alexander_illich

I would say that if you are interested in historical processes and using a traditional medium you are going to have to look

outside of the state universities and find an Art School. While these schools may be hard to get in (portfolios including

more than just photography) and you may be required to learn to draw at some point of the game, they have a tendency to

excel in film & historical processes. Some normal universities also have excellent photography programs that do not

require the use of digital over film.

You need to understand that if you want to do colour in film you are going to need access to a colour darkroom and you

really just can't build a 30" colour processor into your home. This i feel is where some degree of digital proficiency is

needed so that you can use digital as an output for your film.

I've been using sling bags for the past while with a 5d +24-105, 17-40, 50 1.4, 580ex, bg e4 grip, 2 collapsable reflectors, 2

batteries, battery charger, the extra AA battery thing + batteries, hoods, and then i had my manfrotto tripod + head on the

other shoulder and I swear to god I cant do it anymore. I would just grab a actual backpack for the amount of weight you'll

be carrying with four lenses.

The 5d is light but it's not THAT light.

Well if the card is formatted, it sounds as if you may be out of luck.

If the card is just corrupted, there is a SadDisk program.

Now that is a very good, reasonable price for very new lenses and equipment. A 503cw with a

80 CB lens will run you around 1900$ with shipping on ebay. With a CFT maybe 2100$.

I would jump at it if I had 3200$.

Well I just moved to Halifax, NS, Canada for the duration of four months to make some work and me being

so brilliant and all never thought to consider if I can rent lights in Halifax. I'm from Toronto and Vistek is

my main provider of photographic equipment so I know what I'm looking for.

What all this really boils down to is... where should I be going for A) my equipment and B) Lights, because

god knows I don't own my own lighting kit. Any suggestions?

Sincerely,

Alex I.

I personally think that umbrellas are DRAMATICALLY softer than softboxes, and I mostly only

use softboxes due to my lack of desire for 'fashion' shots.

I've had both the 222 head and the 322 head, i currently use the latter and I have a ball head,

I find the ball head more useful when I am shooting large format and medium format but I

find the joystick/grip head an indispensable tool when I am shooting with my 5d.

The issue with the 222 head is it's lack of support, it doesn't hold much weight, whereas the

322 head can really pack on the pounds.

There is also the extra height you get from the head, it can be annoying to some.

Well then, the things I dont know about my camera, maybe this is a sign that I should retire

from film and use my digital more... or not.

I DO own a 5d, unfortunately it's in another city right now as I'm off visiting the folks, but I do

believe yuo can change that in your custom functions section, but I may be mistaken.

I would say unless you work in a conceptual base/fine art mindset and your photographs

are part of detailed series' depicting change bla blah blah like Edward Burtynsky

(www.edwardburtynsky.com) or someone like Hugh Martin (http://

www.godardgallery.com/martin.htm) you are unlikely to get into big galleries, HOWEVER

that doesn't mean you cannot exhibit your work; try cafes, restaurants, etc. that regularily

hang work and strike a deal with them to have a solo/combined exhibition. Also, don't

underprice yourself, for example, make edition prints, etc. don't print too small, as far as

i'm concerned for a nature shot 11x14 is even too small, i like to see them in the 20"+

range, 16x20 isn't bad.

Have an opening when/if you get a deal like that, invite all your friends, invite people you

meet randomly, make little cardstock flyers etc. and make sure you have a blast.

the 50.18 is a great suggestion, I'd ditch the telephoto personally, seems like unnecisary

weight. A monopod might be nice, there is a good one out there that doubles as a walking

stick, i can't remember who makes it.

additionally I'd probably bring more cards and more batteries rather than taking a computer,

weight is going to be a huge issue.

I've had trouble with this in the past when I had an issue with the arch my foot, I found that it

was mostly posture that lead to it, try to keep your back straight, if you are crouching it,

watch what you are doing, it could be good to fix your posture regardless of the photos, also

you might have a kink in your neck.

who knows,

and cameras always look crooked on tripods, it's very confusing sometimes.

Well m'dear, Large Format first of all refers to a negative size not a print size.

It is most definately possible to print up to 11x14 with a 35mm negative, you are going to

see a bit of grain, and if you go past 11x14.. ie. 16x20, 20x24, etc. you are going to lose a

lot of information and a substantal increase in visible grain is going to show up.

People say that they have maid successful 20x24 prints, etc with 35mm negs and I have seen

it done before (in situations where grain has worked for the image) but most of the time you

are going to lose a lot of sharpness, contrast etc.

Personally I am going to take the side of Matt, I like him have many 'unfinished' works,

paintings, sketches, sculptures, and personally as someone who from when he wakes up

starts living and breathing art until he goes to bed I find that no art/photography is bad.

Sure, I have photographs that do not work out. but those are risks, something I find that

really should be analysed is how we view a photograph in the days of Digital vs. Film.

When you are shooting an 8x10 negative/positive, you take all the steps to make sure that

what you take is accurate. Very few photographers leave the scene without the desired

image they want because it is often either too costly or too inconvienent to reprodce.

In my feild I would say I have never, ever, made a finished peice of art, and as I type this I

am looking ahead at a series of extremely experimental work that well, just didn't work

out, I consider this prep work.

Just try not to look at your work as bad, look at is as a goof, incomplete, process. Process

is everything, it takes a lot of work to get something so small as a finished set of work in

the world of art.

Alex,

Ralph, in many situations, elaboratly set up scenes involving multiple models, lights, etc

generally dealing with social situations/views. The cameras I use regularily is #1 my

hasselblad and #2 my 5d, I've used a Sinar a few times.

For some time now I've been interested in the purchase of a feild or view camera and I'm not really sure

where to begin. I deal almost exclusively with fine art photography and in many situations transport of

equipment is an issue, but so is studio use, etc.

So feild cameras are (obviously) the winner for transportation but how much do they limit the user as

compared to a view/monorail camera, these are big issues I've recently been dealing with because I would

want to use whatever camera I buy in both the feild and in the studio/controlled enviornment.

I wouldn't say I'm the msot docile person, I enjoy long distance (and would probably throw either a field/

view camera into a panier) and bike a couple thousand kilometers with it, etc.

Additionally 'Price' is a very large issue, this is my first LF camera and why I would love to have something

inexpensive I don't want a peice I will say.. NEED to replace in a year for something more flexible.

Any suggestions dear shooters?

I would suggest either a high end B+W or Hoya filter, they are expensive but they are quite

good. Circular Polarizers and UV filters are a necessity and if you arent that photoshop saavy,

things like gradiated neutral density filters are also excelent.

<img src="http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs6/i/2005/071/a/4/

Stairs_of_Enlightenment_by_Magni.jpg" alt="Angry" />

This is a popular place in KL, Malaysia, as you can see the monkies just wander all over

everything, they walk up the stairs with you, etc.

I wish i had the uncropped version, there are monkies wandering all over the ground infront

of the shrine.

You really want to shoot at a telephoto length for anything portraiture, fashion too, because

even a 50mm will create distortion, it may not be instantly noticable but it's there.

You've really got to decide whether the megapixels and wide-angle are what you really want,

and in such case you can go just as wide with a crop sensor with a EF-S lens.

A 5d is a lot of money.

Some people seem to have issues with tripods in sand, I have yet to encounter a situation

where it would 'sink' to a unreasonable usability.

As for getting lost, there are some simple techniques to getting yourself out of sticky

situations, one is a compass, two is a map, three is a watch. a compass and map shouldbe

able to get you out of the worst situation providing you can read it, if not, take your watch

and use it ot gauge direction with the sun, (you can probably find a guide on this online)

Go shoot some infrared film while you can!

You can get a second body and remove the IR blocking sensor, your camera will never be able

to be used for normal stuff but you can pick up a pretty cheap 350d these days.