These are my current and updated thoughts on the Large Format Camera and its process.

The current camera I have is the Burke and James: Watson Field view 4x5 camera purchased from our resident Mad Scientist, Kelly-Shane Fuller. The camera itself came from a friend of his that was selling it.

I bought it on my trip up to Portland in Feb of 2017, when I went to visit Kelly-Shane for a weekend trip. The lens is a Zeiss ikon Jena 150 mm (15cm) f4.5 that was purchased from Blue Moon Camera. It took me almost two and a half years to get into wanting to use this camera. So glad I did! I will admit I was hesitant to use it, like all newbies learning a new craft..it gave me film sweats. I knew and really know now that it isn’t cheap to waste film...depending on what stock you use. But without trying and failing you don’t learn. Yes, I even loaded the film wrong after watching a few YouTube videos on how to load it. Plus I made many many mistakes with developing, and had some cheap film issues.

I am mainly working with 4x5 for now. The images that follow were all shot on a 4x5 camera made in 1940. That’s 80 years old folks. Funny story: the first time I used it when I got it back home. I was carrying it by its straps and one of them let loose. The camera hit the ground. Timed slowed down for me and I yelled a few expletives. Needless to say, the camera is fine. But I was freaking out; thankfully there was no one around when it happened. I was embarrassed.

Now keep in mind: these are my opinions and my opinions only. I do not know everything there is to know about working with large format at all. These are just my observations thus far.  

The cameras come in various sizes, makers, and configurations to be had by all, and especially for certain applications in the field that you may be in or want to go into. 

You may ask why I decided to delve into Large Format. Well, the reason is very simple. I needed more of a challenge for my creative side, more than Medium Format and 35 mm were giving me: the chance to have to really think about a shot before you take it and be very methodical. Let's face it, you only have as many shots as you have film holders; this is a lot less than any other format. So you have to invest in more than one film holder and hope you never get that client that wants 30 images from a large format session. So for me this was the obvious choice; for the wife, not so much.

Learning the movements has been the biggest part of the learning curve for me, which I do appreciate even more. The look I have been able to get with shifting the focus to one point of the subject is something I have been wanting to do, without having to do it in any post work. The Scheimpflug principle is an interesting thing to learn. Mind you I am not really photographing buildings that often, but it does make it fun to use for portraits and still life.

Okay, so now on to why I think photographing with large format is better.                                                            

1. More resolution translates into more data to work with when editing. Let's face it, even film images were photoshopped back the day before there was photoshop.

2. No screen to look at afterward. More interaction/connection with the client or subject you are photographing.

3. Better dynamic range. Able recover more in post unless way underexposed. This applies to even digital photographs. With the advent of new software…it can possibly be fixed, but it’s better to get it right camera first.

4. Let's all face it, we have reduced noise on a digital image and it looks too soft or creamy. No one needs barbie skin.

5. Printing, which I haven’t even gotten into yet. But from all the podcasts I have listened to, videos I have watched, and articles I have read, it is probably the best way to print your negatives and share them. You can truly get some very large prints with gorgeous results.

6. The group of people I have encountered and met through this particular medium are some of the most interesting folks I have met to date. Just seeing what they do with this medium and taking it further than I realized is just outstanding. This in no means discounts the amazing photographers in the Medium and 35mm formats whatsoever.

There could be many more reasons I could type in as bullet points, but why? The best thing to do is just try it and explore the world with it.

Not going to lie, I don’t think I will ever be done with this at all, and there is so much more to learn that I can see this as just not a serious hobby, but something I am truly passionate about and pass on to my children and others who want to learn.

Finally, it just makes me appreciate what came before digital, and shows how we used to create images rather than just taking or snapping them.

I just want to take a few lines to thank the people who have helped along the way. Maybe not in talking with, but with just inspiration of their work as well.

The Film Shooters Collective

Kelly-Shane Fuller

Amy & James Jasek

Simon Forster

Andrew Bartram

Greg Obst

Wayne Setser

Sandy Phimester

There are so many more I could thank, but that would take forever. But thank you to all that have gone down this road and choose to share your work.

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Connect with film photographer AJ White and see more of his work on his Instagram.