Anatomy of a large format photograph - Kilometer 1784

kilometre 1784, barmah forest, originally uploaded by Andrew McDougall.

Toyo 45G, Nikkor-W 150mm, f22, 1/30, Fuji Veliva 100
This is an image from my second foray into large format photography. The Kilometer 1874 sign is visible to the lower left of the river bank. The figures in the boat at the far end of the river are also visible in the orignal size, as well as a bird flying across the top left hand edge that wasn't visble at the time of capture.

This is an image I took at Easter for the Barmah Forest Project. I’ve chosen the large format (LF) camera, because it produces an image which matches my perception of the forest and river as a sanctury.

Because the film size is 4x5 inches (10x12cm), the camera records an amazing amount of detail, 20 times what is contained in a regular 35mm frame or digital sensor. Everything which I saw is on the film, and even more. When I examined this transparency under a loupe, I noticed a bird flying across the top left hand edge of the frame which I was unaware of at the time of capture.

I could also pick out the two figures in the boat at the far end of the river:

As the lens is connected to the film plane with a bellows, it let me control the perspective and the distribution of sharpness in a way which cannot be achieved with a regular camera:

• I recall the tops of the trees waving in the wind and the current on the river in the foreground. With a regular camera, I would have had to either limit the amount of river in the frame or chop the tops of the trees off. By rising the front standard I’ve managed to keep the trees in perspective, they do not lean in toward each other as they would with a regular camera would when tilted

• The LF camera looks at the close objects and the horizon sharply at the same time: notice that the ripples in the foreground, only a few feet in front of the camera, are seen as clearly as the distant trees. Notice also the plastic water bottle anchored to submerged log in mid-stream. In contrast, a regular camera has to focus either close or far.

Of course I also wanted to capture the kilometre 1874 marker so that it would be sharp even though it occupy’s only a tiny part of the image.

For this particular photograph, those adjustments were quite simple and intuitive. After levelling the camera, I raised the lens using front rise to obtain the composition I wanted. I then tilted the lens forward, which tilts the plane of sharp focus, until it became horizontal. There was quite a lot of movement in the tree tops and on the river that day because of a light breeze, so with a 1/30 second exposure (f 22 aperture, Fuji Velvia 100), all movement was frozen.

Note that what is displayed here does not capture the full detail in the original transparency, but only a half of it: the scanning was done only at a resolution necessary to produce a 86 by 69 cm print, which is 476mb. However, the transparency has a resolution that could have been used to produce a quality digital image file at least two times larger. Such a file would have been close to 1 Gigabyte. At the resolution used, there is absolutely no fuzziness and no grain.

Getting Ready - What's in my bag?

This week I’m preparing to head up to the Barmah Forest for a long weekend. As this is the first trip with the Sinar F2, I thought I’d take a look at the gear I’m taking and how I’ve organized it to carry. As I don’t have purpose built pack I’ve had to think carefully how I’ll organise everything. I’ve divided the gear between a small day pack that I will carry on location and a support kit that I’ll keep in the car. Wherever possible I’ve packed items into stuff sacks for added protection and organisation.

Front pocket of day-pack.

The front pocket contains my Peak 4x loupe, 72mm Hoya HMC Circular Polarizer, B+W 58mm-72mm step-up ring, double spirit level, lens cleaner and microfiber cloth and Lastolite foldable grey card. The HMC Polarizer is used to reduce glare of the river, as well as for darkening the foliage and sky. I don't have a warm tone polarizer or any warm tone filters (81 series), as warming can be added later in Photoshop if required. The 72mm HMC Polarizer is the same filter that I use on my Nikon D200. This allows me to meter through the polarizer before attaching it to the Sinar after setting the exposure. I may add a 0.6 ND Filter to the kit in the future to compensate for the extremes of contrast sometimes encountered between the sky, forest and water. A tape measure is included for measuring bellows factor.

Laptop sleeve of day-pack.

The laptop sleeve of the day-pack is the right dimension to hold my notepad, marker pen, 25 cm spirit level and shot-sheets as well as a lens shade. The lens shade is used to improve image contrast by reducing flare and cutting down the image circle, also protects the lens while working in the rain. The spirit level is used for making sure standards are aligned. The shot sheets are clipped on to the notepad using a bull clip.

Each shot-sheet contains the following fields:

• Series
• Subject
• Date
• Time
• Location
• Weather
• Temperature
• Light (sunny, overcast, harsh, soft...)
• GPS long and lat (this field is blank, but I’d like to be able to fill it out in future.)
• Reference for logging in image base.
• Lens
• Film, ISO , F-stop including series with nominal exposure, +/- 1/3.
• Bellows extension
• Fields for Rise, Swing, Tilt, and Shift for Front and Rear standards.
• Fields for metering (matrix, average, spot, grey card)
• Filters (e.g., Polaroid)
• Exposure factors from bellows draw and filters
• Reciprocity errors for long exposures.
• Comments either for developing or after the film has come back from the lab.

Filling out the shot-sheet is quick, and ensures that I do not forget anything. The data sheets are folded once, and placed in the plastic binder sleeves with the film sheets once they are developed. I cross the set of exposures off the data sheet from the sheets I toss.

Operating the view camera is done in a series of steps, whose order is crucial. Reversing some of the steps will ruin the image. Reversing some other steps will unnecessarily waste time not mention a loss of opportunity and expense. Although this might seem complicated, I always stick to the same sequence. By following this same sequence I can concentrate on the subject. Although this is becoming second-nature, I include the sequence on the shot-sheet as a reminder. I’ve gotten in to the habit of running through the checklist out loud every time I prepare to click the shutter.

1. Choose the camera position, approximate orientation, focal length.
2. Set up and level the tripod and camera (front standard forward).
3. Attach the lens and open it to full aperture.
4. Focus roughly using the rear focusing sing knob.
5. Adjust the composition using rise, fall and shift.
6. Focus precisely with rear tilts/swings and loupe.
7. Determine the optimal aperture.
8. Re-adjust slightly the composition.
9. Adjust filters and compendium shade.
10. Check for vignetting.
11. Close the lens, cock the shutter, rap and insert the film holder.
12. Determine the shutter speed.
13. Set the aperture and shutter speed.
14. Remove the dark slide.
15. Look at the subject.
16. Fire the shutter with a cable release.
17. Put the darkslide back in.
18. Remove the filmholder (check the groundglass).
19. Make a second identical exposure (Bracket if required -1/3,0,+1/3).

I used to climb with a guy who’d spent time in the Himalaya’s, even when we were on the local crag he used to go through a safety checklist every time he tied in or abseiled. This was to make sure that his oxygen starved brain would get the message at altitude. The same thing applied when I was a professional ski-patroller, we always wore our avalanche transceivers so we wouldn’t have to remember to put them on the high-risk days. There are enough variables of light, let alone so many things to go wrong with a L-F shot (not to mention its expense) to make reading through the checklist before committing to the shot a no-brainer.

Side pockets:

• Water bottle. Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink. You'd have to be as desperate as Burke and Wills to drink out of the river, so I carry my own.
• Toilet Paper. Besides the obvious this is good for cleaning camera equipment.
• Mobile Phone. I use the stop watch on the mobile phone for timing long exposures.

Main compartment of the day-pack:

The inside of the bag contains the cameras, lenses and film holders. The Sinar F2 and Sinar Symmar-S 150mm lens (with cable release permanently attached) mounted on the camera sit on top of a piece of removable foam at the base of the pack. The camera is surprisingly compact when folded away.

I place the camera inside a nylon stuff sack for added protection and to stop it snagging on the other gear in the pack. Alongside the camera I slot in five double Lisco sheet film holders loaded with Fuji Velvia 100. I’ve chosen Velvia 100 over the classic Velvia 50 as it allows me to choose faster shutter speeds to freeze the effect of wind on foliage and any movement on the surface of the water caused by the current and breeze. The holders are sealed in a zip lock bag to protect from dust and packed in draw-string bag for extra protection.

Wrapped in a black t-shirt on top a piece of removable foam is my Nikon D200 with 18-200mm Nikkor lens. The Nikon is placed at the top of the bag in a stuff sack, so I can access it with ease. The Nikon is used not only independently, but also as a viewfinder and a meter for the Sinar. The Nikon allows me to capture any opportune shots of wildlife, rapidly changing light conditions as well as providing metering and the opportunity to check the exposure and composition. The t-shirt provides protection for the Nikon as well as doubling up as a focusing cloth.

Inside the support kit:

The support kit augments, repairs and adapts - and makes otherwise "impossible" photographs possible. In addition to the 5x Film Holders in the day-pack, the support kit includes an additional set of film holders loaded and ready for the next set-up. The support kit also contains a Fuji Quickload film holder and 5x Fuji Veliva 100 Quickloads in case I run out of sheet film. A sandwich size Tupperware container includes Nikon accessories (2x 1GB CF cards, D200 battery, shutter release, eyepiece) as well as the following:

• LED headlamp. Used as a focusing aid in dim light, as well as for setting up in the pre-dawn and twilight.
• Spare snap lock bag and rubber band.
• Swiss Army Knife.
• Nylon cord. Five metre of nylon cord is useful for repairs, securing tripods and tying back trees.
• Jewellers screwdrivers.
• Cable-release. Cable releases are fragile and forever jamming.
• Shower Cap. Ideal for protecting the camera from rain and dust between shots.

Also in the support kit:

• Canned air. The Barmah Forest is a dusty environment, I use the canned air to blow dust particles off lenses, the ground glass, holders, and filters.
• Masking tape. I use this for for adding notes to film holders as well as making emergency repairs in lieu of Gaffer tape which I also keep in the car.
• Folded piece of foil. I attach this to the Lastolite grey-card to transform it into a reflector. This can be useful for adding a bit of fill light for macros shots or a close foreground.
  

Other stuff including Tripod:

The Sinar rail clamp and plate is permanently attached to the Manfrotto tripod. For this trip I'm hiring a Manfrotto 028B studio tripod with a 229 Pro Head. The 028B has a non-rollback geared centre column, spirit levels and rubber feet with retractable spikes. As I’m close to the car the extra weight of the tripod is compensated by the rock solid stability. I also have the following items in the car at all times: umbrella, first aid kit (watch out for snakes!), gas stove, and ground sheet.

Total weight of Pack: 8kgs

Total weight of Support Kit: 3kgs

That's it, compact, lightweight and hopefully it's all the gear I'll need this weekend to capture the the Barmah Forest in glorious large format.

Landscape and light - Sidney Nolan

Over the weekend I visited of the Australian modernist landscape painter Sidney Nolan at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. The exhibition is the first retrospective exhibition to be mounted since the artist’s death in 1992 and includes a selection of his most important masterpieces. The exhibition examines each critical period in the artist’s career and highlights the evolution of Nolan’s vision from its genesis in St Kilda during the late 1930s, to the United Kingdom half a century later when the artist finally released his passion for large-scale spray painted abstractions.

While many photography books advise to study the European master’s such as Rembrandt for lighting, I believe it is important to study the use of light by local master’s such as Sidney Nolan. While Sidney Nolan is best known for his iconic Ned Kelly Series (1946-47) he’s is also well known for his landscapes including the Wimmera, the Outback and Goulbourn river. One series in particular struck me.

The epicentre of the retrospective is the historic co-joining in two semi-circles of the multi-panel paintings Riverbend I 1964-65 and Riverbend II 1965-66. The paintings comprising nine panels each, are based on boyhood memories of holidays on the Goulburn River at Shepparton. Riverbend II was bought by Rupert Murdoch at a Christie's sale in London in 1993 for $1.02 million. It now hangs in the New York boardroom of Murdoch's News International headquarters and is on loan to the exhibition.

What struck me about the 11-metre-long series of lush river landscapes, in which the figures of Kelly and his police pursuers are overwhelmed by the wild and dense bush, was Nolan’s skill in depicting the the shimmer of pure pigments vibrating off each other in stripes and patches. Even Ned Kelly’s square head reminds me of the blue marker posts on the Murray. The paintings were a timely reminder to pay attention to the play of light and pigments of the trees within the forest when I am photographing up at the river this weekend. It was also a reminder to pay attention to local artists, not just photographers or overseas painters.

Sinar f2 arrives

The Sinar f2 camera I bought on eBay arrived today. The package included the following items:

• 1x Sinar f2 Monorail Camera
• 1x Sinar Symmar-S f5.6/150mm Lens
• 1x Sinar Lens Shade
• 1x Polaroid 545 Holder
• 14x Lisco Double Film Holders
• 1x Change Bag

As the description in the eBay ad read, this is all the equipment required to get up running in large format photography. Let's examine each item in detail.

Sinar f2 Monorail Camera
As mentioned in earlier blogs, the Sinar f2 camera is an ideal camera for outdoor and studio photography. As I will be taking photographs both in the forest and on a lightbox in the studio, the f2 covers all my needs. f2's are lightweight affordable, and their components are fully system-compatible with other Sinar Cameras including 8X10 and digital backs.

The camera arrived broken down into it's constituent parts:

• 411.21 Rail Clamp 1
• 422.21 Basic Rail 12″/30cm
• 429.21 2 Rail Caps
• 431.61 Front Standard f2
• 433.66 Rear Standard f2 4x5″/10x12.5cm
• 454.11 Multipurpose Bellows 4x5″/10x12.5cm
• 461.36 Holder/Focusing Back 4x5″/10x12.5cm
• 531.41 Lensboard Holder

What at first appeared to be a daunting array of parts proved to be easier to put together than I first thought. However, rather than reflecting any competence on my part, the ease of which I put it together reflects the simplicity and modularity of the Swiss design. Having assembled the camera I was able to test the movements and fell comfortable with it's use within minutes. What impressed me straight away is the precise nature of the movements and foolproof lock down.

Having given up some of the geared movements of the Toyo 45G I previously hired, the ability to firmly lock down the movements came as a welcome trade off. The other item that immediately impressed me was the condition of the bellows. The Toyo bellows was frayed and prone to light leaks. The Sinar bellows is a sturdy plastic, what it lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up up in light proofness.

Sinar Symmar-S f5.6/150mm Lens
I haven't had the opportunity to test the lens out as yet, but as I understand it has good coverage and appears to be in excellent condition. As a landscape photographer within the confines of a forest, the 150mm lens is likely to become my standard lens. As it arrived without out without a cable release, I will purchase one tomorrow along with a 1/2" adapter for my tripod head quick release.

Sinar Lens Shade
The lens shade provides protection from lens flare, deepens contrast and protects the lens from rain.

Polaroid 545 Holder
Alas poor Polaroid this item is of historical interest only unless Fuji proves to be a White Knight. If Type 55 had been readily available, I might have considered it to be my format of choice for the Barmah Forest Project. Ansel Adams must be rolling over in his grave with the loss of the film he helped develop back in the 1950's. As it turns out, I have two sheets of Type 55 sheets left and I can always use the holder as a backup for my Fuji Quickload and for Kodak ReadyLoads should I have the need.

Lisco Double Film Holders
The Lisco Double Film Holders are traditional sheet film holders. While not as convenient to use as Quickloads, the film is half the price. Given the number of images I am considering for the project, cost is a real consideration. What I will probably end up doing is loading up the Lisco's at home and using the Quickloads as a lightweight backup in the field. I can also see myself using the Lisco's in the studio when I am shooting images on the lightbox.

Change Bag
This nifty device will allow me to load the Lisco's either at home or in the field. Sure beats the sleeping bag that Ansel Adams used to use. The item appears to be in good nick, like all the rest of the equipment supplied by the seller.

All in all I'm quietly pleased with my purchase, I hope to get out this weekend and and put the kit through it's paces.