Every landscape photographer has a special place in this world, a place where the land speaks to the heart, a place where their thoughts turn for inspiration. That special place may be near home, or it may be far away, but it is part of what makes us passionate about what we do. For me, that special place is the West MacDonnell National Park, located in the heart of Australia's Northern Territory, near the town of Alice Springs.

The West MacDonnell National Park, which encompasses the West MacDonnell Range or "West Macs" as they are called locally, is an area of deep gorges, narrow chasms, desert waterholes, ancient rivers and Paleozoic era landforms. Each of the park’s chasms and gorges has its own unique beauty and character. Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen and Redbank Gorge offer picturesque swimming holes, at Standley Chasm the sun light in the middle of the day reflects off its rocky face in fiery oranges and reds, while Rock Wallabies are easily spotted along the rock face at Simpsons Gap and Ormiston Gorge.

Ormiston Gorge, from the Ghost Gum trail, about 45 minutes after sunrise. Toyo 45AII, Schneider 135mm f4.5, Symmar-S lens on Fuji Velvia 50, with an 81A warming filter.

Stretching some 80 miles (130 km) from Alice Springs to the end of the sealed road at Glen Helen, the road generally follows the West MacDonnell Range, first along Larapinta Drive, then onto Namatjira Drive. Due to distances involved, camping is the best way to be in a position to catch the early morning light; driving after dark is not recommended. Ellery Creek and Ormiston Gorge offer the best campgrounds, while the Glen Helen lodge offers accommodations and meals, along with the park's only pub.

Click here to read the full article: FULL ARTICLE

Joern Utzon, the Danish architect who designed the iconic Sydney Opera House, died of a heart attack Saturday. He was 90.

“Born in Copenhagen in 1918, Utzon graduated from the capital's academy of arts in 1942, working in several major Danish architectural offices and later with Alvar Aalto in Finland. He established his own practice in Copenhagen in 1950.

Utzon's earliest buildings were private homes. His winning the design competition for the Opera House in 1956 was a surprise to many, including colleagues.”

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/sydney-opera-house-architect-joern-utzon-dead/2008/11/30/1227979814647.html

Whenever I’m in Sydney, I always take the opportunity to photograph this wonderful building. With the passing of its architect, I thought I would share some of my favorite photographs of the building, many consider to be the epitome of his life’s work.

Sydney Opera House lights up in the afternoon sunlight. Nikon N80, Nikkor 28-200mm Zoom, Fuji Velvia 50.

Just before dark, the Opera House comes alive with activity. Nikon F6, Nikkor 24-120mm Zoom, Fuji Provia 400x.

Nikon F6, Nikkor 24-120mm Zoom, Fuji Provia 400x.

View from the Opera House of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Nikon F6, Nikkor 24-120mm Zoom, Fuji Provia 400x.

I've just finished processing my first batch of the new Kodak Ektar 100 Professional film. My initial impression is quite favorable, although I can see that this film really doesn't work for me doing landscapes.

All these images are directly out of the scanner, with NO adjustments other than levels and contrast; in other words, NO sharpening, NO color correction and NO saturation.

All images were taken on a Nikon F6, with a Nikkor 24-120mm zoom lens and a polarizing filter - all handheld. The location for these images is the Chinatown area of downtown Honolulu, Hawaii.

For more on this film see: First Look - new Kodak Ektar 100 Professional

After a stay at the Westown Hotel in Iloilo City, I wanted to write down my impressions, so that others considering staying in this facility can make an informed decision. In the hotel's Guest Satisfaction Survey, the hotel writes "With your assistance, we can make the MO2 WESTOWN HOTEL the NICEST, FRIENDLIEST, THE BEST HOTEL in Iloilo City. So, the question is "Does the hotel live up to this simple request?"

The Good

As with most places I have visited in my short stay in the Philippines, I found the majority of Filipino people to be extremely friendly and very helpful. This is also the case with the hotel staff; they are always there to open the door for the guests, to get a taxi for you when you wish to go somewhere.

Likewise, the rooms are clean, comfortable; in short, a relaxing place to stay. The hotel is new, and is reflected in the rooms themselves. The bed is very comfortable, a bit firmer that I'm used to (but like), and there is a nice desk from which to work (not shown). I found the room a good value for the price - 1500 pesos (or about $32 US) per night. The same quality room would be much more expensive, in other countries, like the US or
Australia (where I normally travel).

The Bad

Two things went very wrong at the hotel. First the hotel advertises Internet connections in the room, in fact, they give you a network cable in the room for you to use when you check in. Unfortunately, in spite of my REPEATED requests to the front desk, the connection in my room never worked, nor did it work in my friends' room, who were on a different floor of the hotel. No one sent to check the connection in my room during my entire stay. There is free WiFi in the lobby of the hotel, but this only seems to work when the Business Office is open - from 9am to 7pm - or when the front desk remembers to turn the wireless router on. Even then, Internet connections seem spotty - one morning I could get to the Internet, the next I could not.

The second thing with the hotel is the noise level from the surrounding area. Next door to the hotel is a pub, and while I didn't visit there, I could hear the loud music in my room until 2am on occasion (mostly Friday and Saturday nights) - the pub seems to subscribe to the theory "if the music isn't good, make it loud". There are pubs on both sides of the hotel, so I doubt the other side of the building would be much better.

Final Thoughts

I briefly mentioned the hotel survey earlier. The Hotel Survey address only the hotel staff, who are very accommodating and friendly, however, it fails to address the hotel property itself. Needless to say, I didn't bother filling it out.

The hotel itself is located a few miles from the center of town, in an area known as Smallville. Most of the business, and restaurants here are not open until mid-day or late afternoon. The only restaurants open for breakfast in the area, are at the Westown Hotel or the Iloilo Business Hotel (across the street from the Westown). Lunch time, the choices are just as slim - a Thai restaurant and one other (which went out of business while I was there). Fortunately, the nearby SM City Mall has all the normal eating places we find in the US. The other choice is the Jollibee chain (sort of a McDonald's look alike) a mile or so away.

If I was going to visit Iloilo again, I would probably stay at the Highway 21, Day's Inn or the Sarabia Manor Hotel. I would not stay at the Westown again.

Occasionally, a photography book comes along that makes you think about the photographic process from a more than a simple "rule of thirds" perspective. "Landscape Beyond - A Journey into Photograph" by David Ward is such a book. This books challenges our viewpoints and our thought processes about landscape photography, while guiding us towards becoming better photographers. Those who consider color landscape photography to be simply "colorful calendar art" would be well advised not to read this book, as it may challenge their core beliefs behind this view. This is not to say that this book does not contain some outstanding examples of color landscape photography; it does. But, it does so, in the context of three essays, which are written in such a way as to give the reader pause to think about their craft. Let's delve into this book a little deeper and see why I feel it holds so much importance for those who love color landscape photography.

The book is broken down into three basic essays; Simplicity, A Sense of Mystery and A Return to Beauty, followed by a section titled Questions or Answers? In the first three essays, David concentrates on the content of a photography, while the forth revolves around "why" we take photographs.

Simplicity

Every landscape photographer makes choices about the complexity of their photographs, through the process of simplification; a process that goes on in our thoughts as we photograph, often without us realizing it. In this essay, David contrasts the simple with the complex, why it is sometimes looked upon in a pejorative way, and how we can use simplicity to transform the complex subject matters that landscape photographers are often presented with into a pleasing composition.

To read the complete review: Book Review: Landscape Beyond, A Journey into Photography.

Taking a walk early one morning near my hotel, in Iloilo City, Philippines, I came across this sign, which I found somewhat humorous.

So, drinking is out ..... OK. But, dating ......

So, I decided to see what else I couldn't do in this area:

Well, I guess no practice driving is much better than No Dating......

Honolulu

Here I am at Honolulu International Airport waiting on my flight to Japan. Air travel these days is never fun, and while I enjoy the traveling part, I don't enjoy the airport part very much. Some of the experiences are methodical, and predictable, like transiting the security zone. Other things make no sense, like the restrictions on carrying water - I can buy a 500ml bottle locally for about $1.89, but that skyrockets to a whopping $3.89 once inside the airport - surely, the additional cost of doing business inside an airport means a price increase of more than double. This is just another of our governments short sighted policies, which hurts the average person, for no discernable reason.

I'm on JAL (Japan Airways) this morning, with an isle seat on the upper deck (a Boeing 747 - they still fly these gas guzzlers!!). After getting on the plane, I know why they still fly these big planes - the seat pitch is so tiny, I can barely fit into the seat. I got moved into a different seat, where there was no one sitting in front of me (and no one to recline). Other than that, it was an uneventful flight.

Tokyo (Narita International Airport)

I've got several hours to kill here, while waiting for my next flight. I looked around at the duty free shops, but most are so expensive, I wouldn't even walk in the door. There isn't much in the way of selection for food, but most take US dollars (and provide Yen in change), although the one place I wanted to buy a cup of coffee from didn't. The food prices seem on par for what I would pay at the Honolulu airport. All in all, while I tried to keep myself occupied, I found the airport to be quite boring really. I tried out the Free Yahoo! Internet Cafe, but the Japanese keyboards on the computer drove me nuts.

Manilla

I'm in Manilla, Philippines now. After arriving late, after 10pm local time, I took a taxi to the hotel, checked in and got a good night's rest. The next morning, I went out on the balcony to look at the city. While taking a picture from my room, the lens fogged up quickly - something I'll have to keep in mind while I'm in the Philippines; the humidity here is a lot higher than I am used to.

As I previously mentioned, the city is very hazy this morning, it looks like there was an early morning rain, and the sky has a lot of haze. With a room on the 17th floor of the Century Park hotel, I've got a pretty good view of the city. The hotel is next to a sports stadium, and I could see a lot of people just running the track, although I did see one person practicing the high jump (6:45am).

Early morning from my hotel room. Nikon D200, Nikkor 18-70mm f3.5 lens.

After having a relaxing breakfast, I took a walk along the Manila Zoo and waterfront area. I really didn't have a lot of time for photography - I only took the D200 with me - as I had to catch a flight later in the day for Iloilo City. However, it was refreshing to listen to the sights and sounds of the city around me. Hopefully, someday I will be able to visit again, and spend much more time in the city.

It generally takes me a couple of days after arriving in a new, and unfamiliar location like this, before I can begin to understand enough about my environment that I can begin to really see photographically. I'll have more to share, once I get to my final destination.

Itinerary

Well, I'm off on another trip, this time to the Philippines. The majority of the trip I will be in and around Iloilo City, located on the island of Panay, which is the northernmost of the Visayan Islands. I will pass quickly through Manila along the way, but only for an overnight

stay. The trip will trip begin from Honolulu, Hawaii, with a lay-over and change of planes in Tokyo, arriving in Manila late at night. After overnighting in the city, I'll then fly to Iloilo City, my final destination.

Photography & Film

Since this is my first trip to the Philippines, I've decided to take just my small cameras. I'll be shooting primarily with a Nikon F6 (35mm SLR), but will have a Nikon D200 digital camera along as a backup camera, and so I can post updates in my blog during the trip. If I knew more about the country and the area I'll be staying at I would no doubt take my large format kit.

The film I'll be shooting is mostly a combination of Velvia 100, Provia 400X, with a bit of Ilford XP-2 Super for some B&W work. The choice of Velvia 100 over Velvia 50 is driven by it's better handling of shadows, as well as being less contrasty. Since I'll be photographing in a mostly urban environment, a little more film speed will be helpful. I was recently given a couple of rolls of Kodak TechPan B&W film that I plan on shooting as well - this is an exciting film, which sadly, is no longer made. It offers the finest grain available (RMS 5) and the most fantastic tonal range of any film I've ever seen (depending upon which developer is used). TechPan is extremely sharp, resolving between 125 to 320 lp/mm. However, with modern transparency and B&W negative films, the primary limitation to resolving power is the optics, not the film - even the finest camera lenses simply won't match the resolving power of film.

Not since the reintroduction of Velvia 50 a couple of years ago has a major manufacturer shown such a commitment to film. This all changes for Kodak with the introduction of the new Kodak Ektar 100 Color Negative film.  This film builds upon the discontinued Ektar 25, with finer grain, increased resolution, in a faster speed. Ektar 100 incorporates Entertainment Imaging's KODAK VISION Film technology, with a grain structure based upon Kodak's T-GRAIN® Emulsions technology.

Equally significant is that this film is only available in 35mm, a format many consider dead (there are in fact, only 2 or 3 35mm SLR's still in production), and aimed squarely at the professional photographer. Attendees at the recent Photokina 2008 in Germany are reporting that both Kodak and Fuji are reporting increased film sales amongst professional photographers.

For more information visit: KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTAR 100 Film

To join us in discussing this exciting new film, join us at TraditionalPhotographer.net:  Kodak Releases KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTAR 100.

Two years ago, my friend Steve and I took a road-trip from his home near Adelaide, South Australia to Alice Springs, Northern Territory; a distance of some 1500km through some of the harshest landscape on earth. Along the way, we overnighted in Melrose and Coober Pedy, South Australia as well as Stuarts Well Roadhouse (or Jim's Place as it's known locally), Northern Territory.

Upon arriving at Stuarts Well, we stopped to say hello to the owner, Jim Cotterill, whom I had met several years prior. Jim, a lifelong resident of this area has many fascinating stories to tell, like the story about how he, as a young boy, and his father opened the first road into what is now known as Kings Canyon, Watarrka National Park - the 1930s era Dodge truck they used is parked outside. After listening to some of Jim's stories of the Outback, we got to see and listen to Jim's singing dingo, Dinky the Singing Dog. This made for a memorable experience.

The next morning I got up before dawn, and my friend Steve not being an early riser, slept in while I walked out to the highway - watching the sun rise over the desert is perhaps my favorite thing to do in Outback Australia. There is a certain peacefulness that can't be explained at this time of morning. I'm sure my friend Steve still can't figure out what I see and love about Outback Australia. 

As I walked, I could see the sky beginning to turn color behind a stand of Desert Oak trees, while a small herd of camels foraged for food in the background. This image, titled "Desert Oaks" is the result of that morning walk. While photographically, it isn't a stunning image (to some) it still speaks to me of the one place in the world I long to be, when I'm not at my home in Hawaii.

Nikon F5, Nikon 24-120 f3.5 VR Zoom lens, on Fuji Velvia 50

A number of people have wondered about my photography workflow, since I am still primarily a film based photographer, and how I manage this in a world of digital photography.

Film and Formats

I shoot three basic formats, all which drive my choices of film. My primary format is large format, 4x5. Being a fan of photographers like Jack Dykinga, Joe Cornish and, David Ward, as well as being the type of person who prefers to take my photography slowly and patiently, has led me in the direction of large format over the decades I have been doing this. My current camera of choice is the Chamonix 45N-1, a wood field camera produced in China.

My second most used format is 35mm, a format I have been shooting since 1973. Currently, I use a Nikon F6, with a Nikon F5 as a backup camera. In spite of my love for large format, there are times when I love the feel of a good 35mm camera, for its spontaneity, and small form factor. This is my primary format when shooting travel photography. In an upcoming trip (more on this later), I'll be shooting exclusively 35mm.

Finally, through the work of photographers like Ken Duncan (AU), Andris Apse (NZ) and others, I have developed a fondness for the panoramic format. I currently shoot 6x12 (using 120 roll film) on my Chamonix 45N-1 camera, using a Horseman 6x12 back. I am considering moving up to a 6x17 format, however, that entails the purchase of some very expensive camera equipment.

For film choices, I primarily use just one film - Fuji Velvia. This film comes in two basic speeds, ISO 50 and ISO 100. I use Velvia 50 exclusively for my large format landscape work. There is no other transparency film on the market that comes close to matching this films sharpness and ability to accurately record the most subtle colors of a scene. This choice of film carries over to the 6x12 format that I sometimes shoot. When shooting 35mm, I use a wider variety, but still primarily shoot Velvia, although the 100 speed variety. For the types of subjects that lend themselves to the small format, I find Velvia 100 gives me the color accuracy and saturation I seek, while maintaining sharpness, in a slightly less contrasty film than Velvia 50. I will sometimes shoot Fuji Provia 400X when light levels are low and I need a faster film. For B&W work, I shoot exclusively Ilford products, I have since the early 1970's - currently, the film of choice for me is Ilford XP2 Super.

Processing

Most of my color transparency film is processed by two labs, Calypso Imagining in Santa Cruz, CA or Photo Craft Imaging in Boulder, CO. I've used mostly Calypso for years, but as they scale back their E-6 processing, I've had to be mindful of other labs as well. Photo Craft Imaging had a good turnaround time, package the film well, but I found the slides were on the dirty side - something I have never experienced using Calypso. For B&W, my processing goes exclusively to Praus Productions, in Rochester, NY.

In days gone by, I would head to the darkroom to print my transparencies on Cibachrome (now Ilfochrome) materials for presentation. As I've gotten older, I no longer find it desirable to spend hours in the darkroom doing color printing - which can be quite tedious. I still prefer the darkroom for B&W printing, but I don't do enough of this to justify maintaining a darkroom. These days, I now scan all my large format and panoramic transparencies, using West Coast Imaging's Heidelberg Tango drum scanner. At a nominal sized scan, this results in a 325MB file (for 4x5), capable of producing a 40"x50" print, without any up-sizing of the file required. For 35mm, I normally scan my own on a Minolta DiMage 5400 Elite II desktop scanner - this produces a whopping 200MB 16-bit file (at 5400dpi).

Computers and Software

On the computer side, I found my old Pentium 4, running Windows XP Pro, and 2 GB of RAM, and a 24" LCD monitor to be sufficient to process the files. For processing film, I use a combination of Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop CS2, all running under Windows XP Pro, to process the scans. I also use a combination of software like Kodak GEM Professional or PictureCode's NoiseNinja, as I've found that scanning transparencies tends to overly emphasize grain and adds noise to the final file; which needs to be cleaned up. All my writing is done on an HP Laptop, running Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate. So much for those who say that professionals don't use Windows.

My printing work is done exclusively on Fuji Crystal Archive paper, printing on a Chromira digital printer by West Coast Imaging. I am extremely picky about my final prints, and I do not use or print any of my work on ink jet printers of any kind. However, I may use an ink jet printer for local proofs.

Anti-Digital

In the past, some have accused me of being anti-digital, however, it's more that I am pro-film. Over the years, I have looked at a number of DSLR's, hoping to find one that would allow me to replace my 35mm, so that I could carry more 4x5 film (not having to carry 35mm in addition to 4x5). However, for the type of photography I practice and enjoy, I have not found a DSLR that gives me the combination of sharpness and color accuracy that I can get out of Fuji Velvia transparency film. I see nothing wrong with continuing to use film.

For those who love film as I do, I maintain a website for film lovers: TraditionalPhotograher.Net, where those who love film can get together and share the passion that comes from shooting film.

I've been experimenting with panoramic images for a couple of years or so, and thought I would share some of my results.

Toyo 45AII, Schneider 135mm f5.6 lens, Fuji Velvia 50, Horseman 6x12 back.

Toyo 45AII, Schneider 135mm f5.6 lens, Fuji Velvia 50, Horseman 6x12 back.

Chinaman's Hat. Toyo 45AII, Schneider 135mm f5.6 lens, Fuji Velvia 50, Horseman 6x12 back.

Waikiki by nightfall. Chamonix 45N-1, Schneider APO Symmar 210 f5.6 lens, Fuji Provia 400X, Horseman 6x12 back.

Waikiki Sunset. Chamonix 45N-1, Schneider APO Symmar 210 f5.6 lens, Fuji Velvia 50, Horseman 6x12 back.

None of these panoramic images were generated using any type of stitching software. They were all taken using a 6x12 cm Horseman panoramic back, on a large format camera, using Fuji transparency films.

New Zealand is often thought of as simply a land of high mountains and misty fiords, often forgotten is that it's also an island nation. Being an island nation, New Zealand has many miles of coastline, and beaches. Perhaps, the most fascinating beach is on the South Island, home to a geologic treasure known as Moeraki Boulders. Moeraki Boulders is located 40km (25 miles) south of the coastal fishing town of Oamaru, 300km south (180 miles) of Christchurch, on SH1.

According to an ancient Maori legend, the boulders are gourds washed from the great voyaging canoe Arai Te Uru when it was wrecked at nearby Shag Point (Matakaea) some 1000 years ago, while searching for the precious stone of Te Wai Pounamu.

The more mundane explanation is that the boulders are septarian concretions that formed about 65 million years ago, and were raised from the seabed 15 million years ago. Crystallization of calcium and carbonates around charged particles in muddy undersea sediments gradually formed the boulders in a process taking as long as four million years.

The boulders each weigh several tons, measuring up to 10 feet (3 meters) in diameter. The boulders have a hollow interior.

Photo Experience

Moeraki Boulder's location on the south-east facing shore of the South Island makes this an ideal location for morning photography, with the boulders and nearby landforms bathed in a warm side light; by late afternoon the area can be in deep shadows.

For the complete article see: Moeraki Boulders at TraditionalPhotographer.NET

 
I'd like to start a new series here, to share the beauty of the island where I live. I don't know how many parts there will be to this series. There are a great many beaches here on the island; too many to cover all of them. In the State of Hawaii, all land to the high water mark is public property, with the state requiring public access through many hotel and residential areas. I will be using a variety of cameras, and I won't be visiting beaches in any particular order - whatever happens to strike my fancy.

Lanikai Beach

Lanikai Beach is located near the bedroom community of Lanikai, on the Windward side of the island. Entrance to this beach is through the exclusive community of Lanikai, just a few miles from the community of Kailua, via public access paths. This area is less than 10 miles from my home, making it a perfect place from which to start this series.

Here we have the Nā Mokulua islands with the rising sun in the background. The islands are a State bird sanctuary and only accessible by small boat; access is restricted. However, you can easily rent a canoe from nearby Kailua Beach for the short paddle over.

This image was taken on a Toyo 45AII camera, with a Schneider Symmar-S 135mm f5.6 lens on Fuji Velvia 50 film. A one stop (.3) split neutral density filter was used to holdback the sky and to keep the foreground from sinking into the shadows.

Next stop, Kahana Bay....

I recently found a need to replace the aging Toyo 45AII I've used for years. The Toyo is an excellent camera, however with the amount of travel I do by air, and the ever increasing limitations on carry-on luggage, I wanted something lighter, yet would still hold up to the rigors of long distance travel, and would be easy to setup and use. I considered the Toyo 45CF, a carbon fiber based camera, but rejected it because of its lack of movements on the rear plane; movements I feel are critical for landscape photography. I also considered the Ebony and Tachihara field cameras. However, once I saw a Chamonix 45-N1 on an Internet forum, I was captivated by its design and beauty.

The question in my mind was whether the camera would hold up for the long term. Chinese made products have a reputation for poor quality design and construction, which I find odd when you consider its long history and the exquisite artifacts created. Once I received the camera, I realized that this reputation is undeserved for this camera - a simple examination shows an attention to detail, in both construction and design, as well as several innovative and nice to have features. For example, the camera comes with a padded wrap, similar to a lens wrap, to protect the camera while in transit or storage; a nice to have feature, that the manufacturer could have easily omit. The camera comes across as having been produced by someone with a great love and appreciation for large format cameras.

The Chamonix range of cameras, named for a French ski resort, are produced in Haining City, Zhejiang Province, China by the Chamonix View Camera company. Originally designed by Yu Xiang, a mountaineering photographer, the company produces a variety of hand made field cameras, ranging in size from 4x5 to 20x24. Each camera is hand made and produced in batches - my camera was one of the second batch of 4x5 cameras produced. It is a testament to the quality and durability of the construction that the chief designer used the camera on an expedition to climb Mt. Everest last year. He also used a Chamonix 12x20 on that trip.

Initial Impressions

When I received the package, directly from the factory in China via EMS, I thought it was empty; the camera is that light. The camera came with no instruction manual, and being of the Phillips style of field camera, I was unfamiliar with its operation and setup. Soon, though, I had the camera open and setup - with more experience I will probably be able to setup the camera quickly.

As I began to look over the camera, it became apparent that the build of the camera is just superb. All the moving parts worked precisely and smoothly, without any hint of binding or jamming. The wood joints are carefully aligned and even, the finish smooth and pleasing. Even the camera wrap is carefully sewn, with extra padding where the camera sits.

One thing that is hard to quantify is how the various parts integrate with one another. This camera, with parts made of wood, aluminum and carbon fiber just fits together seamlessly.

Design and Build

The Chamonix 45-N1 is a triple extension wood field camera, available in either Walnut or Canadian Maple of the RH Phillips design. The Walnut version may also be ordered painted black. Unlike other wood field cameras, which have a hardwood base, the Chamonix has a carbon fiber base plate and sliding rails. This helps the camera maintain its stability while also keeping its weight low.

The knobs on the camera are large and easy to use. Focusing is via worm gear fine focus knob located on the rear of the camera; this makes it easier for the the photographer to focus from under the dark cloth.

Setting up and Using the Camera

Setting up the camera is very straight forward - simply loosen the two rear standard knobs and swing the rear standard up and lock it into place. The front standard is then lifted up and screwed into one of five holes on the rail. At first, trying to determine which hole to use took a little guessing - different focal length lenses may use different holes. After some use this becomes second nature, however, in the short term attaching a small bit of tape indicating lens to the rail makes setting up fast and accurate. Align the front standard with the lines on the rail to set it perpendicular to the rail. Then raise the front standard until the two dots on the standard match with the dots on the standard holder.

Once standards are locked down, set the lens board into place, using the two wheels locks rotated down to lock it into place. This completes the basic setup.

In the following sections, I'll look at the major components of the camera.

Front Standard

The front standard consists of two parts; the standard itself and the lens board holder.

In this image we see the front standard with a mounted lens - in this case a Nikkor 120mm f5.6 HM. The camera takes Linhof sized boards, however, I've settled on the Bromwell boards (available at B&H); they are much cheaper and work just as well. I have not tried the camera with either a top hat or recessed board, but see no reason why they won't work as well.

The Lens Board is held into place, using the two wheel locks at the top of the holder; you simply drop in the lens board, rotate the wheels down; fast and easy. At the bottom of the lens board holder assembly, are two small slide locks (partially visible in the image) that are used to lock the board into a vertical position. To tilt the lens, you simply slide them inwards, rotate the knobs on each side of the board and tilt.

On the bottom of the front standard, are two small dots, one on each side of the rail. They are used to align the front standard, setting it parallel on the camera. I've found the dots and lines on rail to be difficult to see in low light levels, however, a small flashlight takes care of that easily.

Note the sprit level - this one is removable, and is one of five on the camera.

Rear Standard

The next image shows the rear standard of the camera. You will notice that there are four spirit levels (the one on the left in the image is hidden). The level at the top of the back is used whenever the back is rotated in the portrait mode (vertically). These allow the film plane to be easily set to level, regardless of the surface the camera is setup on. I find these levels much easier to use than those built into most tripods.

In order to rotate the back, from landscape to portrait mode (horizontal to vertical), the two small tabs at the top right and left are pushed up. The back then lifts up slightly from its base, is rotated then put back into the back, with the two tabs pushed down. In the field, I've found this easier than using the rotating back that my Toyo has (rotating backs also add a lot of weight to the camera).

Notice the wheel at the top left (and right) hand side of the camera body. These are used to release the bellows, allowing it to be changed; for example, when switching to/from a bag bellows.

One question that keeps popping up on various Internet groups is whether the camera will take a roll film back. As you can see, in the following image, it does so quite easily. I've not found any issues while using it in the field in this manner.

For this image, I've attached a Horseman 6x12 back, naturally loaded with my favorite Fuji Velvia in 120 size. Note the ground glass next to the camera - quite simple and light weight in construction.

Ground Glass

Here we have a close-up of the ground glass. Notice the format markings on the ground glass. It is clearly marked for 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, 6x9 and 6x12 formats - all the major roll film formats. The ground glass is bright, and includes a fresnel.

There are four posts at each corner of the ground glass (only the top two are shown in this image). These posts hold the ground glass protector - constructed of carbon fiber - in place, in order to protect the glass. Some people have complained that the protector is hard to remove, but I've found if you slightly lift back the rear, as if you were inserting a film holder, the protector becomes quite easy to remove.

Focusing and Camera Bed

Unlike most field camera where the camera is focusing knobs are on the side rails of the body, the Chamonix uses a worm drive knob instead. This unique feature allows the user to focus the camera much more easily from under the dark cloth.

In the following image, I've shown how the camera back looks when using the swing mechanism. To swing the back, simply loosen the two swing knobs and set the back in the desired position. Again, we see how easy the major movements are to achieve with this camera.

The free sliding rails for swings, as well as for extending the bellows, is different than many field cameras, and may take some getting used to.

Technical Specifications

The technical specifications for the camera are as follows:

Likes

• Lightweight - under 4lbs.
• Ground Glass protector - made of carbon fiber, the ground glass protector is ingenuous in design.
• Ground Glass markings - the ground glass has markings for 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7 and 6x12 roll film backs, and is bright and easy to focus with.
• Switching from landscape to portrait mode is quick and simple.
• Knobs on the camera are large and easily adjustable.
• There are 5 separate spirit levels on various spots on the camera, making a level setup quick and easy.

Dislikes

• Lack of accessories, such as a bag bellows, or matching film holders (see following section).
• Ground Glass protector is hard to remove - This feature was redesigned to be easier to remove, and will appear on the next batch of cameras (July 2008).
• The marks on the front standard that indicate when the lens place is centered is difficult to see when light levels are low. *
• The markings on the camera rail, used to center the front standard, as well as to measure bellows draw are difficult to see when light levels are low. *

* Note: I've since heard that upcoming models have been changed to fix these drawbacks.

Camera Accessories

A number of accessories are being introduced this year (2008), starting with a bag bellows in August, and Canadian Maple film holders, with carbon fiber darkslides around the end of the year (hopefully, Walnut holders as well).

Price and Availability

At the time of this writing, June 2008, the camera costs around US $800 including shipping from China. As indicated earlier, the camera is produced in batches, which currently looks to be twice a year. This means a 6 month wait at most. However, given the cost of the camera and quality of its construction, 6 months isn't too long to wait.

Conclusion

I've grown to thoroughly enjoy using this camera. Its light weight means that I now carry the camera to places, where before I shot with 35mm. I am eagerly looking forward to carrying this camera on my next major trip; to photograph the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia later this year. Based upon my experience with the 45-N1, I'm now wondering if there may even be a larger Chamonix in my future.

For more images of this camera see: Traditional Photographer Technical Gallery

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs." - Ansel Adams

In spite of this simple, if somewhat vague statement, it is well known that Ansel Adams was very meticulous in his approach and practice of landscape photography. This approach was rooted in his love and appreciation for the natural environment, as well as a strong technical knowledge of the materials he worked with. How then, do we learn from his example in order to make our photography better?

First, we need to understand what the ultimate goal of landscape photography really is. Landscape photography revolves around the single act of capturing the light on the land. Although nature provides us with an assortment of landforms and shapes, it is the nature and quality of light that gives these forms substance, imparts emotion and ultimately determines our vision of the land.

Secondly, we need to choose the necessary equipment to allow us to capture the light in the most effective manner possible. Some will argue that the choice of equipment is of no importance, that the final image is all that matters. However, as Ansel's example showed us, it is that choice of equipment that translates our vision of the scene onto film, and ultimately, the final print.

British landscape photographer David Ward writes in his book Landscape Within, "We all have the potential for individual expression, but to realize this as a visual art we need to develop not only our vision but also the means to communicate it". In order words, we need to learn to translate what we see and feel, given the equipment we work with, into an image the best represents our vision of it. In order to make this translation, I have developed a few practices that guide me along the way. Before getting into the practices I have developed, I should point out that I am a color landscape photographer, which means that all these points related to color.

Being in the right place at the right time is the essential element in landscape photography. Rarely will just showing up and wondering aimlessly produce any meaningful results. Instead, careful consideration needs to be given to what is encountered on location; the major landforms, and the way the light highlights or shadows them (subjected to seasonal and the weather variations).

The Internet, guide books, post cards (an often overlooked source), can all have their place in researching the area, and is a natural starting point in preparing. However, nothing substitutes for actually visiting and walking around the scene. Whenever possible, you should try to arrive well before the actual shoot is to begin.

Look for bold lines that may attract the eye, scan for juxtaposition between elements in the scene, such as rock and flowers, and seek out lakes, rivers and other water sources (elements that many people are attracted to). Pay attention to foreground elements, nothing whether they intrude into the scene or enhance the scene. Most importantly try to get a sense of what the subject will look like under varying lighting conditions. This is not the time to be photographing, rather it is time to be looking and observing.

Equally important with being prepared is having an understanding of the environment where you will be working. Each environment – mountain, ocean, plains, desert, etc. – has its own unique elements, its own unique way of reacting to the light and each has its own window of opportunity, when the light is just right.

Recently, while doing a survey of Australian landscape photographers I found that the majority of those doing color landscapes seemed to have the same basic approach in their photography – bold lines, strong shapes, and vibrant colors. Since most of the mainland of Australia is harsh desert it only follows that successful images from there will reflect that environment. In this environment, the light comes quickly in the morning, and fades just as quickly in the evening, with strong directional elements. Those images that are most successful are those that successfully translate the light that is characteristic of this environment to film.

Understanding your environment will lead to choosing the most appropriate types of camera, filters and films to match the expected light. For example, for this image at Devils Marbles Conservation Area, I chose to use a panoramic format to emphasize the shapes of the rocks and their relationship to the horizon, on Fuji Velvia 50 to match the colors of the land, while using a warming filter to emphasize the warmth of the rising sun.

Like as not, for most landscape photographers, air travel is an essential part of our business. With the enhanced security enacted after the events of 9/11/2001 and with the financial difficulties that have plagued all airlines, it is becoming more difficult for the photographer to carry all the necessary equipment. Therefore, sometimes hard decisions need to be made about equipment to carry. Consider the environment you are going to be photographing in, and carry only the essential equipment for that environment.

Whenever possible, hand carry all your camera equipment in a nondescript pack or case. If you must check your equipment, bury it deep in a nondescript bag surrounded by clothing. While convenient, wheeled luggage adds additional weight; weight which may cause you to exceed your allowance, resulting of extra charges, or worse, refusal to accept your bag. Choose a sturdy lightweight bag, with good straps that you can hand carry easily. Things to look for in a good lightweight bag include:

• Strong Materials used in its construction - ballistic (1050 denier being the best) and Cordura® nylon are the best. Beware of some of the cheaper 1060 denier bags being produced in third world countries. Note: denier is a measurement of weight, not strength.
• Quality Zippers - this is the most failure prone component of any bag. There are two basic types available on the market: chain and coil. Modern chain-type zipper teeth are made from injection molded resins, fused directly onto the zipper tape; they are incredibly strong. The best zippers (of both types) are manufactured by the YKK Group.
• Avoid leather bags. Leather looks, feels, and even smells nice. When wet, however, it is very susceptible to mold and mildew, and should be avoided when traveling in the more humid parts of the world. It is also much heavier than contemporary luggage materials such as high-denier nylon.

As an additional benefit, carrying a smaller kit when traveling helps to focus the mind, making us more acutely aware of what we can and can't photograph, given the restrictions a smaller kit places upon us.

The most impressive light of the day occurs just after sunrise and just before sunset, when the sun is within a few degrees of the horizon, a period of time known by landscape photographers as the "magic hour". During this period of time, the angle of the sun changes, and with it the color of the light, becoming warmer or cooler. The closer to the ends of the day, the warmer the light. At sunset, the light, as a result of human activity during the day, becomes more intense than at sunrise.

It's a challenge to make good use of the time outside of the "magic hours" as the sun is high and casts harsh shadows. Instead use the time you are not shooting to scout locations for afternoon or morning "magic" hour shots.

Light coming from the side can produce richer images as the light casts shadows that define shapes, creating stronger, more interesting designs, while enhancing texture.  The texture adds a tactile quality to the image, which adds a suggested physical connection to the subject.

This can be difficult light to photograph in, because of the extremes of contrast; areas of the image may contain washed out white highlights, or unrecognizable black shadows.

A tripod is one of the most essential pieces of kit that I own. Quite often the small apertures - for depth of field - used in landscape photography requires shooting at very slow shutter speeds. To understand why, the most commonly used film for landscapes, Fuji Velvia 50 rated at ISO 50, when used with a polarizing filter, which loses two stops of light, gives it an effective film speed of ISO 12. This translates into shutter speeds of 1/8 second or less; to slow to effectively hand hold. Using a tripod also helps you organize your composition, by forcing you to slow down the photographic process, and become a more thoughtful photographer.

Beware of some of the cheap tripods that are currently available on the market, they can be quite unstable under a load or in windy condition. While more expensive, the newer carbon fiber tripods are much lighter and sturdier than the traditional aluminum ones. Carbon fiber tripods make transporting a tripod much less of a chore; an important bonus for the photographer who needs to travel long distance or travel by air.

For the most vibrant color and the sharpest images, use a fine grained transparency film. Many landscape photographers prefer Fuji Velvia 50 (so great was the outcry when Fuji discontinued the film that it was hurriedly reintroduced a year later).

Fuji Velvia 100 or Kodak VS100 films, while not as vibrant as Velvia 50, are excellent choices when the contrast level is high or to obtain better shadow detail. For more neutral colors, or for subjects needing to be pure white, try Fuji Astia 100F.

Many professional landscape photographers overexpose transparency film by 1/3 of a stop (exposing Fuji Velvia 50 at E.I. 40) in order to enhance the vibrancy of the film.

Perhaps the quickest way to destroy an image is to use too much, or the wrong kind of filtration; over filtration can destroy the subtle nuances and pastel tones of a scene. With that in mind, there are three basic types of filters that are most useful for landscape photographers; warming filters, polarizing filters and split neutral density filters (covered under a separate practice below).

The human mind compensates for excessive coldness in a scene automatically, without our even realizing it. Film, on the other hand, records it as an excess of blue, making it necessary for the photographer to compensate for it. In order to compensate we use warming filters, which are designed as an 81-series filter (A through EF), or a Tiffen 812 filter. Warming filters allow the photographer to work in shadowed areas with soft light, countering the bluish cast associated with such light. They can also be used to make daylight seem warmer than it is, which many people find attractive.

Note that some photographers now suggest using Photoshop filters after shooting, rather than using warming filters. The results come across as amateurish, and show a lack of understanding of how warming filters respond to the spectrum of light in a scene. This is simply sloppy technique.

Perhaps the most valuable and most overused filter in landscape photography is the polarizing filter. In nature, light can be both polarized and unpolarized. Light waves that travel in the same direction are said to be polarized. The amount that light is polarized manifests itself in the amount light that is reflected off an object; in other words, the amount of glare that is reflected. The more glare, the more unpolarized the light is. The surface of bodies of water, such as lakes and streams, create a great deal of glare. The polarizing filter also has the side effect of saturating colors; one of the reasons it is so often overused.

There are two basic types of polarizing filters available today, linear and circular. Both filters affect the light in the same way, however most modern SLR cameras - because of their TTL meters - require a circular polarizer, while older SLRs, Medium Format and Large Format cameras can use either type. In practice, this doesn't present much of a problem, as linear polarizing filters tend to be available by special order only.

The greatest handicap of transparency film is the limited range of contrast it can record. Often if we expose for the shadows, the highlights will be overexposed, while exposing for the highlights, causes the shadows to record as pure black areas. In order to overcome this limitation, we use a special type of filter known as a split neutral density filter.

Split neutral density filters generally are rectangular in design, made of either glass or plastic, with dark and clear halves. The dark half of the filter contains a neutral color dye which is designed to impede the transmission of light. The most common filters are one-stop (.3), two-stop (.6) or three-stop (.9) in strength, although some are manufactured in half-stops, such as 1 1/2 stop (.45) and 2 1/2 (.75) stops as well. The transition between the dyed and non-dyed areas can be either hard or soft; with soft grands the transition zone can be quite subtle.

Finally, don't stress about missing the "shot" - rejoice in just being there! Good landscape photography is rooted in a love for the land, which shouldn't be tied to the act of photographing it. I learned long ago that some of the best landscapes are those taken with the eyes, rather than with a camera. Remember, there's always tomorrow to try again after having "seen" where the best light occurs.

Finally

What has been presented here is a mixture of photographic vision and equipment choices. While vision is the element that will make or break an image, as photographers we need to choose the proper equipment to translate that vision onto film. American landscape photographer Jack Dykinga once remarked "Concentrate on equipment and you'll take technically good photographs. Concentrate on seeing the light's magic colors and your images will stir the soul."

A sad day for those of us who live in Hawaii. Aloha Airlines, which has served the islands for 61 years, is ceasing all flight operations effective Monday. This is due to extensive competition from mainland Mesa Airlines (operating as go!) and high fuel costs. The shutdown of Aloha's passenger operations will also affect about 1,900 employees.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23872335

 
I rarely write about, or give a lot of consideration to camera equipment, because I see them as tools that allow me to do what I love most. However, I recently purchased a new Nikon F6 as a replacement for an older Nikon F5, and found myself mesmerized by this marvelous camera; it's fit, finish, layout and handling are superb.

Some will probably ask why anyone would buy a new 35mm film camera, especially one as expensive as this one, in this age of digital photography. As we will soon see, this camera is as sophisticated as any DSLR camera on the market, and there are still photographers, like me, who prefer to shoot film for a variety of reasons.

Initial Impressions

When I first received the camera I was immediately struck by the quality of its construction; the rubberized grip feels solid and secure, the layout of its various controls allow for fast and easy operation, without taking ones eyes from the viewfinder, and a build that is as solid as a tank. Being used to the previous generation camera, the Nikon F5, I was immediately aware of what I considered it diminutive size. The camera was just too small!! I questioned whether I could get used to using such a small camera. Fortunately, I had also ordered the optional MB-40 battery pack, which arrived the next day. This made a tremendous difference; the size, weight and balance of the camera was now perfect.

To see the full article, visit: http://www.traditionalphotographer.net/Articles.aspx?Item=2

del.icio.us Tags: Photography, Cameras, Nikon F6, Film

Waikoloa, Hawaii

I'm off for a few days on the Big Island, staying in the Waikoloa area. The trip here was uneventful, save the expected minor inconveniences of modern day air travel. I arrived shortly before 11:00am. The Kona area hasn't changed a lot since my last visit here, although there is a lot of road and building construction going on at the moment.

The weather near Kona is good, but the volcanic haze in the air is quite heavy. They said on the radio that the volcano (on the other side of the island) is currently putting out a record amounts of ash and fumes. According to an article in today's Honolulu Advertiser newspaper "Sulphur dioxide emissions on Thursday reached 1,800 to 2,000 tonnes per day, far above the 150 to 200 tonnes per day that is typical at the crater." It made for an interesting sunset, although I was in the wrong place to take advantage of it.

I'm going to add images of the hotel I stayed at, the Hilton Waikoloa, simply because it is a very stunning hotel; I would love to stay here again someday.

All images were taken with a Nikon D200, with a Nikon 18-70mm F3.5-4.5 G lens, at ISO 100. Additional images were taken (not shown here) on a Nikon F6, with a Nikon 24-120mm AF-S VR lens, on Fuji Velvia 50 and Fuji Provia 400F.

Quite often these days we hear of photographers leaving film and turning to digital. It is a rare, although welcome occasion, when we hear one leaving digital and returning to film. In the Kodak ProPass magazine, we can read the story of Singapore based photographer, Chi Kuang Hwa and his return to film. He writes:

Going back to film has also changed the way Kuang shoots.

 

“It’s a slower process,” he explains. “Using black-and-white film with a LEICA Rangefinder and a fixed lens forces me to think, to slow down, to feel, to anticipate.”

 

He adds that black-and-white film has a look that is very difficult to achieve digitally. “It has more gray tones, organic-looking grain, and a certain transition from your point of focus to the out-of-focus areas which is gradual and beautiful to look at,” he says. “I would blind-test my clients and they would consistently pick the black-and-white film images over the black-and-white digitally captured ones.”

The full article can be found here: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/member/ProPass/magazine/V407/Hwang_GradualReturn.jhtml?id=0.1.14.12.28&lc=en