A large format and a digital

So, I've been the owner of a large format (a 5x4" Tachihara) camera for a few months now. I bought this a month or two before M presented to me the gift of a new digital SLR. The two couldn't be more different ... the first is careful, considered, time consuming, expensive... the second the antithesis of that.

I love them both!

Admitedly the 5x4 has taken a bit of getting used to (6x loading film in reverse = underxposed shots, 2x removing from the camera the film holder minus the slide = ruined shots, 5x light getting in the top of the film holder = exposed edges, 1x double exposure of the same sheet of film (when i get the results back my subject tells me it's "artistic" - I think it's crap) ... etc - you get the picture) but the rewards are great. Examining a good transparency on the light box with a loupe the quality is incredible. I love it.

Here is a large format photograph of my dear Nonna, taken two weeks ago in Melbourne, three days after her 90th birthday:



It loses something in the scan and down size of the file but you get the idea. I don't normally mention what camera took what image on the blog, but the above one here is taken by the large format. The new digital (a Canon EOS400D) took the photos of M smoking posted a few days ago. The rest are taken with either a medium format (Mamiya 7ii) or 35mm (Leica M6TTL). Carrying about all 3 formats is a bit of a feat, especially when it's on a flight to Australia (a few weeks ago, stopping off in Dubai and Singapore) i thought my shoulder might just give way. But just look at the pictures!

I like using the large format because suddenly subjects realise the importance - the gravity - of what's going on when this huge contraption is pointed at them. They concentrate and learn not to move and are interested in all the flapping about with reflectors and light meters and such that the large format requires. So consequently the results reflect subjects' sense of import. I like that. I'll continue to post some results as I get them processed.