Large Format Photography IS for beginners Pt 3 - Images & Some Technical Issues by Roger Daines

Exposure

Transparency film is best exposed for the highlights; it favours slight underexposure and black and white film for the shadows as it tolerates some over exposure. You want detail in the highlights with transparency film and detail in the shadows for black and white. I use the Zone system to establish the exposure I need when on location, especially for landscapes.

Metering

For example, Velvia 50 has only just over 4 stops of latitude so accurate metering is very important. Familiarity with using the Zone system is important. The zone system is broken up into 10 zones where zone 0 is black without any detail and zone 10 is white with no detail. Zone 5 is the mid tone. Velvia is best exposed between zones 3 to zone 7 to capture as much detail as possible. Spot metering of the scene is important to ensure you capture as much information as the film will record. This necessitates metering all the areas in the image and averaging the exposure to stay within 4 to 5 stop range if you are using E6 film. C41 and black and white.

For black and white I like to use TMax or Ilford HP5+ or HP4, all have excellent density and crisp blacks and whites. Black and white film is more forgiving and can be exposed with a 7-stop range. Zone system metering takes a little practice, but if you have a spot meter that can save the different readings it will render an average exposure as a starting point.

Canyon light 4 x5

Exposure Factor (bellows extension)

If you are photographing an object, perhaps in the studio at life size, (a magnification of x1) you will be extending the bellows and need to calculate the new f/stop required to get a correct exposure as the light from the lens to the film plane needs to travel further ( inverse square law). If you are using a 150mm lens, then it will focus at infinity at 150mm. For close up work you might need to extend the bellows to twice that length, 300mm. First you will need to make sure your bellows can extend that length on the rail; most field cameras will only extend to just over 300mm. A rule of thumb is that bellows extension that is twice the focal length of the lens you’re using will need an exposure increase of 2 stops.

For the photographers who just love } the mathematics the formula is {magnification +1 ². So, 1+1=2, 2 squared (2x2) = 4. That will be the exposure factor. If the meter calls for a 2 second exposure at f/16 the new exposure would be 2 seconds x4 (the exposure factor), 8 seconds, or a 2 f/stop increase if the depth of field is ok, f/5.6. Don’t worry; there is an app for that!

Why are these calculations important? In the “good ole days?” we had Polaroids to use to check the composition, sharpness and exposure before committing to using film. Alas, Polaroid is no longer available so to ensure we don’t waste film it’s necessary to do the computations or use an app. There is a new “Polaroid” on the market, made by a new company, its named “NEW F/N 55”. The film is a positive/negative which you peel apart after the processing. I’ve watched a few videos of this film on You Tube and am not really impressed with the results; it probably needs some more development. The film is not inexpensive, about £10 a sheet!.

Noreico razor PPA Loan collection

Exposure 3 secs, f-stop45. In-camera masking, Velvia 50 4 x 5

Film Reciprocity

There are conditions you will encounter where you will need small apertures and longer shutter speeds to create the image. With DSLR this can be a simple a matter of changing your ISO. With film you can attempt to push the ISO or adjust the developing time, but these can be a SWAG (scientific wild ass guess!). This is where you will need to be able to calculate the reciprocity factor to have the correct exposure.

Reciprocity occurs in film when you are using slow shutter speeds, or very high shutter speeds, more than 1/8000sec. When using slow shutter speeds there is the possibility the film will not be properly exposed at the exposure indicated by the light meter, it will be underexposed. Each film has a different reciprocity for different shutter speeds. “Back in the days” it necessitated having a reciprocity chart with you for the film you were using and calculating the exposure. But in this digital age with a plethora of “apps” you can download the apps. Type in your info specific to your camera, film, lens and all will be calculated for you, even if you’re using a bellows extension. The app I use is called “Reciprocity Timer”, not a free app but very inexpensive.

Other excellent apps are “Long Exposure”, “f -Stop”, “Viewfinder” and “Set my f-stop” These can all be used for any camera. The viewfinder is really good for LF as it shows you what area of the image will be on the ground glass depending on the lens you use, this saves you swapping lenses to see which would be the best for what you want to capture.

It lets you “frame “ your shot without even setting up the camera. These are available in the App Store, not sure if they’re all available in the Android store.

UCSD Library San Diego. Velvia50 4 x 5

This image was metered for the Zone system to expose for the highlights. The f-stop was f-45 and the metered time for exposing was 30secs. Reciprocity is a factor at that exposure time and the Fuji film sheet table showed the film needed an exposure of 52seconds.

Focusing With Large Format Cameras

Focusing is totally manual, no auto focusing or zooming buttons with these cameras! Open the lens shutter wide open (f5.6 is probably the widest you can go). Initial focusing onto the ground glass is achieved by using the lens standard. Push it forward until you see the image come into view in the groundglass. Use the focusing knobs on the front standard to achieve the image size and initial focus. If you are using any of the LF camera movements, you will need to adjust the plane of focus after you’ve finished. Lock the focussing on the front by tightening the focus screw.

Final sharp focus is achieved by focusing with the film back while using the loupe on the groundglass to check the focus, (adjusting the lens standard for final focus would change the image perspective). Once in focus lock the film back standard. Now you’re ready to expose the film.

Dental Accessories

Velvia50 4x5. Client wanted something different; the image was “light painted” with an FX “light gun.

Determine the f/stop and speed for the ISO you are using. When you have the right combination, you need, these are the steps I take. (I keep a cheat sheet with my camera to make sure I get it right!).

No reciprocity required for Velvia 50 with exposure times less than 4 secs. Impossible to expose for the main highlight as it was pure sunlight beam. My assistant threw handfuls of sand dust into the beam during the exposure to highlight the beam

Close The Lens Shutter

Cock the shutter lever. Test-trigger the shutter, use a cable release. Re-Check all camera movements are locked! Insert film holder, check you have the white/silver side facing to you.

Recheck The Lens Shutter Is Closed!

Cock the shutter. Gently pull out the dark slide completely so as not to disturb the camera orientation. Wait a short while for the camera to settle. Fire the shutter.Replace The Darkslide! Black strip facing you! Remove the film holder and fold over the locking handles on the holder to prevent accidental removal of the dark slide. Congratulations, your masterpiece is in the can! Repeat to move on.

Salk Institute, San Diego. Velvia50. PPA Loan Collection

If you want to know more about large format photography a great starting book is “Medium and Large Format Photography” by Roger Hicks, available on Amazon for about $30. I also have three “bibles” I use. A Kodak book,” Large Format Photography”. My other two are by Leslie Stroebel, “View Camera Technique”, and Steve Simmons, “Using the View Camera.” All have good information and easy to understand“You Tube” is a great source for “how to” videos on large format. I particularly like the videos by Nick Carver. I hope this article inspires you to reach out to large format, once you start using large format it’s addictive!

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.