TLR & architecture

[duchan]

Hi,

 

there are in the neighboring town several old vacant houses which will

eventually be demolished, and I'd like to photograph the exteriors of these

houses before they are torn down. I'd like to use a Yashica A (Yashikor

80/3.5) for this particular project, well knowing that I'd fare better with

wide-angle lenses on an SLR. Nevertheless, I'm intent on using the Yashica A.

Have any of you used TLRs to take such photos? Positive experiences, troubling

issues?

 

Greetings,

Duchan

[User_502260]

The buildings won't be moving so use a tripod if you can. The Yashikor is OK if it is stopped down. I would being slow (25-50) or medium speed (100-125) film, stop down to f/8 or f/11 and make your exposure as long as it needs to be. As long as you can back up enuogh to fit everything in, the 80mm focal length shouldn't be a problem. With wider lenses you have to be careful about tilting the camera up because of distortion.

[robert_marvin]

I used my Rolleiflex for photographing buildings before I had a shift lens for my SLR. On occasion, I tilted the easel during printing to correct converging verticals--those who print digitally can, I think, do something similar in PhotoShop.

[Gary Naka]

Put a bubble level on the camera/tripod. As much as I think I can eyeball level...half the time I don't.

[oskar_ojala]

The focal length is not a problem, the inability to do movements probably is. But there are probably lots of photographic opportunity there with your setup.

[gnashings]

Unless you are striving for perfection - architectual magazine cover type stuff - youe Yashica will do fine! Its a great tool for composing because you see the picture on the glass, and the grid lines on mine help keeping the horizons level. The lens is a 50mm equivalent (more less), so you won`t get any of the weird wide angle effects - good if you don`t want them, bad if you do:)

The square format lends itself well to this type of shooting I find. I can`t second the use tripod/stop down a bit advice strongly enough. You`ll be happy with the results.

[Rob F.]

Try to keep the camera level, to keep the verticals vertical. If that's not possible, only tilt enough to include the top of the building, and no more. This will minimize vertical convergence--the appearance of the building falling over backwards. If possible, back away from the building in preference to tilting the camera. Or shoot from a tall ladder, or from the window of a building across the street (with permission, of course).

[pete_c__uk_]

TLR's can be very good for architechural photography. I used them a lot when I was photographing for a canal restoration group, and that included lots of bridges and other structures. You can do a lot with a 80mm lens but in some situations I found using a 55mm lens on a Mamiya C220 was better. These are now quite cheap but if money is no object there is always the wide angle Rolleiflex, both the original model and the currant one!