The Official Head-Case Photography Thread.

[Knuckledragger]

I've been lurking in /r/largeformat again.  As I've mentioned, that subreddit has cured me (mostly) of ever wanting to buy a view camera.  The time, money and effort most of the users put into what are frankly mediocre to bad results is staggering.  The other side of this coin is that the photographers who are good with large format are really good at what they do.  The larger the format, the bigger the delta.

Most of the following are 4x5  Some are scanned negatives, others are contact prints.  Most people don't seem to bother with enlargers anymore.

Bork.

 

An accident, but an interesting one.  Potential album cover right there.

[blessingx]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. 

[Knuckledragger]

The following contains gratuitous cat pictures.  I've mentioned my friends Peter and Adele before.  Peter will be 88 this year.  He spent decades shooting 4x5 and doing some clever double exposures.  Peter doesn't use computers, so all of his work in is completely analogue and mostly not on the internet.  I'd like to help him scan some of his works, but that's a huge job.  Adele  (at the tender age of 84) is very much online, and even knows how to use her SMRT TV as a bluetooth device with her iPhone to stream video and photos.  Even I don't know how to do that, but in my defense, I hate fucking hate smartphones.  Peter and Adele's daughter, who's around my age, is as computer literate as any Gen Xer.  (She actually a VP of something-or-other in a cybersecurity company.)  All this is relevant because she recently moved to MV and brought her two cats. 

This is Gertie, the more good natured of the two.  The only problem with her is that she's so friendly she tends to run toward me, making her a difficult subject to capture at times.

 

This is Gidget.  She's much more mercurial, but quite friendly when she decides to be.

 

...and not when she doesn't!

 

Yesterday I caught Gertie sitting in a box.

 

Of course I didn't manage to catch her with her eyes open and looking at me.  Solid Cat/10 interaction.

 

Meanwhile Gidget checked the Golf's tire pressure.

 

Then she sauntered back to see why Gertie was getting all the attention.

 

[blessingx]

Playing with the new Df and a Nikkor 35 f/2 AF-D at a nearby Art & Wine fest. Esmé and friend recreating lesser known naval battles as I layer on the post-processing. Highlights be damned. 

 

Edited September 9 by blessingx

[jose]

R6 mkII+ EF 100-400 f4.5L  

[blessingx]

Robert Frank after The Americans 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/12/arts/design/robert-frank-photograph-film-moma.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Kk4.cUPW.6WnjH0BGXFwe&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb (gift article) 

[blessingx]

Eggleston

 

[Grahame]

https://sfstandard.com/2024/09/16/northern-california-rennaisance-faire-photos/

We  expect a field report @blessingx

[blessingx]

7 hours ago, Grahame said:

https://sfstandard.com/2024/09/16/northern-california-rennaisance-faire-photos/

We  expect a field report @blessingx

We haven’t been since pre-pandemic and with weekends filling it doesn’t look likely this one, but there’s still a small possibility. In so many ways I’m more a Dickens Fair-type, but two sides of the same illness. 

Also when did Gilroy and Hollister start being considered the “South Bay”? 
 

[Voltron]

24 minutes ago, blessingx said:

Also when did Gilroy and Hollister start being considered the “South Bay”? 
 

Wishful thinking. Or real estate agent speak.

[Grahame]

11 hours ago, Voltron said:

Wishful thinking. Or real estate agent speak.

Maybe they were advised by the folks who renamed OAK.

The name of Oakland International Airport in California was changed to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport on May 9, 2024. The airport's three-letter code, OAK, remains the same

https://oaklandside.org/2024/04/12/oakland-airport-approves-controversial-name-change

https://www.travelandleisure.com/oakland-airport-changes-name-san-francisco-bay-8647440

https://sfstandard.com/2024/04/10/oakland-airport-rename-ideas/

 

EDIT: What could possibly  go wrong?

https://sfstandard.com/2024/09/17/oakland-airport-renaming-confuses-travelers-sanfrancisco-says-in-lawsuit/

 

Edited September 18 by Grahame

[blessingx]

Jeff Bridges is bringing back the WideLux.

https://wideluxx.com 

[blessingx]

Still need to do some color work, but here are a few snaps from a Lowrider event yesterday. Hassy 907x II 50c and 28p lens. 

Also starting to experiment with a NONS Instax Square back on a Hassy 500c, but really need to work on the exposure (the dynamic range is thin). 

 

Finally and best, met up with @robm321 as we solved the world problems over sugar. 

[Voltron]

 Cheers fellas!

[blessingx]

Short Documentary on Lee Miller

Before Lee

Also a new, small collection released as a tie-in. Can vouch for. 

Edited September 25 by blessingx

[blessingx]

Fall colors. 6D mk1 this time. Much smaller show at a burger joint a couple blocks from home. 

Edited September 29 by blessingx

[blessingx]

 

Edited October 5 by blessingx

[blessingx]

As ridiculous as it is to point to a Youtube video criticizing Sontage critical essays on photography...

   

[jose]

I´m doing a bit experiment. The R6 MkII can shot with Full Frame or like an APSC 1.6.

Maybe I´m doing something wrong but I think that in APSC I have more details (for example if you oversize at 180%) even though the sensor has less resolution in that mode.

I would like to do new tests but using the 90D (APSC 32MP) vs R6 MK II in APCS mode.

 

 

[dsavitsk]

19 minutes ago, jose said:

I´m doing a bit experiment. The R6 MkII can shot with Full Frame or like an APSC 1.6.

Maybe I´m doing something wrong but I think that in APSC I have more details (for example if you oversize at 180%) even though the sensor has less resolution in that mode.

It's possible that the lens is sharper in the center and softer at the edges. If you are using a smaller projection with the smaller sensor you could be seeing only the sharper part.

[jose]

That's a good point. I'll be reviewing all the documentation of the 100-400mm 4.5l (it´s my favotite lens) but I can add other lens too. 

Meanwhile: 

[blessingx]

Crappy Cameras Are So Back! 
https://www.theverge.com/c/24208960/digicam-digital-camera-comeback-2004-gen-z-nikon-coolpix 

Edited October 17 by blessingx

[Knuckledragger]

A guy on reddit rented a Canon 800mm F/5.6 RF and took a bunch of exposures of a rocket launch to make this composite:

I actually had to resize OP's original, because it was so high resolution it made imgur and discord FTFO.  The full size version is in the reddit link.

 

[blessingx]

^ He sells prints occasionally over on his IG. Have a couple of his solar flare shots.

 

For those on Macs, Apple reaches deal to acquire Pixelmator. Will be curious how this plays out as it's been so dependent on OS functionality. 

 

Also...

 

Edited November 1 by blessingx

[padam]

A few cameras to avoid for those who hate hoarding equipment, they could become impossible to get rid of, especially after mounting unicorn lenses:
Fujifilm S5 Pro (+ 28/1.4E) unique filmic colour, CCD rules


D700 (+28/1.4E) still my favourite sub-300$ all-round stills camera


My only gripe is that this amazing lens would be a bit odd on mirrorless (Z-mount needs a 28/1.4 asap).

Also saw the last remaining new silver Leica SL2 on sale, while still having some shiny old rangefinder glass - predictable result: first and last new Leica I've ever bought (hopefully...), another round with a camera that is incredible and infuriating at the same time. (75/1.4 Lux)


Had to sell the R6 Mark II + RF 28-70/2, but in all honesty, that (or an R5 with this lens) was the most sensible all-round package.


R8 works as a substitute for now, very nice compact carry around, especially with a superb RF 28 pancake.

Edited November 3 by padam