Does LF (4x5 in particular) suitable for particular project ?

[Alexz]

Perhaps our fellow LF APUGers can help me to realize of whether LF (4x5) is suitable for a particular project I'm called to do soon.
Our local photo club has launched a "Personal project" which is actually a personal guiding of each member by a tutor towards achieveing an excellence in the particular subject the member hase chosen to cover.
To make myself clear: each member makes his choice of the subject he is willing to cover by a photography series (for instance, family portraiture, tabletop flowers, macro world, seaside ladscapes, etc....) and is guided by a professional tutor who is directing the member towards better achievements. The project is supposed to run a whole year at least.
Iin our club, I'm is the only member shooting LF (all others are digifreaks except of very few who are still on 35mm film but dreaming abot switching to teh "dark side")...
My hard part is making a decision of the subject. Of course, my mandatory requirement is running the project by my 4x5 (albeit I have 35mm system).
Recently, among others, more common ideas (such as attarctive urban scapes, probably seaside, landscapes or even architecture), I was hit by another idea that captured by imagination:
I'll be willing to shoot a small natural creatures in the way that on the image (and on large, high quality enlargement potentially available by LF) would looke like a great large-scaled nature creations. For instance, to shoot a small puddle (after a rain) in the way to make it look like a large lake or sea view.
Or perhaps to figure a miniature waterfall on the beaten off-road track to shoot it appearing like a Grand Canyon waterfall, etc...you got my point...

The big question is whether regular 4x5 field camera setup will suit for such kind of work. I realize most of it calls to near-ground work which also sounds quite limiting LF-wise, but what factors besides it will make this realization next to impossible to make true in LF ? Perhaps a true Macro ability is a must here ?

What I have right know is 4x5 field camera(Shen-Hao 4x5) with 90mm/6.8 and 150mm/5.6 lenses. (of course, filters, ....). May consider acquiring additioanl, reasonably priced lens (most certainly to extend my reach my a long lens).

Will be glad to hear your opinions.

Thanks, Alex

 

[Alexz]

Perhaps our fellow LF APUGers can help me to realize of whether LF (4x5) is suitable for a particular project I'm called to do soon.
Our local photo club has launched a "Personal project" which is actually a personal guiding of each member by a tutor towards achieving an excellence in the particular subject the member has chosen to cover.
To make myself clear: each member makes his choice of the subject he is willing to cover by a photography series (for instance, family portraiture, tabletop flowers, macro world, seaside ladscapes, etc....) and is guided by a professional tutor who is directing the member towards better achievements. The project is supposed to run a whole year at least.
Iin our club, I'm is the only member shooting LF (all others are digifreaks except of very few who are still on 35mm film but dreaming about switching to the "dark side")...
My hard part is making a decision of the subject. Of course, my mandatory requirement is running the project by my 4x5 (albeit I have 35mm system).
Recently, among others, more common ideas (such as attarctive urban scapes, probably seaside, landscapes or even architecture), I was hit by another idea that captured by imagination:
I'll be willing to shoot a small natural creatures in the way that on the image (and on large, high quality enlargement potentially available by LF) would looke like a great large-scaled nature creations. For instance, to shoot a small puddle (after a rain) in the way to make it look like a large lake or sea view.
Or perhaps to figure a miniature waterfall on the beaten off-road track to shoot it appearing like a Grand Canyon waterfall, etc...you got my point...

The big question is whether regular 4x5 field camera setup will suit for such kind of work. I realize most of it calls to near-ground work which also sounds quite limiting LF-wise, but what factors besides it will make this realization next to impossible to make true in LF ? Perhaps a true Macro ability is a must here ?

What I have right know is 4x5 field camera(Shen-Hao 4x5) with 90mm/6.8 and 150mm/5.6 lenses. (of course, filters, ....). May consider acquiring additional, reasonably priced lens (most certainly to extend my reach my a long lens) if this is absolutely necessary (albeit this wouldn't be my preferred solution due to temporal budget limitation).

Will be glad to hear your opinions.

Thanks, Alex

 

[Monophoto]

Alex -

The "assignment" from your local group sounds very interesting - more fulfilling that the usual "go shoot a picture of a fire hydrant" type assignment.

Have you discussed your subject choice with your assigned coach? I would think that would be the first step, and since you really need to have your coach in agreement with your choice of subject for the process to work, now is the time to have that conversation.

The second thought is that the objective of the assignment is to provide you with a challenge and a means of addressing that challenge. Therefore, if you want to explore the world of small things, then the technical problems are attributes of the challenge that you and your coach will need to work through. So if that's your choice of subject, and if your coach supports that choice, then go for it and let the mentoring process help you figure out how to do it.

And be sure to post your results in the gallery so we can see your progress. It sounds like a lot of fun!

 

[Alexz]

Thanks a lot, sounds reassuring.
Perhaps a worthwhile consideration would be making a short list of possible topics and then discuss with the mentor their realization chosing the one that would suit our concensus.

 

[Monophoto]

Yes -

the structure of the "assignment" makes the project more of a collaboration between you and your mentor. That's the part that I find especially appealing - take advantage of it.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Yes, that's all LF territory, not too different from tabletop and still life work done all the time in advertising. The standard lens for that sort of work might be something about 210mm, but you might not have enough bellows on the Shen-Hao for close work with a 210, so work with what you have for now, I'd say.

The LF camera will let you keep straight lines straight, move the lens axis anywhere you want it in the frame, or use rear movements to exaggerate spatial relations, and since the Shen-Hao has full rear movements, you've got as much control as you would with many monorail cameras.

Since the Shen-Hao does not have yaw-free movements, though, you might find that if you need rear swings, you'll do best to compose with the camera bed level (i.e., don't tilt the camera down when you need a rear swing).

Moderator's note--I've merged the two duplicate threads. I'll leave it to Alex to decide which version of the introductory post he'd like to delete.

 

[rbarker]

I agree with the comments so far. About the only subject matter for which your Shen would be ill-suited would be "street photography" or fast-moving sports (which would include nervous children, but not Olympic chess).

The only issue might be whether your assigned coach is adept with large format cameras.

 

[waynecrider]

The only issue might be whether your assigned coach is adept with large format cameras.

Exactly.

Macro in the field is hard with a 4x5. What about making models indoors and shooting those. I've seen this done in a magazine competition and it was amazing. You could use foam core, make a house interior with a set of doors at the opposite end where you see a view of a ocean and shoot thru the house towards the ocean; Add doll house furniture or anything else for that matter. You could cut out magazines images and paste them to cardboard or foamcore peices and set them up inside. Paint or paper the walls.

Perhaps doing some single subject exposures of items like like a leaf, a wine bottle, peice of cut fruit etc. Blow them up large. You could also do a series of long exposures displaying movement. Just some other ideas.

 

[df cardwell]

When we set the theorizing down and pick up the camera,
LF has a practical limit of 1/10 - 1/5 lifesize.

And the greater the magnification, the better 35mm becomes.

But probably your work could be done very well with the 150,
and nothing new or fancy. if you see the Larger world you hope to suggest in the puddle, you'll succeed...

d

 

[John Kasaian]

I think it would work. It would help to have a tripod with a reversable center column so ou could get that puppy sooo looow for perspective. I think Steve Simmons has a shot of a toy truck in his book 'Using The View Camera' that you might find helpsul in seeing how he made the shot.

 

[Alexander Grillon]

This question sounds familiar...
Dead Link Removed

 

[Alexz]

Yes, as I mentioned in the thread you pointed to, I posted the issue on both boards.
Getting lots of good advises and encouragement from both sides which is good sign.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

When we set the theorizing down and pick up the camera,
LF has a practical limit of 1/10 - 1/5 lifesize.

And the greater the magnification, the better 35mm becomes.

"Practical limit"? Who said "practical limit"?--

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)