Weather & Practice - Large Format Friday

[@fbraakman]

The last couple of weeks here in central Alberta have been overcast and quite chilly, but I and some friends went for an outing on the weekend. It was quite chilly and our fingers froze setting up our large format gear, but after a while we didn't notice the cold as much. I ended up getting some of my favourite shots of the year. Great video Mat.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the comment. It's always those trips we're unsure about that allow us the creative freedom to make something cool!

[@folkloricochannel5639]

Mat, I thoroughly enjoyed this week's program! I needed to see this, a trip out to a location and a sequence of photos being taken, accompanied by commentary on your part. This lets me see how you go through your creative process and what triggers a decision to undertake an exposure. I want to encourage you to please make this a regular feature of Large Format Friday, just an on-location trip to anywhere and a sequence of shots, it can be 6 exposures (which in my mind is highly ambitious, but I need to get over my caution) or any number. And please, continue with your narration, tell us what prompted you to try that photo, how you planned for it, how you adjusted exposure and any tips you might have for given situations, such as the ones you offered for waterfalls. Call it Fieldwork with Marrash, Out in the Wild, Practice makes Perfect, whatever you want to call it, but I encourage you to continue with more videos such as this one (and the one you published a few weeks ago where you were up in the wilds). Thank you!

[@theoldcameraguy]

Love the image at 8:32 - Great point about matching the flow of the water. Just picked up a Pentax 67 and I need to get some reps in with it. I can see a trip to Indian Run Falls in my near future.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Dave! Enjoy the new 67 and let me know if you want to hang out on a shoot!

[@unityoc]

Have you ever heard Clyde Butcher's tip to wait up to 30 secs between pulling the darkslide and triggering the shutter? According to him, film holders on 8x10" trap air from when they were loaded so any difference in humidity or air pressure cause the film to vibrate while those equalise. Apparently 4x5" isn't affected because the film-to-rebate ratio is so low.

[@MatMarrash]

I haven't heard that tip before but I've personally experienced a humidity "pop" of the film. Anything larger than 4x5 suffers from film pop and it gets worse as the film size increases. When there's a big humidity swing, I try to acclimate the gear as much as possible, but will take Clyde's advice to heart!

[@brianmccutcheon3205]

I take my hat off to you young fella, well done 👍

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Brian!

[@tinpl8r]

I agree 100%. If you don’t see a composition “look up”. Great video!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks! :)

[@EricBryan]

Beautiful spot to shoot...hard to have a bad day when you start it among such splendor. You are so right, just get out and shoot. I try to cycle through shooting, printing, and retouching. Otherwise I feel terrible!

[@jonathanhotopf1823]

Great video as usual. Sounds like the weather there is similar to us in the U.K. at the moment! 100% agree on the importance of practice. I’ve started to go out with my Chroma Snapshot in a back pack on my daily bike rides.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Jonathan. Been hearing a lot of buzz lately about all the great things that Choma camera has been up to. Have fun with the Snapshot and fingers crossed for a break in the weather!

[@AlexLuyckxPhoto]

Love shooting in the rain, not always with my 4x5, usually go with 35mm or 120. And I passed the giveaway onto a couple of friends who have been jonesing for Large Format!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Alex! I remember that time we went down to Hocking Hills to shoot and it started pouring. Maybe I just bring the rain with me, lol.

[@grifftur]

As I watch this it's raining here in Chicago and I'm stuck at home because of work. Sometimes it's just enough to watch someone else go shoot some sheets. Thanks for the video Matt!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Joseph, it was tough to find the time to squeeze in this episode, but like most practice sessions I'm so glad I did. Cheers!

[@flipflopsleica]

LFF always gets me pumped for my Sat/Sun outings. Weather great in Hai Phong, Vietnam so it’s 4x5 J. Lane 25ASA Dry Plates, Portra 160 and Ilford HP5+ 400 loaded up. Thanks.

[@MatMarrash]

That's a nice variety of emulsions to shoot, let me know how you like those J. Lane speed plates!

[@rredd7777]

Thanks for another great video, Mat. This was just what I needed today! (Maybe last day of Indian Summer and plans for a fun trip went down the tubes; but maybe I shouldn't let it get me down. )

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Brad. 2020's been a year full of rapidly changing plans for many of us, hope you're able to get back out there soon!

[@steveweston5902]

Great video Mat. Good advice for whatever format you shoot. I love seeing the images from the large format.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Steve!

[@67jmadison]

Great video, Mat! I've been pretty nervous to take my 4x5 out when the weather is less than ideal in fear of messing up the bellows. On another note, I've passed along your contest to a few people! They're quite excited about it!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Madison! If you do end up getting the camera wet, best thing you can do is get it dry again quickly. Reusable desiccant packets are useful for any photographic format. Thanks for sharing the contest too!

[@genegoranov5865]

Interesting about not using contrast filters, - usually it's anathema for me, but I would like to hear more on the subject. Great vidieo!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Gene! My usage in filters has increased over time and anymore I'll bring them along on all but studio portrait shoots. Sometimes the wanted effect calls for not using one. Cheers!

[@oldfilmguy9413]

Excellent video and advice. The close-up rock image is exceptional!

[@MatMarrash]

Many thanks!

[@arty2917]

Loving the channel, Mat!

[@MatMarrash]

Many thanks!

[@BurlapandLight]

I second @theoldccameraguy about the flow of the water. Love the backlit shot with the bridge. I'm a sucker for backlit shots as well. Great post Mat!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks!

[@terrywbreedlove]

Our weather is bad for about 8 more months. It will be raining or windy or both. So I am shooting my Hasselblad.

[@MatMarrash]

When winds average more than 10mph, the Hasselblad emerges from its slumber in my camera bag. ;) Cheers!

[@Raevenswood]

Man, I want a "get a fricken tripod" shirt

[@MatMarrash]

Link in the description! :)

[@dongxu2059]

Great content like always. Big fan of what you are doing with LF. I did use your tip photographing some waterfalls feww weeks back, but definitely I need more practice I kinda think the exposure were a bit too long ( 60seg ish). How do you meter the waterfalls? (point at the water highligh then -3 stops?)

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the comment and question. For my B&W work, I'm using a staining developer called Pyrocat HD. It allows me to be a little lazier in metering and using the staining action of the developer to handle the higher values. For all six of those shots, I metered the darkest shadow areas, placed them 2 stops lower (zone III) and went with that exposure.

[@elevateyourmoodx100]

Could you do a video on flashes for large format? I haven't seen much info online.

[@MatMarrash]

Hi Bennett thanks for the comment! There will be a future LFF episode on flash photography, but don't currently have a timeline for when it will air. Stay tuned!

[@photo5555]

Hello, the image quality of these lenses is amazing ... what kind of budget glasses do you recommend up to 4x5, best regards

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the comment and question. For budget glass, I recommend general purpose modern lenses like Schneider Symmar-S, Rodenstock Sironar-N, Fujinon W, etc. All of these are not the top-end of their lens lineups but great image quality for a value price.

[@photo5555]

@@MatMarrash Thank you very much :)

[@giovannif117]

why does your hair look smaller

[@MatMarrash]

I managed to tame the quarantine hair with a quick barber visit. The hair shall return.