lf-photo.org.uk

Hi Here are two photos taken with my Horseman metal field camera just test shots. and my first LF

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26204984@N03/2460508217/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26204984@N03/2460508177/

Tony

Hi Tony

Please don't be discouraged by any comments I am about to make, we all had to start somewhere

The shot of the avenue of trees appears to only be in focus in the foreground, then it tails off significantly into the distance.

1. Did you use any movements or was this just with the camera all square?

2. If the latter, what aperture did you use?

3. Where did you set the point of focus?

As for the other shot, that also seems to fall off as you move further away from the lens, was that intentional to put the background out of focus?

Be encouraged, at least you got a reasonable exposre

Hi Tony,

I'll second the exposure comment - a good range of tones in the second pic without any blown highlights or deep shadows. I think the lighting conditions were working against you in the first picture, it's left the bushes a tad dark and washed out the sky. Was it a "cloudy bright" day and/or a blank sky?

I don't know what your intentions were for the sharpness in the pictures. If you wanted them to tail off then it's fine for the bushes picture but I'd have thought a different focus point would have been needed rather than the plain ground just in front of the camera. If you wanted this sharper from front to back then a little front or rear swing should help to put the plane of focus either along the left had set of bushes or down the middle of the path (front swing controls the just plain of focus, rear swing does but also alters the perspective of the picture.)

For the grave shot, tailing off the sharpness helps separate it from the background but it's a "difficult" structure to get all reasonably in focus if you wanted it as it's got size in 3 dimensions. That seems obvious but to cover the width, depth and height with movements and lens aperture can be more tricky as it becomes a compromise as to which to get "sharp" and which to allow to tail off.

For the sharpness, there's only one true position in a photo that is "sharp" and that's at the distance where the lens is focused - anything else is either acceptably sharp or not acceptably sharp. The trick is to get as much or as little acceptably sharp as you desire and the combination of camera movements and lens apertures can help you. On a "fixed" camera like an SLR, you've only got aperture to help so you're on a winner using an LF camera! The fun comes in figuring out how it all works...

Fire away with any questions and we'll try to help - there's all sorts of experience levels on the board so don't feel as though you're the only one that's new to it.

Andrew

Joanna Carter wrote:Hi Tony

Please don't be discouraged by any comments I am about to make, we all had to start somewhere

The shot of the avenue of trees appears to only be in focus in the foreground, then it tails off significantly into the distance.

1. Did you use any movements or was this just with the camera all square?

2. If the latter, what aperture did you use?

3. Where did you set the point of focus?

As for the other shot, that also seems to fall off as you move further away from the lens, was that intentional to put the background out of focus?

Be encouraged, at least you got a reasonable exposre

Thanks for the comments. The I did,nt use any movements on the camera
the aperture on both photos was f22. The sheets were test shots just to see if everything was light tight on the horseman. Also I needed to see if I could remember how to develop film again
Tony

Tony wrote:

Joanna Carter wrote:Hi Tony

Please don't be discouraged by any comments I am about to make, we all had to start somewhere

The shot of the avenue of trees appears to only be in focus in the foreground, then it tails off significantly into the distance.

1. Did you use any movements or was this just with the camera all square?

2. If the latter, what aperture did you use?

3. Where did you set the point of focus?

As for the other shot, that also seems to fall off as you move further away from the lens, was that intentional to put the background out of focus?

Be encouraged, at least you got a reasonable exposre

Thanks for the comments. The I did,nt use any movements on the camera
the aperture on both photos was f22. The sheets were test shots just to see if everything was light tight on the horseman. Also I needed to see if I could remember how to develop film again
Tony

Ps I've since been back to do some comparison shots they are sitting in the darkslides waiting to be developed. I will post them as and when
Tony

Tony wrote:Thanks for the comments. The I did,nt use any movements onwas f22. The sheets were test shots just to see if everything was light tight on the horseman. Also I needed to see if I could remember how to develop

In that case, well done! I look forward go seeing "the real thing"

Joanna Carter wrote:

Tony wrote:Thanks for the comments. The I did,nt use any movements onwas f22. The sheets were test shots just to see if everything was light tight on the horseman. Also I needed to see if I could remember how to develop

In that case, well done! I look forward go seeing "the real thing"

Blimey no pressure then
Tony