Summer Grass 3 (print)

The whole series is quite spectacular Andrew. You really cranked out some incredible images with this project....including this one...Nice!
Steve

man you can produce some great prints in short order ! I love the color-tone depth of this print . What size are working on in this series?

Miles

Thanks Steve, Miles... These prints are printed 7x7 onto 8x10 paper, with the exception of a few that I've printed to 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 on 14x11 paper.

This is indeed a terrific series of shots Andrew. Is it the Great Hassel that lends these shots that unique quality or could a regular lens provide the same end result?

Cheers
Vincent

Thanks everyone for commenting. Vincent, the lens I use has a lot to do with how these images look. The Great Wall is a 90mm f 3.5 lens that exhibits some COMA and spherical aberrations that present the swirly/diffuse fall off at the edges. It's very similar to a petzval lens, but a little softer. The GW lens is coated on front and rear external surfaces, but it will flare really easily if you are not careful with it, and the overall look the lens signature delivers is one where the highlights are almost flaring with a halation to them similar to IR, and a little like the Verito Diffuse Focus lens used many years ago. So the highlights are 'managed' where they render and print well. One other aspect of the lens is fall off at the top of the image. This is partly caused by the lens design, but more likely due to the DF-2 camera body it usually comes with that has a ledge that impedes the rear element slightly. I've recreated this effect with a strip of gaffa tape. While a regular Zeiss 80mm planar can exhibit some 'funkiness' when left wide open, it is not very pronounced and needs the right scene, subject, and background all aligned at the right distances..... Whereas the GW lens just does it all the time. You select what is in focus, and then everything else turns to a swirling mush! You have to learn to use it and unlearn all those traits of getting everything sharp front to back in compositions... I modified a Hasselblad body cap on a whim to see if it would work, and it did with infinity focus!! The reason for making it fit a hasselblad was that the DF-2 camera body has limited shutter speeds B, 30, 60, 125, and 200, and the 201F body allows more control in that regard, and more importantly, reliability. The DF-2 body has a finite lifespan before it dies. You get the best of both worlds. Hope this helps?

andrew

i have thoroughly enjoyed this series,
that camera and lens and your eyes and
printing style really work very well hand in hand.
this print has such a beautiful glow and diffuse look to it.

great work!
john

Thank you Andrew for your full information on the 90mm Great Hassel. The results that you have produced and how you rendered them makes them a unique collection. Thank you for sharing them.

Cheers
Vincent

Beautiful .... r.