Instuctor needed

[eric fernette]

I am a self taught intermediate skilled 35mm photographer in landscape and child photography. I have purchased a used Arca Swiss F-line 4x5 and am looking for someone in the large format community to assist me in developing my skills in large format photography. To learn large format photography I have often read this forum/site, viewed Apug's site, read Dykinga's book and I am currently reading Stroebel's book. However, the self taught method is not working for large format and I need some hands on help. Since I have learned most of what I know off this site, or sites/books referred by this site, I would prefer to pay someone from this community for instruction instead of a local stranger. If you or someone you can recommend is willing to work with me please contact me. I live Houston Texas but am also open to someone in New Mexcio or Arizona as I travel there on a regular basis.

Thanks,
Eric Fernette

[Doug Dolde]

So why don't you take one of your hero's workshops? He even does one on one consulting.

http://www.dykinga.com/

[Danny Burk]

Eric - perhaps a little farther than you'd like, but I teach Intro to LF workshops on a regular basis. The next one is coming in just two weeks in the Smokies; see my website for detailed info:

http://www.dannyburk.com/nature_photography_workshops.htm

If you have questions, I'm happy to help.

Regards,
Danny

[steve simmons]

I live near Albuquerque and have taught lf workshops for years. I also have a book called

Using the View Camera that sme people have found to be helpful.

There are some articles on our web site

www.viewcamera.com

that might be helpful.

steve simmons

[Henry Friedman]

Try Don Kirby; he's in Santa Fe and offers what he calls a photo intensive workshop for one or two people. He's a very fine photographer, a good instructor and a very nice guy as well.

www.donkirbyphotography.com

[Mike H.]

Another excellent individual is Rod Klukas in Phoenix, AZ, who has taught large format at Scottsdale Community College for the past ten + years, and at Glendale Community College prior to that. He has a Masters in Fine Art from ASU and used to work as an assistant for Oliver Gagliani. He uses ARCA-SWISS himself. You can reach him at 602-244-1133 Tuesday thru Saturday.

[Mike H.]

Oh, I forgot. Rod is an ex-Marine. He applies his field stripping skills to cameras. Can probably do an ARCA-SWISS blind folded. I know he can with a Kodak 4X5 film holder. The phone number I gave is for Photomark, where he works a day job. Through that location he's probably sold more ARCA-SWISS cameras than any other individual in the states. Just my opinion. Anyway, like I said, he's really great and he knows all kinds of cool locations to film in Arizona. Cool as in "really neat" - not Arizona temperatures. :-)

[bob woitaszewski]

Dude,
I think I undderstand some of your flustrations. I entered the world of 4x5 exactly year ago. I bought an Arca Discovery from Rod here in PHX. I had read Steve's book, and a couple of other of "how-to" books besides his. I also came from 20+ years of shooting 35mm and 2 1/4.
As it turns out, 4 thingds helped me in getting better at the craft: 1) Design a set of self-assignments for the landscapes here around Phoenix that forced me to get better at tilts, swings, macro. (2) Take a lot of Polarids keeping good notes on what you did, (3) Taking select chromes with notes once I thought I had mastered that particular technique. (4) compare my results with what the "how-to" books thought the outcome should be
For example, I went out to White Tanks regional park near my home and practiced, tilts on the big boulders, the Muench "near-far" technique, the petrogliphs and spring wild-flowers for my macro technique and believe me your Texas Blue Bonnets are better than out lupines. I later went up the Indian Ruins to proctice swings on those LONG walls around some of the riuns.
When I got the chromes back, I review them under the lupe to make sure my technique was progressing. This year its aspens in Flag this weekend, the Indian ruins and the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona in November, and the Wtie Dove of the Desert near Tucson on the first Sat of 2006 so I get it without any crowds.
But like Rod and others say, PRACTICE, practice and I fould the self-assignment route was got me to the next level - what ever that is.. Good luck

[eric fernette]

Thanks for all the great recommendations.

[Kathy Odiorne]

Eric, have you considered checking out the Community colleges in your area? Tuition is usually quite reasonable and you would probably have free access to their darkroom as well.