Glacial Lagoon: Photographing Ancient Ice On 6x12 Film

[@philipdahl9001]

Great video! Thanks!

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks for watching Philip!

[@andrewsimpson5436]

No,,,, ripples are bad LOL and the blue cast very funky! Another fine vlog, looking forward to more.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Haha, well the blue frame definitely turned out better than the one I decided to show to the sun.. 😣 Thanks Andrew!

[@tgchism]

Amazing footage and shots!

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thank you so much!

[@tedphillips2951]

Another really good video! I love film but I recently, for a very good price, acquired a Pentax 645Z medium format digital camera & have been blown away by the images.I am sure I will not be in Iceland but I look forward to using it in many interesting places.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Ted! Congrats on the 645Z, that's quite a beast of a camera! Admittedly I've looked longingly at medium format offerings on the digital side, I think eventually that'll be the path I take as well. Happy shooting!

[@erichartke4331]

Beautiful work! This brought back memories from our honeymoon to Iceland back in 2018.

[@AndyMumford]

Lovely video Chris, the drone shots at the beginning are awesome

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks as always Andy!

[@customerbf]

Love how you created your own interpretation of the Yoda cave. The bright cloud in the heart region gives a personality.

[@ChrisDarnell]

I hadn’t actually noticed that, ha! Thanks Bryan!

[@albertotafuro6112]

....a simply magical video, thanks Chris!!

[@paultaylorphotography9499]

Hey Chris been watching a few of your vids these last few days. Loving your style and content lovely photography too. I've never tried large format always figured one day I'll try it just for channel content but the more I watch the more I realise LF if a lifestyle not just for a quick you tube vid. Right now I'm fixed on what I'm doing, loving medium format and the Leica Q system, I will try LF one day but right now happy to watch experts doing the system justice. Keep em coming mate liked and subbed.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks so much Paul! Agreed, I didn't really know how deep this rabbit hole would go when I first got into LF, haha. It can definitely become consuming if you let it but it's been a ton of fun. You might have to make a series out of it one day!

[@philipculbertson55]

Wow, the detail on the 6X12 shots was pretty incredible even when viewing them via video on a MacBook. So it appeared to me that every time you change the composition or focus you have to insert the dark slide and take the back off? I guess that never occurred to me.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Philip! That's correct, unfortunately the Graflok film back requires the ground glass to come off in order to attach it to the film plane, so you have to pull the back all the way off and put the ground glass back on again in order to see anything. I don't really ever make adjustments to the camera once I have it locked down and film loaded though, and as long as nothing changed and I don't bump the camera I shouldn't have to refocus. Indeed you're right though, you have to put the camera back together and start all over again when you change the composition at all.

[@altrujillo3566]

Thanks, Chris....I enjoyed this video. Never had heard of the Yoda cave before so I found that quite interesting. Thanks for brining us along!

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Al, he cave is certainly a sight to behold!

[@tim31415]

KZbin is getting better; at least this showed up in my feed. Absolutely beautiful shots. You managed to capture a wide variety of compositions and they came out great. Thanks for sharing these.

[@ChrisDarnell]

There we go, glad to hear it made it to the feed, haha. Thanks as always Tim!

[@kyledrysdale9004]

Keep doing what your doing Chris! I find this channel a huge inspiration 👍

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Kyle, that’s really nice to hear and makes it all worthwhile!

[@andrewfindlayphoto]

At first I thought he's doing a remake of the film 'Prometheus'. Thankfully no Biogenetic Horror 😱 Great photos of the ice. I camped next to a small glacial lake, I think it was Eyjafjallajökull and saw a piece of green aircraft aluminium sticking out of the ice. It rained for 3 days and we where flooded out. Bit of an Epic! Great video and Photos 😁

[@ChrisDarnell]

Haha thanks Andrew, no xenomorphs fortunately. 👽 I was hoping to see that waterfall from the opening scene but never made it unfortunately, maybe on another trip. That’s too bad about getting flooded out; from the two times I’ve been to Iceland now I’ve definitely seen the weather turn real hostile real fast!

[@bernardkelly235]

Wonderful shots of the glacier, Chris..

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks as always Bernard!

[@jaydigshistory36]

You got the dry patch in the yoda cave…. That’s awesome! Great work as always Chis.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Jay!

[@anthonyphillips3421]

Hi Chris great video love the sheer desolation of the glacier and the compositions. I was wondering how you exposed for those slide film shots because they’re notoriously tricky to expose for. What technique are you using because you can waste lots of film before getting a shot spot on. Keep the videos coming. 😉

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks so much Anthony! I don't think I captured much footage of it this trip but I take spot readings using my Pentax digital spotmeter I brought with me. I use Nick Carver's method for placing those readings on the tone scale, and generally keep my Provia exposures within about 4 stops of total dynamic range for best results. Hope that helps!

[@jimwlouavl]

That first shot was stunning. I think the color cast of Provia complements the cold light. Great drone video work too. I’m enjoying watching your channel grow and evolve.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Jim for being a part of that growth! Agreed, there's definitely a character that Provia brings in the blues/cyan tones and often times I do like that about it.

[@ryanbhangdia]

spectacular video Chris, really enjoyed watching this. the pace was great and the landscapes were beautiful and your comments were thoughtful. really look forward to these.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Cheers Ryan, thanks so much for watching and for the kind words!

[@sjmheron]

Awesome vid! I've been toying with the idea of a 6x17 back for my 4x5 but it's a lot to carry. Your 6x12 back looks more manageable. When I was at that lagoon the wind nearly froze my hands on my drone controller. I was luckier at the beach at Vik with fewer people. I feel like I didn't know anything then, and need to go back. Thanks for the memories/reminders!

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Sam! Agreed, those 6x17 backs are incredibly bulky and I had the same concerns, which ultimately is what led me to the 6x12. I also like that I can use all of my lenses without vignetting issues. I know what you mean about your hands freezing, I've been there a time or two recently with my drone controller, haha. Wouldn't it be great if DJI released a version with a heated grip?!?!

[@bruceharvey6428]

Well done, Chris, terrific and enjoyable as always. That first 6x12 view of the glacier was really fantastic, such a wonderful image.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Bruce! It really was a beautiful location, hard not to be awe-stricken by the scale of things!

[@albertotafuro8730]

Fantastic shots! Wonderful miusic and great video Well done Chris!! 18.30

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks so much Alberto!

[@MARKLINMAN1]

This has become my FAVORITE Large Format photography Channel in all of KZbin, love how you explain it all and even show the mishaps, I recently finally got to shoot my Chamonix 45F2, made 2 exposures of a shed in my backyard in BW, can’t wait to drop them off for development, hoping I did it all correctly, lololol. Thanks for this video.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks so much, that’s really kind and I’m honored! Congrats on your first exposures, I bet everything went fine and you’ll be out exposing some more in no time. Thanks as always for watching!

[@jaytayag810]

Great video! I never heard of the Yoda cave. That's pretty cool!

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Jay! Challenging to shoot it is, but very cool indeed hmmhhmmmhmmhm

[@jw0001]

Thanks for sharing

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks for watching Jeff!

[@RuthieH_62]

Love your work Chris! Thanks for sharing it with us.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Ruthie, and thanks for watching!

[@brianbeattyphotography]

Great work Chris. What a magical location, and great drone work! Your close up image of the glacier is really well done. Looks almost otherworldly.

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Brian! Otherworldly is a great word for it, it’s truly something else standing in front of all that ice!

[@MichaelAlanNYC]

Enjoyed the video Chris. I know putting this together is a ton of work, appreciate it. Looking forward to the next one

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Michael, hope you’re doing well!

[@rudolffamiev2188]

Absolutely stunning location and views! Unfortunately - I love more Provia shoots than the digital ones - they just stunning! :) Waiting for the next continuation video!

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Rudolf, nothing wrong with that at all. It can definitely be hard to beat a good Provia exposure!

[@ianjones3327]

This showed up in my feed, glad it did. great images, B roll and drone footage. Thanks for sharing. what do you use to calculate exposure with the 6x12??

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks for watching Ian! I just use a Pentax digital spotmeter in the field to take my readings

[@Schlitzi]

This showed up on my home. You beat the algorithm! :)

[@ChrisDarnell]

haha take THAT!

[@TheSun1901]

Great video, Chris!

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks so much!

[@deansherry4155]

At 8:30 I would’ve probably used an 82 filter to get those bluish colours without needing to resort to a ND filter.

[@BobOgden1]

Loved the glacier shots and although I liked the stopper filter one I agree with you on the choice. If I ever make it to Iceland I would have to be dragged away from shooting Ortho - the place is so Gothic

[@ChrisDarnell]

Thanks Bob! That’s something that’s been on my todo list is to shoot more ortho and get a better feel for it, thanks for the reminder! On a future trip coming up I did shoot some b&w but it was just panchromatic. I agree though, maybe next time..

[@BobOgden1]

@@ChrisDarnell old graveyards, crumbled ruins and craggy rocks - ortho is the best

[@李怡-n3j]

It's been a long time since I saw you update your KZbin channel. What are you doing during this time?

[@ChrisDarnell]

Apologies for that, I was traveling for a while there and fell pretty far behind 😕