bradgillette

I wasn't sure where to post this, but I'm pretty sure the there's a lot of parallels between sports and motorsports photography so I chose

this subforum.

 

I work as a commercial photographer, and while I try not to limit myself to any certain subject matter, architectural is my strong point.

Anyone who's curious can view my work here: http://bradgillette.zenfolio.com/f158504769/

 

Anyways, to get to the point of this post, I've been asked by one of my clients to shoot his Lotus in action at the track he's a member

at. I've done automotive work before, but I had a car to shoot from. The regulations at the track we'll be going to doesn't allow for any

unsecured objects inside the car, so I'm pretty sure a camera is out of the question. I will be bringing a Porsche and a second driver

along just in case.

 

My question is, does anybody have any techniques that may be helpful for achieving dramatic shots from the trackside? I'm a bit out of

my "comfort zone" for this shoot and really want to do some great work. The client is the guy who got me started, and has been quite

possibly the greatest client anyone could ever wish for (he even lets me live for an extremely reduced rate in one of his properties -

1,500 square feet in Chicago's Printer's Row for about $800 a month).

 

Alternatively, if you have any examples of great trackside photography, please feel free to post them here.

 

I own the following equipment, but will rent anything else I may need (Calumet is about two miles away):

 

- Canon 40d

- EF-S 10-22

- EF 17-40 F4L

- EF 50 1.4

- Manfrotto monopod

- Metz MZ-54i shoemount flash

- (2) Photogenic Powerlight 1250DR-UV strobes

 

As most of my lenses are on the wider end, I know I'm going to need something longer. I have a friend who has a 70-200 f2.8L IS that

I'm hoping to borrow, and if I can't I will rent something. Would that lens be a good choice? Or should I go with something longer?

 

Thanks in advance for all of your help!

Central Camera on Wabash just to the east of Jackson has a very large selection of used and new cameras. Otherwise, Calumet, and you can also rent one there if you want to make sure before you buy.

Send me an email.

I've been using a Hasselblad Flextight X1 and X5 for the past few months and haven't found anything comparable, other than a wet-mount drum scan. I've found that the cost and hassle of a drum scan outweigh the benefits and IMHO the Flextight series is the best out there (unless we're talking extremely specialized pro-industry stuff).

 

A dedicated computer is obviously going to run a bit faster, but that's in terms of applications running during the scanning process. If you don't have anything running other than FlexColor, you wont see that much of a difference.

Oh the digital age...what it means is the series was originally hand printed in the darkroom (color negative prints are referred to as C-Prints, RA-4 is the chemical process used to develop the paper), but now I've decided to redo the series digitally as it allows me to pull out more detail and color.

 

@Michael S. - JPG/sRGB doesn't do the photos justice - the detail is all there in the print.

 

Thanks for the input!

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PARKITECTURE is a study of open spaces, geometry, and the interaction of natural

and artificial light within the architecture of one of mankind's most

under-appreciated sculptures - the parking structure.

 

Originally a series of RA-4 C-Prints, it has advanced to the digital realm in

order to take advantage of both the resolution and tonal range present in the

film used.

 

In order to maintain continuity, all images were photographed using a Hasselblad

500c with the Zeiss Distagon 50/4 C lens. The use of "vintage" optics without

the well known *T coating gives the images a pleasing aesthetic not available

using more modern lenses.

 

Over the next few months this series will be refined as more photographs are

completed, and will eventually be offered as a limited edition series of large

format prints.

 

To view larger, or for more images of the series (as they are completed) go to

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradgillette<div></div>

If architecture/landscape is your primary subject, I would recommend first going with the 50mm T/S. A dedicated T/S lens will give you a wider angle of view and more predictable exposure than using a 50mm with a T/S adapter. That said, a used 6x6 or 4x5 view camera can be had for less than the price of this lens alone and will be better suited for this application as it will give you a greater range or tilt and shift.

 

As for the 35mm lens, you did not mention whether you scan and print digitally or print in the darkroom. If printing traditionally, I'd be concerned about distortion with such a wide lens with linear subjects like architecture as it is impossible to correct in the darkroom. If you're scanning and editing digitally then this isn't an issue.

 

Considering the macro lens, although your shooting style currently wont make much use of it, it will open you up to a whole new point of view (literally). The 120mm focal length is very versatile and easy to work with. Every photographer should at least try one out at some point in their career.

Type 665 is the same as Type 55 but in 3.25x4.25 format - a bit larger than most medium formats yet a tad smaller than 4x5. That said, if you don't mind the "crop", 665 can be used on a 4x5 camera using a pack-film back and will be more convenient than using sheet film.

I have used the Epson 2400, 4000, 4800, 4880, 9600, and 9800 over the past year. With each minor revision Epson makes to their printers I have found the black and white output gets better and better. I am currently using the 4880 for my black and whites using Crane Museo Silver Rag and am hard-pressed to tell the difference between these prints and my traditional silver gelatin prints - these actually look better in most instances. While only a minor update from the 4800, the 4880's Light-Light-Gray cartridge makes a huge difference in terms of even ink density and avoiding cyan or magenta color casts. The 4880 is a 17" wide printer, which is a little big for your requirements, so I would recommend anything in the newest xx80 range - just as long as it uses the new "Light-Light-Gray" and "Vivid Magenta" inks.

 

If you're looking for something used, I still have found that some of the best black and white results come from printing using a dedicated, custom profiled, piezio RIP ink system. While this is initially a pain to set up and calibrate, the results are hard to beat and most older Epsons can be converted.

 

Good luck!

@Josh Root - While I understand that you do not want to imply photo.net responsibility within the classifieds, I believe there is a way to improve the security while remaining uninvolved legally.

 

On the massively popular SomethingAwful.com forums there is a classifieds subforum, Awful Mart. The rules for buying or selling on the forum is you must be a member for at least 9 months before doing so. Included with this is a legal disclaimer that SomethingAwful LLC takes no responsibility for the activities taking place within this forum.

 

Limiting who can buy/sell can be done while still remaining legally immune.

Q.G. de Bakker - thank you so much! This is exactly what I have been looking for.

I'm hoping to find an off-brand strap to mutilate as to not ruin an original. I prefer the look of the newer strap as I've gone to great lengths to "modernize" my 500c (Accumatte screen, new leather covering).

I have an extra H-series neckstrap (balistic nylon, embroidered "Hasselblad",

rubber lined). It has metal hook attachments to fit into the eyelets on the

H-Series camera, but they can be removed from the strap. I was curious to know

if there is a V-series neckstrap that I could remove the hooks from and thread

onto the H-series strap in order to use it with my 500c. If anybody knows of an

inexpensive yet secure-attaching strap that would be suitable for this, or if

there is somewhere I could purchase the hooks separately, it would be greatly

appreciated.

 

Thanks!

Are you kidding me? Sure, I'll do digital if time is an issue, but for the time being any of my "art" photos are shot on film. I'm a special case, as I have around 20 Flextight scanners available to me (my tuition pays for it!). Scanning 6x6 at maximum optical resolution I'm able to print 40x40 at 300dpi without interpolation. That's just not possible with the current crop of one-shot digital backs. It gets even more insane once you start scanning 4x5 and 8x10 large format. Spotting for dust and paying for development are more than worth it for these results, and you can get a medium format setup for the same price (well, a lot less if you don't go with a 'blad) as a digital SLR.

 

Digital capture has a long way to go before it meets the quality of a 4x5 scan, let alone an 8x10. As far as I can tell, scanning technology will continue to improve and people will still be using the "hybrid" process.

I picked up the same lens in perfect optical condition for $290 from KEH. Move on and find a better one!

I use both CSW and Precision in Chicago. I'm not sure where they are actually located, since I drop them off at the Columbia darkroom at 600 S. Michigan (10th floor...nobody will ask if you're a student or not if you just go to drop off film). It runs around $6 per roll for 8 hour turnaround.

For one of my color darkroom courses, my final project is to be in book format.

My final images are 16x16 so my book will be quite large. I would rather not

just bind the loose photo paper together as I am going for a more "finished"

look. My plan is to print the text and information for each image onto Crane

Museo Max 250gsm paper, and then somehow mount the photos to the pages.

 

My question is, what methods of mounting are available? I would prefer that the

mounted images be flexible (as it's going in a book), while being both permanent

and archival. One of my main concerns is achieving a smooth mount on such a

large photo, so I'd like to stay away from the two-sided adhesive sheets if

possible.

 

Another question I thought I'd throw in is, is it okay to heat-mount RC based

color prints using Colormount and Westminster unbuffered rag?

 

Thanks!

I currently use a 500c with 50/4C and the earlier style proshade that accepts

3x3 gel filters. I shoot C41 color and print by hand in the darkroom. For a

recent project I have been doing a lot of shooting in parking garages under

fluorescent lighting and would like to do some color correction "in camera" as

to obtain better saturation and save time in the darkroom.

 

My question is, while I know there are fluorescent filters available, I am short

on funds and would like to improvise if at all possible. I have a pack of Kodak

Polycontrast filters for black and white printing, and I noticed that the higher

grade filters are magenta, as are the fluorescent filters for color photography.

Has anybody tried to use a polycontrast filter on-camera in color photography to

do color correction? Do you think I will achieve decent results?

 

Thanks!

I've been using a Pelican PCS155(?) soft-sided bag coupled with the 1550 hard case. The bag has ample room for my 35mm and hasselblad 500C along with extra lenses and supplies. The bag gives you the option of using backpack straps or a shoulder strap, and while it doesn't offer much padding, it can be thrown into the 1550 case for the ultimate in protection.

You can also use a laptop and the software bundled with your camera to perform the same functions that the timer remote will give you. I guess it depends on your need for portability, but I have found that the few times I need a timed remote the extra hassle was worth not dropping so much on the "official" remote.

What kind of professional lab uses an Epson V700 for scanning film? I know it is a competent and probably one of the best consumer flatbeds for scanning film, but I'd expect more from a place that does this as part of its business.

 

Personally I've been having 6x6 color negatives using an Imacon/Hasselblad Flextight at 5800dpi, which produces about a 350mb @ 7000x7000 pixels, good for printing at up to 30" square without upressing the file. I've printed up to 60" square without noticing any loss of sharpness when viewed at a reasonable distance.

@Butch B.:

 

I've also learned to never keep a Pocket Wizard attached to the camera at any time. The shoe mount is made of very brittle plastic that only gets worse over time, and it is so tall that it has more than enough leverage to break it off. This is the very reason I'm using a non-wireless Nikon AS-15 in order to have PC-Sync on my camera.

 

I really need to start taking as much care of my 35mm gear as I do my Hassleblad. Getting this repair done is going to set back my acquisition of a Zeiss 80/2.8 CF T* by at least six months.