Large Format Love

I absolutely love shooting large format cameras. The process of shooting one takes me to the basics of photography. No auto exposure, no metering, no auto focus..nothing. Actually it's just a black box with the lens on one end and film on the other. The view that appears on the ground glass is inverted. As a photographer one is forced to think and make all the decisions involved in the picture making process. So at the end of it you feel like, you are in charge (which is great for control freaks like me!). Because I process all the film that I shoot on my own, I have complete control over the creative process from shooting to development to scan/print stage. This gives a lot of flexibility and room for experimentation. Personally for me one major factor that sets the large format cameras apart from others is the camera movements. The front and rear standards of the camera allow shift, tilt, swing, rise and fall (Hopefully I can blog about camera movements in future). The large negatives/positives the cameras produce are a joy to look at. These days the cameras have become so inexpensive and the films have gotten so better, I feel like this is the best time if anybody wants to get into large format. Until recently I had 5 4x5 cameras, now I have downgraded to 2 4x5 cameras that I really love (Sinar F2, Speed Graphic). I have been resisting the temptation to get into 8x10 mainly for logistical reasons...but certainly it's not out of the picture. I also acquired a 6x12 back for my 4x5 camera, now it can take medium format film and produce amazing panoramas.

Here are some of my large format pictures that I love ....

Sinar F2, Rodenstock Grandagon 75mm f/4.5


Sinar F, Rodenstock Grandagon 75mm f/4.5, Horseman 6x12 back


Sinar F2, Rodenstock Grandagon 75mm f/4.5


Sinar F2, Rodenstock 135mm f/5.6


Sinar F, Rodenstock Grandagon 75mm f/4.5,Horseman 6x12 back