Lake St. Clair

Keep it or bin it? I'm in two minds.

The vignette comes courtesy of the 65mm Grandagon. I should be able to tone it down in the darkroom. Brid River was a great deal harder to scrint than to print. It actually turned out to be quite easy to handle in the darkroom. I'm hoping this one will be the same. I'm concerned that the centre is too bright here, and the central stars are washed out into an amorphous blob of light. I hope they can all be separated and defined in print. At the top edge of the frame the stars are all soft, the film plane was not parallel to the lens, and DOF all went a little pear-shaped across the top quarter. I'm not sure if it doesn't add a nice grungy feel to it all though............

 

These star trail pictures are awfully difficult to focus on 4x5. I spent ages propping up two torches (flashlights?) in trees to provide a light source to focus on, as the ground glass was just totally black when pointed at the lake and sky. I set the P67 up with 180° opposite view along the shore with Provia 100F, for two hours, that's still in the camera.

There are parts I like and parts I don't like. I like the star trails obviously, but there's one straight and bright one on the left just above the horizon that sits uneasily next to its duller neighbours. Light intensity seems to tail off as we move from right to left and then suddenly we're faced with this bright straight one; like it's a scratch. I like the silhouetted trees, particularly the clump that sits pround at the end of the descending line next to the shore and the moonlit lake ebbing against yonder shore. Up close, unless it's my monitor, there is little in the way of detail in the lowest 15%, especially in the lower right corner; just a stone on the left. I think the vignette bothersome. I'd be inclined to lose these and straighten up the horizon so as to end up with something a bit like this. I've dodged the rocks in the right corner a little and generally eased up the brightness.

Not sure which I like better here. I like the original for it's old world, rustic kinda feel it has with the vignetting, but I also appriate Phil's cropped/dodged version.

 

I think I like them both for different reasons. Really nice.

I agree with Balaji, Phil and Dave.

 

as for focusing, you might want to see if you can focus based on a measuring scale, or using a tape measure. I suppose focusing on infinity would be 65 mm from film plane to lens plane? Or, focus on infinity, and then take a stick of wood and trim, sand and shave it to the exact bellows distance that fits between the the two planes. In the field, insert the stick on the bellows, or wherever, and roll the focus knobs until the two planes are in contact with the stick. And make one for each of your lenses.

 

I wonder if that would work?

I don't know if my opinion is worth adding here ... but I'd keep it. I love that the exposure created wonderfully rounded lines in the sky....

Mate, trust you to make my grandagon 65 vignette that much. It doesn't do it to me to nearly as significant an extent with normal exposures.

 

I just had a fiddle in photoshop with a 65mm shot and have realised you have done this by significantly increasing the contrast in your scanned neg to match the print you want- I have attached a file to demonstrate this. Looking at it closely, the gradation seems poorly done by the computer and would probably appear better on paper and can be photoshopped through.

 

Matt

Thanks for your version Phil, very much. The great thing about 4x5 is that you can slash off acres of film and still have plenty to play with! The only thing I dont like about your rendering is that Id prefer the sky to be darker. That should be quite achievable in the darkroom, even if it means loosing the faintest of the trails.

 

Thank you Dave. I might settle eventually for something in between the full frame and the centre crop.

 

Doug, you credit me with more patience for DIY than I actually possess. Sounds like it would work though. Sounds like something Matt might do. Hes more the technical boffin than I am. Heres me thinking the solution is to get there and get set up before dark!

 

Welcome back to the McLaine couch Balaji. I want to retain some of that grunginess in print. I sometimes think my stuff is too clinical, so a bit of grunge is good. Help yourself to a Boags from the fridge.

 

Lou Ann, never doubt that your opinion is welcome on my images! Thank you.

 

Thanks for the demo Matt, it shows the problem quite well. Even out of the camera the vignette is strong enough to be an issue, and I guess Ive enhanced it in scrinting. Lets have a crack at it in the darkroom soon, and bring Davey Head too.

 

If DIY is Do It Yourself, there's an old saying I remember from a while back> In the beginning of a photographer's career, he buys everything he needs because he doesn't know beans about it.

In the middle, he makes it himself, either because he can't afford it, or no one is making it to his liking. At the end of his career, he's back to buying it again because he has plenty of money, or no patience for the DIY.

Nine hour exposure!!?? Is there no limit to this man's patience & dedication? Does he ever sleep?Seriously though,this is definite keeper John,I prefer it to the other one.Phil's version has its merits but I prefer the basic elements of this one.Pete.

yeah, and so much for binning it! :-)

This is fantastic no matter what... I like it very much.. I like both .. hope you have more in your portfolio for me to view!!!

Well, keep yes, but it might not make it into the book.

 

I did sleep Pete. This was taken near the L. St. Clair launching ramp, beside which I parked my car. After setting up the cameras I folded the back seat forward, making a little bed which is almost long enough to sleep comfortably on the diagonal. I listened to the match on the car radio, drank one Boags and began reading The Cloud Sketcher by Richard Rayner. The match finished about 10pm (Geelong scored a comfortable win over Essendon). I got out and packed up the P67 and the 300D, leaving just the 4x5. Set the alarm on my watch and slept like a baby until 5am. Packed up the 4x5 and slept well past sunrise. Let me know if I'm giving you too much detail.............

Thanks Terry, feel free to wander around.

Yea, I really miss the Boags,can't find anything to compare since I came home.

P.S.I've been inducted as a Bulldogs fan.I was taken to a game at M.C.C.,I am no great sports fan but I was enthralled.You folks seem to live & breathe footie.Pete.

You're very lucky to have seen a game at the MCG Pete. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

I once saw some Boags in an Oddbins in London.