Intro

[Sean Galbraith]

Sean from Toronto here.

I started with digital photography around 2003-4, and started being serious about photography in 2005. I became addicted to medium format film in 2006, but couldn't afford to make the jump to film only until last year when I bought a Mamiya RB67 and sold my Nikon DSLR gear. Then I rented a Sinar F1 and the addiction grew... I recently bought a Crown Graphic, my first LF camera, and am looking forward to learning how the hell I'm going to focus the camera in dark buildings. My photographic focus is on abandoned buildings, and I'm the "co-star" (term used very loosely) of a television series called "photoXplorers" on the subject that is currently airing on Bravo!Canada, DiscoveryHD Asia, and Travel Channel Europe.

Sean

[Vick Vickery]

Welcome to group therepy! :) Focusing a view camera in a dark building can be somewhat of a challenge, especially when movements are part of the game plan! I can pass on a couple of tricks: (1) I often place a flashlight at the main point of focus pointing back toward the camera...makes focusing on that point easy. (2) Its also easy (and saves some steps) to use a laser pointer from the camera position pointing into the scene on the point of focus you want to use...gives you a bright point to focus on.

Either method can be used to adjust your movements by moving the light to different points in the scene as your apply your movements. It goes without saying that you remove the light/pointer before exposing the film. :)

[Hector.Navarro]

welcome to the forum Sean!

[Jerry Bodine]

Sean, have a look at this thread

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=45909&highlight=focus+dark+scene

Jerry

[Sean Galbraith]

Thanks for the tips. The laser pointer method sounds good.

[bvstaples]

Sean:

Welcome to the forum. You might as well start planning on selling off body parts now, by the time you graduate to 20x24 you'll be homeless, hungry, but will have some great pictures!

Brian

[Sean Galbraith]

I wouldn't be surprised. Thankfully for my bank account, my current photographic interest often has me climbing over barbed wire fences and squeezing through holes in collapsed walls (and running from security)... I don't see myself getting fit enough to carry a beast like that (and sherpas are hard to find in Canada). Yet.