Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ulophot
Well done. I like the time it takes to discover what is in the scene.
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Originally Posted by
John Power
That is bending my mind!! I'm sure I don't understand what each scene was, but the end result is fantastic!
The location has two quarries separated by a wall, in which there are two arches. The further quarry is filled with water. One shot was of the two arches (and I asked two strangers to pose for me), but the wall above the arches went above the top of the frame. The second shot was from inside the LH arch looking across the water - and I forgot to reverse the dark slide. You can see the trees inside the RH arch repeated on the 'land bridge'!
Re: Large Format Landscapes
On my screen the exposure looks very pleasing the way it is, John. Gorgeous!
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
John Power
Got away to the coast on the weekend, second time out! I got some miles in hiking with the Horseman in the backpack and I'm very happy with it.
I think I should have put the polariser on here, but still, happy with it as a start to colour. The spot is totally magnificent.
Any feedback would be great! I tried to get the camera up as high as I could and used about 20mm of front standard drop to get more of the rocks into view. I think I under-did the tilt, too, with only about 5deg on. My loupe flares at the base so I can't see the edges... maybe next purchase!
Horseman L45, Schneider 135mm at F22, Portra 160, 30s. Metered off the rocks (reflective) in front of me.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ebdc598c_b.jpg
Horsehead rock before sunrise by
J P, on Flickr
Nice image, well done. I think the composition is good, and the camera height is appropriate to give good separation of fore-, mid- and background. I also like how the arch frames a section of the misted sea, rocks and sky. I do have a couple of suggestions though:
The rocks in the lower left quadrant are quite dark and thus a little unbalanced tonally with the rest of the image IMO. Some selective dodging there would help make a more cohesive whole I think. Also that same patch of rocks appears to have a bit of a blue-purple cast which could be corrected with a masked curves layer. Finally I can't help noticing the odd pink-purple patch in the upper left corner (due to uneven processing maybe?), which is also quite distracting; I would clone this out.
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
John Power
Quote:
Originally Posted by
John Power
I'd be keen to hear whether you would have exposed a bit longer here for the rocks?
On my screen I think the black rocks are treated well. Nowhere is there a distracting black hole with insufficient texture, but there is enough darkness for a touch of drama and mystery.
What I like best is how the foreground sand (and tidal pool) reflect the pink of the sky. :D
And you must have been very patient to capture the crashing wave at the right moment.
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Lovely scene, John.
Are you developing C41 at home? How is it, compared to B&W?
Re: Large Format Landscapes
The apricot of the sky contrasts perfectly with the mauve of the sand. Well done!
I think the darkness of the rocks and flash of white spray work perfectly together to create contrast and excitement.
Re: Large Format Landscapes
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Originally Posted by
LocalHero1953
This might be my best shot, ever! Accidental double exposure from Hodge Close Quarry, Lake District, UK.
Gandolfi 4x5, Nikkor SW 90 f8, Portra 400 (colour was uninteresting, so I converted to mono).
:D
Attachment 216343
Amazing!
Reminds me of what Sally Man describes as "fortuitous accidents" that she invited in to be part of her process.
Really cool image, I still haven't figured out what it is, but it's neat.
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Thanks everyone, again! Great feedback that I will do my best to remember when I'm next out and about. I think I'm learning about lighting a bit, and can see a bit clearer now where BnW will do a better job. I made a lot of errors trying to capture high contrast colour, especially with ektar, and it just struggles to show much colour at all in the shadows.
6X6TTL, yep, C-41 at home is no worries. (Take this with a grain of salt as I'm very new to shooting film and only a month into developing any film at all!)
I use a kodak flexicolor kit and its cheap enough... I'd say about AUD 0.70 per sheet in a paterson tank/mod54... in a JOBO it would be a good chunk cheaper, stearman press too.
I was initially worried about temperature, but it seems near enough is good enough, despite the super-tight range given in the instructions. I just have a 15L plastic tub that I put my bottles in, fill with hot water from the tap, wait til a $10 meat thermometer reads about 38C when i put it in the dev bottle, then go for it.
Colour seems more straight forward than black and white, there is one set of instructions and you just follow it. I've done kodak consumer and pro film, fuji pro stuff, none of it seems to be "off". But maybe my eye just isnt trained yet :)
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
John Power
...I'd be keen to hear whether you would have exposed a bit longer here for the rocks? I was thinking the sky would lose saturation if I did that?
Wind was smashing it through, and my towel-as-dark-cloth was a bit of a pain. I might try to sew one up with some heavy stuff in the edges...
John, most color films do not take to high contrast scenes well, requiring an exposure that renders desirable highlights and lets the shadows fall where they will, but I can suggest a technique to help with getting texture in the shadows. It amounts to a simple double exposure. It’s a technique I was taught at a AA workshop in the late ‘60s by one of Ansel’s assistants (Al Weber, RIP). The first exposure is made by holding a standard gray card (18%) perpendicular to lens axis (beware of shadows on the card) and take a reflection meter reading of the card, then hold it in front of the lens and exposing by closing down three stops from its meter reading. This creates a pre-exposure over the whole format area. Then expose for the scene as you’d normally do. This technique has no effect on the highlights but does help put texture in the shadows.
Since you’re going to do some sewing anyway, here’s what I did. Place a layer of black fabric over a layer of white fabric and sew all edges together. Using this as a darkcloth with the white side on the outside, you’d be amazed at how much cooler you’d be while viewing the groundglass in warm sunny conditions. Regarding windy conditions, you might also find that sewing the edges together behind your head will help and attaching a few short Velcro (hook & loop) strips along the lower edges of the darkcloth will create a dark tube and prevent the wind from getting underneath the cloth and creating a sail.
Re: Large Format Landscapes
The Portra 160 he is shooting has enormous latitude though (as does the higher speed versions). Using it one can easily expose an extra stop over "normal" to lift the shadows a bit, and the affect on the highlight tonality will barely be noticeable.
