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rich long

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Posts posted by rich long

    Lens selection

    in Large Format

    Posted

    I started with a 150, then added a 250, then a 90. Later, I sold the 150 and 250, replaced them with 135 and 200. Still saving my pennies for a 300, but once I have that, I'll be set for quite a while.

     

    The 200 shoots about half of my images, and the 135 get most of the rest. The 90 is very useful when I need it, but that's only about 10-15% of the time.

    Using a 305mm G-Claron

    in Large Format

    Posted

    It will be the case, unless you get a telephoto lens. These require less bellows draw than the focal length of the lens (at infinity focus), but there are some drawbacks when it comes to camera movements. I think you could use a 360T on your ShenHao, and certainly a 300T.

    Landscape/Nature Monotony

    in Nature

    Posted

    Once you've achieved perfection, I guess you're finished. I'm nowhere near it yet, so I'll keep trying to improve my technique, composition, and ability to capture the scene in the best light. When I can perfectly compose, expose, and print every image that I attempt to capture, I'll sell my photo gear and look for something else to challenge myself with.

     

    I suppose that if I was searching for 'meaning' in my photos, I'd be discouraged. But I enjoy the challenge of the process and once in a while, the results of the process. (I find the process required with large format a little more enjoyable than the point and shoot process.)

     

    I see room for improvement in every photo I've ever taken. That's all the meaning I need - every photo means that I'm not as good at this as I could be. But I keep some of those photos because they're 'good enough' and they have a memory attached - a hike in the mountains, a fall day along a river, a quiet sunrise beside the lake. YMMV.

    Sharpening and Fall Foliage

    in Nature

    Posted

    I'm a complete novice myself. However, I'll pass along a little of what's in John Shaw's Photoshop Field Guide. He has 11 pages devoted to sharpening, including specific examples and step by step descriptions of his technique. Like his other books, this one is well worth the purchase price. But I must admit that I haven't taken the time to implement much of his technique yet. So don't look at my photos expecting to see the results of his techniques.

     

    John says that he uses a 3-step process. First, a minimal sharpening to correct for the softness from digital camera or scanner. Second, he sharpens specific areas of the image. Third, he does an overall sharpening.

     

    For the initial step, he recommends as a starting point to try Amount 350, radius 0.3, threshold 0, but notes that every photo is different and these numbers are just suggestions. In his first example, he uses 350, 0.7 and 3 for the first step.

     

    His second step, sharpening specific areas, is more complex. He's using it on fall foilage in his first example. At the risk of oversimplifying his example, he selects and copies a specific area of the image, pastes it into a new layer, and sharpens on that layer. He gives two alternatives for sharpening this layer and getting it back into the overall photo.

     

    For the third step, he uses the High Pass filter at a 30 pixel setting in his examples.

    I've just a BASIC question

    in PhotoNet Site Help

    Posted

    I uploaded a few photos over the weekend and a couple of them have gathered comments and ratings. I didn't request a critique on any of them, and I haven't notified anyone that I posted anything. I was quite surprised by this, but as best I can tell, any photo that is uploaded will show up under the "rate recent images" category. If 3 people happen to rate the image and give it high marks, then it could also show up on the 'top rated photos' pages.

     

    I quit requesting critiques about a year ago, when the only comment that an image received was "Drop shadow sucks" along with a 0/0 rating. I decided that real critiques were best found elsewhere.

     

    Although it's not the site's intended purpose, I now just maintain a few images here that I can direct people to when they want to see what I've been shooting lately. If I could, I'd disable the 'ratings and critiques' capability for everything in my folder. This site is still a fantastic learning resource, but it's a lot different than it was 7, 5, or even 3 years ago.

    4 x 5 fuji velvia processing cost?

    in Large Format

    Posted

    Here in Colorado Springs, there's only one place that processes 4x5 E6 - they charge $2.25 per sheet for 6-hour processing. If I take my film to Denver, the lab I use there charges $1.80 per sheet for 2-hour processing. (If anyone in the Springs has a better alternative, please let me know.)

    Focal length for sunrise/sunset

    in Nature

    Posted

    CG nailed it. Evaluate the possible compositions before you pick up the camera and before the sun is disappearing. Then set up with the lens that makes that composition possible, and wait for the light. Think ahead, be patient, plan your shots. It doesn't always work out the way you expected, but you'll get a higher keeper ratio than if you just try to grab semi-random shots at the last second.

     

    It took me several years to learn this and put it into practice, maybe you can improve on my record.

    In need of Tacihara 4X5 manual

    in Large Format

    Posted

    It's just the standard Tachi manual. How to open, close, etc. There was a third page inserted into mine about how to avoid crimping the bellows. Pretty simple stuff, really. If you want a copy, send an email to me - 'richlongphoto at earthlink dot net'. The pdf is on my laptop, I'll send it out tomorrow.

     

    BTW, I sent a copy to QT Luong, he said he'd post a link to it on the Tachi review at largeformatphotography.info.

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