[LargeFormat] mail order reccomendations?

[Ken Strauss]

I've been working on some ideas on how to improve on current digital =
quality
to achieve really long tonal ranges. Since my day job includes software
development I have ulterior motives to be involved in digital work... =
Plus,
much alternate process work requires a really large negative for contact
printing. These can probably be produced from a LF negative, digitally, =
with
much more consistency than doing it the conventional way.=20

I totally agree with your comments regarding the longevity of =
traditional
equipment vs the latest digital goodies. My enlarger was new in 1970 and =
is
as good as most anything available new today. My 4x5 was bought used in
1967. And it is not just photographic equipment -- one of my favourite
woodworking planes, a Stanley #95, bears a 1912 patent date. And yes, =
there
is something very satisfying about working with traditional tools and
techniques at the pace of yesteryear.

-----Original Message-----
From: largeformat-admin@f32.net [mailto:largeformat-admin@f32.net] On =
Behalf
Of Joseph O'Neil
Sent: March 30, 2003 1:44 PM
To: largeformat@f32.net
Subject: RE: [LargeFormat] mail order reccomendations?

-snip-


>  I currently live in a
>condo which makes darkroom work difficult but am moving to a much =
larger
>townhouse this summer so I hope to get things setup again. I am
particularly
>interested in marrying large format, digital and alternate process =
work.

         I am hesitant to reccomend digital.  This has NOTHING to do =
with=20
what is better. It has everythign to do with money.  I do desktop=20
publishing as part of my "day job", and I can tell you, all equipment =
for=20
digital - cameras, scanners, software, printers, computers, etc, etc, =
all=20
ahs a realistic life span of two years in the commerical marketplace =
before=20
it is obsolete, three years before it is completely and utterly=20
obsolete.  There may be exceptions, but the point is, my three enlargers =

are in some cases 25 to 50 years old,a nd all are useable.   I do nto =
ahve=20
to replace them every three years.

         The second point,and one not often discussed on other photo=20
mailing lists, is the creative process of LF itself.  For whatever =
reaosn,=20
I find when either sitting in a darkroom or sitting outside behind a 4x5 =

camera, my mind - for lack of better words - goes into a "different=20
palce".  It's almost Zen liek maybe.  How I see things, the inspiration =
I=20
feel, the ideas that come into my head in those places is totally=20
non-existant when I sit in front of a computer monitor and work in
photoshop.

         Why my mind works like this, I do not know, but i have been =
into=20
computers for over 20 years now, and even after all that time, i cannot =
get=20
my mind into "that palce" on any computer - even with a laptop outside=20
ona  warm summer day - the same way I can with a LF camera.
         For that reason alone, even if a LF digital back with 100 times =

the resolution fo tech pan was developed and sold for $10, I wouldn't go =

near it, just for the reason above.

         So my advice is to be carefull, because part of LF, IMO is not =
the=20
film itself, but the creative process associate dwith using a LF camera =
and=20
sitting in the darkroom.  Something about the "sensory depravation" of a =

darkroom frees up one's mind, while the noice of a humming hard drive, =
does=20
not.


>Anyone who would like to get together for coffee and a chat?


         See if anyone else is around, I'd drive down for an eveing to =
meet=20
at a Second Cup somewhere.
:)
joe




http://www.oneilphoto.on.ca
http://www.multiboard.com/~joneil
Una salus victis, nullam sperare salutem



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