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Thread: Newcomers to LF: First Read The Book

  1. #21

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    Re: Newcomers to LF: First Read The Book

    Photography by Barbara London and John Upton. Used as a text book for a lot of programs. It should be required reading for anyone starting out.

  2. #22

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    Dec 2001
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    Re: Newcomers to LF: First Read The Book

    Quote Originally Posted by Tin Can View Post



    What is Infinity anyhow
    It's the last chalk drawing after the opening credits of Doctor Kildare
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  3. #23
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: Newcomers to LF: First Read The Book

    AA's old series is useful for its sample pictures and illustrations. The information has been periodically updated, but is inevitably obsolete in certain aspects. It's pretty simple if someone takes their time. Picker was more a patent medicine salesman. Stroebel is a standard text, highly recommended. Many specific camera models have since come and gone, but basic the view camera function and theory is still entirely valid. If you're interested in Sinar monorail cameras, they published their own superb how-to books, mostly studio-oriented. Basic camera movements and focus techniques, along with basic design choices, should be looked at independently of darkroom practice, models of Zone System, and so forth. Even AA deliberately divided up the major respective topics into three separate books. You Tube has way too much BS on it which might be difficult for a beginner to sort out, fact versus fiction. Often those web tutorials are by people no more experienced than any other beginner. But in the better instances, it might prove helpful.

  4. #24

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    Re: Newcomers to LF: First Read The Book

    AA's The Making of 40 Photographs has long been a favorite of mine and was very helpful when I was starting out. Unlike the Trilogy, it's more inspirational than technical.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  5. #25

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    Dec 1999
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    Forest Grove, Ore.
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    Re: Newcomers to LF: First Read The Book

    It think that there's a middle ground. For example, one could begin their venture into LF by engaging with color photography. In this case, some basic instruction in meter use, and also in camera use via Stroebel would be a good idea.

    But should they become interested in developing and printing in black and white, Ansel Adams three books are masterful. And, being interested in B&W in this way doesn't mean that one need use the Zone System. That can wait.

    In fact, I would recommend against learning the Zone System from Ansel Adams books. (So, skip that section.) What he describes there is different from the way that the system is usually practiced. Better tor read White, Zakia, & Lorenz.

  6. #26
    Alan Klein's Avatar
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    Re: Newcomers to LF: First Read The Book

    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Lewin View Post
    My thought is that the Ansel Adams series is too complex and detailed for a beginner, and in this day of variable contrast papers and split filter printing I’m not sure how valuable the Zone System is for a beginner. As some have pointed out, Steve Simmon’s book is much easier to digest, and I would throw in a vote for Fred Picker’s “ZoneVI Manual.” And while I don’t have a specific reference, I suspect that YouTube would be an even better starting point than books. (FWIW, I have two full sets of the Ansel Adams series, one the original, and one the updated set released much later. But I still wouldn’t start anyone with them.)
    Peter, Thanks to your spending an afternoon with me on a "photoshoot" showing me the ropes. It certainly helped a lot when I started LF a little over a year ago. Thanks again. I recommend newcomers find someone who they can spend time with physically showing the operation of taking a picture.

    Separate from that, the short instruction posts here in the forum posted by many members helped a lot as well. I looked at a book and found it overwhelming to get started. Just knowing a few points as posted here made it easier to use the camera. (I'm referring to taking the picture as I don't have a darkroom and develop in a lab). https://www.largeformatphotography.info/ made it a lot easier.

    Of course, I'm still learning and make a lot of mistakes.

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