Large Format Landscapes

[alexn]

Thank you so much for the extra bit of info, now I understand and also know that probably from my work, a soft filter really isn't necessary, but it's good to know that they exist in someway thank you so much.

Mate - I don't mean to sound rude, but anyone who intends to shoot, or does shoot any considerable amount of transparency film in any format should really have at the very least a 1 and 2 stop soft grad ND and a 2 and 3 stop hard edge grad ND along with a holder to be able to put the graduation edge where required in the frame.. I have shot images on RVP50 that required 4 grad filters in different positions to achieve a balanced exposure, and to be honest, I RARELY expose velvia 50 without at least one grad filter being used... If you hope to achieve good images on slide film you really really need to get a set of GND filters, even if they are cheaper ones, just to tame the light.. Very rarely is a whole scene uniform enough to render in a pleasing fashion with only 4~5 stops of range...

The real exception for me is shooting waterfalls at the bottom of deep gorges or shooting architecture... in nearly every other situation I think you can work a grad filter in to benefit the overall image.

[StoneNYC]

Mate - I don't mean to sound rude, but anyone who intends to shoot, or does shoot any considerable amount of transparency film in any format should really have at the very least a 1 and 2 stop soft grad ND and a 2 and 3 stop hard edge grad ND along with a holder to be able to put the graduation edge where required in the frame.. I have shot images on RVP50 that required 4 grad filters in different positions to achieve a balanced exposure, and to be honest, I RARELY expose velvia 50 without at least one grad filter being used... If you hope to achieve good images on slide film you really really need to get a set of GND filters, even if they are cheaper ones, just to tame the light.. Very rarely is a whole scene uniform enough to render in a pleasing fashion with only 4~5 stops of range...

The real exception for me is shooting waterfalls at the bottom of deep gorges or shooting architecture... in nearly every other situation I think you can work a grad filter in to benefit the overall image.

Not rude just a different way of working, I see your point, I do have one grad nd, (.06) it's not enough for intense light so I'll probably pick up a 1.2 grad nd.

I rarely shift far from center position when shooting such a severe degree of difference. And it comes down to weight and use ability, I can't carry everything on my back, I don't own mules, so when hiking I have to choose carefully, the 8x10 and holders already add a lot of weight, 3 lenses (4 if I HAVE to) and a FEW filters.

I've done the 75lb trips, I want to keep it to 60lbs from now on, when you add good, camping gear, etc there's not much left for camera gear. So I can't carry 4-6 grad ND's that are the size that you guys propose, so much glass is heavy.

Understand these aren't overnights these are 5-8 day trips for me.

Back to landscapes...

NO grad-ND used at all for this chrome.

8x10 E100G circ-pol 300 C

[Nana Sousa Dias]

That sky would be much better with a ND graduated filter...imo.

[vinny]

+1 What Alex said.
+1 What Nana said.

[StoneNYC]

That sky would be much better with a ND graduated filter...imo.

I agree, but it's not completely unusable is what I'm meaning, at least not for me, I MEANT to out one on, it was a mistake, but the setup took me 20 minutes with all the movements I used, that I totally forgot. It happens

[Kodachrome25]

And it comes down to weight and use ability, I can't carry everything on my back, I don't own mules, so when hiking I have to choose carefully, the 8x10 and holders already add a lot of weight, 3 lenses (4 if I HAVE to) and a FEW filters.

I've done the 75lb trips, I want to keep it to 60lbs from now on, when you add good, camping gear, etc there's not much left for camera gear. So I can't carry 4-6 grad ND's that are the size that you guys propose, so much glass is heavy.

Understand these aren't overnights these are 5-8 day trips for me.

Back to landscapes...

NO grad-ND used at all for this chrome.

8x10 E100G circ-pol 300 C

&

but the setup took me 20 minutes with all the movements I used, that I totally forgot. It happens

20 minutes...ouch.

Look just how *much* more powerful even the average work is on here compared to this shot, let alone shooters like Nana or Jeff Dex....

I keep a flat protected cascading
folder of 6 ND grad filters ( 3 hard, 3 soft ) with me at all times for landscape work, and that is with black and white, 6x6, 4x5 and digital. The impact of the image comes first and foremost.....you really should have mastered medium format and 4x5 before saddling your self with the sheer production of 8x10....

I'm tough on you because you just don't see that in terms of composition and nuance of light, you are way behind in terms of having a voice in that. Why don't you join this workshop? I'll pay for your tuition bro....

[djdister]

&



20 minutes...ouch.

Look just how *much* more powerful even the average work is on here compared to this shot, let alone Nana's or Jeff Dex. I keep a flat protected cascading
folder of 6 ND grad filters ( 3 hard, 3 soft ) with me at all times for landscape work, and that is with black and white, 6x6, 4x5 and digital. The impact of the image comes first and foremost.....you really should have mastered medium format and 4x5 before saddling your self with the sheer production of 8x10....

That's a rather harsh thrashing of Stone's image, but of course that is just my opinion and not a pronouncement.

[Kodachrome25]

That's a rather harsh thrashing of Stone's image, but of course that is just my opinion and not a pronouncement.

Yep, I wrote him a letter of recommendation to his school and one of the points I hit is that he needs REAL critique which is not at all to be found on a love fest thread like this which does absolutely nothing in terms of helping photo enthusiasts grow in their work. Zip...

I'm a very successful photographer and I *still* get honest trashing critiques of my work from my mentors on a regular basis. Unless accompanied by a big fat check, gushing praise is utterly worthless to keeping intact the notion of what ***actually*** makes a good photograph, that is why I am never really on here, amid the decent to good shots, there is a lot of overreaction to incredibly average if not below average work.

In Stone's case, I really DO want to help him get better because I know he wants to. So I am willing to be the bad guy and say a better grad would not have helped that shot have a stronger voice, the sky was asleep, nothing to darken, you know?

I stand by what I said in paying for his tuition for the workshop above....

[StoneNYC]

&



20 minutes...ouch.

Look just how *much* more powerful even the average work is on here compared to this shot, let alone shooters like Nana or Jeff Dex....

I keep a flat protected cascading
folder of 6 ND grad filters ( 3 hard, 3 soft ) with me at all times for landscape work, and that is with black and white, 6x6, 4x5 and digital. The impact of the image comes first and foremost.....you really should have mastered medium format and 4x5 before saddling your self with the sheer production of 8x10....

I'm tough on you because you just don't see that in terms of composition and nuance of light, you are way behind in terms of having a voice in that. Why don't you join this workshop? I'll pay for your tuition bro....

If you're paying for the tuition, the flight, and the hotel-ing.

Sure, I'm sure my professors would understand too (they seem very agreeable on giving me different lessons than the other few students because of my difference in knowledge base [not skill level] so they might allow me). But I doubt you actually mean that. I would be ultra humbled.

BTW it's ok for Dan to harshly critique me.

[Kodachrome25]

If you're paying for the tuition, the flight, and the hotel-ing.

Sure, I'm sure my professors would understand too (they seem very agreeable on giving me different lessons than the other few students because of my difference in knowledge base [not skill level] so they might allow me). But I doubt you actually mean that. I would be ultra humbled.

BTW it's ok for Dan to harshly critique me.

Get a flight to Salt Lake and I will pick you up in the camper on the way there, no lodging needed, it sleeps three...inquire with Laura Campbell in terms of how full it is, we just added a couple people this week...