to the Joshua tree, seems much colder in tone. Is this intentional or is it just my monitor?
Denise libby

Its not intentional. Its a strange anomaly from my computer when a little toning is applied that appears to vary in different locations. If I had caught it I would have corrected it before posting. This used to happen with selenium and sepia toning in the darkroom, too, ironically. Someone else commented that it was over-sharpened as well.
I'm glad the image is worthy enough for people to be concerned about it presentation, and welcome suggestions for improvement, so thanks Denise and Ezzie.

jim kitchen

14-Jul-2010, 09:01

My step-father tells the story...

Mike

Dear Mike,

I am not certain whether you were in Alberta or not, but Alberta's free-range ranches can be quite large, and since I must introduce myself to the ranchers before I enter their property, the ranchers quickly speak to me about their non visible property boundaries. Their pride overflows when they talk about their land, and the added value that their ranch brings to Alberta's economy. I visited a few free-range ranches in Southern Alberta during the past year or two, where several free-range areas were surely larger than 10,000 Hectares, and where this land mass is approximately equal to thirty-nine uniquely Canadian "more or less" square mile land sections, or approximately twenty-five thousand acres. I am usually told to just follow the fence line, and I will not get lost… :)

Alberta's foothills, complete with the free-range ranches that back into the leeward side of the Rocky Mountains, along with the ever-changing weather, are a wondrous place to visit.

jim k

David Hedley

14-Jul-2010, 10:37

Alberta's foothills, complete with the free-range ranches that back into the leeward side of the Rocky Mountains, along with the ever-changing weather, are a wondrous place to visit.

I must travel there one day; the landscape looks epic.

One from earlier this week - Alplisee
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4793385553_50084b9307_b.jpg
Toyo 4x5, Rodenstock Grandagon-N 75mm, Ilford Delta 100 / PMK Pyro

Pat Kearns

14-Jul-2010, 10:41

Jim,
IIRC you are a petroleum engineer or the likes. If I had an office view like yours it would be pure joy to get up and go to work everyday. When I retire I want to come up and ride to work with you. Simply beautiful landscape in your neck of the woods.

mandoman7

14-Jul-2010, 10:46

http://images38.fotki.com/v1212/photos/2/1219782/7565497/Esierra1a-vi.jpg
4x5, 305 g-claron
E. Sierras from nr. Bodie

mandoman7

14-Jul-2010, 11:29

http://images51.fotki.com/v749/photos/2/1219782/7565497/E_Sierra2a-vi.jpg
E. Sierra view of Mono Lake.
305 G-Claron, Chamonix 4x5

14-Jul-2010, 12:16

http://images19.fotki.com/v193/photos/2/1219782/7565497/Cemetery-vi.jpg
nr. Goldfield, Nevada
9.5 dagor

Looks like a shower coming through. Nice tone (except for the mentioned irregularities)

The rain falls on the just and the unjust.

I'm not usually in the habit of dropping scripture, but it seems right for a cemetery scene.

mandoman7

14-Jul-2010, 13:02

Looks like a shower coming through. Nice tone (except for the mentioned irregularities)

The rain falls on the just and the unjust.

I'm not usually in the habit of dropping scripture, but it seems right for a cemetery scene.

It was sprinkling and blowing quite hard. My guide, Jim Galli, was laughing at me as my dark cloth became nearly useless in the wind. The scene, though, was indeed evocative as I thought of these people going to work in a mine (or whatever?) and then ending it as a name on a rock in the middle of the desert. There were strikes of lightning happening over the hills to the left...

mandoman7

14-Jul-2010, 15:05

http://images114.fotki.com/v660/photos/2/1219782/7565497/bankb-vi.jpg
Safe deposit box at Bodie
75mm SA, Chamonix

spkennedy3000

15-Jul-2010, 01:31

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4795293335_7b2029ef40_b.jpg

Toyo Vx-125b 72mm Schneider Fuji Pro 160s

David Hedley

15-Jul-2010, 08:08

Another from earlier this week at Alplisee;
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4796600870_6901424215_b.jpg
Toyo 4x5, Schneider 180mm, Ilford Delta 100 / PMK Pyro

jim kitchen

15-Jul-2010, 20:02

Safe deposit box at Bodie...

Dear John,

Your images are quite spectacular... :)

Nicely done.

jim k

jim kitchen

15-Jul-2010, 20:05

Another from earlier this week at Alplisee...

Dear David,

Another great image... :)

As I mentioned earlier, you sure get around our planet.

Nicely done.

jim k

jim kitchen

15-Jul-2010, 20:12

Great images everyone... :)

A recent image.

jim k

264 Street West and 434 Avenue West Junction, Cowboy Trail, Alberta, Canada, 2010

http://largeformatgroupimages.jimkitchen.ca/images/10052305.jpg

Joel Truckenbrod

15-Jul-2010, 22:45

Great images everyone... :)

A recent image.

jim k

264 Street West and 434 Avenue West Junction, Cowboy Trail, Alberta, Canada, 2010

So when's the book coming out Jim? Please add me to your pre-sale list. :D

mandoman7

15-Jul-2010, 23:11

Thanks Jim.
http://images110.fotki.com/v571/photos/2/1219782/7565497/BodieHouse1b-vi.jpg
Bodie House #2

spkennedy3000

16-Jul-2010, 01:41

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4798837060_ef7fa697a7_b.jpg

Toyo VX-125b Fuji Pro 160s Schneider 72mm XL 4x5"

Ezzie

16-Jul-2010, 02:36

So when's the book coming out Jim? Please add me to your pre-sale list. :D

+1

Peter Mounier

16-Jul-2010, 07:46

Mandoman, David, and Jim
Excellent images! I particularly like the E. Sierra pics Mandoman.

Peter

David Hedley

16-Jul-2010, 13:00

Thanks, Peter and Jim.

Jim - I was fortunate enough to spend several years in different parts of Asia a few years ago, when I started taking photography seriously. However most of my recent images are within a day's drive of where I live. If you do publish a book of your 'Cowboy Trail' images, I'll be one of the first in line.

jim kitchen

16-Jul-2010, 23:52

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your comments... :)

The proposed book and text require several more landscape images, portraits, historical notes, and the time to complete the task. I am approaching the twenty percent milestone.

A recent image from a late snowy afternoon in April.

jim k

Spring Snow Squall, Williams Coulee Road, Free Range, Cowboy Trail, Alberta, Canada, 2010

http://largeformatgroupimages.jimkitchen.ca/images/10040402_daVinci.jpg

Darren H

17-Jul-2010, 05:05

More nice stuff here everyday.

Jim, your Cowboy Trail images need to be a book or at least a great exhibit. Fantastic theme and images!

RmFrase

17-Jul-2010, 07:29

Jim,

Absolutely fantastic image - would have loved to have been there to see it.

-Robert Frase

Spring Snow Squall, Williams Coulee Road, Free Range, Cowboy Trail, Alberta, Canada, 2010

http://largeformatgroupimages.jimkitchen.ca/images/10040402_daVinci.jpg

David Hedley

17-Jul-2010, 09:21

Epic, Jim.

Another recent one - this is the Plessur river running through alpine meadow towards Arosa;
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4801617655_ebb9c6881e_b.jpg
Toyo 4x5, Rodenstock Grandagon-N 75mm, Ilford Delta 100 / PMK Pyro

mandoman7

17-Jul-2010, 09:33

Mandoman, David, and Jim
Excellent images! I particularly like the E. Sierra pics Mandoman.

Peter

I appreciate your encouragement Peter. Thanks.

KenM

17-Jul-2010, 16:22

Hey Jim, a couple of queries about your photos from the Cowboy Trail - how many are 'road kill' (taken from the road), and how many while hiking? Are most of them 8x10? And, they all look to be taken with WA lenses - true? Just curious.

Great shots btw. You must live in the south part of the city so you can get to Hwy 22 without too much effort. Being in the north part of the city, it would take a bit too long to go there 'on a whim'...

Cheers!

Kirk Gittings

17-Jul-2010, 16:24

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your comments... :)

The proposed book and text require several more landscape images, portraits, historical notes, and the time to complete the task. I am approaching the twenty percent milestone.

A recent image from a late snowy afternoon in April.

jim k

Spring Snow Squall, Williams Coulee Road, Free Range, Cowboy Trail, Alberta, Canada, 2010

Really nice Jim.

http://largeformatgroupimages.jimkitchen.ca/images/10040402_daVinci.jpg

Steve M Hostetter

17-Jul-2010, 16:26

Andrew ren

17-Jul-2010, 17:35

[CENTER]Spring Snow Squall, Williams Coulee Road, Free Range, Cowboy Trail, Alberta, Canada, 2010

This is nice. Jim, these can be put together as an excellent study.

Andrew

jim kitchen

17-Jul-2010, 19:16

Gentlemen,

Again, thank you for your kind words... :)

The Cowboy Trail images just happen to be there as I travel along the trail during my free time, whether I am driving a pickup truck, hiking, or horseback riding on a rancher's property. I truly believe that I am just a lucky soul to be in a certain place, at any given moment during the day, at any point along the trail, and especially when I believe that the planets are properly aligned. The trail's scenery changes constantly, and it can exhibit very dramatic skies with spectacular cloud formations and, or dreadfully boring vistas with a very expansive Alberta blue sky. The latter cloudless condition drives me frigging nuts, especially when I must unfortunately wait for the clouds to return. If the cloud formations do not return, I go home.

Ken, my images are captured by hiking into the rancher' property when I do not receive permission to take a 4X4 pickup truck onto their property, or from the top of the pickup truck's flatbed when permission is granted and, or when I dismount from the back of a rancher's Quarter Horse. I have three lenses for my 8X10, where one happens to be a 210mm, another at 300mm, and the last lens is 480mm. I use the 210mm as my primary lens, while capturing any Alberta landscape, unless the scene dictates a tighter image. I do not drive anywhere on a whim, but I drive with purpose to specific area, knowing that the scenery beneath the expected cloud formations will not move. I decided to focus on the southern and central part of the trail during the past year, remembering that certain areas along the trail contain a very strong compositional base that could generate a truly spectacular image, especially when the cloud cover presents itself in an excellent and dramatic fashion.

And Robert, I could have used your help after I captured that image, because the pickup truck decided to bury its fat heavy butt into a very soft section of the rancher's field, causing me to walk a few embarrassing kilometres to the rancher's home, where I politely ask him for help just as he and his family were about to start their dinner. His generosity was overwhelming, because he told me that the task would be taken care of properly, once I had dinner with his family. A benefit I did not expect to receive, but surely welcomed...

The trail's PDF map can be seen here: http://www.thecowboytrail.com/map.html.

Again, gentlemen thank you for your comments.

jim k

jim kitchen

17-Jul-2010, 19:37

Another recent one...

Dear David,

Great image... :)

I must get off my butt and try that film, and that developer combination you happen to use. I do admire the tones that you generate using that combination.

Nicely done.

jim k

Darren H

18-Jul-2010, 09:03

More great images here. Good job all!

Here is one from last year in Big Bend. Taken on Velvia 100F and converted in CS5 to monochrome.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4805284578_aa06b5daaa.jpg

Arca-Swiss 4x5 with Nikon 210mm lens

David Hedley

18-Jul-2010, 09:07

Thanks, Steve & Jim.

Darren - I like that very much, and in particular the contrast between the sky and the landscape.

EdWorkman

18-Jul-2010, 09:50

Jim
I hate to say this since you have made such inspiring photos of the sky, but i love the way you capture the effects of the clouds- light and shadow on the ground.
I couldn't help squinching my eyes to view a 1:7-ish panoramic at the bottom of your "April Snow Squall" [ and others]
Thanks very much for sharing
ed

Peter Mounier

18-Jul-2010, 10:42

Darren
That is very nice!

Peter

Darren H

18-Jul-2010, 11:02

@David and @Peter

Thanks! The color version was ok on this but monochrome took it a much nicer direction.

jim kitchen

18-Jul-2010, 11:17

Jim
Thanks very much for sharing...
ed

Dear Ed,

Merci... :)

This image is approximately 23.5" X 38" at its finished size, where the detail present within the sunlit trees happens to be wonderfully visible, and yet very subtle like the entire base of the image. I waited for the sunlight to reappear, knowing that there were breaks in the cloud cover, but not knowing where it would light again. Sometimes you get lucky, although my luck changed very quickly with a bottomed out pickup truck in the soft rancher's soil.

For example, the trees within the full size image:

http://largeformatgroupimages.jimkitchen.ca/images/10040402_cropped.jpg

Again, thank you.

jim k

mandoman7

18-Jul-2010, 11:18

I like it too, Darren. A nice arrangement of tones with a beautiful rendering of the distant peak. Bring more. :)

EdWorkman

18-Jul-2010, 13:03

Darren
Big Bend
YES monochrome really does it- The wonderful light doesn't need a blue sky and green cacti
thanks

RmFrase

18-Jul-2010, 15:50

18-Jul-2010, 19:30

Gentlemen,

A recent image from a late snowy afternoon in April.

jim k

Spring Snow Squall, Williams Coulee Road, Free Range, Cowboy Trail, Alberta, Canada, 2010

After printing that, I'd shut down the darkroom for the night, even if it was the first image. No topping that anytime soon.

jim kitchen

19-Jul-2010, 22:37

Great images everyone... :)

Merci, jp498.

Darren, nicely done.

A recent image.

jim k

Township Road 280a, Cowboy Trail, Alberta, Canada, 2010

http://largeformatgroupimages.jimkitchen.ca/images/10052409.jpg

mandoman7

21-Jul-2010, 10:15

http://images56.fotki.com/v1602/photos/2/1219782/7565497/Monofr_bodieRd_3c-vi.jpg
Mono Lake & E. Sierras
4x5 Chamonix, 75mm Schneider SA
I feel unworthy presenting clouds in the shadow of Kitchen, but there's a benefit in making an effort at least...

h2oman

21-Jul-2010, 12:22

Wow, what a stunning pair of images! I like the hole of clear sky in the midst of the clouds, John.

Clouds leave this place where I live in early June, not to return until September or October - I'm feeling their absence! :(

Darren H

21-Jul-2010, 12:27

[CENTER
Mono Lake & E. Sierras
4x5 Chamonix, 75mm Schneider SA
I feel unworthy presenting clouds in the shadow of Kitchen, but there's a benefit in making an effort at least...[/CENTER]

Fantastic image! A great location well presented. Actually it stands out as one of the more unique images I have seen from the Mono Lake area as most folks are standing by the tufa towers at the lake or seem to be over at Bodie. This is different and very well done.

BTW-yes, you have a lot of sky but this seems different to me from a Jim K image. Maybe its that most of Jim's seem to be looking mainly up and this seems to be looking down the valley. Does that make any sense?

By all means show us more!

jim kitchen

21-Jul-2010, 15:06

Dear John,

I am truly humbled... :)

Your images surely generate a wondrous luminosity, don't they?

Nicely done.

jim k

brianam

21-Jul-2010, 15:34

agree heartily with Darren and Jim -- that's a great image John!

Maybe it's the foreground, but it reminded me of Don Kirby's 'grasslands' portfolio:
http://www.donkirbyphotography.com/gallery/grasslands.php
[Note to self: buy his book. I really like this work too... :]

mandoman7

21-Jul-2010, 16:43

Thanks fellas. I'm the one that's humbled, Jim. I felt pretty lucky to have that scene unfold in front of me, although I did trudge, "a bit off the main road", as they say.

I admire Kirby's work and see the analogy, Brian. In a way, I think we all fall into similar patterns with certain compositions. I like how grasses can set up a contrast to an image that has a lot of horizontal movement, as, I'm sure, have many before me.

Thanks Darren for taking a good look. You've made me look at it more closely myself. :)

David Hedley

22-Jul-2010, 00:31

Sublime images, Jim and John. I have no clouds to offer;
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4810039682_dd21b9642f_b.jpg
Alplisee
Toyo 4x5, Rodenstock Grandagon-N 75mm, Ilford Delta 100 / PMK Pyro

jim kitchen

22-Jul-2010, 06:42

Dear David,

Thank you for your comments, and it seems to me that your excellent images are truly above the clouds... :)

Nicely done.

jim k

Heroique

22-Jul-2010, 08:32

...I have no clouds to offer...

No clouds here, either – just clear skies above, slushy July snows beneath.

I didn’t reach the summit, but I took a shot before descending (Cascade range, Washington).

A super-contrasty scene – and since I wanted all the evergreens to show, I exposed them for zones 3, 4 and 5. This of course came with a price – it forced the snow into zones 8 and 9. To save the highlights, I developed the film in a very dilute concentration of HC-110 – about 1+123 direct from concentrate (not stock), and developed for 19 minutes in 68° F, w/ a little bit of agitation every few minutes. The compensation effects came to my rescue, saving more sunny snow than I thought possible.

Tachi 4x5
Schneider 150/9 g-claron
Ilford FP4+ (in dilute HC-110)
Epson 4990/Epson Scan

Allen in Montreal

23-Jul-2010, 08:52

More great images here. Good job all!

Here is one from last year in Big Bend. Taken on Velvia 100F and converted in CS5 to monochrome.

Arca-Swiss 4x5 with Nikon 210mm lens

Very nice Darren.

........

A recent image from a late snowy afternoon in April.

jim k

Spring Snow Squall, Williams Coulee Road, Free Range, Cowboy Trail, Alberta, Canada, 2010

http://largeformatgroupimages.jimkitchen.ca/images/10040402_daVinci.jpg

Damn Jim,
that is perfect.
Just gorgeous!

mrladewig

23-Jul-2010, 12:47

Punchbowls - Queen's Canyon

E100G, 75/f8 Super Angulon, f32, 4sec, 3 stop soft GND

http://ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/2769-1/45_E1G_201000723_005.jpg

I also shot this on Ektar 100 and am hoping that I'll keep better shadow detail on the top section. I'll get to scanning that soon.

ufpd

24-Jul-2010, 11:16

Hi!
This one with a Shen Hao 45A, Schneider 75mm f8, tmax 100.
Location: Carilo, Argentina
I hope you´ll enjoy
Greetings

Alejandro

http://ufpd.net/dr/naufrago2.jpg

h2oman

24-Jul-2010, 12:50

Nice image, Alejandro. Clean and simple.

Like others, I've been inspired by Jim K's Cowboy Trail cloudscapes. I set out a couple months ago to try to emulate him, and the attached is the best I could do. We grow potatoes (e or no e? Call me Dan Quayle!) around here, more than cows. The light line across the bottom of the frame is spray from irrigation sprinklers. The rock formation is called the Peninsula, for reasons unknown to me. I'd speculate that it was a peninsula into Tule Lake before the Army Corp of Engineers drained the area for farmland. It is near Newell, CA.

Any critiques or suggestions for improving the image would be welcome!

Ken Lee

24-Jul-2010, 14:10

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/img609b.jpg
Massachusetts
Sinar P, 450mm Fujinon C
5x7 HP5+, Pyrocat HD

jim kitchen

24-Jul-2010, 14:29

Gentlemen,

Great images everyone, and thank you for comments too... :)

Attached is an image that I captured several years ago, and an image that I probably showed before within the sunset thread, but it was an image that reminded me of an incident, and a comment about looking up to the clouds. I truly believe that when the opportunity presents itself, any expansive, interesting, and well-balanced foreground should add value to an image, such as John's recent image, and if the clouds add more value than a cluttered foreground, I do point my camera to the clouds, where I try to minimize my image's support with a clean simple baseline.

As for the incident, my heart was broken that very day by a beautiful, but tenacious Alberta Black Widow, so I stopped along her rural road on my way home to give my mind and body a brief reprieve, and to try to capture this image. The developing scene was more interesting, compared to my fretting about her terrible bite, and I also decided to see whether she had any siblings hiding in the shrubbery, so I could possibly step on them. Actually, the more I think about it, her image happens to be well placed beside several Webster's Collegiate dictionary definitions. Damn, I how I love those free spirited cowgirls add new meaning to your life, during Stampede...

It’s funny how an image can trigger a dormant memory cell or two...

I have not added this to my Cowboy Trail series, but I might.

jim k

Sunset and Shrubbery, South and West of Okotoks, Alberta, Canada, 1986

http://largeformatgroupimages.jimkitchen.ca/images/86073016.jpg

mdm

24-Jul-2010, 15:07

Massachusetts
Sinar P, 450mm Fujinon C
5x7 HP5+, Pyrocat HD

That is the nicest photograph I have seen in this thread for some time. The whites on the barn roof and the verandah give it some zing. I bet the owners of the farm would love to have a copy.

This thread is pure cliche, thank you for breaking the mould. If you managed to delete this thread, accidentaly, most of the lost photographs could be replaced by posting just one photograph.

David

Heroique

24-Jul-2010, 16:47

...This thread is pure cliche, thank you for breaking the mould...

I dunno, David – if I complained about clichés, I wouldn’t rhapsodize about a barn in the country. ;) Me, I like & learn from many of the clichés here, and whether my images are original or just “typical,” in each case I try to return the favor by providing a useful insight, or sharing a fun narrative (like Jim’s Alberta Black Widow). I think the widespread sharing here invites many more people than the clichés keep away.

mandoman7

24-Jul-2010, 18:07

mdm

24-Jul-2010, 18:50

I dunno, David – if I complained about clichés, I wouldn’t rhapsodize about a barn in the country. ;) Me, I like & learn from many of the clichés here, and whether my images are original or just “typical,” in each case I try to return the favor by providing a useful insight, or sharing a fun narrative (like Jim’s Alberta Black Widow). I think the widespread sharing here invites many more people than the clichés keep away.

Still a valid opinion. Formula=wide lens. Big sky + strip of foreground or Big foreground + strip of sky. Filters coming out of the ears. A nice balanced one one was the recent one posted of mono lake with bushes in the foreground and a hole in the clouds above the lake, that was good, it had a sense of place and the light was nice.

Look at this link http://lenscratch.blogspot.com/2010/07/russ-martin.html This guy takes lots of photographs (not lf) of the same thing, the same things others on this forum photograph over and over again, they still manage to produce many different lines and compositions and values in their photographs. If I had hostas available to me, I would be there trying to produce something good too, and no doubt failing but that is preferable to plonking down the camera and thinking, hm, this is a leaf, or hm, this is a landscape and churning out another routine big sky/big foreground. Is there no other way of seeing a landscape?

Of course, I am an arrogant ____, there is huge value in the taking of a photograph and of sharing it, and no one should be afraid of posting a photograph because of what others may think or say. But also we should not be afraid of calling a spade a spade, in case of causing offence. I have inflicted lots of rubbish on this forum myself and would take no offence to robust critiscism. Do you post photographs for the pleasure of shareing the results of our hobby/passtime/profession, or to garner approval?

Perhaps as pennance someone would like to lend me a wide lens and a red filter and I can do my time on the big skys under which I live my life.

David

h2oman

24-Jul-2010, 19:48

David, you make a good point. I told myself I wasn't going to get sucked into this, but here I go!

First off, try as I may I can't even seem to get good cliche images, much less something original! I suppose there are others at this forum like me who struggle enough just trying to learn the craft of LF, much less make meaningful images. :D

When I want to take a landscape shot, I need to choose a lens. If it is an image of a wide open landscape, it seems that a wider lens best conveys the feel of the land, which is what I think many of us are trying to communicate. In spite of this, I think the image I just posted was using a 150 lens on 4x5, not particularly wide.

Then one must decide where to put the horizon. Occasionally the middle works, but often not. Could then go with the rule of thirds, but that's a bit formulaic. That leaves a narrow strip of land or a narrow strip of sky. Or you can leaveoutthe ksy o r the land, morelikely the sky. Check out Charles Cramers' website - it is a rare image of his that contains any sky at all.

What then does a person do to be original? I really like Michael Kenna's stuff, but a lot of it feels cliche now that many other people have created images very similar to his.

It is a rare image, be it landscape, portrait, flower, etc., that is not cliche to those who have looked at a lot of images. Ken's image looks unique in this thread, but if someone started a thread of "pastoral landscapes," barns would probably be well represented...

So what the heck am I getting at? I don't know, I guess I'm just streaming a few thoughts. I'm glad you posted your comments, and I take issue with, but not offense at, them. For all you others, keep the images coming, cliche or not! :)

mdm

24-Jul-2010, 20:11

Actually, I have a book somewhere titled 'Golf is Not a Game of Perfect'. Click the shutter and it is gone, just like a golf ball. Only thing left to do is take the next shot.

dlin

25-Jul-2010, 07:36

http://www.dlinphotography.com/sitebuilder/images/Blue_Hen_Falls_03_print-600x442.jpg

Below Blue Hen Falls, Cuyahoga Vallen National Park

Negative: TMY developed in Pyrocat HD
Print: Agfa Classic toned in selenium and thiocarbamide

StevenJohn

25-Jul-2010, 09:05

Knoxville, TN
90mm Grandagon
FP4+ in Rodinal 1:50

Robert Belcher

25-Jul-2010, 09:25

First off, try as I may I can't even seem to get good cliche images, much less something original! I suppose there are others at this forum like me who struggle enough just trying to learn the craft of LF, much less make meaningful images.

It is a rare image, be it landscape, portrait, flower, etc., that is not cliche to those who have looked at a lot of images. Ken's image looks unique in this thread, but if someone started a thread of "pastoral landscapes," barns would probably be well represented...

So what the heck am I getting at? I don't know, I guess I'm just streaming a few thoughts. I'm glad you posted your comments, and I take issue with, but not offense at, them. For all you others, keep the images coming, cliche or not! :)[/QUOTE]

I think that many of us here are in the same stage of learning as h20man--first the technical aspects of the craft and then the art of LF imaging . I am less than a year into this and I have yet to create an image that I am willing to share. I am getting better at the technical part of making an image (thanks in no small part to the discussions I read on this forum) but the art and vision part are developing much, much slower. Therefore, I study the images I see here and in other venues--determining what appeals to me about the image and what doesn't. And I try to emmulate those images and, by doing so, learn something of the craft and, hopefully, hone my visualization skills. I am thankful for forums like this where so many skilled, talented artists exhibit their work (cliche or not) and provide me, maybe unwittingly, a visual thesis for my art training.

As to cliches, as many images as have made and exhibited (and, more recently, posted on some website or other electronic venue) over the last 150 years or so, I suspect there are very few that aren't cliche at least in some respects. And those vey few are created by the real artisrts of this medium--some of whom exhibit their images on this website and one day will be recognized alongside the greats of this medium.

Like h20man, I like'em. Please keep them coming.
Robert

mandoman7

25-Jul-2010, 09:40

Knoxville, TN
90mm Grandagon
FP4+ in Rodinal 1:50

I like this shot Steven. A distinctive arrangement.

Robert Belcher

25-Jul-2010, 10:06

Oh! And one more thing. Many of you have been at this LF thing, or some other art form or medium, for 10, 20, 30, 40 or more years developing your art and craft to the point where your images are not cliche but are truly unique art. Most of us aren't born gifted, talented artists but have to work to develope those gifts and skills and, in that process, produce much cliche work. I suspect even Michaelanglo produced some cliches in his body of work.

One of the wonderful things about this, and other forums, is that people like me have available to us the benefit of the hard work and experience (cliche or not) of people like you to help us in climbing that learning curve.

mandoman7

25-Jul-2010, 10:31

I think that many of us here are in the same stage of learning as h20man--first the technical aspects of the craft and then the art of LF imaging . I am less than a year into this and I have yet to create an image that I am willing to share. I am getting better at the technical part of making an image (thanks in no small part to the discussions I read on this forum) but the art and vision part are developing much, much slower. Therefore, I study the images I see here and in other venues--determining what appeals to me about the image and what doesn't. And I try to emmulate those images and, by doing so, learn something of the craft and, hopefully, hone my visualization skills. I am thankful for forums like this where so many skilled, talented artists exhibit their work (cliche or not) and provide me, maybe unwittingly, a visual thesis for my art training.

As to cliches, as many images as have made and exhibited (and, more recently, posted on some website or other electronic venue) over the last 150 years or so, I suspect there are very few that aren't cliche at least in some respects. And those vey few are created by the real artisrts of this medium--some of whom exhibit their images on this website and one day will be recognized alongside the greats of this medium.

Like h20man, I like'em. Please keep them coming.
Robert

At the very least, David's cliche accusation has prompted some good comments.

As you've suggested, Robert, the question of what is cliched can be elusive. For some, any work that doesn't involve alternate processing is mundane. For others, its about the arrangement of shapes and not whether the subject matter is new. For yet another group, its about the subtle tonalities and the emotions they evoke. The point being that, as a viewer, we might be jumping to conclusions that a piece is derivative, and be missing what the artist is actually trying to do.

It might be, also, that the poster's observation was more about the responses to the work on this forum than the work itself. It does seem that the more Ansel-like work gets more response on the forum, along with long exposures of water movement, or approaching storm scenes. Conversely, sometimes there are distinctive images that get posted but get little response. Its a group that has its tastes, for better or worse, like any focus group. If getting good responses on the forum is your only goal, then the cliched shots mentioned might be something to shoot. If you're trying to get in a gallery, they might want something different.

There's a flip side to an over stringent approach to being "creative" that I've seen among artists, though, too. Replicating the mannerisms of a creative person doesn't make you a creative person, yet we see characters in funny hats with wispy beards selling work like crazy in the downtown galleries. Originality is where you find it.

The best thing for this group to think about is posting work as often as you can manage, whether or not it qualifies as great art. Its good for you and the group at large. The family with the active discourse is healthier than the one where everyone withdraws with hurt feelings. I believe its growth inducing to put it out there and find out what people think, even with the occasional hurt feelings, and that its likewise educational to watch other people present work and get varying responses. Its not the real world, but its nonetheless a place where things can be learned through participation.

Robert Belcher

25-Jul-2010, 11:03

At the very least, David's cliche accusation has prompted some good comments.

As you've suggested, Robert, the question of what is cliched can be elusive. For some, any work that doesn't involve alternate processing is mundane. For others, its about the arrangement of shapes and not whether the subject matter is new. For yet another group, its about the subtle tonalities and the emotions they evoke. The point being that, as a viewer, we might be jumping to conclusions that a piece is derivative, and be missing what the artist is actually trying to do.

It might be, also, that the poster's observation was more about the responses to the work on this forum than the work itself. It does seem that the more Ansel-like work gets more response on the forum, along with long exposures of water movement, or approaching storm scenes. Conversely, sometimes there are distinctive images that get posted but get little response. Its a group that has its tastes, for better or worse, like any focus group. If getting good responses on the forum is your only goal, then the cliched shots mentioned might be something to shoot. If you're trying to get in a gallery, they might want something different.

There's a flip side to an over stringent approach to being "creative" that I've seen among artists, though, too. Replicating the mannerisms of a creative person doesn't make you a creative person, yet we see characters in funny hats with wispy beards selling work like crazy in the downtown galleries. Originality is where you find it.

The best thing for this group to think about is posting work as often as you can manage, whether or not it qualifies as great art. Its good for you and the group at large. The family with the active discourse is healthier than the one where everyone withdraws with hurt feelings. I believe its growth inducing to put it out there and find out what people think, even with the occasional hurt feelings, and that its likewise educational to watch other people present work and get varying responses. Its not the real world, but its nonetheless a place where things can be learned through participation.

Thank you for your comments. I do welcome criticism; I don't always like it, but I do learn from it. And rarely do I get my feelings hurt by critism. You are also correct in that I am remiss in not posting my own stuff. I will rectify that. Thank you again.
Robert

mrladewig

25-Jul-2010, 12:15

David Aimone

25-Jul-2010, 12:25

Lovely tones and well done with the contrast. If cliche, even Mozart had to practice his scales...

Well, I guess I've got some more cliche rubbish to add to the pile.

This is the same setup as my last, but shot on Ektar 100, which has worked better for me in this high contrast situation.

http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/2777-1/45_Ektar1_201000725_002_sm.jpg

David Aimone

25-Jul-2010, 12:26

NOT to say that I think the shot is cliche...:rolleyes:

25-Jul-2010, 14:29

That is the nicest photograph I have seen in this thread for some time. The whites on the barn roof and the verandah give it some zing. I bet the owners of the farm would love to have a copy.

This thread is pure cliche, thank you for breaking the mould. If you managed to delete this thread, accidentaly, most of the lost photographs could be replaced by posting just one photograph.

David

I'm all for breaking the mould, but I see personal styles more than cliche. Although in general landscapes are easy cliche, I see more cliche in the still life category of photography. Still life has a long and health history in the art world, so it's apparently not written off as cliche, but it's not my thing generally, but that's how I see it. Sometimes certain things like Weston's images of vegetables transcend my prejudice about the category for example.

The cowboy trail photos are to me sort of like the Equivalent series of photos. The clouds make the photo, it's something everyone has access to with their own eyes and camera, an unassuming composition, simple. Jim makes this wonder into photos and I don't get tired of looking at them, nor do I tire of the style. I wish the clouds would stay that way till they got to me! They can through his landscape photography. He's created a style to be emulated. Sometime after he's dead, people will criticize students for copying the Cowboy Trail style. Then call it cliche if you want.

Robert Belcher

25-Jul-2010, 14:54

Catawba Valley, Roanoke County, VA
Schneider 135mm APO Symmar f22 @1/125
Tri-X 320
I think that I loaded the film incorrectly and managed to fog the film.

Darren H

25-Jul-2010, 15:34

Well, I guess I've got some more cliche rubbish to add to the pile.

This is the same setup as my last, but shot on Ektar 100, which has worked better for me in this high contrast situation.

I think you are right, this did capture the light and contrast much better. On the first one I thought to crop the sky completely out and just focus on the water. Here it all works much better.

Amazing how a change of film "makes" the image.

Thumbs up!

Nana Sousa Dias

25-Jul-2010, 15:35

I've been out for a while since my last post on page 174.

Great images I've seen from that page untill this one.

Congratulations to all of you, guys, for your beautifull photographs.

Nana Sousa Dias

25-Jul-2010, 15:39

Ken Lee

25-Jul-2010, 15:46

Cliche or original, Beauty is always... beautiful :)

h2oman

25-Jul-2010, 15:51

Knoxville, TN
90mm Grandagon
FP4+ in Rodinal 1:50

That's awesome!

Sal Santamaura

25-Jul-2010, 17:18

...This is the same setup as my last, but shot on Ektar 100, which has worked better for me in this high contrast situation...Was the 3 stop soft NDG used on that Ektar sheet too?

Your second version is magnificent, enough to make me reconsider color film. Apologies in advance if I do start using Ektar, thereby inspiring Kodak to drop it. :)

Where did your image originate? Scanned negative or print? How do you print? And where do you have the film processed? I never found a lab that delivered even skies with C-41 sheets -- does yours?

Thanks in advance for your answers and inspiration!

mrladewig

25-Jul-2010, 20:58

Was the 3 stop soft NDG used on that Ektar sheet too?

Your second version is magnificent, enough to make me reconsider color film. Apologies in advance if I do start using Ektar, thereby inspiring Kodak to drop it. :)

Where did your image originate? Scanned negative or print? How do you print? And where do you have the film processed? I never found a lab that delivered even skies with C-41 sheets -- does yours?

Thanks in advance for your answers and inspiration!

Thanks for your kind words all.

Sal,

I'll do my best to answer your questions.

A 3 stop soft GND + 81b were used on this according to my notes. The exposure was f32, 8sec, EV range 6-14.7.

My process is to scan my processed film, then prepare for print in photoshop. I typically have my larger prints made by chromira printers on RA-4 materials and can recommend a couple labs for digital printing if you're so inclined. I do 16X20 and smaller prints on an Epson 3800.

I use a couple labs in Denver, Colorado for my film processing and both have delivered good processing, though there are occasional issues. I've never had any issue with uneven development in skies on any film though.

SergeyT

25-Jul-2010, 22:25

I typically have my larger prints made by chromira printers on RA-4 materials ... I do 16X20 and smaller prints on an Epson 3800.

Mel,

Beside the size, on a comparable paper, which print usually look better: by Chromira or Epson ?

Thank you

dh003i

25-Jul-2010, 23:00

Jim Kitchen, mandoman7, and David Hendley all have excellent landscapes.

Jim Kitchen's image focuses mostly on the clouds, the the trees as a kind of "dramatic background" -- a high-impact image, stark. The attention of the viewer is very polarized.

mandoman7's is a more neutral, classic type of photograph, split into approximate thirds. The attention of the viewer is more evenly split, with focus on the land and the clouds as a dramatic backdrop. The ground scenery is very serene, while the sky contrasts that.

David Hedley's image is dramatic with the foreground and background, yet serene. It feels like an eyelevel type shot that pulls the viewer in.

Sascha Welter

26-Jul-2010, 01:24

Knoxville, TN
90mm Grandagon
FP4+ in Rodinal 1:50

Wonderful play with foreground + background, flowers + flower pattern on this one Steven! The single sunflower standing up to the horizon and the big one in front make me believe that the camera position was actually carefully chosen. There's of course a bit of luck with the sky having such a delicate cloud pattern to reflect those flowers, but I strongly believe that luck comes deservedly to the ones who are working to make it welcome! I really would like to see this in a proper print instead of on a computer screen!

Sascha Welter

26-Jul-2010, 01:34

This is the same setup as my last, but shot on Ektar 100, which has worked better for me in this high contrast situation.

Funny, when I saw the first one with the mention of the grad filter (and still hardly able to corral in all that contrast), I was thinking about going to suggest color negative film... and then along comes this one. Color negative film when properly scanned really allows to bring scenes with strong contrast to come alive. The choice what to burn out and where to clip highlights (or in a lesser degree shadows) is yours then, more creative freedom. I think in this one you could have done even without the grad filter, maybe with a lower grad filter at most.

Apart from the technical excellence, I just like looking at the picture and enjoying it. I don't know if it's artistic, cliche, or whatever, but sitting in my office here, I like looking at it - sometimes as an abstract design, sometimes imagining the place.

I can't comment on all the good images posted here and I try to really word it out instead of doing a flickr-shoulderslap (like the ever successful "good shot"), but there are a lot of really good pictures on this forum... which is pushing me to try to get better myself, no matter if there is repetition or all originality! Also I have learned by people like David Hedley (just to name one example) that there is always a fresh angle at stuff that many people have seen a million times - and it can be turned into a super picture.

spkennedy3000

26-Jul-2010, 06:35

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4830755810_4922f00961_b.jpg

Fuji Pro 160s, Toyo VX-125b, 72mm Schneider super-angulon XL, garden, strong contrast.

Sal Santamaura

26-Jul-2010, 08:49

...I use a couple labs in Denver, Colorado for my film processing and both have delivered good processing, though there are occasional issues. I've never had any issue with uneven development in skies on any film though.Please name names, particularly for C-41. :)

...My process is to scan my processed film, then prepare for print in photoshop...Do you scan them yourself? Using which scanner? Is the Ektar emulsion dull enough to preclude newton's rings in the absence of wet mounting?

...I typically have my larger prints made by chromira printers on RA-4 materials and can recommend a couple labs for digital printing if you're so inclined...Please do recommend them.

Thanks again!

mandoman7

26-Jul-2010, 09:41

http://images56.fotki.com/v701/photos/2/1219782/7565497/PO1b-vi.jpg
Prune Orchard w/Fitch Mtn.
4x5, Nikkor 90mm
Prunes were big here in the 50's, before the wine industry, and carry a lot of nostalgia for locals. I was getting jet trails in the skies which was annoying, but as I waited they dissipated in a way that kind of worked with the image.

StevenJohn

26-Jul-2010, 10:03

I like this shot Steven. A distinctive arrangement.

Wonderful play with foreground + background, flowers + flower pattern on this one Steven! The single sunflower standing up to the horizon and the big one in front make me believe that the camera position was actually carefully chosen. There's of course a bit of luck with the sky having such a delicate cloud pattern to reflect those flowers, but I strongly believe that luck comes deservedly to the ones who are working to make it welcome! I really would like to see this in a proper print instead of on a computer screen!

Thanks John and Sascha. I just printed an 11x14 last night and it is drying while I'm at work. You can see the many bees in the enlargement. I also took a shot in E6 and I get that back from the developer this week. I can't wait!

mrladewig

26-Jul-2010, 12:04

Please name names, particularly for C-41. :)

Do you scan them yourself? Using which scanner? Is the Ektar emulsion dull enough to preclude newton's rings in the absence of wet mounting?

Please do recommend them.

Thanks again!

C-41 LF processing - I've used Denver Digital Imaging (aka the Slideprinter) and Reed Photo Imaging.

I scan on an Epson 4990. I've had no trouble with newton rings with the elevated holders. The Ektar emulsion is quite glossy. I fluid mount on this scanner with a betterscanning holder when I want better quality scans.

I've recently started printing with myphotopipe.com. They're out of Atlanta and the quality is very good and they can print up to 60" width. Denver Digital Imaging also does excellent Chromira printing up to 30". Both have a good color workflow.

jim kitchen

26-Jul-2010, 19:13

Great images everyone... :)

A recent image.

jim k

Midday Along the Cowboy Trail, Range Road 40, East Southeast of Cremona, Alberta, Canada, 2010

http://largeformatgroupimages.jimkitchen.ca/images/10052404.jpg

jim kitchen

26-Jul-2010, 20:05

Jim Kitchen, mandoman7, and David Hendley all have excellent landscapes. Jim Kitchen's image focuses mostly on the clouds...

Dear dh003i,

I wish I knew your name.

Thank you for your comments and including me within this group, but a simple note without sounding rude, you certainly left out a few other excellent image makers that populate this forum, and produce superlative landscape images, such as Nana and Steve, et al... :)

That said, and just to take a moment of your time to let you know, these landscape images are bound to be reviewed for a series that I am currently working on, complete with several rancher's portraits, and the dirt they own along the Cowboy Trail in Alberta. The Cowboy Trail is filled with grand vistas, huge open skies, and you are periodically blessed with a few fabulous cloud formations, during your journey. As I mentioned earlier, and whether I consider that the foreground could add value to the scene, I will add more foreground to an image, compared to not, but only if the included foreground compliments any artistic rule within my viewing card. Most of the time though the clouds along the Cowboy Trail win that decision making process quickly, while I try to balance the image with a clean simple horizon.

As a side note, and to be very specific about any individuals within this group that believe these images are cliche, then that happens to be their problem, not mine, since I am creating these images with purpose, and I do not create these images to garner any specific individual's approval nor am I seeking attention. I am honoured to be spoken about and included within a group of forum individuals, in such a way that a few of my images might propel another image maker within this group to seek a better level. I am very glad that I could assist them, whether they are reviewing my images and, or asking a technical question, because I also take the time to enrich myself by viewing many other excellent image maker's creative work within this group, and I always wonder how they achieve such an excellent image, and whether I could achieve that level of proficient excellence too.

Lastly, and if you have a moment, you could take a quick look at my website, to view a few simple images that do not contain clouds...

jim k

Richard Rau

26-Jul-2010, 20:54

Deardorff 8x10 w/5x7 Reducing back, 10" Commercial Ektar, TMax I think, although could be TX320. Can't remember the exposure ... too many margaritias around the campfire the night before, and I'm terrible at record keeping. This is only the second one I've ever posted (the other is in the "Water's Edge" post.)

David Woods

26-Jul-2010, 21:36

jim kitchen

26-Jul-2010, 21:46

Too many margaritias around the campfire the night before, and I'm terrible at record keeping...

Dear Richard,

Maybe the margaritas are your secret weapon... :)

Nicely done.

jim k

Richard Rau

26-Jul-2010, 22:46

Thanks Jim. Appreciate the nice comments. I like some of your wide landscapes as well. You gotta work fast to get some of those cloud formations, Either that, or you're a lot more patient than me! Gives me a whole new perspective of what Canada looks like.

Ok, here's one more, while I was miles from nowhere in the far reaches of Capital Reef Nat. Park, photographed in the fall. Yeah ... yeah, I know, it looks like a postcard. Details, I think, that I shot it with a Deardorff 4x5 Special, maybe a 150 mm Nikkor, could have been a 210. Definitely a K2 Yellow filter stuck in there somewhere. Does it really matter? Again, probably too much single malt the night before around the campfire, (hmmm, maybe there's a trend here.)

Heroique

26-Jul-2010, 22:51

...too many margaritas...

...Again, probably too much single malt...

Glad you were able to focus on the GG and get these shots – what sunny drama in each.

And about those margaritas & single malts – heck, Ralph Waldo Emerson would have understood…

“As the traveller who has lost his way, throws his reins on his horse’s neck, and trusts to the instinct of the animal to find his road, so must we do with the divine animal who carries us through this world. For if in any manner we can stimulate this instinct, new passages are opened for us into nature, the mind flows into and through things hardest and highest, and the metamorphosis is possible. This is the reason why bards love wine, mead, narcotics, coffee, tea, opium, the fumes of sandalwood and tobacco, or whatever other species of animal exhilaration. All men avail themselves of such means as they can, to add this extraordinary power to their normal powers…”

Look forward to more!

;)

Iga

27-Jul-2010, 01:32

Valle de Mena, Burgos, Spain. Whole plate ( cropped a little bit ) contact print. Sepia toned. Turner Reich triple convertible 5x8 lens, 14 inch back element only.
Igor.

David Hedley

27-Jul-2010, 02:52

... a simple note without sounding rude, you certainly left out a few other excellent image makers that populate this forum, and produce superlative landscape images, such as Nana and Steve, et al... :)

The ‘et al’ is very important – I try to make time to look at many of the photographs posted here, and enjoy looking out for those posted by gandolfi, Jiri Vasina, jnanian, Jim Kitchen, Andrew ren, Christopher Broadbent, Victoria Perelet, Sam Reeves ... amongst many others. Photographers whose work I have got to know through this forum – such as Paul Schilliger – remain important to me even if they have not posted here for some time. This thread, and the alternative processes and portraits threads, seem to attract postings which are usually excellent, and sometimes inspirational. The only comment I have on the question of cliché is that the cycle of initial interest, emulation, innovation and transfiguration does seem to be important in photography – just as it is in music, literature or painting – and is certainly more complex than a simple polarisation allows.

Darren H

27-Jul-2010, 04:02

rdenney

27-Jul-2010, 07:06

The Cowboy Trail is filled with grand vistas, huge open skies, and you are periodically blessed with a few fabulous cloud formations, during your journey. As I mentioned earlier, and whether I consider that the foreground could add value to the scene, I will add more foreground to an image, compared to not, but only if the included foreground compliments any artistic rule within my viewing card. Most of the time though the clouds along the Cowboy Trail win that decision making process quickly, while I try to balance the image with a clean simple horizon.

The notion of an image being cliche seems to me a matter of the viewer's perspective. Something will seem cliche to me if the subject is too familiar, and a hundred similar images might still each bring their own fresh insight if the scene is unfamiliar.

Alberta is big sky country, and the aspect of the scene least familiar to most people is just how much the sky dominates it. Here in Virginia, there just isn't as much sky visible from any given vantage, and being able to see a ridge line more than 10 or 12 miles away is unusual. Even when I'm in the mountains of Appalachia on a rare bare mountaintop, the distant peaks are rarely more than 20 or 30 miles away--more distant terrain is usually lost to the the thickness of the air. Thunderstorms sneak up on us here--we may not see them at all because of surrounding cloud, and even when we see the tops of storms in clear air, it's rare to see the structure of the clouds well enough to get a sense of them. Not so in big-sky country.

I took a train trip many years ago from Houston to Tucson, and spent time on the train with a British family that had bought an Amtrak pass. We left San Antonio at 3AM, heading west, and had reached Sanderson as the sun came up. From Sanderson to El Paso, that family spent the whole time on the platform between two cars where they could look out an open window. They were awe-struck, while to me it looked mostly like empty cattle country. It had never occurred to them that land could be so empty. "Wide open spaces" is a cliche only for people who live there. The sky dominates the scene, even when there are no clouds. The drama of the scene plays out in the sky.

Rick "enjoying the series" Denney

mandoman7

27-Jul-2010, 11:43

Great images everyone... :)

A recent image.

jim k

[CENTER]Midday Along the Cowboy Trail, Range Road 40, East Southeast of Cremona, Alberta, Canada, 2010

There's a wonderful 3-dimensional quality to this one. On a certain level, that is what its all about. Trying to give life to a scene so the viewer gets transported.

For some reason I hadn't gone to your site before, or maybe it wasn't up yet, but the work there is superb, and quite varied. A nice viewing experience.

bobwysiwyg

27-Jul-2010, 11:55

nice image

+1

Ken Lee

27-Jul-2010, 14:48

Richard Rau

27-Jul-2010, 20:35

I guess a few points about this image are in order. I made two exposures, and developed one normal, and after examination, developed the second N-1, alternating in a water-bath with an attempt to maintain shadow detail and hold the Spires to about a Zone 7. When metered, the Cathedral Spires fell on about Zone 8/9 and the deep dark area next to the large tree in the foreground was placed at about zone 2. The scan here doesn't really do it justice. In spite of that, the neg is still contrasty and is really difficult to print in order to maintain the shadow detail and keep the midtones in the foliage from turning to mud. In short, it's a real challenge to print.

Regarding this image, I do like to explore the idea of dark mysterious places with glimpses of the grandiose in the background, giving a nod to Baroque Masters like Salvatore Rosa and Claude Loraine, or more modern? such as Albert Bierstadt, to borrow a theme. My influences are pretty varied.

As well, I just wanted to say thanks to all the kind words. Never having shown my images here, or anywhere for that matter, I had no idea what anyone would say. I don't always take myself, or photography for that matter, too seriously, and just basically do it for myself, (don't we all to some degree?) After 35+ years, and refining things over the years, I got to the point where I am really very, very selective what I shoot, and no longer just set up the camera just for the excuse of going through the motions because it's fun to use and shoot anything and everything I see. But when the imagination and the previsualization kicks in, it's well worth it.

There's some really interesting images shown here, by some extremely well honed talent. It's nice to see the different approaches to a classic theme.

David Hedley

28-Jul-2010, 14:33

Fumerole on the southern slope of Asahidake, Hokkaido
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/4837455215_7d5614febe_b.jpg
Toyo 4x5, Fujinon 90mm, Velvia converted to greyscale

jim kitchen

28-Jul-2010, 16:08

Dear David,

Holy crap... :)

If I could only get out of my backyard.

Fabulous image, great balance, and excellent tones.

Nicely done.

jim k

StevenJohn

28-Jul-2010, 19:14

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4619685531_e7da85e4cb.jpg

spkennedy3000

29-Jul-2010, 02:00

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/4839814083_768dc74331_b.jpg

5x4" pinhole, 25mm f138, FP4 plus.

Darren H

29-Jul-2010, 03:14

Some very good work.

@spkennedy3000 really like that pinhole effect. Very moody image

@David I wish you had some clouds in the sky to go with the fumerole, but wow great location.

@StevenJohn Very nice classic forest path scene

@Rich I only wish you had a 1200 pixel wide image as this one is just too small here.

gsinico

30-Jul-2010, 02:15

This is from Diamond Head Crater, Oahu, Hawaii.
Wakiki beach and Honolulu on the back.
Velvia, chamonix01.

gsinico

30-Jul-2010, 02:19

This is the picture.

dave_whatever

30-Jul-2010, 03:02

Thats an awesome shot.

Jim Cole

30-Jul-2010, 08:38

This is the picture.

Shots like this make me want to put some color film in my holders again. Beautiful!

gsinico

30-Jul-2010, 12:37

Shots like this make me want to put some color film in my holders again. Beautiful!

I've a bigger size of those pics on my site, please enter from homepage and go to new pic index, I've post 14 slides from my recent trip in Hawaii.

Thanks, Giovanni

this is the link:

http://gelatina.altervista.org/indici/novita.html

SocalAstro

30-Jul-2010, 12:53

+1 for a great shot. I also like the cityscape night shots on your site.

-Leon

This is the picture.

gsinico

30-Jul-2010, 13:43

+1 for a great shot. I also like the cityscape night shots on your site.

-Leon

thanks a lot

giovanni

StevenJohn

30-Jul-2010, 17:20

I think I like this better in color.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/4844539087_0538d78eb1.jpg

jnantz

30-Jul-2010, 18:20

...

RmFrase

1-Aug-2010, 20:37

Out with some friends this past Saturday morning near Fort Worth, Texas
I loved the way the Sun beams came thru the clouds. I decided to meter so that the foreground would be darker as it was very uninteresting.

Still learning the 4x5...

Shen-Hao 4x5
75mm F4.5 NIKKOR SW
Scanned on Epson V700
Metered with Sekonic L758DR
Self Developed

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4851515207_69d07e0961_b.jpg

-Robert

mikebarger

2-Aug-2010, 04:13

Nice work Robert!

Mike

SamReeves

2-Aug-2010, 09:13

RmFrase

2-Aug-2010, 16:48

Thanks for the compliments! The foreground at this spot was really bad - trash, oil drilling stuff, brush, fences, etc.

But I was just drawn to the Rays!

-R

Darren H

3-Aug-2010, 03:29

Nice one Robert!!!

Here is one from last year out in New Mexico.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4856038237_804b5abd93.jpg

Arca-Swiss 4x5
Velvia 100F
Epson 4990

SamReeves

3-Aug-2010, 08:57

Nice one Robert!!!

Here is one from last year out in New Mexico.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4856038237_804b5abd93.jpg

Arca-Swiss 4x5
Velvia 100F
Epson 4990

Bee-uu-tee-ful chrome. :) Liking your placement of the grasses there.

Diane Maher

3-Aug-2010, 09:23

...
John,
I can't see much here. It is a very dark image (small too).

Diane

Darren H

3-Aug-2010, 10:17

Bee-uu-tee-ful chrome. :) Liking your placement of the grasses there.

Thanks. Storm is moving toward me and the sun is setting behind me. There was lightning. After the first few drops started I put up the 4x5 and kept going with the DSLR as it is much easier to run to cover with it than an view camera if the storm passed over me. Luckily the storm dissolved before it got to me. I did manage this with DSLR and a longer exposure. Since its a digital and not LF I'll link it.

http://www.wildernessphotographer.net/New-Mexico/The-Lost-Mesa/6014916_ad53c#955057822_2UFnA

RmFrase

3-Aug-2010, 18:14

Very Nice image Darren - wish I could have seen it!

-R

Richard Rau

3-Aug-2010, 23:41

Hey, I got one of them those there type sun-ray type photos. Taken somewhere north-western Arizona. Had a gaggle of French tourists empty off a bus and immediately made a bee line to exactly where we were set up. We had been waiting for something to happen there and had been set up for at least a 1/2 hour. They actually stood in front of the camera as we were trying to capture the moment! Amazing that there is like 5000 miles of rim line surrounding this huge hole in the ground, and they choose to stand right in front of my tripod asking all kinds of questions as we worked frantically for the 2 minutes that this lasted. I never cease to be amazed at what some people will do! Rained like a SOB later that night as we grilled dinner at the campsite, after the sun set. Got totally drenched. Fortunately, we emptied a half dozen bottles of Pino, so we didn't really care! Aplogize for the bad scan. Canham 5x7, Nikkor 210, 5x7 320TXP, Orange filter.

spkennedy3000

4-Aug-2010, 02:36

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4859837148_853aa1fa69_b.jpg

Ilford FP4 plus.

spkennedy3000

5-Aug-2010, 02:18

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4862202827_cdd48e57a6_b.jpg

Ilford fp4 plus 4x5" Cambo Wide 580 58mm super-angulon XL f5.6.

dperez

5-Aug-2010, 13:22

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4852647496_b9dbd15a07_b_d.jpg

Zabriskie Point at Dawn, Death Valley National Park, CA
Arca-Swiss 4x5, Provia 100F QL

spkennedy3000

6-Aug-2010, 02:11

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4865082861_ac11ea291e_o.jpg

Ilford fp4 plus 4x5" Cambo Wide 580 58mm super-angulon XL f5.6.

Brian K

6-Aug-2010, 06:58

Here's something new

Vaughn

6-Aug-2010, 07:12

A couple of 8x10 neg scans from a day at Dry Falls, WA
Both taken July 25, 2010

Umatilla Rock, 2010
Taken in the morning, but already above 100F
f22 at 1/8 sec (FP4+)

Grasses and Rocks, 2010
Taken after the sun set and as the Full moon was rising behind me.
F32 at 2 minutes (FP4+)

Both with Fuji W 300mm/5.6 and a yellow filter
Both developed with Ilford Universal PQ Developer 1:9 70F at 10 minutes in Expert Drum

Just a quick scan with not a lot of fiddling in PhotoShop

Vaughn

Steve Gledhill

6-Aug-2010, 09:42

Here's something new

Brian - A lovely image.
Mine by way of a comparison was taken when it was freezing.

David Aimone

6-Aug-2010, 09:56

Nice theme, great composition with the water against the mountains and double layered sky!

Here's something new

Liam:

6-Aug-2010, 10:03

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4852647496_b9dbd15a07_b_d.jpg

Zabriskie Point at Dawn, Death Valley National Park, CA
Arca-Swiss 4x5, Provia 100F QL

Epic, I feel a pano crop of the top could look quite good...

dperez

6-Aug-2010, 10:51

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4852647136_b8622d7883_b.jpg

Somewhere in wine country, CA
Arca-Swiss 4x5, Provia 100F QL

dperez

6-Aug-2010, 10:59

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4852646542_a77decaee9_b.jpg

Dunes at Sunrise, Death Valley National Park, CA
Arca-Swiss 4x5, Provia 100F QL

This light only lasts about 45 seconds or so. Then the dunes turn to a flat grayish color. The funny thing was, being that this was my first sunrise shot here, I misjudged the amount of time I had and in a panic, I rushed into setting up my camera and didn't even bother to care where the lens was pointing... I didn't want to miss that light! Turned out I had a good half an hour before the dunes lit up gold. Next time I will know better and will spend more time getting a view. And with a good GPS unit, I can even scout the area the day before and come back the next morning. Fun story though.

SamReeves

6-Aug-2010, 11:24

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4852647496_b9dbd15a07_b_d.jpg

Zabriskie Point at Dawn, Death Valley National Park, CA
Arca-Swiss 4x5, Provia 100F QL

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4852646542_a77decaee9_b.jpg

Dunes at Sunrise, Death Valley National Park, CA
Arca-Swiss 4x5, Provia 100F QL

This light only lasts about 45 seconds or so. Then the dunes turn to a flat grayish color. The funny thing was, being that this was my first sunrise shot here, I misjudged the amount of time I had and in a panic, I rushed into setting up my camera and didn't even bother to care where the lens was pointing... I didn't want to miss that light! Turned out I had a good half an hour before the dunes lit up gold. Next time I will know better and will spend more time getting a view. And with a good GPS unit, I can even scout the area the day before and come back the next morning. Fun story though.

Wow! Those are outstanding chromes. I know that feeling to when you're rushing at the end or start of the day. Large format sometimes can't set up fast enough. :D

Here's something new

Beautiful image, and it reminds me of our own Salinas Valley. It gives me inspiration to go do something like that! Great work.

MumbleyJoe

6-Aug-2010, 14:24

Wow, those Death Valley shots are stunning dperez. That's probably the finest image of Zabriskie Point I've ever seen.

Darren H

6-Aug-2010, 17:05

Some great Death Valley work!!

Those dunes are great and not just cause they were done with an Arca-Swiss :)

dperez

6-Aug-2010, 22:14

Wow, those Death Valley shots are stunning dperez. That's probably the finest image of Zabriskie Point I've ever seen.

Thanks for the kind words. That was really nice. -DP

dperez

6-Aug-2010, 22:26

Some great Death Valley work!!

Those dunes are great and not just cause they were done with an Arca-Swiss :)

I checked out your site... I dig your photographic taste. That's the same subject matter I've been shooting for years.

-DP

Curt

7-Aug-2010, 00:42

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4852647496_b9dbd15a07_b_d.jpg

Zabriskie Point at Dawn, Death Valley National Park, CA
Arca-Swiss 4x5, Provia 100F QL

Outstanding!!!

Curt

7-Aug-2010, 00:48

Knoxville, TN
90mm Grandagon
FP4+ in Rodinal 1:50

FP4+ and Rodinal 1:50 is great combination isn't it. I use it and like the look. Very fine photograph.

Curt

Curt

7-Aug-2010, 00:58

Valle de Mena, Burgos, Spain. Whole plate ( cropped a little bit ) contact print. Sepia toned. Turner Reich triple convertible 5x8 lens, 14 inch back element only.
Igor.

This is the first TR 5X8 lens photo I've seen, other than mine, it's a nice lens isn't it? Is yours in a Rapax shutter? I haven't tried mine converted, there isn't enough time in life to do it all.

Love the photographs look and feel. Very nice indeed.

Curt

Iga

7-Aug-2010, 14:25

This is the first TR 5X8 lens photo I've seen, other than mine, it's a nice lens isn't it? Is yours in a Rapax shutter? I haven't tried mine converted, there isn't enough time in life to do it all.

Love the photographs look and feel. Very nice indeed.

Curt

Hi Curt !
Mine is ina old air timed Compound shutter. Very nice small and lightweight lens. Covers Whole Plate nicely when stopped down. Back element is perfectly sharp for my taste and contact prints. I have two 8x10 TR as well.
Best wishes, Igor.

Brian Bullen

9-Aug-2010, 19:50

From the High Bridge
Mississippi River, Saint Paul, MN
5x7 Cyanotype (cropped)

http://www.brianbullen.com/bbwebfoto/highbridge.jpg

MumbleyJoe

10-Aug-2010, 00:10

Okay, first picture post (this group makes me seriously self-conscious).

The Cowlitz Chimneys, Mount Rainier National Park.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4878499944_860f1f9fb7_o.jpg
Tachihara 4x5, Caltar 210mm f/6.1, Fuji Velvia 50

spkennedy3000

10-Aug-2010, 03:10

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4878275419_54cb19568c_b.jpg

Cambo wide 580 Schneider super-angulon 58mm f5.6 XL Ilford FP4+.

SamReeves

10-Aug-2010, 08:20

David Hedley

10-Aug-2010, 13:30

jon.oman

10-Aug-2010, 13:57

Nice one!

Jon

h2oman

10-Aug-2010, 16:39

From an area called The Pinnacles, Crater Lake National Park.

h2oman

10-Aug-2010, 17:24

Another one from the Crater Lake area.

dlin

10-Aug-2010, 17:33

From an area called The Pinnacles, Crater Lake National Park.

Very cool!

All the best.
Daniel

mdm

10-Aug-2010, 17:47

From an area called The Pinnacles, Crater Lake National Park.

Me too. An interesting perspective. Too often we miss the details and favour the grand view.

David

Morca

10-Aug-2010, 21:07

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4880834761_7e03405a23_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/crooked_style/4880834761/)

jim kitchen

10-Aug-2010, 21:15

Dear Morca,

Wow... :)

Nicely done.

jim k

Morca

10-Aug-2010, 21:24

Glad you like it Jim, I rarely do landscapes, but I had to stop on the side of the road when I saw all those windmills.

dsim

10-Aug-2010, 21:52

Morca, you may want to consider making a few more landscape images.

Beautiful image.

kedbro

10-Aug-2010, 22:00

Are those the windmills above the Gorge in south central Washington? Great image.

Morca

10-Aug-2010, 22:10

Just north of Maryhill.

e: Very cool image, Tri.

Tri Tran

10-Aug-2010, 22:32

Recently trip
Lone Peak/Big sky. Montana.

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/7610/lonepeak.jpg (http://img338.imageshack.us/i/lonepeak.jpg/)

Joakim Ahnfelt

11-Aug-2010, 00:43

From last year. Scottish west coast, Heading south on A 890.

spkennedy3000

11-Aug-2010, 01:53

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4881303145_89e37f653f_b.jpg
Cambo Wide 580 58mm Schneider Ilford FP4 plus.

Jan Pedersen

11-Aug-2010, 05:33

Wind turbines ;)

cristif

11-Aug-2010, 08:33

My very first post here on the forum :)
Some shots taken in the mountains with a Crown Graphic / Ilford Delta 100.

iml

11-Aug-2010, 08:37

Very nice. Welcome to the forum.

SamReeves

11-Aug-2010, 08:38

Some great images above - Death Valley is high on my list of places to visit.

I managed to stuff a Sinar F into a rucksack last weekend and hiked to this lake, Alplisee, that is a special place for us, using a different route;
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4879714259_5780ddda39_b.jpg
Sinar F, Rodenstock Grandagon-N 75mm, Ilford Delta 100 / PMK Pyro

Holy smokes. What a neg. I wish I was there now. Great work David.

From an area called The Pinnacles, Crater Lake National Park.

Excellent! We have a Pinnacles too here, but it sure doesn't look like that.

My very first post here on the forum :)
Some shots taken in the mountains with a Crown Graphic / Ilford Delta 100.

That's a great first post. I love #3. Welcome aboard.

MumbleyJoe

11-Aug-2010, 12:48

h2oman - I love that shot of the Pinnacles. it's one of those examples that I find a little frustrating (in a good way) - because I've been out to the Pinnacles at crater lake, but came away with nothing of interest. It's always fascinating to learn how others "see" the same scene.

SamReeves - thank you kindly!

h2oman

11-Aug-2010, 14:02

Tyler,

You have some nice stuff at your site, keep posting here as well!

I've seen a few shots of the pinnacles from below, and when I was there I think I found the way that folks get to the bottom. (It is likely not NPS endorsed!) I'm headed back next week to give it a go. If you are ever down this way again, let me know.

Gregg Waterman

David Hedley

11-Aug-2010, 14:26

Thanks, jon & Sam.

spkennedy3000

12-Aug-2010, 02:29

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4884264959_9650c8c184_o.jpg

Cambo Wide etc...

J. E. Brown

12-Aug-2010, 07:34

Cristif,

Welcome to the forums from a fellow Crown Graphic shooter! Fun camera, fantastic format. Best of luck.

I enjoy the clouds on the last image.

-JB

cristif

12-Aug-2010, 07:50

Cristif,

Welcome to the forums from a fellow Crown Graphic shooter! Fun camera, fantastic format. Best of luck.

I enjoy the clouds on the last image.

-JB

Thank you JB,

The Crown Graphic is always the choice when I go trekking in the mountains. I also have a Toyo 45C but I found that very hard to carry (tried that only once).
All the best,

Cristian

Matus Kalisky

13-Aug-2010, 03:08

One I have taken longer time ago. Eibsee under the Zugspitze in German Alps. It somehow is quite green (must have to do with scanning of the Fuji Pro160S), but I just seem to like it that way :)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4875294716_ab1315924d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/31007239@N06/4875294716/)

Darren H

14-Aug-2010, 14:39

My very first post here on the forum :)
Some shots taken in the mountains with a Crown Graphic / Ilford Delta 100.

Great images!

Show us more.

Tri Tran

14-Aug-2010, 23:07

Taken from a recently trip .
Nevada City, Montana.

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/5851/nevadacity.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/i/nevadacity.jpg/)

Darren H

15-Aug-2010, 17:36

Great images all

Here is one from New Mexico- the edge of the Great Plains where it meets the mesa country.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4895504215_7f4ed2ff1b.jpg

Arca-Swiss 4x5
Nikon 75mm lens
Efke 25
dr5 process
Epson 4990 scanner

fenderbja

15-Aug-2010, 19:52

spkennedy3000

16-Aug-2010, 07:08

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4897332437_669c31c4cb_o.jpg

Cambo Wide 580 Ilford FP4 plus, 4x5".

john wood

16-Aug-2010, 10:16

David; that Alplisee image is wonderful.

adamsih300u

16-Aug-2010, 11:10

http://photos.pilbeamengineering.com/images/20100529222337_scan0052-1.jpg

New York State Barge Canal. Taken with my Kodak Recomar 33 9x12cm, Efke PL100, D76 1:1, scanned negative. I'm slowly overcoming negative scratches on the emulsion when I develop...unfortunately there's a couple here.

Kirk Keyes

16-Aug-2010, 13:28

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4897332437_669c31c4cb_o.jpg

Cambo Wide 580 Ilford FP4 plus, 4x5".

What are those - radio dishes?

spkennedy3000

16-Aug-2010, 13:32

They are acoustic mirrors...

Diane Maher

16-Aug-2010, 15:52

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who wondered what those things were. :D

Ken Lee

16-Aug-2010, 16:25

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/img100aa.jpg
Massachusetts
Sinar P, 450mm Fujinon C
5x7 HP5+, Thornton 2-Bath

Darren H

16-Aug-2010, 16:46

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/img100aa.jpg
Massachusetts
Sinar P, 450mm Fujinon C
5x7 HP5+, Thornton 2-Bath

This is very nice!

Darren H

16-Aug-2010, 16:47

Beautiful - love the sky

Brandon

Thanks! I did my first image with static clouds but when I noticed the movement I added a solid ND to get the movement.

16-Aug-2010, 18:31

I'm missing my dose of cowboy trail clouds and spanish shore scenes.

Tri Tran

16-Aug-2010, 22:30

http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/5851/nevadacity.jpg (http://img814.imageshack.us/i/nevadacity.jpg/)

Nevada City, Montana.

Morca

16-Aug-2010, 22:49

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4900571930_e12bfe1566_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/crooked_style/4900571930/)
Rainier National Park, Washington

seabird

17-Aug-2010, 04:20

Drew Bedo

17-Aug-2010, 15:42

Hot Spring: Durango colorado. zone VI, 90mm Nikor, Ektachrome

spkennedy3000

17-Aug-2010, 15:44

Hot Spring: Durango colorado. zone VI, 90mm Nikor, Ektachrome

Sounds good, would love to see it :)

EdWorkman

17-Aug-2010, 16:08

Drew Bedo

17-Aug-2010, 16:17

Hot Springs: Durango Colorado

seabird

17-Aug-2010, 19:32

Hey Carey- I like it.
Have you tried printing the two rockfaces on the right "up" a little?
There is a bunch of depth now, intervening haze, to that back mountain and I was of a mind that gradation to lighter in the cliffs might emphasize the distance.
regards
Ed

Ed, thanks for your comments and suggestions.

This was a first go at printing this neg. I have been so preoccupied with retaining the detail in the shadowed rock on the left hand side (Hanging Rock) that I hadn't really thought about the right hand side. Your suggestion is a good one so I'll give it a go (assuming my printing skills are up to it...). Many thanks :)

Regards

David Woods

18-Aug-2010, 01:31

A recent image:

Hanging Rock and Baltzer Point in the Blue Mountains of NSW Australia - a truly scary spot (big cliffs, no fences...)
Nikkor-SW 90mm on Linhof Super Tech IV
Ilford FP4+ in Rodinal 1+50

http://members.iinet.net.au/~cbird/baltzer_frame_1.jpg

All and any comments welcome

Cheers

Carey

It is a scarey spot, but have you tried getting to the bottom, of the valley of the waters at Wentworth falls after rain, thin muddy tracks no fences plenty of trees at the bottom to stop your fall, some amazing waterfalls.

regards
David

seabird

18-Aug-2010, 02:05

Carey

It is a scarey spot, but have you tried getting to the bottom, of the valley of the waters at Wentworth falls after rain, thin muddy tracks no fences plenty of trees at the bottom to stop your fall, some amazing waterfalls.

regards
David

Hi David,

I've been down the Valley of the Waters as far as Sylvia Falls (at least I think thats what they're called - the next ones down from Empress Falls). Two things have stopped me going further: 1. I don't have a particularly good head for heights. 2. You gotta come back up the same way with your camera gear on your back... :mad:

Cheers

mrladewig

19-Aug-2010, 06:15

New film back from the lab.

http://ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/2802-1/45_RVP1F_20100818_003.jpg

4x5 Velvia 100f, Fuji 125 -NW, rear tilt, 3 stop hard GND filter

mrladewig

19-Aug-2010, 12:54

An easy summer morning on the glacial remnants in the Upper Mohawk Lakes, Colorado

http://ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/2800-1/45_E100G_20100818_005.jpg

4X5 E100G, 75/8 Super Angulon, 3 stop soft GND

SamReeves

20-Aug-2010, 08:18

An easy summer morning on the glacial remnants in the Upper Mohawk Lakes, Colorado

http://ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/2800-1/45_E100G_20100818_005.jpg

4X5 E100G, 75/8 Super Angulon, 3 stop soft GND

That is awesomeness right there. Beautiful chrome. :)

Ken Lee

20-Aug-2010, 16:49

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/img315a.jpg
Massachusetts
Sinar P, 450mm Fujinon C
5x7 Ilford FP4+, Pyrocat HD

jim kitchen

20-Aug-2010, 20:09

An easy summer morning on the glacial remnants in the Upper Mohawk Lakes, Colorado...

Dear mrladewig,

Fabulous... :)

Your colour images are quite spectacular!

Nicely done, where this image presents a feeling of a great open space.

jim k

jim kitchen

20-Aug-2010, 20:12

Massachusetts...

Dear Ken,

An excellent subtle image... :)

Did you get wet?

Nicely done.

jim k

mrladewig

20-Aug-2010, 22:40

Thanks Sam and Jim.

Jim, I am particularly grateful to see your comment for a couple reasons. First, I find your B&W work to be quite inspiring. I just don't have the ability to see well in B&W myself, but I enjoy it done well. But second, because you've responded to the feeling of an open expanse I was hoping to carry across in this image. In my broader landscapes, I'm always trying to communicate this breathing room.

I have more to come from this quick overnight trip.

Lars Daniel

21-Aug-2010, 03:08

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4911698968_56fb721333_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/larsdaniel/4911698968/)

Ebony SU45, 210mm Fujinon W, 0.6 GND hard, Horseman 6X12, Fuji Reala 100, Tetenal C41.

Technicly I think it is my best development so far, and scanning with my new Epson V700 using ICE is also an improvement.

Artisticly I am also very happy about it. I had done a series of landscapes with low flying jets in them, and this concludes the series. I had my fear about me placing an object in the landscape would come out too "constructed" or artzy-fartzy, but to me it works high above my expectation.

Detail (that shows the connection to air traffic):
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4912543918_fafc0b6a96_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/larsdaniel/4912543918/)

Andrew Plume

21-Aug-2010, 04:43

Taken from a recently trip .
Nevada City, Montana.

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/5851/nevadacity.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/i/nevadacity.jpg/)

that's a great contact print, Tri

you sure that this was taken recently, those folks seem to be wearing some pretty old clothing.........?

andrew

Steve M Hostetter

21-Aug-2010, 05:29

notice how the roof beams extend out to catch that porch roof .. Then they used 4 out of level posts to look more authentic..
On the side there looks to be a screen over the window..?

Ken Lee

21-Aug-2010, 10:05

Dear Ken,

An excellent subtle image... :)

Did you get wet?

Nicely done.

jim k

Thank you !

Out here, our only choices are subtle, and extra-subtle :rolleyes:

h2oman

21-Aug-2010, 11:10

The Ruby Mountains, in Nevada, from a couple summers ago. 4x5, 150mm lens, Velvia.

Pretty post-cardish. I'm a big fan of shots with a "mood," which I originally thought this image to be lacking. I then realized that it displays the typical mood of a bright, clear morning in alpine terrain during the summer. Whether that is a good thing or not photographically, I don't know - I'm just throwing this out there for fun.

jim kitchen

21-Aug-2010, 13:05

Thanks Sam and Jim.

Jim, I am particularly grateful to see your comment for a couple reasons...

Dear mrladewig,

Merci...

It is safe to say, that I do not know how to create a great colour image at all, although I can certainly see when someone like you creates them on command... :)

jim k

seabird

22-Aug-2010, 00:48

Nice images everyone :)

Here's the closest thing we've got to Ansel's tripod holes in Australia: My take on the vista that every tourist with a camera captures while in the Blue Mountains.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~cbird/3sisters10_frame_1.jpg

The Three Sisters, Echo Point, Blue Mountains, Australia NSW 2010

135/f5.6 Apo-Sironar-S on Linhof Super Tech IV
Ilford FP4+ (E.I. 64 ASA) in Rodinal 1+50

All and any comments welcome.

Cheers

jim kitchen

22-Aug-2010, 01:57

Dear Carey,

We Canadians have a mountain range with an identical name to the "Three Sisters" in Canmore Alberta, a few kilometres west of Calgary, and a quaint bustling town located just few kilometers before you enter the town of Banff, Alberta along the TransCanada Highway, where the named mountain range refers to a group of Nuns wearing their Habits, and although the image of our mountain range does not look similar to this image at all, your image is totally superb... :)

You continuously demonstrate an eye for a balanced image, and the obvious skill sets to reproduce it effectively.

I would eliminate anyone to add an image like that, complete with an Alberta cloud filled sky, to my portfolio.

Nicely done.

jim k

seabird

22-Aug-2010, 02:16

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your kind words. They mean a lot to me as I have nothing but the utmost respect for your eye and vision - an opinion formed on the basis of the exceedingly fine images you post here with a regularity that I can only envy :)

As regards the name "The Three Sisters", Aboriginal legend has it that these three rocks are three sisters that were turned to stone by their father, the witch doctor Tyawan, to protect them from a marauding Bunyip. Unfortunately Tyawan lost his magic bone before he was able to turn his three daughters back into human form, so here they remain to this day...

Clearly the sister on the left was the looker of the three, while the middle sister had, shall we say, good "child bearing hips"... ;)

I'm not sure whether you get Bunyips in Alberta. One day I'm going to visit and find out.

Thanks again.

Gary L. Quay

22-Aug-2010, 03:28

Haystack Rocks, Cannon Beach, Oregon
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4816714528_35748aabca_z.jpg
Deardorff 8x10, 19" Goerz APO Artar, Efke PL 25 developed in Kodak D76

Preston

22-Aug-2010, 11:07

Five Mile Creek, near Columbia, CA
http://www.gildedmoon.com/images/canp/566-1-Web.jpg
Tachihara 4x5, 210 Symmar-S, Astia 100F

The images displayed in this thread are outstanding! What an inspiration!

--P

Darren H

22-Aug-2010, 11:26

Five Mile Creek, near Columbia, CA

Tachihara 4x5, 210 Symmar-S, Astia 100F

The images displayed in this thread are outstanding! What an inspiration!

--P

Very nice greens for Astia. I always seem to fight with sickly looking green when I use Astia.

Darren H

22-Aug-2010, 11:28

Darren H

22-Aug-2010, 11:40

One from the flat plains outside Amarillo, Texas

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4916577171_9abefd7eb6.jpg

Arca-Swiss 4x5
Efke 25
dr5 processing
Epson 4990 scanner

Preston

22-Aug-2010, 12:12

mrladewig

22-Aug-2010, 12:35

Sunset over Lower Mohawk Lake, 10-mile Range, CO

http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/2793-1/45_E100VS_20100818_002_sm.jpg

E100VS, 75/8 Super Angulon, 3 stop GND

Preston

22-Aug-2010, 13:19

Mel, this is drop-dead gorgeous! Of you recent postings, this one is my favorite! Well done!

--P

Darren H

23-Aug-2010, 03:35

Darrren, thanks for the comment.

I spent several months at Amarillo AFB back in '66. We had a saying that went something like, 'You can't go AWOL from this base because they could still see you three days days later from the control tower.' Your photo shows the lonesomeness very well.

--P

Thanks back at ya. Your own experience about Amarillo is about spot on for the flat found there!

Mel- that is really nice colors there.

routlaw

23-Aug-2010, 09:16

Betterlight Super 6K-HS, ISO 200 @ 1/120th sec line time, F-16 on a Schneider Super Symar HM 120, Zone VI camera.

Zion National Park

http://web.mac.com/routlaw/iWeb/Photo/Zion_Betterlight_files/BL_Loc_1132-3-dng.jpg

patrickjames

23-Aug-2010, 14:58

http://www.patrickrobertjames.com/web/2008-073-04n.jpg

Bowling Ball Beach

Polaroid 4x5 Conversion with Symmar 135mm, HP5, Pyrocat-P

Ken Lee

23-Aug-2010, 15:44

Bravo !

Eugene van der Merwe

26-Aug-2010, 05:53

Many very cool images in this thread, makes my cable-release-button-finger (is that a proper phrase?) itch.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4928739977_80898900d3.jpg

A fairly recent effort from the end of what looked like it was going to be a very dull day's shooting.

Ebony SV45ti, Nikkor SW 75mm, Velvia 100

mrladewig

26-Aug-2010, 06:27

This is one of the few times I've headed up to an alpine lake and not checked the alt/azimuth info for sunrise against the topo. I miss calculated how the shadows would fall and had to adjust as the sun was rising.

I'd love to get some feedback if one stands out from the group to you.

Ektar 100
http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/2821-1/45_EKTAR1_20100818_014_ssm.jpg

Velvia 50
http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/2804-1/45_RVP5_20100818_006.jpg

Ektar 100
http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/2812-2/45_EKTAR1_20100818_013_sm.jpg

Pro 160C
http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/2826-1/45_FP160C_20100818_012.jpg

A single coated 75/8 super angulon was used for all. A 3 stop soft GND was used as well on all the images.

venchka

26-Aug-2010, 06:28

All of the above.

Lenses used?

venchka

26-Aug-2010, 08:47

Duh! There is the lens info.
While all are great, the last two grab me the hardest. I thought perhaps you had used a longer lens.

eddie

26-Aug-2010, 08:49

i lik ethe last three better than the 1st. was the 1st just the earliest so it had the most purple (blue cast) or maybe an adjustment of the C41 film in PS?

Diane Maher

26-Aug-2010, 09:12

I like the purple in the first. However, all of these great color images have me wanting to get out with some color film. It is good to see examples of the Ektar as I have some in my refrigerator. :cool: :D

D. Bryant

26-Aug-2010, 09:21

All and any comments welcome.

I think your online presentation of your images would be greatly improved if you abandoned the use of the faux frame and over matt. I find the use of those to be a great distraction which adds nothing to support the viewing enjoyment of your images.

Don Bryant

MumbleyJoe

26-Aug-2010, 09:47

Wow! What a great collection of shots - quite the morning of shooting. I think the 3rd works for me best - I prefer it subtly over the similar 4th. (The mountains at the left edge of the frame look 'grittier' and just more dramatic to me, and near the center of the frame the mountains look like they're starting to blow out and lose detail just a little in the 4th, whereas the detail seems preserved in the 3rd very nicely).

I do love that first bit of light catching the peaks on the 1st though.

MumbleyJoe

26-Aug-2010, 09:51

Upper Young Lake, Yosemite National Park

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4928170933_d82c308924_z.jpg

Tachihara 4x5, Caltar II-N 150mm f/5.6 (I think), Fuji Provia 100F

Going back a couple years, it was really a couple prints from Charles Cramer at Young Lakes that ultimately persuaded me to even try Large Format. Getting up there in July was a real treat for me.

mrladewig

26-Aug-2010, 11:27

i lik ethe last three better than the 1st. was the 1st just the earliest so it had the most purple (blue cast) or maybe an adjustment of the C41 film in PS?

Eddie,

The shots are ordered in sequence.

Because of the altitude here, we often get a very visible band of purple/magenta in the sky on the fringe of the earth's shadow. The mountain peak is at 13,950 feet, while I'm at about 12,400 feet. On this particular morning, the magenta cast seemed rather strong to me and there were some clouds catching that light and bouncing it into the scene in front and behind me. But this was shot on color neg, and to me its always a somewhat abstract process of interpretation.

mrladewig

26-Aug-2010, 11:30

MumbleyJoe

26-Aug-2010, 11:40

I went back and forth on that myself. I ended up keeping it in the frame as I felt it gave a bit more context to the area, but can also see it being a distraction. Thanks for the feedback.

roteague

26-Aug-2010, 12:45

I went back and forth on that myself. I ended up keeping it in the frame as I felt it gave a bit more context to the area, but can also see it being a distraction. Thanks for the feedback.

I agree with you as well. It gives some context to the location. Great work!

lenser

26-Aug-2010, 13:55

roteague

26-Aug-2010, 14:30

Joe, It's a great scene, but cropping and values can be your best friend. As you've already determined, your real subject here is the light. Just a suggestion, but enhancing that light by discarding what isn't "the light" and printing it much deeper to reveal the light bursting from the shadows may give you much more satisfaction.

Only my opinion, but from the scene, I think this reveals your real image...and a gorgeous one it is. Beautiful place and a wonderful image.

The problem with crop is, if you are looking for a "grand" landscape style of photograph, the crop destroys that. That's fine, if that is your vision. I personally prefer the grand landscape. However, I would make that area a bit darker.

MumbleyJoe

26-Aug-2010, 14:51

Well, I appreciate the depth of consideration from both of you (sincerely), I normally have a hard time getting anyone to engage beyond "Yay" or "Nay" level of discourse. :)

I have generally gone in the direction of the "grand landscape", particularly with Large Format, but have recently been trying to edit down and become more focused on singular or simpler elements of the scene. As such, the "to crop" or "not to crop" lies somewhat at the crossroads of that decision. When I cropped it last night (with my wife's input as well, which is nice as she was there when the photo was taken) we both preferred the more "open" view, despite my general move away from the broader landscape. That could also be our personal bias, as its a sort of souvenir of our backpacking trip as well as a stand-alone photograph, so the broader context means more to me. I essentially never tolerate blown-out skies either (part of the practical rationale for tighter framing is simply to keep the exposure within the narrow confines of slide-film exposure latitude). As it is, I like that the light is still somewhat 'soft' and 'subtle' here - as the sunset progressed it got more dramatic.

Anyhow, I'll leave it at that, as I don't want to imbue this with more importance that it warrants. Thanks for the feedback!