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Thread: The learning curve of large format

  1. #21
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: The learning curve of large format

    I don't think a checklist would help me. Ruining a hard-fought expensive sheet of film once in awhile kinda sticks in your memory anyway. I've been known to forget to reverse a darkslide when in a panic due to a sudden downpour or wind gale.

  2. #22

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    Re: The learning curve of large format

    Practice the "mechanical" stuff - setting up the tripod and camera, getting the lens ready to make an exposure.

    When I first got a view camera, Fred Picker told me to go out to the car, put everything in the trunk, take it out, set it up all the way to being ready to fire the cable release, then disassemble it and put it all in the trunk and close the trunk. Repeat 100 times. I got to 50 before almost dying of boredom, but I was still getting faster and smoother at #25.

    When I got my 8x10, I didn't do that, and 2 of the first 10 negatives were completely overexposed. Didn't get the lens ready before pulling the dark slide, and left the shutter open. Dope. So I went and practiced, and have never made that mistake again.
    Bruce Barlow
    author of "Finely Focused" and "Exercises in Photographic Composition"
    www.brucewbarlow.com

  3. #23
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: The learning curve of large format

    Coming from 4x5, not much learning, things are bigger, heavier, more expensive but easier to use. I guess some continuous learning trying to locate sources of 8x10 lenses and film and accessories.

  4. #24
    Serious Amateur Photographer pepeguitarra's Avatar
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    Re: The learning curve of large format

    The curve? Is there a curve? I better get on the curve. About four years go, I was developing some 6x7 taken with the Pentax 67, I noticed in Flickr some very neat and no-grain shots, that is when I discovered LF. Starting with SuperSpeedGraphic, which gave me a lot of joy. Then, I started hearing about movements, etc. Now, I have 4 4x5s and one 8x10 in the mail. While, I think I have learned a lot about focussing and shooting, and choosing lens, etc. The composition and selecting is not there yet. I think the reason is I have not PRINTED yet in a dark room. I refuse to use Photoshop and print on a printer. Listening Ansel Adams, I found that until you print you don't have a photo yet. And when you print, you have to make sure the print comes the way you saw it. I am also discovering that to get the print the way you saw it, you have to do a lot of stuff first: Chose the proper EI, then the proper exposure, then the right development time, then the burning/dodging when printing, etc. That does not include the SEEING part, or the THEME part, or YOUR OWN STYLE part. Those three last things are the hardest to develop. As a fine art painter, I create the composition in a painting, on a photograph, I have to move around to capture a composition nature has created for us. Bottom line is: Enjoy the process!
    Last edited by pepeguitarra; 26-Feb-2019 at 20:06.
    "I have never in my life made music for money or fame. God walks out of the room when you are thinking about money." -- Quincy Jones

  5. #25

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    Re: The learning curve of large format

    I don't think a checklist is a bad idea, but an understanding of what needs to happen in order simplifies things... If you know what is required and happening during different steps, you just go through the process when you understand the importance of each step and why... (Such as camera focused, film slide needs to be pulled to expose film to light, shutter open to view, closed to shoot etc, etc... If you didnt, you will find out later... :-(

    A simpler version to remind the most important steps was from press photographers was think FAST, (I add...) F- focus (+film) camera focused and I add film is ready for the next steps, A- aperture (and I add advancing) where f stop is set,and other levers are set, S- shutter speed (I add slide), and T- Think (don't forget anything!!!) and take... If you did everything else, this is the last minute list of the most important things that allow your camera to shoot something in its operating phase...

    I think if someone can drive a car (as most people do), it is easier to operate a camera... If you think about all the steps it would take to just park, make a left turn, operate the car itself, don't kill pedestrians, etc, if you were learning to drive for the first time, all this and much more would make your head explode, but you learn, drive, and not give it much thought...

    If you can drive, you can operate a camera... Other details like exposure, creative function join in...

    Embrace and do!!!

    Steve K

  6. #26
    Jac@stafford.net's Avatar
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    Re: The learning curve of large format

    I have never lost a shot with an LF camera due to procedure.
    All losses were due to choice of subject and composition.

  7. #27
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: The learning curve of large format

    The mechanics of scaling up from 4x5 to 8x10 camera movements are no big deal. But learning how to deal with a new kind of composition involving new depth of field challenges and bulkier equipment and costlier film that has to be more circumspectly used can indeed present a steep learning curve. Another potential roadblock is that people assume they have to somehow get real serious when they scale up - too serious! - that kind of self-consciousness often comes across in an image, though it's mainly an issue among those scaling up from non-view cameras.

  8. #28
    Les
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    Re: The learning curve of large format

    Ha, it's easy, just get some X-ray film (30 cents per sheet ?) and play play play. If you have the cash, you can spend big dough on color....and have a good time with that.

    Les

  9. #29

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    Re: The learning curve of large format

    The OP already has experience with 4x5 and has a credible body of work, so I’m not sure why the jump to 8x10 should pose significant problems. Sure, there are some differences in things such as “depth of field”, but the LF process holds for both formats.

    Perhaps it is just a lack of familiarity with operating nuances of his particular 8x10 model vs his particular 4x5 model? When I added an 8x10 after starting with 4x5, I went with the same brand, so operational nuances are identical for both. All that differs is the size. And expense. Which does raise the level of disappointment with failed images

    Bob

  10. #30
    45-57-617
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    Re: The learning curve of large format

    For me, I was unable to pin down exposure and development. Coupled with the fact that I took the camera out quite infrequently, I seemed to get images all right after the first few failures but getting really well processed images was hit and miss. A while back, I had some ideas of building a film processor and making up a developer. All of this led to some intensive study of film and processing. Eventually, I have come up with a foolproof and very reliable exposure and development technique that is accurate to the least significant figure on my densitometer. Basically, I could now be certain of a good result if I correctly sampled the scene with my lightmeter and didn't stuff up the process with the myriad of mistakes that can be made.

    It was a long journey that not everyone would take.

    All I have to do now is 'see'. That part of the journey will take the rest of my life I think.

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