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#11
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Using a LF camera is a very rewarding experience - but (unsurprisingly) it does not make you suddenly a much better photographer
Because it is a very simple machine all the work is down to you. There are so many adjustments available for you to use - it becomes a very slow and methodical process. This slowing down, gives you time to think and consider the image you are taking and whether its really worth firing the shutter. You therefore have to look much more carefully and think hard about the possible shot before you even put the camera up. Then there is the wait for the right light - because its taken you so long to put up the camera - the light has almost certainly changed since you first saw the shot. So you look up and the sky and wonder about when the cloud pattern will be right to best illuminate the subject. This bit is a guessing game - sometimes you are pleasantly surprised and sometimes you are disappointed. In landscapes almost always the best light is a mixture of sunshine and clouds - there is almost always some waiting for the light involved. All in all, its a very slow process. This whole slowing down process is not for everyone - but as the BBC4 TV programs have shown - slow can be very enjoyable. I shoot mainly landscapes and canal scenes - and I joke that the canal barges are a bit too fast for me. There are downsides to LF - the camera, lenses, tripods, enlargers and darkroom equipment are all very expensive. Everything tends to be big and heavy - so you never go for a walk and bring your LF camera along "just in case" Plus when you start out, the opportunities to mess up the shot are considerable - so your strike rate is very low - but it does get better with time and practice. If you are an instant gratification person - then probably LF is not for you. However if you are a more slow and considered person who is methodical, then you will probably find it very rewarding. Martin |
#12
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Using LF doesn't need to be any slower than 35mm or 120.
There's two different things here. It slows down the number of images you shoot because you become more critical, film costs are higher usually you carry less film in terms of the number of images you could shoot. Actual shooting of an LF image can be almost as fast as using 35mm or 120 on a tripod or hand held. Ian |
#13
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I started out earlier this year using the Intrepid 4x5 I helped fund on Kickstarter. I replaced the ground glass screen with a much brighter one and have shot quite a few sheets by now. Great camera to get started.
More advanced cameras are tempting (no back movements on the Intrepid), but then again I am still far from mastering this simpler camera and I always keep telling myself many people made amazing pictures with simpler gear, so that helps me in pushing myself...
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may the light be with you! FB/Twitter/flickr @maltklaus |
#14
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im loathe to use one again after last time.
turns out i have damaged tendons in my shoulder carrying the bugger about! who said photography is pain free??? |
#15
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Quote:
LF weight is death by 1000 cuts - no one thing is all that heavy but collectively they do make your knees sag. Martin |
#16
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to be fair i was being an idiot and carrying it mounted on the pod up "that" hill in Haworth (then realised i didnt have a light meter with me )
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