Great video Ben, and as always, the intonation in your voice perfectly matches the environment that you love to explore...

Cropping means the format doesn’t fit the composition format.

Would love to see the Zpacks actually loaded up. I love the features and the weight, but unless I am missing something, this model and its successors are all top-loaders. That’s fine for packing/unpacking once or maybe twice per day. But for photography “on the trail,” top loaders have always been a real PITA for me. So, I’d really love to see you pack the Zpacks Ben. Keep up the great work.

Photography is not a race! I visit Northern California wine country for a few days 1-2 times a year. I visit only 2 wineries a day (I also shoot 5x7). Some of my friends are proud that they get to 6 wineries in a day (they shoot digital). Not too sure if they remember much at the end of the day. Both are valid ways to taste wine, just different.

As someone who shoots digital. I used to shoot hundreds of photos during a shoot. After watching you and other film and large format shooters. I stopped and began taking less than a hundred shots per trip. Opting to slow down and be patient with a subjects. I've seen a huge jump in the quality of my work now.

I heard you mention the focal length, but what was the aperture, shutter speed, and stock and ISO of the film used?

Thank Ben for this DETAILED video DEMONSTRATING how to use the Arca-Swiss C1 Cube.

fantastic

Such valuable insights. Not being a fan of cropping and using smaller cameras, one useful technique I've learned is to change the aspect ratio in camera to suit the composition.

Hi Ben, I would like to ask If you are on budget and could buy used Intrepid 8x10 mkII cheaper instead of new mkIII do you go for it? or it is better to save and get straight mkIII version?

Feeling sorry for the wasted film.

Do you develop these yourself at home? How expensive is it getting large format film processed?

This guys obviously has no family 😂 JK, nice video though...

More time = better pictures.

Thanks Ben, this was really helpful video.

I call it The Joy of Slow Photography. Sadly something I do less often than I would like. ps 501st like!

Two thoughts on Fatali - I ran into him at Lower Antelope around 2000. We went in to get the light beam, and a woman is standing near the entrance to the largest chamber. She tells us someone is taking a shot and we can enter in just one minute. Well, that minute turns into 15+, and there's now a bunch of people wanting to go in. We can hear him saying just another minute! Finally, someone just goes in and we all follow - it's Fatali tossing sand in the air. By the time we get in, the light is nearly done. He packs up and splits. Second - he always made a big deal of only shooting with natural light and how he would wait for days to get the right conditions. Like the time he lit presto logs under Delicate Arch and marred the sandstone under the arch. During a workshop! The parks service had to remediate the scars he caused. He was charges with several crimes as a result of these actions. Turns out that wasn't the only national park where he had done that. He's a marvelous photographer, but I have lost a lot of respect for him after these incidents.

The patience you have shown over the years has always been something I marveled at. I have moments where I feel like I am learning to be more patient, setup on a composition and wait for it, but those moments are few and far between. I need to try to do better at that. Inspired by you of course.

How often do you adjust the composition as the light changes?

There is so much philosophical fluff in KZbin photography videos these days most of which don't really tell you anything substantial or help you much. Just a lot of nice sounding words without a lot of real substance. I think this short video rises above all that nonsense and nails down one of the most important aspects of landscape photography. Waiting for the best moment available is as, or more, important than gear and settings and a lot of the other stuff we like to obsess over. But, there are two aspects that you have to have for this to work. The first is that you obviously have to have the discipline to be patient and the second is that you have to have the time to be patient with. It is hard enough to be patient but for a lot of us, time is the greater commodity and one of the hardest to come by. The price, or value, of time can pale in comparison to the cost of gear.

Short but important thank you

We love you Ben.

I'm totally agree I just on my process to build my own black and white dark room and the name of it will be slowlyslowly.darkroom

Very interesting to hear your thought process on how you compose your images. They always seem very "clean" and "tidy".

Many people today have the attention span of a gnat!.... Ben, I see you as the Human version of "Master Splinter"... Cheers, Mate.

Well said. Since I have changed to film and mainly shooting 4x5 format to me the most important part of photography (being outdoors and taking photographs) has become more enjoyable and satisfying.

Yes, the larger gear lends to a bit slower pace overall. I met Michael Fatali a few times back in those days, Ben. And yes, his original gallery was in an old church just outside ZNP at that time. I too discussed LF with him at the time as I had already moved up to MF with my RB67 ProSD by then. Shortly there after I made the move to 4x5 and share outings with both formats now off and on. Both require patients in the field with their own bit of idiosyncrasies.

Words of wisdom from experience.

Get to the point! 😂

Such a valuable distinction, Thanks again for another lovely presentation of the essences 🙂

Waiting , learning to have patience and sitting calmly, letting nature do it's thing and being fine with that , is a skill and a life lesson .

Patience most definitely required living on west coast of Ireland where high winds and camera movement is a constant battle. Keeps us going back and the just enjoy the process. Patiently waiting for your new videos from Zion this year and hope it won’t be Xmas before you get to post them. 😂 Have a great trip to Zion.

I hear you... I feel you.... But when do you feel that "this is the ONE" to sit it out and wait for the right (light, wind speed, season)? So many times, I find a composition that I "think" is cool and worthy, but after staring at it, and waiting X amount of time, the doubt creeps in that this is just a waste of time? :) (long time viewer/listener of podcast)

PP: patience & persistence. I got a Deardorff 8x10 V8

I have nowhere near your level of patience ,shooting large format, but I have been unknowingly mentoring a young photographer and it’s become very apparent how things have sped up for everyone in the last couple of decades. My simple suggestions like watching the light and waiting a few minutes are blowing his mind, in a good way.

We're planning on visiting the meadow next week for a color check. Not a lot of rain here this summer plus it's been warmer than 'normal' but looking for a cool-off next week and the one after, for whatever that's worth. I guess we'll just have to be patient and see what we get.

this is great...thanks for sharing ben. lots to take in for me as a beginner, but i'm getting it. thanks for helping us to really see...

Thank you! Much more information than German Arca Shop can give to the customer.

Hello Ben, did you ever notice the youtube chanel derschrei (v=J8wuNAo-GwE)? He modified an analog large format camera to a digital large format camera by photographing the screen of the camera. For this he uses a camera from OM-System. The disadvantage is, that he can´t photograph when it´s windy (that´s not a problem in architecture photography). The advantage is a photo of a huge resolution (about 1000 Megapixel) with a film and scanning. Greetings from Bernd from Germany.

Your process is so calming and with focus Ben. Just like a meditation. Keep up the great work.

wow this backpack is bigger than me

I love the videography and the thoughtful commentary Ben - it's the summation of everything that I love about the great outdoors, exploration and landscape photography. Really fine work that brings colour and inspiration to other people's lives...

Thank you for explaining this in such a simple way. I guess I do this most of the time but in an unintentinal way. By adding a bit of understanding and awareness I hope to see some progression in my own pictures in the time coming. 😊

Great idea on the suspension!!!

Can one “dabble in” 10 x 8 large format photography (I’m referring to myself) ? Probably not - this content creator shows a level of dedication and knowledge which is commensurate with what appears to be a first class piece of equipment - I’ve still to use an Intrepid 10 x 8 I bought a while ago (did some 4 x 5 large format years back) - nice to see a “Rolls Royce” piece of equipment all the same but I’ll just content myself with an “economy car” in the form of the Intrepid - and do a bit of “Sunday driving” with it !!!!

I do all this when I take photos. I just don't know how to put it into words like you do, if I were to explain it.

Good to see your content after a while Ben and indeed quite an interesting one in that.

Good discussion topic. I disagree on cropping though. There's a lot of creative uses for different aspect ratios, or there can be lens limitations. Sometimes a composition would be perfect but it sits within the gap between my 24-70mm and 100-400mm, and the cliffside in front of me (or just distance) prevents me from simply moving closer, so a crop can get to the right final composition.

This is a really helpful explanation, thanks Ben.

A clear and concise look into the subtleties of composition. Nice. We are wrapping up a week-long trip (North Rim GC, west side Vermillion Cliffs) this morning with a visit to the 'cactus and the crack' (we have a story about that for you) before heading home. Will order a copy of the new zine then.