New here but could use some advice and help

[Albert.Adderley]

Hi I have just joined this forum an want to say how pleased I am to be a member.
I suffer from very bad depression so am unable to work but photography keeps me going and stops me from going to dark places in my head. At least most of the time but that's my problem not yours.
My wife just brought me a Sinar Norma to help me but as she knows nothing about photography she thought I could use it straight away.
It came with two very old shnider lenses that do not fit the lens board and no dark slides so I will get that sorted when we can afford it. What I would like at present is a manual for the sinar Norma.
Just read The Negative and am inspired to try the zone system with the Norma when it is working. If any one has any advice or help please contact me.
It may sound strange but the photos that inspire me most are portraits taken on large format from the 1940s back to the start of photography when the photographer concentrated on there skill not on the camera doing the work for them.
Al

[cowanw]

It doesn't sound strange at all. I too find inspiration in the portraiture of the pre 1950's. I suppose that would be called classic portraiture. Every person is different so every portraiture is different. Keep reading and searching here for information and you will find almost all the answers you will ever need. If your library has the time life series on photography, there is a good large format section there.
Others Norma owners may chip in but I dont think there will be much in a manual (other than accessories) that will not be found in the more generic large format books.
Kindest Regards

[William McEwen]

Good to have you here, Albert.

The Sinar is a terrific gift -- you have a nice wife!

I'm guessing the camera did not come with an instruction manual, even when brand new. I've purchased two brand new view cameras myself -- one a Sinar, the other a Wisner -- and neither one came with a manual.

View cameras are easy to operate, and any generic instructions you find online or in books will probably be easily adaptable to your camera.

Plus there's nothing better than having in-person instruction from someone who knows what he or she is doing. Perhaps you can find someone nearby.

For excellent 20th century portraiture, make sure you check out August Sander. He was a master. Also, Alfred Stieglitz -- he was the best.

[Vick Vickery]

Welcome to group therapy, Al! :) Lensboards are pretty easy to get for the Sinar...I'd fit those two Schneider lenses to boards and get to making some pictures! Those "very old" lenses might be very good performers, as Schneiders often are.

[Albert.Adderley]

Every one is so helpful here thank you for your advice
Just have to get a good day to try the stuff when I have the bits I still need.
Just more bad days than good at the moment
Al

[Michael Cienfuegos]

Welcome aboard, this is a good group, these guys are a great resource for those of us who are learning. Hop on board, hang on, and hopefully you will have more good days than bad. :)

m

[Alan Gales]

I highly recommend buying Steve Simmon's book Using The View Camera. It is very easy to understand and a fantastic help for the beginner. I purchased my copy at Amazon.

Best regards,

Alan

[John Berry]

that's my problem not yours.
Wanna bet? Get Steves Book. If you can't afford new there are many used available. There are other authors of fine books also here. I would recommend portraits of trees at first. From planting the tripod to click, it's going to be at least 30 minutes. They have a lot more patience than your benefactor will eventually. For sure you don't want to mess that up. The structure and discipline of view camera work requires enough attention that sometimes you forget the crap that's buggi'n you. works for me.

[jwaddison]

Welcome Albert. I think you will find it's easy to lose yourself in the operation of the camera and taking pictures to a degree that you forget about all else that might be bothering you.
There are some good articles on this site on the operation of the view camera, and if I remember correctly one especially helpful one on "all the things that can go wrong". The cameras are basically very simple (a box with a lens on one end and film on the other) but even so I found it helpful at first to have a small checklist when I first started playing with my new toy.

[cosmicexplosion]

yeah man, welcome to the seen, you have to wear cool clothes, and and talk like james bond.

dont let any one one catch you here naked!

you just have to make the holes bigger or smaller on your boards.

making them bigger is the norm, smaller, only a mad man would attempt.

ebay has cheap sinar boards for 20 bucks u.s

fine.

other than that eat fresh food, go for a jog and focus only on the good stuff, the bright future

where life and art become one.

grab your enthusiasm and GO FOR IT!

[Michael Graves]

Steve's book is good. If you plan on pursuing the darkroom end of it (which will REALLY take you into dark places), also get Fred Picker's Zone VI Workshop. Easy to read and an effective way to get excellent results in the shortest order.