Greetings from Brandon, FL

[cconte]

I have a Graflex Crown Graphic and I'm learning how to use it though the aid of the internet. I've decided to make it my 2010 "project".

It was given to me as part of an estate of a local photographer who lived and worked in Ybor City, FL.

I shoot digital and very much like it. But I'm disappointed that in 2004, when I first became interested in photography, we were already well-into the digital revolution.

I've experimented with liquid light and cyanotypes and have developed my own B&W 35mm film and prints. I really like these processes and enjoy working with them.

It's my goal to learn how to use the 4x5 camera and to develop the film using the unicolor motor and 8x10 print drum. I think I'll try contact printing (first) using more cyanotype or van dyke brown.

I'm looking forward to a fun 2010! :eek:

[Bill_1856]

Welcome to the asylum.

[Vick Vickery]

Welcome to group therepy! :) The Crown is a good place to start...simple and easy to use and will give excellent results.

[cconte]

Welcome to group therepy! :) The Crown is a good place to start...simple and easy to use and will give excellent results.

Thank you! And that's good to know. I tend to get discouraged easily and I'm already preparing myself. At least I'm headed in the right direction.

[Wayne Crider]

Welcome from Ft. Liquordale. Good luck with the venture.

I wonder how many Floridians this makes now?

[Brian Ellis]

The downtown branch of the Tampa Public Library has at least one book on how to use a LF camera. I forget which one it is, not Steve Simmons book and not Leslie Stroebel's. One of the lesser known books - maybe Jim Stone. In any event, I used that book when I was learning LF photography and it was very helpful, you might check it out. It's too bad that the LF group that met monthly in the Tampa Bay area for about nine years is no longer in existence. It was a good group that would have been helpful.

[Vick Vickery]

Don't get discouraged, there are ready answers here for most problems you might run into! :) No doubt you've already figured out that you need a bit more than just the camera to get going. A basic kit will need to include a few film holders, a tripod heavy enough to hold the camera, a black square of material (I use one 36" square, double thickness) from the material store to cover your head behind the ground glass so you can see to focus better, and a light meter of some kind (can be a 35mm SLR with a meter or a DSLR to start with) to judge exposures, and a box of film. I'm assumming that the camera came with a 135mm or 127mm lens (most press cameras are sold with a lens) and either of these lenses will get you started...you'll want others later. Have fun...and don't expect to rival Ansel right away!

[cconte]

The downtown branch of the Tampa Public Library has at least one book on how to use a LF camera. I forget which one it is, not Steve Simmons book and not Leslie Stroebel's. One of the lesser known books - maybe Jim Stone. In any event, I used that book when I was learning LF photography and it was very helpful, you might check it out. It's too bad that the LF group that met monthly in the Tampa Bay area for about nine years is no longer in existence. It was a good group that would have been helpful.

Brian,
Thank you for the info on the book. I'll check it out. I'm so sorry the LF group no longer meets. There are NO groups for this type of photography on the meet-up site, either. I think this forum is 'it', so I'm very grateful for the input.

[cconte]

Don't get discouraged, there are ready answers here for most problems you might run into! :) No doubt you've already figured out that you need a bit more than just the camera to get going. A basic kit will need to include a few film holders, a tripod heavy enough to hold the camera, a black square of material (I use one 36" square, double thickness) from the material store to cover your head behind the ground glass so you can see to focus better, and a light meter of some kind (can be a 35mm SLR with a meter or a DSLR to start with) to judge exposures, and a box of film. I'm assumming that the camera came with a 135mm or 127mm lens (most press cameras are sold with a lens) and either of these lenses will get you started...you'll want others later. Have fun...and don't expect to rival Ansel right away!

Yes! Most of the stuff you mentioned came with it except for the cloth. The lens is a Kodak Ektar 127mm. It's no DSLR, that's for sure. But, I think the whole learning process will be very rewarding and (hopefully) I'll end up with some good images. Thank you for your encouraging words!

[ethics_gradient]

The downtown branch of the Tampa Public Library has at least one book on how to use a LF camera. I forget which one it is, not Steve Simmons book and not Leslie Stroebel's. One of the lesser known books - maybe Jim Stone. In any event, I used that book when I was learning LF photography and it was very helpful, you might check it out. It's too bad that the LF group that met monthly in the Tampa Bay area for about nine years is no longer in existence. It was a good group that would have been helpful.

USF's Tampa library has both the Stroebel book and Dykinga's "Large Format Nature Photography" (currently in my bookbag), among tons of other useful general photography books. You can get a membership as a non-student or alumni, or just grab it off the shelf, take it downstairs to the Starbucks for an afternoon, and leave it in one of the reshelving areas. Parking Services doesn't ticket after 5:30pm ;)

I graduated recently, but work on-campus through the end of the summer.