[LargeFormat] cropping

[Charles Thorsten]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brock Nanson" <brock@nanson.org>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 8:55 PM
Subject: [LargeFormat] cropping

> So I'm curious to know how the rest of you shoot large format.  Do you
crop
> in the camera or leave space to do so in the darkroom?

I always leave a *little* bit of space around the edges of
my 4x5's, if for no other reason than to give room for the
slight overlap of the 4x5 negative carrier in the darkroom.
I also like having a little room to play with when I'm printing.
I learned to enjoy this a few years ago when I began using
a Rolleiflex.  The square format gave me more room to size
up the final composition in the darkroom.  I liked it so much
that I started leaving more room in my 4x5's.

One of the frustrating parts of being a commercial printer is
when photographers come in with their 4x5 transparencies
(or negatives) and insist on getting the entire image on the
print.  It's just impossible with a 4x5 enlarger!  The negative
carrier always comes in a little bit on the edges.  One of
these days I'll have to find a 5x7 glass carrier and relieve
my stress...

-Charlie