8x10 vs 4x5 keep/sell/wait/ the merry go round continues

[axs810]

If there are any student art galleries at a nearby college try going there and documenting other peoples artwork. I do that when I need money and I get anywhere from $200 and up (my friend got paid $1200 for photographing student jewelry pieces)...undergrads will pay a good amount for their galleries to be photographed so they can apply to grad school.

[dimento]

If there are any student art galleries at a nearby college try going there and documenting other peoples artwork. I do that when I need money and I get anywhere from $200 and up (my friend got paid $1200 for photographing student jewelry pieces)...undergrads will pay a good amount for their galleries to be photographed so they can apply to grad school.

Good suggestions -thanks

[jcoldslabs]

Personally, if someone put a gun to my head and forced me to choose between 4x5 and 8x10, I would probably go with 4x5. It would be tough because I love 8x10, but 4x5 gives me most of what I want from large format with a minimum of hassle. My main reason for shooting 8x10 is being able to contract print, but I could give up that dream if I had to.

Sometimes part of the problem for me is having the option of both. If all I had was 8x10, that's what I would shoot and I would get much better at it as a result. As it is, I find I gravitate more toward 4x5 because of the lower film and processing costs, and because the cameras are smaller and more agile and therefore allow me to "play around" more relative to 8x10. (Plus the Speed Graphic's shutter lets me use all kinds of cheap barrel lenses.) Eliminating 8x10 might be tough, but you may find it allows you to hone and refine your 4x5 work even more.

J.

[dimento]

Personally, if someone put a gun to my head and forced me to choose between 4x5 and 8x10, I would probably go with 4x5. It would be tough because I love 8x10, but 4x5 gives me most of what I want from large format with a minimum of hassle. My main reason for shooting 8x10 is being able to contract print, but I could give up that dream if I had to.

Sometimes part of the problem for me is having the option of both. If all I had was 8x10, that's what I would shoot and I would get much better at it as a result. As it is, I find I gravitate more toward 4x5 because of the lower film and processing costs, and because the cameras are smaller and more agile and therefore allow me to "play around" more relative to 8x10. (Plus the Speed Graphic's shutter lets me use all kinds of cheap barrel lenses.) Eliminating 8x10 might be tough, but you may find it allows you to hone and refine your 4x5 work even more.

J.

Yes, there's a lot to be said for limiting choices, Avedon worked with 8x10 and a Rollei. One my favourite photographers, Steve Pyke, works more or less exclusively with a Rollei. Mary Ellen Mark seems to veer from 35mm to 6x6, 6x7, 5x4 and of course the Polaroid 20x24 ($8000 starting price to commission her on that camera). I guess multiple formats and choices work for some, not for others.

[Drew Bedo]

Or . . .OR . . .you could dump both small cameras and get an 8x10 with a reducing back!

[Robert Skeoch]

Just go with 8x10. It's so much more enjoyable than shooting 4x5.

[dimento]

So the heart one over the head. I decided to keep my 8x10 and re-build the kit. I guess the bottom line is I've never really completed a project with 8x10. Several times in the past I've bought one, shot a few sheets and then sold the kit. This has meant that I've never had a chance to see what the format is capable of, nor become comfortable with it. For anyone who's interested in Richard Avedon's work there's a great section on his website with interviews: http://www.richardavedon.com/#mi=1&p...=-1&a=-1&at=-1

thanks for all the input

[Drew Bedo]

Glad to hear that you have resolved this. Please share what you do with us here.

[DrTang]

If there are any student art galleries at a nearby college try going there and documenting other peoples artwork. I do that when I need money and I get anywhere from $200 and up (my friend got paid $1200 for photographing student jewelry pieces)...undergrads will pay a good amount for their galleries to be photographed so they can apply to grad school.

I got a bottle of tequila last time I did that

fair trade

[Ari]

If only it were that simple, I do have an 'extra' 4x5 field (A Toyo) I've been trying to sell for weeks, jobs are not easy to come by in this economy

I understand, and I hope I didn't sound flip about it.

BTW, I saw your Finance Minister interviewed on CBC yesterday, proclaiming Ireland the economic hub of the EU.
Maybe he was full of blarney?

In any case, perhaps eBay is the best option for your camera and lens, since they aren't moving here.
It would rid you of the gear, and get you some money for 8x10, perhaps a little less than you were hoping for, but at least it's a step forward.