Digital BW, The Print

Bill.

Great points that you make. Especially about 35mm allowing rapid 
visualization and discovery. However, if one wishes to make "large" 
prints, my feeling is that LF or at least MF in 6x6 to 6x12 is the way 
to go. I have yet to see a 35mm negative that can reproduce the tonal 
range and smoothness of 4x5. Some feel that with todays fine grain 
emulsions the quality of MF if not 4x5 can be obtained with 35mm. Well, 
I am not in agreement with their premise.

As far as visualization goes, I shoot mostly 4x5 with some 6x6 and 6x9 
thrown in(All B/W). I love spending time evaluating a scene, 
pre-visualizing it if you will, setting up tha Arca and getting 
everything ready. Waiting for first light (or last light) and pulling 
the trigger. Removing the film, sliding in another sheet and again 
pulling the trigger.

For me, there is a feeling of spirituality making that special image on 
a sheet of film. Being able to control the expansion or contraction of 
the exposure to obtain what I wanted to see.

35mm is a great format. But for me, there is satisfaction in the 
deliberate, time consuming work flow of shooting large format.

Mike

Michael J. Kravit, AIA
Architect/Photographer
Delray Beach, Florida


On Friday, April 26, 2002, at 12:05 PM, Bill Agee wrote:

> At 10:36 AM -0400 4/26/02, Shire,Stanley wrote:
>> Another vote for "bigger is better." I am making (mostly landscape)
>> images with a Mamiya 7II. The camera is light (no mirror, no prism; 
>> just
>> a beautiful, bright rangefinder camera). The 6x7 negs (scanned at home
>> on an Epson 1640 with trans adapter) and Silverfast print beautifully.
>> Sharp, sharp, sharp.
>> Although I use my CP5000 for some stuff, the M7 gets most of the
>> "serious" work.
>>
>
> I must have missed the first message in this thread, but it seems to
> be a discussion about everyone's choice of format and why.  I think I
> will go "against the grain"...and vote for 35mm...or maybe I might
> better say "with the grain."    While I own high quality professional
> 4x5 and 2 1/4 outfits which I occasionally use for professional work
> requiring detail or camera movements,  I must confess that I am a
> 35mmm photographer in my soul.  I hate to use tripods and like the
> rapid visualization and discovery that only small format can give.
> Smaller is better for me.  I hate to lug around lots of equipment.
> Also, to my eyes,  the abstract quality of grain is a big plus.
> Infrared is a specialty of mine and it certainly doesn't look real in
> the sense that Tri-x does.
>
> In the future, I will most likely go all digital...as Photoshop is a
> big part of my routine now.  I have been a part-time college
> photography teacher for about 18 years, mostly black and white and
> for the last three have been only teaching  the Digital Imaging
> (Photoshop) class.  I will probably make the switch to all digital
> when the 35mm professional cameras have larger capture devices and a
> 20mm lens takes a 20mm image and not a 28mm image.  Actually I like
> the idea of shooting everything in color and converting in Photoshop
> to get zthe effect I like.  This is similar to what a lot of people
> are doing with color negative film for black and white final prints.
>
> All formats are wonderful in the right hands.  I certainly admire
> other photographers work with large formats, but I can shoot a roll
> of 35 in the time most 4x5 people set up a camera for their first
> shot.  I like that variety and the process of discovery that comes
> with it.  It all simply boils down to a one's personality,
> temperament and individual aesthetic.
>
> Bill Agee
> --
>
> b i l l  a g e e  s t u d i o
> c a p i s t r a n o  b e a c h  c a l i f o r n i a
>
> billagee@...
> http://www.redsilver.com
>
>
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