Speed Graphic for fine art?
Roberto
Speed Graphic that has been modified (weight reduction.) I assume the
focal plane shutter has been removed, but two lenses/shhutters are
included. I would use this camera for fine art work - hiking to
landscapes, environmental portraits and some light studio work. I know
there aren't many movements with this camera, but at this stage of the
game, low cost and big sharp negs are more important. Can an old
press camera be used for fine art? You opinions would be greatly
appreciated!
-Roberto
Ryan
The equipment is secondary, your composition and technique will/should
dominate. A bad photographer with the latest and greatest equipment is
still a bad photographer.
So go get your Speed Graphic, learn the basics of LF photography and
develop your technique. Once that is under your belt and you have
discovered any limitations then consider upgrading.
There are many good photgraphers out there using this type of
equipment.
R.
Don Wallace
"Roberto" <rob...@sepia.net> wrote in message
news:k94olt8pt30f78kak...@4ax.com...
I started with a Crown Graphic in exactly the same way. If you stick to LF,
you will eventually require more movements but there is a lot to learn even
before you get to that (e.g., developing 4x5, getting your exposure right,
etc.).
If the price is right on the Speed, it is a good way to start. There are
also
a lot of ways to get some movements by putting the camera on its side,
upside down, and so on. These strategies all work but after a while, it got
pretty tired of it and wanted real movements.
Don Wallace
Nicholas O. Lindan
>
> On my journey from MF to LF, I have the opportunity to purchase a used
> Speed Graphic that has been modified (weight reduction.) I assume the
> focal plane shutter has been removed, but two lenses/shhutters are
> press camera be used for fine art?
Absitively! Great choice!
Old Speeds are the best bang for the buck of any camera available. These
cameras are zero depreciation items (don't tell your accountant that)
and if you find you don't like it you can always sell it at the price
you paid for it.
For fine art, though, _ALWAYS_ use a tripod. The performance of the lens
and large negative will only come to the fore if the camera is rock
steady. I have a steady hand and yet I can see the difference between
hand held and tripod mounted in 8x10 prints of snow scenes taken on
ASA 400 film at 1/500th and f22.
--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio noli...@ix.netcom.com
Consulting Engineer: Electronics; Informatics; Photonics.
Ian Dodd
Roberto,
I have never used a Speed Graphic so cannot comment on it. But if low
cost is a consideration and you're handy with simple tools, another
option you might consider on the journey from MF to LF is the Bender
kit. You save money by provding the labor to build the camera and end up
with a lightweight monorail with plenty of movement. As has been
discussed on this NG before, it lacks the rigidity of much heavier
cameras, but with care in set up and use I got plenty of big, sharp
negatives from it. Anytime I got frustrated with the camera I just
reminded myself that many great photographers struggled with worse
equipment than that. As another respondent said, it's not about the
equipment, but the photographer.
My $0.02 worth,
Ian
Tom Coates
some really nice old views on eBay for cheap, but they've been in cases much
larger than a breadbox.
Tom
"Ian Dodd" <ian...@mediaone.net> wrote in message
news:3B5C43A5...@mediaone.net...
christine
Of course!
I've been using my Speed Graphic since I started doing large format.
It's the only 4x5 I have since I don't have much money. Sure, I'd like
to get a Wisner, but I can't afford it.
Cameras are just tools that we use to get to a final image. It is the
person that makes the art, not the box with a hole in it!
2 cents from christine
Richard Knoppow
Others have commented on using the camera. I add only that if the
shutter has been removed you should get the camera _very_ cheaply. I
suppose some may do this for weight reduction but its not really very
much. My guess is that its been canabalized to fix some other camera.
There are lots of Speed and Crown Graphics around so choose
carefully. There is a large amount of information on the Graflex.org
web site: http://www.graflex.org which will help you to identify
models and ages.
The lightest of my four Speed Graphics is a pre-annivarsary model
(about 1938 from its serial number) made before they started using a
lot of metal parts. Lighter than a Crown!
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, Ca.
dick...@ix.netcom.com
David Boyce
In my opinion there is nothing wrong with a Speed Graphic. There is a local
photographer here who uses one that is held together with duct tape and luck
and he produces some of the most exquisite images. It proves the adage that
the most important part of a camera is usually standing behind it.
David
Christopher Bush
35mm cameras with German optics, etc.... Some of the best shots I've taken
have been with my little Olympus XA which I paid $30 for, and some simple
old TLRs. How you interact with your equipment is more important than its
list of specifications.
So to answer your question, yes a press camera is capable if you are
comfortable with it.
--
Christopher Bush
http://www.christopherbush.com
"Roberto" <rob...@sepia.net> wrote in message
news:k94olt8pt30f78kak...@4ax.com...
Tom Coates
company of affluent newbies.
Note however that if you're shooting for pay, the size of the camera seems
to be related to how much you can charge.
Tom
"Christopher Bush" <cb...@dialupnet.com> wrote in message
news:3b5cf...@news.starnetinc.com...
Christopher Bush
location shoot once. I redeemed myself with my RB67 later. Conversely, I
did an interior shoot for a very sleazy real estate agent once with my RB67,
and she tried to get out of paying me since I didn't use a "normal camera".
--
Christopher Bush
http://www.christopherbush.com
"Tom Coates" <teco...@home.com> wrote in message
news:ufd77.37483$Ek3.13...@news1.rdc1.md.home.com...
Eugene A. Pallat
> Some of us think it's fun to use campy old cameras, especially in the
> company of affluent newbies.
>
> Note however that if you're shooting for pay, the size of the camera seems
> to be related to how much you can charge.
A late friend was a forensic photographer. He always used a 3 inch lens on his
4x5 so that a 20x24 print was required for propper viewing perspective. He
also said "That way I can charge more money."
Gene Pallat
Francis A. Miniter
The essential feature of any camera is that it is a black box that admits
no light at all, until a shutter is opened to admit light through an
aperture for a predetermined period of time onto a photosensitive material
placed in the focal plane. As long as it performs that simple function it
can be as beautiful or ugly, old or new, simple or complex, as can be.
Julia Margaret Cameron achieved her amazing portraits with a (sliding?)
box camera.
Fine art is the result of consistently applied artistic effort by the
individual at all stages of the process, from selection of the subject, to
lighting of the subject, film selection, aperture and shutter settings,
film processing, printing, toning, mounting, matting, framing. Artistic
effort is the application of technical knowledge conjoined with personal
inner vision and judgment that has been developed and honed over time.
The camera body itself is one of the lesser elements in achieving the end
result.
Francis A. Miniter
dave
dearly love, and I use it when I don't need camera movements or when I
want to do the occasional, hand-held 4x5 photograph. If you're doing
work that requires anything more than bare-bones movements for
perspective or focus controls, you'll need something more versatile
than the Speed Graphic. The Speed Graphic has the edge in portability
at an affordable price over other affordable alternatives, such as old
-- yet highly flexible and versatile -- Calumet CC400 series monorail
view cameras for instance. Field cameras are more portable,
certainly, than monorail type view cameras, and they have very
versatile movements -- most of 'em anyway -- but that comes at a
price. You may want to take a look at each of several view camera
alternatives and decide which will suit your needs and budget most
closely. I'd advise against buying too limited a tool if, in just a
short amount of time, you'll outgrow it. -Dave
On Mon, 23 Jul 2001 08:04:34 -0400, Roberto <rob...@sepia.net> wrote: