Shift in thinking...

Trask

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Joined
Oct 23, 2005
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1,927
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Virginia (northern)
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35mm RF

Isn’t that still 1?

Jack Straw: you suggested that a series of images, even if not perfect, is a sort of sketchbook. If memory serves, Cartier-Bresson thought of himself as an artist/painter, with his Leica as a sort of sketchbook where he kept ideas and images he encountered. And IIRC he had a pretty good career!
 

awty

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Jul 24, 2016
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Australia
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Multi Format
I just use a phone app (like a directors view finder) that uses the phones camera, lets me choose format and lens size, can even set to black and white.......but there is not much challenge in that.
 

michr

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Joined
Sep 28, 2012
Messages
440
Format
Multi Format

You're right that I dropped film to focus on digital, but my point would be the same even if I had quit photography altogether. It was just a whole lot more fun when I had a local lab where I could get slides or prints made, or get the negatives back so that I could scan them. Now it's work. And because it's work, I feel myself emphasizing making each shot count so I don't waste time and materials. There are only so many mountaintop photos. Given the investment of time to develop my own film, all the mediocre trail photography is just not worth the candle. Instead the effort involved in digital photography is a much better match for those subjects and ideas which are not worthy of a great investment.

Film vs. digital was the choice I had to make in order to keep enjoying photography. So regardless of how outdated the conversation is, there are still externalities to consider when choosing one's preferred media.
 

Vaughn

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Dec 13, 2006
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10,079
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Humboldt Co.
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Large Format
I'm on that forum and to me it illustrates it perfectly: the smaller the format, the more interesting the images. I'm fully with Ko.Fe.
Many of us on forums are beginners at any particular format. Just because I have used an 8x10 for 30 years does not mean my move up to 11x14 has been smooth or highly 'productive' yet. I am sure some of my results so far are boring to many...especially when I like them too much and show them more than once. And like many of us, I hope to improve and make it less boring for everyone.

"I'm missing something here. If you can shoot interesting pictures in 35mm, why in the world can't you shoot that same subject in LF?"

Cameras are tools. They tend to be generalist tools, but LF is specialized enough that it is no longer the best tool for many jobs...especially quickly changing situations in low light, etc. That said, Richard Misrach could handle an 8x10 like a 35mm -- a handy skill when photographing field fires in color 8x10.

Below...a carbon print from an 11x14 negative.
FYI...I do not crop or manipulate my images, other than exposure, contrast and print color. No burning/dodging -- hopefully not too boring! LOL!
 

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