Women using Large Format

Howdy guys,

I have only been reading this forum for three months and have just acquired my first view camera after a 20-year photography career with smaller formats. Are there any other women on this forum? The names all seem male, except the occasional Pat who is indeterminate. Arca-Swiss customer service just answered one of my posts by calling me Mister Sorlien, an odds-on bet, but wrong.

Do you think LF is a male-dominated realm, and if so, why? It can't be only the weight of the equipment. Sally Mann uses an 8x10 and she is a small woman, so we can do it if we want to. I must say I feel extra vulnerable using my view camera. It attracts a lot of attention and some weirdos want to talk to me, using the camera as an excuse. If I am uncomfortable in the situation, I can't just walk away, I have to take time to pack everything up. Being under the dark cloth is an intimate viewing experience for making pictures, but I can't wait till my binocular viewer comes so I don't have to use the dark cloth. I imagine men feel a bit vulnerable under there, too; anyone could walk off with your other equipment in two seconds and you wouldn't even see them. (I think Virginia Beahan and Laura McPhee have the right idea, working as a team!) I am usually a very intrepid person, but this does concern me.

Maybe the combination of large format plus computer savvy produces the large percentage of men on this site. I know men are supposed to be "tech-heads" but I am very interested in tech talk if it pertains to a problem I need to solve for imagemaking.

I would be interested to hear from men or women about these issues. Cheers.

I agree about the vulnerability-when-under-a-darkloth. A couple of

years ago, when I was taking a picture of a building in the centre of

Antwerp, someone stole my 5° Minolta meter attachment out of my case

while I was under the darkcloth. On another occasion,some drunks

stood several minutes in front of my camera,shouting and chanting,

thinking it was a video camera!<p>

Why so few women in the forum? Maybe because being a techhead is

mostly a male thing :-) Back in photo school,where the majority of my

class was female, there wasn't anyone even remotely interested in

using the view camera. Even a medium format camera was looked upon as

a "studio only" camera...<p>

Anyway, welcome aboard and happy shooting!

Hi! I've noticed also that there aren't many women, both on this

forum and out in the field. It might be a question of the size of the

equipment, the techi-factor, or some other things. But I have also

noticed that women don't enter into smaller format photography as much

either. I belonged to a Nature photography club for a while and 80%

were men. Some of the women came with significant others yet did not

shoot anything themselves. Why? I can't say.

<p>

I just did a job in which I had to photograph portals and tunnel

details inside two mile-long RR tunnels. I had to walk through each

twice with 75 pounds of 5x7 gear, stopping to shoot as I went. It

might be the weight that would keep women from doing this kind of

work, but there are other ways, like hiring a caddy. It wiped me out

and I am 195 pounds, in good shape, reasonably spry (44 years old),

and have been doing this kind of shooting for 20 years. It sounds

like you went the lighter large format route, using Arca-Swiss 6x9.

Large format is a taxing, tiring way to go if you get off the beaten

path or away from studio or car, but the rewards of large format for

clients and oneself are worth it.

<p>

As for security, we all have that vulnerable period under the cloth.

My ears make up for my sight as much as possible. I also hire someone

to watch my back when I am in nasty areas, if budgets allow. And,

like you say, you can't just hang the camera around your neck and walk

away. But some of LF lack of maneuverability is a strength. Thieves

can't grab and run, and for the most part they don't even recongnize

what you are using and therefore wouldn't know where to sell it for

quick money. I had a carry-on bag full of large format lenses with me

once when I was flying to a job. It was worth $15,000 or more, in a

large Lightware case. The flight attendant would not let me keep it

with me even though I only had the one bag and it fit through the

gauge outside the plane. So I told her she could stow it in a

compartment up near her station but that I held her responsible. At

the end of the flight she was harried and just told me it was my

problem but that she had it sent down to the belly of the plane.

<p>

I had no claim ticket for it and it was being shuttled around with no

route stickers. I waited at the conveyor where luggage was coming out

for an hour and a half and had already filed a lost-bag claim when it

finally, and completely alone, came up. When I checked it it had

obviously been rifled and everything moved, but everything was there.

Obviously the potential thief who held my bag back saw no value in it

and left it alone. Little did the person understand the value!

<p>

I've had people ask if I am a surveyor. Some people know what the

stuff is but I like to work solo and without too much chit-chat. I've

been threatened and challenged, but nothing has come of it. Pairing

with someone is ok if you work similarly and at the same rate. I'm

sure the weirdo factor is the most troubling for a woman because you

would seem more at risk, but the most victimized group is males in

their 20s because, for the most part, they tend to think about

security the least and put themselves in worse situations out of

confidence. I should know. I got tumbled pretty badly at age 23 (not

shooting but out for a fun evening with friends), and I was in even

better shape, looked it, and thought I could hold my own.

<p>

Think security, go with someone when you can (even a non-photographer

who understands the slow nature of it), carry as little as you can

while making sure you can do what you need to, and use friendly

psychology to avoid interaction with weirdos. No real solutions here

but your post intrigued me. Welcome.

Welcome Sandy! I think the subject of women in large format has been

lightly touched on in forum in the recent past, but I can't find it.

I have no idea why women seem to be scarce in large format. I don't

run accross many large format photographers of either sex in my

wanderings. I did run across a couple (male and female) in Durbar

Square in Kathmandu in October that were working together with a 4X5.

I tried to strike up a conversation, but they were German and spoke

no English and me no German.

<p>

I think we all get a little spooked if there are a lot of people

around when under the dark cloth. There is so much equipment to keep

track of. I have learned to keep everything in my pack when not in

use or in the apron on the tripod where I can see it when under the

darkcloth. I also use a large capacity waist belt to keep things in.

I almost always attract a crowd in my foreign travels and if I am in a

town or city here in the US someone always stops to see what I'm,

doing. Most folks just don't see large format cameras very often. I

have never had a problem though.

<p>

My gilfriend is also a B&W photographer (medium format). We work as

kind of a tag team on our travels. She prefers to photograph people

up close and I prefer landscapes, buildings and people set in their

environment. I almost always attract a crowd so she usually has her

pick of interesting individuals.

<p>

By the way, she is just not interested in checking out the medium

format page similar to this one. She has never shown any interest in

using my large format gear either. Again, welcome

Sandy,

Late last year I saw the first woman in the field with a view camera.

It was in a place called Ken Lockwood Gorge in New Jersey. I was going

to stop over and saw hello, but she was busily setting up a shot so I

didn't want to bother her (like everyone does me). Later she was gone.

Not many females lugging around all this gear. They may indeed have

more sense :)

Sandy, It is a great pity that there are not more women practicing the art of LF photography or indeed "photography!" I too used to feel a little vunerable under the dark cloth which is one reason I obtained a bellows focusing hood so that I'm now more aware of anyone around me. By the very nature of using LF, "funny looking" cameras, the slow deliberate act of picture making, attracts people who are curious as to what we are doing.

May the light be with you,

regards,

You may notice from my other posts that I did use my superior common

sense to buy a small view camera, the Arca 6x9 FC (you 8x10 snobs no

doubt think this is really an MF camera, but in all functional

respects it is LF --- full movements and all that). This was mainly to

use rollfilm and a wider format (6x9), but the lighter weight is very

appealing. I fit everything into a small Jansport backpack, the kind

my students use for books! I can hike pretty far with it. It's my

wooden tripod that's a pain to carry. Thanks for the belt suggestion,

I'll get one for my meter etc. Maybe I should add a can of pepper

spray.

Well on this forum Jacque Stackson occasionally contributes. She's a

lady prof. and so kinda busy but she's out there with her 8 X 10.

<p>

As you say, there's Sally Mann, and Lois Conner and Linda

Connor, Paula Chamlee...andwho else ?

<p>

A previous post about grumpy l.f. users encountered in the field

pointed out that running into other l.f.'ers of ANY gender is kinda

infrequent occurence.

Sandy, there are at least two women who contribute in this forum. One is Jaque Staskon (jaque@cybertrails.com) and

the other is here in Switzerland: Christiane Roh (rohcris@vtx.ch). It's always nice to have other gender voices in the

forum. Thanks for joining in!

By the way, Christiane use a 6x9 Arca as well. To put it right between Sean's and my post, it should spell Jacque

STASKON jacque@cybertrails.com

This forum is for photographers and I don't think anything else

matters. Most of the contributers of this forum are way ahead of me

since I just made the move to LF and I'm a man, so the male, female

thing is of no consequence. Dividing people into men and women and

then applying generalizations to each group means nothing as this is a

world of individuals.

<p>

You cannot generalize about anybody and I would ask you how you

know that men are supposed to be "tech-heads"?. I don't really need

an answer of course, so I saying to you throw out the why so many men,

why so little women, size, ethnic backround or any other consideration

except the one thing that binds us all together, our love of

Photography.

<p>

I have insured my equipment and I mentally prepare myself for the

loss of that equipment the moment I walk out the door. When I go

somewhere to take pictures, I take a while gauge to the situation and

believe me there have been times when there were photo-ops at a

particular venue but also some danger which forced me to give up the

shots rather than risk getting robbed or hurt. There might come a

time when you might just have to walk away from your equipment.

Welcome Sandy-As to your question about LF and women-maybe the

question should be are there more women shooting in studio and

controlled situations versus how many women shooting landscapes and

outdoor shots? Might be interesting to take a poll to learn the

number, ages, sex and experience of those using this forum.

<p>

Weight has been a factor for all of us, as is the bulk of the

equipment and time required to set up a photograph, not to mention

the expense. Yet, the results are what keep drawing us back. Each

photo teaches me so much that I want to then apply to the next image

I take-a nice compulsion if you ask me!!!

<p>

As for safety-please always be aware of your surroundings. I am

certain you are savvy, bright and aware, but sometimes a reminder of

what to remember is helpful (and I need to remember these things

myself just as much as anyone else does). Being safe is just as

necessary even if you are walking alone in the wilderness to get to a

wonderful location-pay attention to the trail and your footing so you

don't fall and injure yourself, make certain others know where you

are headed and when you are supposed to return, be cautious in bad

weather (especially lightening storms) and take the rudiments of

first aid and water just in case. In urban situations many of the

same precautions hold true. As for crowds and/or wierdos, I often

fake shooting with another camera which allows them their moment of

performance and soon they tire. The binocular viewers are a sound

alternative to a dark cloth. Just keep your bags zipped and

intertwine the straps or wrap them around a tripod leg or maybe use a

bunge cord to slow anyone down who covets your equipment more than

you. If you can take a companion along, all the better. For me,

sometimes taking a moment to let someone look through the camera

creates new friends and allies who look out for you afterwards. But

most of all whether you are in a city or in a wilderness, if that

little voice goes off and says something isn't right then pack up and

come back the next day or the next time or sometimes never-tomorrow

for me is always a better solution.

<p>

Regards,

<p>

John Bailey

Sandy, all the LF men are on this forum discussing equipment and all

the LF women are in the field taking pictures.

And I thought all those women who asked about my camera were

interested in PHOTOGRAPHY! You mean they were HITTING on me?!?

I teach a Beginning Photo class in the Fine Arts department of a

local university. I'm one of three instructors. The class sizes are

usually 10 - 15. Almost always, there will be one, maybe two at the

most, males in each of the three classes, the rest are females. Yet

everywhere else, the ratio seems to be almost the reverse. I have no

idea why that is. In the case of large format, I suspect the reason

for relatively smaller female participation is the tech-oriented

nature of it. Men sometimes seem more interested in the equipment,

women in the photographs.

Sandy, I'm 6'5" and 270 (not real soft) pounds and I carry myself

in such a way as to let people I'm not an easy mark. And still I

worry about who is coming up behind me when I'm under the

darkcloth.

In relation to Brian's comment, I see it too. I'm in a photography

program at Ohio University and in both the fine art photography and

photo illustration majors, women outnumber men by a good margin. In

my current illustration class, there are about 30 people, and of

those people, I am one of 3 males in the class. The ratio is a

little closer to being even in the photojournalism sequence, but it

still seems to be weighted on the female side. That being the way it

is, it does make me question why it seems there are so many more male

photographers out there working professionally than female

photographers. Assuming this trend in photo education continues, it

will be interesting to see what the field looks like in 20 years'

time.

Participants of this forum, besides being LF photographers:

(a) are often heavy computer users,

(b) are mostly nature/landscape photographers (if the poll is

accurate),

© like nut-and-bolts discussions (I wish there was more

variety, btw who is going to contribute the next trip report ?).

This is the intersection of several traditionally male-dominated

categories, so the result is no surprise.

Mustn't forget one of the little giants in contemporary LF

photography. Marie Cosnidas with her ancient Linhof Technika and

tripod, a Polaroid back, and all those little colored gel filters

which she Scotch tapes in front of her one and only lens. Better

pictures with this simple equipment than all but a handful of other

great photographers. A class act, all the way!

Welcome, Sandy.

<p>

I carry my ultralight 8x10" Gowland PocketView in a knapsack much like

yours, designed for laptop computers with padded compartments, so it's

not impossible to move up in format and stay fairly compact.

<p>

I've had one disturbing incident under the darkcloth in Finland (which

otherwise seems as safe a country as there is on the planet) when I

was photographing an old textile mill and was approached by an older

gentleman in worker's coveralls, clearly drunk. He tapped me on the

shoulder and started speaking anxiously in Finnish and waving his

finger. I had no idea what he was talking about, but tried to express

the fact that I hoped I wasn't doing anything that might be taken as

disrespectful, but it seemed that we didn't have any language in

common. This didn't stop him. As he went on he started pointing

across the street, where there was another old mill, converted into a

theater, and there was some sort of youth festival going on outside of

it. He began miming the action of shooting a rifle--pchh! pchh!

pchh!--perhaps indicating his displeasure with regard to the festival,

or maybe recounting a hostile company response to some labor action

long ago. I never did figure it out. Eventually I motioned to ask

whether he wanted to look at the groundglass, which people often do,

and he did, and made some motions with his finger, perhaps offering a

compositional suggestion. And I said "Kiitos," my one word in

Finnish, which means "Thank you," and shook his hand, and he went on

his way.

I find this male/female issue an interesting topic as recently I've

wondered if there is a difference between the photographic "vision"

of men vs. women. I gave my theory a little test by looking through

the galleries on photo.net and I can't say that I see any

differences. After some very light and unscientific research I agree

with the above poster that in photography there are only individuals

and that the gender issue is irrevelant.

<p>

For what it's worth, my photography school program is split more

towards men - especailly in the more techincal courses (Zone System,

Photog for post production, etc).

Sandy,

Being quite a feminist myself, I welcome you with red carpet and

flowers. Maybe, if more women were playing around, these pages

wouldn't be so full of techniques and "how-to".

As about equipment and the weight issue, I found a good solution:

humiliating myself. I've just started using a Kodak 2-D 5x7, similar

and smaller than Berenice Abott's favorite 8x10. I just can't say the

camera is heavy as hell! To make things easier I'm following Adams

advice, who said that the more lenses you have the more are the

chances you pick the wrong one. So, as the camera grows, the more

objective one should be.

By the way: I also have a 6x9 Arca, old model, and it works a lot for

me. But I still feel more confortable taking a flat-bed 4x5 out for

walking and trekking. The big negative deserves and provides some

solemnity that translates better my feelings for nature. And I don't

think that's a male question!

Anyway, welcome again, and I hope you enjoy this "macho" way of

shooting.

<p>

Cesar B.