Wishing to get a start in LF photography

[tjhaefner]

I am a serious amateur photographer who feels that my vision and subject matter may be maligned by my current digital tools. IN many ways, I want to become more deliberate and slow down the pace of what I am doing. I am a little apprehensive in additional investment yet more equipment and returning to the darkroom. Invariably, I would like to insert a little digital into the process (scanning the final negative, perhaps) for the purpose of limiting my darkroom expenses, etc.

Is there someone you can refer me to that might be of assistance in this matter? Is there anyway I could perhaps rent any LF equipment first before buying?

Thanks,

Jack Haefner

The Haefner's
www.jackhaefner.com
www.jackhaefner-photography.com

[John Kasaian]

A good place to start is a copy of Steve Simmons' Using The View Camera

Check with your local college to see if they offer a course that will permit you to use their large format cameras. If not, unless you live in a major (often very major) metropolitan area there would be little chance of renting gear from a local business, though if you have a week end to devote to the cause you might find a workshop where you could get hands on experience.

If niether are likely options, get a Calumet metal monorail with a decent lens and a few holders for very few $$ and go fo it!

[Scott Knowles]

Since I'm only starting in 4x5 (doing 35mm for 37 years) I'll add my experience researching getting into LF photography. Besides Steve Simmons' book, I'll add reading Jim Stone's book "A User's Guide to the View Camera", Leslie Stroebel's "View Camera Technique", and Jack Dykinga's "Large Format Nature Photography" books, talk to a few LF photographers, and visit a store with LF cameras. Nothing beats the voice of experience and hands-on's. Good luck.

On a different topic, your photography Website states, "The images, text and coding on these pages may not be copied to another computer, transmitted, published, reproduced, stored, manipulated, projected, or altered in any way,... without permission of the creator, Jack Haefner.” It's fair to say the images can't be copied and used, except thumbnails, but text must be published to be copyrighted, and Web(html, jv, etc.) coding is open-source (W3C), so both of these are fair game on any Website. Just an observation.

[Ron Marshall]

Jack, have a good read of the front page of this site. There is lots of information. You can also search the site for specific topics.

You can find lots of good used equipment over a wide price range. Midwest Photo Exchange (speak to Jim) and KEH Camera Brokers have a wide selection of good used equipment. So does APUG.

[Capocheny]

Jack, have a good read of the front page of this site. There is lots of information. You can also search the site for specific topics.

You can find lots of good used equipment over a wide price range. Midwest Photo Exchange (speak to Jim) and KEH Camera Brokers have a wide selection of good used equipment. So does APUG.

Jack,

I'll second what Ron has recommended with respects to Jim at Midwest Photo... another very reputable seller is Jeff at Badger Graphics.

I also think you're being prudent to consider renting a kit for a weekend or two before jumping in lock, stock, and barrel! For some people, LF just isn't their bag!

Cheers

[Saulius]

Renting a view camera and the necessary equipment is a great idea but if it's your first test run that may not be enough to help you decide if it's right for you. I'd strongly suggest signing up with a college class somewhere if at all possible. That will give you plenty of time to really try it out and have constant guidance as well. If that's not an option then maybe you can find a fellow lf photographer from this forum who lives in your area and may be willing to get together with you a few times. Another idea is you might be able to rent the equipment and take it to a workshop. It would be a shame if you gave up on lf after only giving it a try once or twice and because you found too many hurdles to overcome. Just remember that as there was a learning curve when you first got into photograhy there is also an adjustment to changing to large format. Best of luck and hope you stick with it after taking the plunge! But be warned it can be addictive, time consuming and a drain to the wallet! And if you do stick with it this forum and it's members are a great source of knowledge and inspiration.

[tjhaefner]

Thanks to all!! Given the last post, are there any forum members in the Northern Virginia/DC area I could connect with?

Jack Haefner

[Ron Marshall]

Renting is a good idea, but don't decide on LF based on the results from your first twenty or so sheets. Even with a background in photography you may not get much that you are happy with untill you get a feel for LF.

[tjhaefner]

Any resources for renting in the Washington, DC/Northern Virginia area?

[Kendrick Pereira]

Regarding the different topic that Scott Knowles commented on viz: copyright I must say I was most astonished to read, "but text must be published to be copyrighted"!!

Do you really mean to say that if a pirate can get hold of someone's work in progress on, say, a research project or a work of fiction or someone's private correspondence the fact that that text has not been published entitles the pirate to use it as he pleases?!!

I appreciate that copyright, like such related entitlements as patent rights and performance rights, is an entirely artificial entitlement created by legislation of one sort or another and also that I am no lawyer myself but even so the above runs counter to everything I have heard and read of the protection the law as it stands purports to afford authors.