What did you compose at Waters Edge?

[Vaughn]

Quartzite Falls in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Toyo 45AII, Schneider Symmar 135mm, Delta 100, D76 1:1.

My first attempt at shooting a waterfall with large format, I think the water is a bit overexposed. I learned a few things with this shot. I need to get a 90mm lens, 135mm just isn't wide enough for waterfalls, something I plan on shooting much more of. I had to crop this a bit to straighten it out and it's still not perfectly straight. When composing, I had a hard time seeing the trees at the top to level off of since they were in shadow. I need to get a 3 axis hot shoe level to level the camera. I also learned that my 135mm lens sticks at longer shutter speeds. This was supposed to be a 1 sec exposure, but 1 sec on the lens sounded more like 2 seconds. 1/2 sec sounded close to a second, but it might be a bit long. I also had to clean up quite a few scratches in PS. I had difficulty loading this holder and figured the film was getting scratched.

Great 1st LF image!!

If I don't trust the 1 or 1/2 second speeds on a shutter, I close down another stop and use B. "Exercing"' the shutter might help with those speeds, maybe not.

In dark situations, to see the image on your GG easier, place your eye on the line the light is traveling along -- in better words, if you want to see into a corner of the GG easier, look at the corner with your eye in-line with the center of the lens opening...where the light is coming from.

135mm is fine for waterfalls -- just learn to see with it and where one needs to be to set the camera up. There is no regular lens that is not great for waterfalls, it will be the eye and experience of the photographer that will determine if it a focal length works' best 'or not.

Have fun!

[Hans Berkhout]

Thank you David.

[esearing]

Attachment 208598

You have several other good images in the one. View Top half vs Bottom half, and Left half vs Right 2/3.

[esearing]

Quartzite Falls in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Toyo 45AII, Schneider Symmar 135mm, Delta 100, D76 1:1.

My first attempt at shooting a waterfall with large format, I think the water is a bit overexposed. I learned a few things with this shot. I need to get a 90mm lens, 135mm just isn't wide enough for waterfalls, something I plan on shooting much more of. I had to crop this a bit to straighten it out and it's still not perfectly straight. When composing, I had a hard time seeing the trees at the top to level off of since they were in shadow. I need to get a 3 axis hot shoe level to level the camera. I also learned that my 135mm lens sticks at longer shutter speeds. This was supposed to be a 1 sec exposure, but 1 sec on the lens sounded more like 2 seconds. 1/2 sec sounded close to a second, but it might be a bit long. I also had to clean up quite a few scratches in PS. I had difficulty loading this holder and figured the film was getting scratched.

Attachment 208587

Nicely done. I rarely use my 90 for waterfalls, 135 or 65 for me if up close. Find a shutter tester and be sure, 1/2 vs 2 seconds makes a huge difference with white water.

[kevinjp]

Thanks Vaughn, and thanks for the hints. I'm still getting used to composing upside down and this scene in particular was a little disorienting.

[kevinjp]

Thanks esearing. Yeah maybe 90mm would be too wide. I'm still getting a feel for what field of view my 135 and 210 lenses have. I'll have to test that shutter and see where it's at.

[Vaughn]

Thanks Vaughn, and thanks for the hints. I'm still getting used to composing upside down and this scene in particular was a little disorienting.

Wait for the day when you spend so much time under the darkcloth that you see the GG image rightside-up in your brain, then stick your head out -- and for a microsecond, think the world is upside down!

[md-photo]

LOL For the scene below I didn't have the dark cloth and there were people walking by (safe distance away) who stopped and seemed to be commenting on the image as it came into focus. I half expected snide remarks on the upside-down scene on the ground glass.

Wait for the day when you spend so much time under the darkcloth that you see the GG image rightside-up in your brain, then stick your head out -- and for a microsecond, think the world is upside down!

8X10Ektachrome001ds by Maryland Photos, on Flickr

This was with Gibellini Bellatrix, Nikkor-W 240 5.6 and Ektachrome 100. I had the above discussion on longer exposure times in mind when I set this up. The settings here were 1/2s, f/64. I check out the sound at the speed I want to take the pic, and the immediately faster and slower speeds, to see if I can discern something off. Crude way of testing relative speeds, and don't know how effective it is.

[Gabe]

Colour version of the previously posted black and white long exposure. This was shot about 20 minutes later and the conditions had changed dramatically. I'm leaning towards the B&W overall, but the colour still has its appeal I think.

Linhof Technikardan S45, Schneider-Kreuznach Apo-Symmar L 5.6/150, Heliopan Slim High Transmission SH-PMC CPL, Fuji Provia 100F.

[lassethomas]

Tyresö Palace Garden, Stockholm, Sweden

Chamonix 45H-1, can't remember the lens and Fomapan400