Photography with a large format 4x5 camera and using the front rise movement.

Taking your large format 4x5 camera out and the steps I do to take a photograph. I also run through the front camera rise movement and show users how to avoid converging lines in your photos out in the prairie landscape.

[@LRPhotographer]

I'm a huge fan of minimalism when it comes to photos, whether portraits, landscapes, or any other kind. Simple, uncluttered scenes draw me in the most. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing your images.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Very much appreciated! Thanks for watching.

[@ruffprophetproductions]

wow that photo of the grain bins is spectacular.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Ruff Prophet Productions Thank you very much, a great gift of light that afternoon. Thanks for watching!

[@AnastasTarpanov]

Very minimalistic and nice image, imagine how it will be printed on a big canvas...

[@tahoeturk]

I’m a career-long photographer in the final years of my professional life. I’ve been considering what my next phase as a shooter would be. Shooting for myself what would I want to do and i”m leaning towards 8X10 or 4X5 work. I’ve been researching cameras and their options and came across your videos. They’re by far the best I’ve seen. Great info well explained and presented. Just wanted to say thank you for your most excellent work. I’ll be watching more!

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thank you, whatever your choice it's just great to slow down and concentrate on making a photo.

[@tgchism]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge in a easy to understand way!

[@toddkorolphoto]

You’re welcome, thanks for watching.

[@kevin-parratt-artist]

The grain bins... wow 👌 Nice video Todd.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks, sure got lucky with the light ;-)

[@constantinestewart7416]

Thanks Todd, clear and straightforward.

[@zenonbillings9008]

once again a great video, thx so much for all the great fotos of western canada.....we are very lucky to live in our great country and your images confirm this every time you post a video ....! zen billings

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes we are. Thanks!!

[@zenonbillings9008]

you are most welcome !

[@sutashiku]

Thank you, Sir, for making these useful and clear videos for us.

[@toddkorolphoto]

You’re welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@seoirseosial]

Excellent video, Todd. A no nonsense approach to 4x5 that doesn't involve faffing around, unlike some of the other videos one sees on youtube.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks, working on making it clear and concise, more to come!

[@axelsosa8453]

Awesome tips, thank you!!!

[@toddkorolphoto]

You’re welcome. 😉

[@gregfaris6959]

If you use a monorail view camera, as I have for 40 years now, all these movements become second nature, and you get to where the 4x5 view is quicker and easier to set up and use than a fixed small or medium format. Folding cameras are a bit different though, as the movements available are not as straightforward to implement. For instance, if you set your camera up, and find your image is a bit low and to the left, on the monorail you simply turn the knobs to place your film back on the desired framing, and you're done. A folding camera though does not have lateral shift, and vertical shift involves dropping the front standard down a huge click and then pumping it back up, so the simple adjustments made on a view camera are either not available at all, or at considerable effort. Easier to just move and adjust the tripod, as if it were a fixed camera. Of course, the necessary adjustments are there, unlike a fixed camera, in case you need them, for scheimpflug or something - just a bit more finickey.

[@TheSchnauzie]

Great video

[@toulcaz31]

Super Technika V, nice! I recently acquired a Technika V 5x7.

[@RobinsBookClub]

Thanks for the info you share hete, picture of the bins is fantastic!

[@toddkorolphoto]

Robin Caddy Thanks so much!! Cheers.

[@AnastasTarpanov]

Very useful and nice explained, thank you!

[@chadmuska9682]

Hi Todd really like your videos, I just bought a Busch pressman D and I can't wait to take pictures following your tips!

[@toddkorolphoto]

That's a great camera, I love those!

[@farouk6564]

that 2nd shot is awesome!

[@toddkorolphoto]

Farouk Thank you!!

[@Nat.ImagesLarge.F.Photographer]

Stunning photographs(photo of the grains is magnificent) and magnificent Linhof large format, the best camera!!

[@Foxglove963]

Nat Images. Linhofs are cams dependent, which considerable limits the useable lenses. Try Wista, so much better and you can use almost any lens, even antique lenses.

[@Nat.ImagesLarge.F.Photographer]

@@Foxglove963 Hello Todd, you are right, I use a Sinar P2 excellent camera , but as I do nature photography, architecture in long exposure it would be better a folding that I'm looking for, I need a folding that uses the plates(140mm X 140mm) of the Sinar.Compliments for yr channel ,the best LF channel, great!

[@OhFishyFish]

You just earned a subscriber, incredible photographs and content.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thank you so much, I'm glad you are along for the ride, more coming soon!

[@MichaelWellman1955]

That's a beautiful area you were shooting. It reminds me Kansas/Nebaska. I love those grain bins with that beautiful sky w/clouds. Beautiful pic and great call on the yellow filter

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks, Nebraska is high on my list of places to go and take photos with a large format camera, I hear nothing but great things about that place!! Thank you!! The area is lovely here.

[@Gitsh]

Great video, clear instructions, great photos. Must get out more with my Linhof!

[@toddkorolphoto]

1jng thanks for watching, yes do it!

[@chefdano7190]

Really great instructional video. Keep it up...you are good at this.

[@toddkorolphoto]

ChefDano Thank you very much, really appreciate it!

[@erichartke4331]

Great video as usual

[@toddkorolphoto]

Many thanks, a new one dropping tomorrow I hope!

[@fotolookconde]

Good stuff! I have an old MPP 4x5!

[@iainpaterson3808]

I just discovered your channel. It's terrific. I loved your round up of favorite photography books, as well as this video on front rise. If you could do more videos on camera movements, I'm sure there would be an audience for them. There's always something to learn about movements! Thank you

[@toddkorolphoto]

Iain Paterson Thanks so much for the kind words, and thanks for watching. I am filming a new one right now, out soon!

[@Nat.ImagesLarge.F.Photographer]

Superb video and love shots,excellent channel LF!!!!!!!

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thank you very much.

[@almmotamedi]

very useful ! as always

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thank you.

[@StephenMilner]

Great video Todd. People tell me I should be shooting large format. It’s something I think about but often discard the idea because of the time involved setting up one shot and the weight of the camera system. Maybe your channel could convince me to try it out one day.

[@toddkorolphoto]

It is great to slow down and really think about the photograph you are taking, why you are taking it. And the tones large format film makes are amazing. You should try it out sometime!!

[@MichaelDiblicek]

Excellent video Todd, just discovered your channel, subscribed. I have to say that that image of the grain silo's , or bins as you called them :) is a class image. You certainly live in a beautiful place there.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks so much, glad you're watching, more coming soon!

[@Leonardovins]

Hello Sir. I don't have large format camera and won't buy one anytime soon (since I'm just a student) but I love your content and your process! I love to see more from you.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks so much, there are some really great, cheap large format options, check out my other video on getting started. Thanks!

[@RYANPARKPHOTOGRAPHY]

Beautiful shots and process.. i love medium format at the moment. But youtube algorithm keep suggesting large format…

[@toddkorolphoto]

Both good!

[@terrywbreedlove]

Love that image reminds me of the Palouse over here in Wa state. I live on the coast next to the Hoh rainforest which is a completely different look. :)

[@toddkorolphoto]

Sweet, we had plans to go to Olympic National Park, but of course that's all changed right now, WA is such a great state!

[@b.brauner7500]

Thakn you for this video!

[@PaulCSmithPhotographer]

Wonderful video Todd! Subbed!!

[@toddkorolphoto]

Paul C Smith Photographer Thank you!!

[@BillPutnamPhoto]

Man this is making stoked to start rebuilding my Linhof Technika III.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Bill Putnam Awesome, do it!!

[@arty2917]

Nice video, and nice pics. I just found you and subscribed. Keep up the good work.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Ariston Thanks so much for watching!

[@flipflopsLF]

Time for a geared head to replace the ball head for ease and precise adjustments. I just transitioned to a gear head and wonder what took me so long. Thanks for another fine video on large format. Thanks :)

[@toddkorolphoto]

IG: dashansheying yeah I’m looking for something good, light and fast that works. What did you get?

[@flipflopsLF]

@@toddkorolphoto Benro GD3WH for my F2 Chamonix. Love the ability under the cloth to adjust horizontal/vertical with one hand and the other hand with the loupe.

[@toddkorolphoto]

IG: dashansheying thanks. I will check that out!👍

[@bernardkelly235]

Very useful, Todd. That Technika is looking better and better with every showing. How about another video on the movements combining front and rear standards? I always find these difficult to put into practice.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Sounds great, I will think of something. Cheers!

[@Narsuitus]

@@toddkorolphoto I too would like you produce a video explaining shift/tilt/swing movements. I like your clear instructions and your practical examples.

[@chriscard6544]

I also wish a video

[@ceritat625]

Gorgeous, so lovely! I love the image of the bins. Oh my, should I even think about LF, yikes.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Filmnut Girl Yes, yes you should!😃

[@erichstocker4173]

I have to say that I agree with Cerita. That bin photo was really great.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Erich Stocker Hey thank you!!

[@Necroblob]

Please do more videos like this! Thank you

[@toddkorolphoto]

Thanks. More coming.

[@marcdeckard7064]

I always use the black side of the slide to indicate the unexposed film. The white or silver to me, indicates that light has been added to the film. Just makes more sense to me.

[@martindrazsky7451]

Great video - by far the clearest channel on LF photography, in my view. Two observations regarding the first image, if I may: (1) There seems to be quite a lot of vignetting at the top. Did this come from utilising the front rise? I gather your lens was the 12O mm Apo Symmar .... do you find its coverage sufficient for this amount of movement? (2) Regarding again the same picture, my personal preference would have been to leave the converging lines slightly uncorrected, as it would look more natural that way (after all, the viewer does expect the lines to converge somewhat when viewing a tall building from below). Thanks again for sharing your experience. PS: I took delivery of a used Master Technika yesterday, my first LF camera, and I am learning the ropes now. Your channel is a great help.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes maybe a little vignette from the front rise, but the clouds were actually moving in and were darker up in the sky as well. Master Techs are great cameras, you should get years of great use of of them.

[@andyvan5692]

beautiful linhof, what one is it, a 4x5, 5x7, and is it a super or master Tecknika?, great quality of the leatherette, looks like she is well looked after! :-))

[@rupunzel6299]

Suggest using the level as a rough camera set up guide. Once the camera is leveled, then use the ground glass grid to tweak the image geometry. This is FAR more accurate than just using a level to set up the in camera image. Do level the tripod before setting up the camera, as this will reduce geometric shift of the in camera image if the camera is panned left right. If possible avoid using the tripod center column as a riser, this reduces the rigidity and stability of the entire camera set up.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Rupunzel great tip. I was supposed to talk about that fine tuning the level with the ground glass just as someone drove by. But yes, I always finish off my fine tuning composition on the ground glass.

[@jasperqiu7454]

What were the films you used for these two lovely pictures?

[@michaelfuller2153]

Very nice, Todd! I bought the front & rear cells of a 75mm Zeiss Biogon & had the guys at S.K. Grimes put it in an old No.1 Synchro Compur I had. I need a loupe & I'm good to go. Do you like your Linhof? Best, Mike F.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Michael Fuller that Zeiss will be great. Yeah the Linhof is really good, built so well.

[@andyvan5692]

great video, but one solution to the wind issue is a cover called (not offensive here,just the name) a "dead cat", "dead wambat", etc. videographers use these on their michrophones to weed out excess noise, aka like while sailing a boat, or in an airport; the different names are an indicator of what size the product is, aka a cat is smaller than a wambat, so same with the cover!- for "boom_pole" michrophones, or camera mounted rhode "GO"'s.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes have the dead cat, but sometimes the wireless picks up the wind, some days the wind out here drives me crazy.

[@andyvan5692]

nice shot of the gray-grain bins, but you used a filter, Mat marrash had a video on filters, but he said you had to account for exposure loss and adjust meter reading according to the factor on the box, but you did not, or at least say you did it!; but nice contrast!!

[@toddkorolphoto]

Indeed, I did mention I used a yellow filter but did not say of the compensation. With a light yellow filter you should compensate about a half a stop more exposure. I think I did a exposure with no compensation and one with 1/2 stop more exposure. Thanks

[@poppyspix4444]

Very Interesting! I shoot medium format but have never used a 4x5 or 8x10 before. What make and model camera is used in this video?

[@toddkorolphoto]

This is a metal Linhof Super Technika V, great camera, very rugged and portable.

[@darrylroberts4152]

Great video. What tripod?

[@toddkorolphoto]

It's the Gitzo GT2545T travel tripod.

[@jackyleecs]

Is it better for a newbie to LF to try out a field camera or a view camera? Thanks.

[@toddkorolphoto]

If you just want to try the camera first a studio view camera will be a little easier to operate, but larger and heavier. A field camera is much easier to take and use in the field. But at the heart both will show you how the camera operates.

[@Kitsaplorax]

How do I mount a lens that has an oversize flange on a smaller board? I've got a Celor that will work on my Speed Graphic (the data sheets and catalogs say so) but the flange is much bigger than the lens board. Do i get someone to build a stepped lensboard out of multiple lens boards?

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes that sounds like a job for a good machinist to carry out.

[@jamesbarrie9111]

How do you fit your 4 x 5 camera on a drone? I was out west last year and it was super heavy and fell off : (

[@toddkorolphoto]

Now that I have a remote trigger for the 4x5 easy...

[@xesse1]

With the rise movement, would you not get the same result if you would simply raise the tripod stem?

[@klausphotobaer5754]

Simple answer : no ( unless you can’t raise it a couple of meters / feet ) 😉

[@reemyarkoni4808]

so what's the difference between front rise and just lifting your camera a bit with the tripod?

[@toddkorolphoto]

A big difference. When you use rise and fall you are using just the image circle and the lines of any building, horizon etc will stay straight. When you tilt the camera upward, that's when you get converging lines, buildings that look like the sides go up in an angle. So yes a big difference between the two.

[@Foxglove963]

Todd Korol. The ball head is a pain to use, dunk it and use a three-way head. Your setup is somewhat too high, move it to eye level. Angle the front lens somewhat, this will improve sharpness from the tip of your nose to infinity. I think you use filters, though this is not seen in your set up.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Indeed the ball head can be a pain. If you look in my later videos I’ve finally made the move to a geared 3 way head. 😉

[@tangyorange6509]

Hello! I was wondering how you feel about trespassing? Cause I see some cool buildings and stuff to shoot that look abandoned, but I don’t know if someone owns it and is gonna come out and shoot me.

[@toddkorolphoto]

I pretty much don't trespass on someone's property unless I have permission. If something is right on the highway then I will look around, but I certainly won't hop a fence and go on someone's land. You also never know what's around an abandon building, a lot of potential to get hurt as well.

[@Narsuitus]

@@toddkorolphoto If you have permission, are you really trespassing?

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

Would you ever do a more in depth video showing how each of the movements works, for those of us new to shooting LF? I notice when I do "rise/fall", the bellows get in the way, is that something I need to worry about? How do I adjust for it.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes the plan is to do a few more movement videos. Stay tuned.

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

@@toddkorolphoto Specifically for us peasants who can afford only press cameras LOL.

[@toddkorolphoto]

@@Adrian-wd4rn hey I love my press camera!!

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

@@toddkorolphoto I'm just nervous because I hear they're limited for landscape photography, front tilt and such.

[@dangrygo9367]

Hello Todd, I am about to get into large format photography and I am trying to understand these movements people do with large format cameras. Why moving the lens up if you can move your tripod higher? I am clearly not understanding how it works that's why I wanted to ask the professional :)

[@toddkorolphoto]

In short, your large format lens creates an image in a circle, usually larger than the format you are using, and when you take a photo you only use part of the image in the circle. When you move the lens up or down, you are taking a photo of the top portion of the circle or bottom portion of the circle. There are some great beginner large format books you should check out with diagrams that will explain it better. thanks.

[@dangrygo9367]

@@toddkorolphoto thanks Todd! I watched your video regarding books and already ordered some! Thank you!

[@cristianmariusbalaceanu8810]

Do you have Super Technika IV 5/7 ?

[@toddkorolphoto]

The Super Technika V

[@Topsyrm]

Hmm I see diverging verticals here a bit over compensated I think.

[@toddkorolphoto]

Topsyrm maybe a bit, I was shooting quick because it was starting to rain 🌧

[@eccentricsmithy2746]

Why does everyone put the dark slide in reverse? Black means no light, not exposed. White means exposed to light. Should be black facing out when not exposed and white facing out when exposed. Its not that hard to understand that.

[@neilpiper9889]

We used to do black out for exposed back in 1958 with a Speed Graphic. Handheld with a 127 Kodak Ektar lens. We used the same camera on a tripod in the tungsten studio with a 9cm Schneider Angulon for wedding groups if it was bad weather.

[@sonercimen2168]

"Do you take photos of private houses with permission?"

[@toddkorolphoto]

Yes if I go into someone’s property I always get permission.