Landscapes with medium format

[RalphLambrecht]

The fact that Hasselblads have been widely used by fashion photographers does not mean they cannot excel at anything else. The same goes for other models (e.g, Pentax 6x7, which Peter Lindbergh used)

6x6 works very well for landscape. Look for instance at Michael Kenna’s works.
6x7 surely works too (I never went into that format, as my slide projector only does 6x6...)

I think it’s all about finding a format your vision feels comfortable with, regardless of the camera... for me it’s 6x6 (regardless of subject - I do a lot of landscapes too!) From your post it seems that you are more attracted to wide panoramas, so give it a try. I’m unfortunately at the other end of the world otherwise I would have suggested to meet for you to try my Xpan!

Enjoy experimenting

I have never operated something as flexible as a Hasselblad; in my view it's the perfect compromise of weight, quality and flexibility; an almost perfect camera system in my view.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

The ideal situation is to have a camera with movements, so you can adjust the horizon without losing any of the frame, but I’ve also used a 6x6 SLR and sometimes a 6x6 folder, and one can compose consciously in the field with the idea of cropping after the fact, and that’s perfectly legitimate to my mind. The world isn’t always shaped like the camera you happen to be carrying.

Any approach that works for a person is indeed legitimate, no matter what others might want to say. And shooting square to intentionally end up in an entirely different shape is just as well.

When I take a square, I do what I can to think square and compose accordingly as I find substantial cropping later an unnecessary waste of film.

Movements when needed, which is not always the case, trigger another way of composing since movements put additional dimension to the process. Those who mastered the effect of movements on the final outcome have it a lot easier taking advantage of it. New to it, I'd say should tak it slow, as instead of making things better, they might as well turn out well outside expectations since not everything is that easy to see on the ground glass. So yes, movements can be of great help, but just as good cooking is not often equated with complex routines, similarly good shooting does not always have to be.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I find the Hasselblad with it's square format and beautiful selection of High-quality optics ideal for landscapes; something Victor Hasselblad successfully convinced Ansel Adams of by the way,.

He convinced me too.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

He convinced me too.

We know it

Happy New Year

 

[Arthurwg]

This may have been mentioned earlier, but Ansel Adams used a Hasselblad for almost all of his pictures in his later years. Even one of his most famous images, "Moon and Half Dome," was shot with a Hasselblad.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

This may have been mentioned earlier, but Ansel Adams used a Hasselblad for almost all of his pictures in his later years. Even one of his most famous images, "Moon and Half Dome," was shot with a Hasselblad.

Yes, and it was good...

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Yes, and it was good...

I believe it was AA who took the photos, not the Hasselblad, unless Mr. Victor has different information in his promotional brochures.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

I believe it was AA who took the photos, not the Hasselblad, unless Mr. Victor has different information in his promotional brochures.

Yes, and Hasselblad was only the tool, the richt tool...

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Yes, and Hasselblad was only the tool, the richt tool...

I've seen potatoes dug up with all kinds of tools, at the grill nobody could tell which tool extract which potato.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Everyone should use Hasselblad because Ansel used it.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

I've seen potatoes dug up with all kinds of tools, at the grill nobody could tell which tool extract which potato.

I am shure that the potatoe dugged up with a Hasselblad tasted the best!

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Everyone should use Hasselblad because Ansel used it.

Of course there are a few things that Ansel used I would never entertain using myself.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I am shure that the potatoe dugged up with a Hasselblad tasted the best!

Trouble was that Hasselblad jammed for good.

 

[Arthurwg]

Let's not forget that most of Ansel's Hasselblad pictures were cropped into rectangles.

And BTW, Warhol's remark that "Art is what you can get away with" really shows why he was such a crap artist. I happened to see his recent retrospective at the Whitney and I was appalled. Yes, he got away with a lot, and the public bought into it in a big way. But in retrospect most of it was ugly, boring and stupid. Just MHO.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Let's not forget that most of Ansel's Hasselblad pictures were cropped into rectangles.

And BTW, Warhol's remark that "Art is what you can get away with" really shows why he was such a crap artist. I happened to see his recent retrospective at the Whitney and I was appalled. Yes, he got away with a lot, and the public bought into it in a big way. But in retrospect most of it was ugly, boring and stupid. Just MHO.

Warhol was a true Artshole.

 

[logan2z]

And BTW, Warhol's remark that "Art is what you can get away with" really shows why he was such a crap artist. I happened to see his recent retrospective at the Whitney and I was appalled. Yes, he got away with a lot, and the public bought into it in a big way. But in retrospect most of it was ugly, boring and stupid. Just MHO.

I had a similar reaction when I saw it at SFMoMA.

 

[CropDusterMan]

Fuji 6x9 with 65 or 90.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Let's not forget that most of Ansel's Hasselblad pictures were cropped into rectangles.

And BTW, Warhol's remark that "Art is what you can get away with" really shows why he was such a crap artist. I happened to see his recent retrospective at the Whitney and I was appalled. Yes, he got away with a lot, and the public bought into it in a big way. But in retrospect most of it was ugly, boring and stupid. Just MHO.

Wasn't he a secret alien from outer space helping the Men in Black?

 

[Besk]

I like the miniature Crown Graphic. Many lenses can be adapted as can many backs - 645, 6x6, 6x7 and 6x9. You have rise and shift and can manage other front movements
with a little effort.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thogt that Andy Warhol WAS shot with a square format camera, which was a Hasselblad BTW...

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thogt that Andy Warhol WAS shot with a square format camera, which was a Hasselblad BTW...

You mean he was hit in the head with a Hasselblad, hence his art got all messed up?

 

[Philippe-Georges]

As I recall, only James Bond had a personalized Hasselblad that could 'shoot'...
I wonder if Warhol was considered as an enemy by MI6?

 

[macfred]

...I wonder if Warhol was considered as an enemy by MI6?...

Not sure about this but it's a well known fact the CIA funded abstract and pop art during cold war.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Not sure about this but it's a well known fact the CIA funded abstract and pop art during cold war.

Really, and what garbage can did you liberate that from?

 

[DREW WILEY]

Warhol is a stale commodity. I never want to see another Warhol or Avedon; it's like having yet another Starbucks on every single street corner. Precisely why I didn't join the SFMMA organization - have visited there for a few exhibits I actually wanted to see. Nor do I give a hoot about who did or didn't use a Hasslebad. If one enjoys a square earth, by all means continue to enjoy. I like to stretch my horizon, if you'll excuse a pun. CIA funding abstract art? - now that's a good one. Next time I walk up to a Rothko painting I'll have to examine it for pinholes with little camera lenses behind.