Vision Landscapes: Photography

Nikon F6 - A Film Camera for the Digital Age

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:46:36 GMT

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

Going back to Film - One Photographer's Story

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 01:15:20 GMT

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.”

While there are merits to shooting digital, a growing number of photographers are returning to film. Some say this is a longing for the days when the photographer was more in touch with the process, rather than it being a computer generated process as we find today. Perhaps, there is a quality inherent in film that is missing from digital.

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

del.icio.us Tags: Photography

Traditional Photographer .NET

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 23:46:51 GMT

If you are like me, and still like film, I've got a new website in development - http://www.traditionalphotographer.net. This website is for those who shoot film, with resources, articles and a discussion forum for this target group. The site is in development, but should be up in about 2 weeks time.

del.icio.us Tags: Photography, Film

Color Photography - More than Just Color?

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 02:45:10 GMT

On one of the Internet forums that I participate in, there has been some discussion, heated at times, about the emotional impact of Black & White photography versus Color. Most of those participating are B&W photographers, and it is surprising how many of them think of texture and form as exclusive to B&W photography, not something a color photographer would consider. The thinking seems to be that color should be enough to make the image successful. However, I have found over the years, that texture and form are very important to the success of a color landscape as well. In this short blog entry, I would like to concentrate on one of these aspects, the aspect of texture, as it relates to a color photograph.

We are touch sensitive beings, which shouldn't surprise anyone. Manufacturers, aware of this, have made tactile sensation part of every product we buy, from automobiles to sweaters. They understand that touch brings about an emotional connection to a physical object in a way that color alone could never do. Texture is what ties touch to a physical object. As landscape photographers we can tap into knowledge this as well. I'd like to devote the remainder of this post to exploring texture in the color photograph.

Let's start by examining an image that I feel is only successful because of the texture that it shows.

This image was taken just as the sun was beginning to rise above Makapuu Point on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. In this image, I wanted to make the viewer feel as if they were walking along the beach, watching the sun, I wanted the viewer to feel as if they could feel the sand between their toes as they walked.

In order to do this, I chose a low point of view, which I knew would allow me to capture as much texture (or detail) on the sand as possible. In addition to the low tripod level, I waited until just after a wave had washed the shore, but before the sand had time to dry out fully. This caused the rising sun to leave a seeming path for the eye to follow, to the mountain in the background, as well as emphasizing the texture of the sand itself.

Image details: Toyo 45AII camera, Nikkor-SW 90mm F8 lens, Fuji Velvia film. Exposure unrecorded. For a larger view of this image, see: Dawn, Makapuu Beach, Windward Coast, Oahu, Hawaii on my website.

del.icio.us Tags: Photography, Travel, Hawaii

Film Still Popular Among Pros

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 05:46:49 GMT

In an AP Business report by Ben Dobbin comes news that film is still popular among professional photographers. This in spite of the many photography magazines that try to convince us otherwise.

Eastman Kodak Co. mailed a survey in mid-August to some 40,000 of the nation's estimated 64,000 full-time and part-time professional photographers, and 75 percent of the 9,000 who responded said they will continue to use film even as they embrace digital imaging. Sixty-eight percent said they prefer film over digital for a variety of applications. Many cited its superiority for shooting larger-format and black-and-white images, the adaptability of color film to a wider range of lighting conditions, and film archives being far easier to store than electronic ones.

“First and foremost, photographers are artists, supported by the science of the tools that help them do their job,” said Mary Jane Hellyar, President, Film Products Group and Senior Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “This survey indicates that film remains an important tool on which professional photographers rely to effectively create their work, so providing choice is of utmost importance. It’s an ‘and’ world where digital and film co-exist and complement each other.”

While no one is predicting the demise of digital photography or a great resurgence of film-based photography, this is heart warming news for those of us who continue to use film as our preferred medium.

http://www.physorg.com/news109430472.html

Kodak's Press Release: http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=2709&pq-locale=en_US&gpcid=0900688a807b9764

del.icio.us Tags: Photography