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Large Format Photography IS for beginners - Part 2, Starting to use the Camera by Roger Daines
By Roger Daines
This is the second of 3 articles; Part 1 appeared in the May Newsletter and Part 3 will appear in the July edition.
Film
My colour film of choice has always been Velvia 50, but it’s hard to find now and very expensive, a pack of 10 sheets of 4x5 costs around £100.00. It Makes you stop and really think of the composition and exposure! But the resulting image pretty much negates all that concern.
Velvia is a great film for low contrast situations and brings out the colours beautifully. In high contrast situations the shadows can get blocked up and the highlights too bright, this can sometimes be seen in a sunset image.
Loading Film Holders
Film holders for LF cameras hold 2 sheets of film, one sheet in each side, which must be loaded in a light tight area, either a blacked-out room or a changing bag. I highly recommend you practice loading the holders with some exposed sheet film in the light; it will pay dividends when it comes to loading in the dark. If you are using a room to load film or unload exposed film just stay in the room for 2-3 mins and let your eyes get accustomed to the dark. This is when you will see if it is “light tight”. If it’s not, then you can seal up the areas where there are light leaks before you open the film box. Film will fog with the slightest amount of light. Changing bags are great for loading or unloading film in the field and putting the film back into the boxes. Sheet film comes in a box with three sections which allows you to have a light tight environment for the film.
The film holder has a darkslide in each side and at the top on one side is a black strip: on the other side it’s white. First thing I do with a new holder is give the white strip a number that is sequential and permanent, this way you can track your exposures. The white side also allows you to write on it the type of film you have in the holder.
The white edge of the darkslide in the holder signifies its unexposed film, or empty. After you have exposed the film you then reverse the darkslide when you replace it. The darkslide with black edge showing tells you have exposed film in the holder.
How do you know if the holder is empty? There is only one fool-proof way and that is to pull the darkslide out!
If there’s film in the white edge side, bummer, you’ve wasted a sheet of film. If there’s film in the black edge side, then start cussing because you just ruined the best image you’ve ever captured! Pushing the darkslide back in quickly doesn’t help! When you unload film turn the darkslide, so the white strip is showing then at worst you’ll just waste a sheet of film or leave the darkslide protruding an inch or so then you know there’s no film in the holder.
Practice! My suggestion is to use an already exposed sheet of film if you have one and practice in the daylight a few times, and then practice in the dark. This will help eliminate any costly mistakes. It’s bad enough if you ruin a sheet of film before you capture an image, it’s even more frustrating to process the film and find you have ruined the perfect shot that you spent hours traveling to find and getting the perfect light and composition only to find you loaded the film back to front or didn’t seat it correctly in the notches and you have a light leak!
Image#13 Film Notch (Velvia 50) Each sheet has a unique notch on the short side.
This will enable you to identify the film in the dark by feeling the notch. It is also important for loading into the holder with the correct orientation. Before loading remove the darkslide and tap the holder on a hard surface a couple of times to remove any dust, clean the holder with a natural soft bristle brush to eliminate any fine dust, it’s also a good idea to use a can of air spray afterwards, but make sure there’s no damp residue. Clean the darkslide as well.
Insert the darkslide part way into the holder with the white/silver side showing to inform you that it has been loaded with unexposed film. If you have removed the darkslide from the holder you can identify the “white” side in the dark by feeling for the Braille “dimples” on the end of the strip. If you can’t feel them then you need to turn the darkslide over before inserting it into the holder. Now’s the time to put all you need in your changing bag or darkroom. Remove a sheet of film from the box and “feel” for the notch
© Roger Daines
© Roger Daines
Open the flap on the holder and insert the film into slots either side of the holder. THE FILM NOTCH MUST BE ON THE RIGHT CORNER OF THE SHORT EDGE OF THE FILMWHEN LOADING!
This will be the emulsion side of the film when you remove the dark slide for exposing. Once the film is securely in the holder, (check by tying to lift it with a finger nail, there’s a convenient hollow for your fingernail in the holder), close the flap and push the darkslide all the way in so that it locks into the flap. Indicate the type of film and ISO on the white/silver strip edge, e.g. TMax 400, writing with a pencil. You can then erase it after you’ve unloaded the film if you are going to use a different emulsion. Repeat for the other side of the holder then use the clips to lock the darkslides. For further protection after I’ve loaded the holders, I place a piece of artist tape over the top, this is triple protection from accidentally exposing film. For unloading the exposed film remove the darkslides open the flap at the bottom, lift the film with your fingernail and gently remove it from the holder. You should have your film box ready to receive the film. When you opened the box and removed the film it was in a cardboard folder inside the plastic/paper pouch. Place the film in the folder one at a time as you unload it with the same orientation, notches on the right side, this will minimise any scratching of the emulsion. Put it back in the pouch, place the pouch in the smallest section of the box, then cover it with the medium section and finally place the large top on the box. You now have a light tight environment ready to ship the film for processing or doing it yourself. DON’T MIX DIFFERENT TYPES OF FILM IN THE BOX!
I hope this article inspires you to start using large format.
About Roger Daines
Roger B. Daines, M. Photog, Cr. Photog, CPP, Ca.M. Photog, API, is a retired commercial photographer now living in the UK. He has numerous loan collection images with PPA, two Kodak Epcot awards, a Kodak Gallery award, 5 Fuji Masterpiece Awards and two people’s choice awards. He was a member of Fuji’s Talent Team for several years. Roger has taught at PPC’s West Coast School in San Diego, Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and Professional Photographers of California (PPC) conventions and in England, Mexico and South Korea. He is a Lifetime Member of PPA, twice past President of PPC and PPC Fellow, PPC Hall of Fame and a member of the prestigious Royal Photographic Society
