Newbie Nottingham

Fragments of nature

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Aug 8, 2021
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Hi
Is there any one available to meet up with there camera to give me more of an insight into 4x5 photography.
Thank you.
 
There are a number of very good youtube videos that can show you how the various movements work. Just search for "Large Format Camera"

If you want to read about using LF cameras, then Ansel Adam's "The Camera" (part of the fantastic 3 book series "The Camera, The Negative" and " The Print") can't be beaten.......or you can go for Stroebels Using the LF camera.

Mike
 
It's tough learning anything 'in a bubble' and with the isolation we have all had to suffer for the last 16 months or so it can make it seem like an even more challenging task. Sadly I'm in London so not close - and I think we are all pretty spread out on here. :)
I'm a bit of an addict for 'Large Format Friday' on YouTube which actually got me investing in LF kit - and as @mpirie says there's lots of good info out there to be had. My own YouTube channel is mostly LF based these days (with a healthy dose of medium format) and you are always welcome to say hi on there.
What I've learned so far is to 'take it steady' not try and grasp the whole nettle at once. The temptation is to try all sorts of new developers and process because you see others doing it, to immediately jump belly button deep into the 'zone system' and basically try to run before you can walk.
My own advice is learn the basics with one lens, one developer and one film stock. Get used to composing upside down and back to front because LF is a great leveller: I've earned my living from 35mm and digital photography most of my adult life, but LF made me feel like a toddler in a grown up world :)
 
Welcome to the forum.
I‘m too far away but I wish you well.
LF Friday is worth watching, if only for the enthusiasm (and the haircut). The most watched LF photographer is probably Ben Horne. Not a great deal of technical detail, but he talks through his composition, as he makes the decisions. An example of patience. You may be surprised at how much time he devotes to a few images.

Marley’s advice is good. Just handling the camera in different situations will make you more fluent. There will always be problems to solve - one of the reasons why we use LF cameras.

You may be tempted by exotic developers and there are people here who revel in experimentation and thrilling tales of adding one more drop of Miraclon-Z. Wait until you see something that needs correcting before you dive into this river. In the normal course of events, simple Zone System controls will serve you well. Keep it simple until you really, really see the need for complication.

One of the best things you can do is to keep notes of each exposure, at least until you gain confidence. They don’t have to be extensive, but when you come to making a print and discover some unexpected difficulty, you can refer to your notes and learn how to do better next time.

Camera movements seem to inspire fear in all beginners, including me. For most work, you will need very little movement. It’s a good idea, before you make any adjustment, to focus on each part of what you want to be in focus. This will give you some idea of how much tilt or swing is really needed and in which direction. Always begin with everything at zero. Always re-check focus after movements. Always check you’ve locked everything before you set the lens.
Don’t be disheartened by any failures. if you never fail, you’re not trying hard enough.

There. Far too much advice already. Probably best to ignore it and just blacken some silver compounds.
 
I'm an hour from Nottingham just South West of Birmingham, you're welcome to pop down, plenty of LF kit and lenses to play with.

Ian
 
living in Nottingham opens you a very good address "Photoparleur" and they have courses and sometimes John Blakemore as a teacher, lucky you!
 
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