Tilt in an urban enviroment

[Ben R]

Hi,

I hope you will excuse my beginner status in this question!

I've not done much in the way of exploring movements as yet but I'm now shooting in a enviroment where I'm finding it very difficult to achieve front to back depth of field and where usually I would assume that tilt would not be advised due to the near verticals in the photo as seen in these two examples (shot for illustration only). I am in effect needing to get sharp focus from the nearest point to me to the last point in the photo. Using Hansma's technique I have to stop very far down, diffraction territory and the resulting super slow speeds mean that the foliage is going to be blurred and I'll never be able to capture a similar human presence in the 2nd photo as I have here and as I wish to repeat.

I am using a 135mm with a 6X12 back giving a normal persepctive which I prefer to wide angle for architecture.

Do I tilt (or swing in the case of the 2nd one?) and stop down for DOF in the verticals assuming that I will have less to stop down and faster exposure time or is this a bad idea for a reason that in my ignorance I am still as yet unaware?

Many thanks for your suggestions.

[jb7]

Firstly, a 135 is slightly wide, even on 6x12, imo-
in the first picture above, you're set up parallel to the paving stones,
and it should be possible to use swing, or tilt, or both, to help focus-
keeping the back plumb, to maintain the verticals-

The second might be more of a straightforward depth of field issue,
as it looks like the foliage and the steps are similar distances from the camera,
and roughly parallel to it-

They're good pictures- though I think the first might have been helped by better focus on the foreground- as you mentioned-

joseph

[Ben R]

Joseph, they were shot while I was walking around with a DSLR looking for interesting photos to return to with my LF rig, shot at f2.8 I think, just to give me ideas, snapshots in other words. I want to do them and another bunch properly. I find that getting the composition perfect in my mind works better when I can shoot a few different ideas and when I go home see what looks best objectively (i.e. what my wife thinks!).

According to http://www.camerareview.com/templates/focallength.htm a 135mm on 6X12 equals a 45mm lens on a 35mm camera, near enough to normal for me. I 'see' between normal and mild telephoto usually, I have not as yet mastered the dicipline of wide angle sufficiently to use it effectively and not just because you need a wider lens!

[jb7]

Fooled me with your crops then-
though you can never get more than just the idea of a picture on the web-

I always think its unfair to compare focal lengths of a fixed lens camera with those of a camera with movements,
unless you use your view camera axially-

Using movements, you will always get a wider picture-
using the coverage of the lens-

If you were to crop the same picture from a fixed lens frame,
you might find that you would have needed a wider lens to get it-

j

[David A. Goldfarb]

In the first shot a little front swing might help, but it's hard to say without trying it.

In the second one, you would just stop down.

The main movements I find that I use for exterior architecturals is front rise, and sometimes shift. If I'm using tilt, it's usually for indirect front rise, but the front and back of the camera stay parallel.

[steve simmons]

You are basicially right in your first post. Tilt or swing would get you in more trouble if you want every thing sharp.

I would suggest you read one of the intro books to large format where the use of movements is discussed. Sometimes you just have straight ahead situations and you have two of them here. Rise and fall can be used, front or rear, without any problems.


steve simmons

[Ben R]

So if I find, particularly with the first photo that I need to stop down too much, what do I do?

Steve, I bought your book, I'm afraid I found it far too basic in that it didn't go into depth into almost anything including movements. No doubt great as a very beginner guide but also not technical enough for many of my questions. My apologies.

[steve simmons]

My book is used as a text for classes all over the country and has been for years. It clearly shows what the movements do and how to use them. What kind of info are you looking for?

Sometimes swing and tilt can't be used although in the May issue of View Camera we have a portfolio by Dirk McDonnell about creatively using movements in an urban environment.

steve simmons

[jb7]

I would definitely be using tilt, at least, in the first one-
and quite possibly some swing too-
though I wouldn't be expecting to get it right first time-
and stopping down would still be necessary, though maybe not as much...

j

[Ben R]

My book is used as a text for classes all over the country

And that helps me how?

I'm asking for help not marketing. I already paid for your book.