The Large Negative ...

Ok, I am really digging down deep into my archives.  These date to 1974 and 1976. I went for a walk along a local nature trail, humping the monorail view camera and large tripod all day. Finding this clump of Oyster Mushrooms on a tree. I took photo in the autumn of 1974, and I still like the photo. Possibly the only image from my first semester I still enjoy.

Linhof Kardan Color, Schneider 121mm Super Angulon, Ilford FP-4x5" Agfa Portriga FB.

When I look at my favourite prints on Brovira, Portriga, Ilfomar, Ektalure, Gallery, Medalist double-weight fibre papers. They just have a je ne  sais quoi that pigment or ink is missing. A B&W from a mid range or better printer on glossy photo paper looks very much like a RC print. But a fine-art DW FB print is just ... different.

This is the absolute last photo I took at Algonquin College photography program. I didn't like the texture shot I took. So the last morning, of the last day of class. I thawed out some 4x5 VPS, loaded the holders. Pulled my belt off. Turned on a 2K Colortran and took this image. Fired up the C-41 line processed the film, printed the photograph, dry-mounted and handed in the photo all before lunch. My instructor asked how come he never saw the image before... I answered " It didn't exist before this morning!"

Linhof Kardan Color, Schneider 121mm Super Angulon, Kodak VPS 4x5"

Darrell

Early Digital Photography

Way back in the old days I worked in a large commercial studio in Ottawa. We like most studios shot weddings (fun actually) family portraits and commercial. Product shots were often shot on large-format up to 8x10" depending on the client and art director's requirements.

When I ended up in retail I was handed a 2.1 megapixel Olympus C2000Z point and shoot camera around 2003 and was requested to produce work for web, eBay and in store POS materials. I was recalling the days of sweep tables, 4 -2400WS stobes, huge softboxes and the related hardware...

But never one to not accept a challenge I worked with this toy digi-cam. The store did have a used small plexi sweep table that we seconded to the task. Here are two of my favourite images from the days

The store became the exclusive Voigtländer dealer in the Ottawa region, but the official importer's photos weren't really that good. So I used my mini-studio and created this POS piece of the Voigtländer Bessa R w/ the 12mm Ultra-Wide lens.



Both were close cut with Photoshop 5.5 back then... Could I have done better with a 4x5 Sinar and digital back... probably! But having a handle on the limitations of the camera, one can achieve results.

Darrell