Horseman Format Masks for Groundglass Composition

[Aaron Reynolds]

Dear large format photographers,

I am interested in your opinions regarding the Horseman Format Masks for composi ng an image which will ultimately be shot on a Horseman Roll Film back. Specific ally, can someone tell me how these thin plastic format masks are fixed to the g roudglass? Are they simply held in place during composition and focussing? Any h elp would be appreciated.

[Todd Caudle]

Don't know specifically about the products you mentioned, but they sure are easy to fashion on your own. I use a 6x7cm Fold-Mat, and just hold it in place while I compose. (Just did a roll of 120 on my 4x5 yesterday mornin', in fact.) I could just as easily have made one, but had an extra lying around.

[brad cheers]

Hi fellow Aussie: I use a Horseman 45FA with 6x12 RFH, and use a black piece of mountboard with a 6x12 bevelled window in it (made using any old matt cutter). Works perfectly, cost nothing and resides comfortably between groundglass and folding hood. I cut it to fit snugly so that if the folding hood is removed, it stays in place. For my camera this required me to snip a little off each corner of the mountboard. For 4x5 composition, just take it out. The same gadget is a handy viewing aid to lay over a processed 6x12 tranny when on the lightbox. Whatever a Horseman Format Mask is, I bet it costs too damn much... Necessity is the mother of all invention.