Topic: Pre vs Post vs Pre Visualisation?!

[CarlRadford]

Hi Folks

Having spent a lot of time in the darkroom over the last couple of weeks getting some images printed for my first try at submissions for salons (exhibitions) - namely the Scottish Salon and Cotswold Monochrome Salon - I started to look seriously at how compositions could be improved. A couple of the images were taken very early on in my image making career ( ) and with a 35mm contax g2 and are people images; the rest have been taken with the walker titan 5x4. The more I look the more I find I can tweak things to improve the composition and this set me to thinking - what if I left the house with just 2 or 3 darkslides of film for the whole day. With the new 10x8 that isn't difficult I only have 4 d/s, and just one film in the holga or 6x9 pinhole. Would my image making improve? I already take my time as I have a grip on the zone system and try to get the best from the neg. Bearing in mind that I am contact printing a fair ammount of plt/pld or cyanotypes I really need to get it right first time!

Any thoughts, experiences?

Take care, Carl

PS Off to Scarborough on Saturday for a United Postal Portfolios Meet - and might just put this plan into action but I've never been before - I might need more than one format - I might need different lenses...........

[FrankB]

Going out with limited film is an option, but any time I do that (usually unintentionally!) I usually find that the best opportunities arise after I've drained my Lowepro dry!

I try hard to compose in-camera, but often have to re-crop in the darkroom. Sometimes I blame this on my F80's 93% finder or parallax error on the C330, sometimes I blame it on nature not composing itself properly for a 2/3's or square frame... ...but, if I'm honest, it's mostly down to the idiot standing behind the camera!

As you say, if you're already working on a tripod-mounted 10x8 and setting exposure via the zone system then you're already taking your time over each shot. Maybe take a couple of extra minutes to step away from your 'final' set up and then come back to it and see it as if someone else had set it up and asked what you thought...?

[lauraburlton]

Hmmm... sounds like you already do take your time I have found that I may have an idea but it generally takes me a few shots to get into my stride. AND when I run out of film I almost always want more, so I tend to err on the side of excess, just in case. Maybe you could tell yourself you were only going to take 4 shots ( just for example) but have 4 more sheets of film on reserve, just in case I do try to previsualize as well BUT you never know- an accident could send you off on another creative binge and it could be your best yet. Mind you I need to get a grip on being snap happy myself. I recenltly have fallen in love with type 55 film, I got 100 sheets on ebay for $80, all expired, and all wonderful. BUT when that runs out I am screwed unless I find a similar deal somewhere because at $80 a box of 20, I cant afford to screw up or waste film- I only have 2 1/2 boxes left ...

[LT]

Although I quite often print square, I'm not averse to a little darkroom cropping, and sometimes this is even planned when I take the shot. I suppose that's the advantage of enlarging over contact printing.

I think if i went out with limited film, I'd just get annoyed with myself because I didnt have enough film, but then again I'm of the roll film mind-set, I imagine it's all a bit different if you are limited to carrying large sheet film holders for each shot.

But why limit yourself to pre or post ar any visualisation?  just work it out as it comes along.  If that means a smaller contact print because of post vis cropping, why does that matter?

[CarlRadford]

As you say, if you're already working on a tripod-mounted 10x8 and setting exposure via the zone system then you're already taking your time over each shot. Maybe take a couple of extra minutes to step away from your 'final' set up and then come back to it and see it as if someone else had set it up and asked what you thought...?

Tripod mount 10x8 pinhole is still shooting in the dark

[outofcontxt]

Unless money or space for gear is a factor, I don't see the point of limiting the film being carried. Personally, I'd be afraid of missing an opportunity should it arise. Then again, I shoot medium format primarily. Certainly less of an issue than large format since I've got between 12 to 16 shots per roll depending on the camera. Just my two cents...

[FrankB]

Tripod mount 10x8 pinhole is still shooting in the dark

Ah, forgive me for being denser than usual!

I haven't actually done any pinhole work, so I'm not too clear on what facilities you have. Do you have any kind of finder? (If so, previous advice still applies! ) If not, is it possible to rig some kind of Heath Robinson (tm!) wire frame to give you an idea?

(Either way you're a braver man than I am!)

[CarlRadford]

Tripod mount 10x8 pinhole is still shooting in the dark

Ah, forgive me for being denser than usual!

I haven't actually done any pinhole work, so I'm not too clear on what facilities you have. Do you have any kind of finder? (If so, previous advice still applies! ) If not, is it possible to rig some kind of Heath Robinson (tm!) wire frame to give you an idea?

(Either way you're a braver man than I am!)

The previous owner was able to work out the angle of views and so there are ink marks on the top and sides for a ballpark frame!

[katie]

With the viewfinder-less pinhole cameras there's only one thing that works: getting to know the camera and how it sees by making a whole stack of photos. With a new box, I tend to spend a lot of time crouching behind the camera, holding my arms out, trying to work out the edges of the field of view (using the dark slides helps, too, along the angles to frame what should be on the image.) You could try using some paper negatives for the first few batches, so you don't feel like you're bleeding money while getting to know the new camera.

Another thought: maybe rig up a piece of ground glass and a viewing pinhole for composing images on the 8x10, at least until the camera is more familiar? You could probably make a holder for the glass (out of foamboard or something) that would fit in the back like a DDS.

Contact printing full negatives is one hell of a disciplined approach. But so hugely satisfying when it's right.

(As to limited holders: a dark bag and a spare box of film are good things to carry along.)