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Category Archives: 4×5 film
How I See in the Field: Simple.
Ice Reflection, El Capitan, Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is an interesting place to photograph. To call it iconic is an understatement. However, while the iconic vistas are a must do for photographers, the conditions must be amazing to make those images successful. After many years of visiting and observing this alluring valley, I’ve found that its beauty really lies in the subtle details found in the shadows of the “giants of the valley”. (I actually find this to hold true almost anywhere I explore!)
Now, here is where my style diverges from many. Most photographers, especially when shooting digital, will “work” a location. They will start quickly with multiple obvious images of the icon, even with mediocre conditions, and continue to change focal lengths and bracket exposures, capturing every possibility so as not to miss anything. This is more of a photojournalistic / must have volume immediately approach. I prefer to stay relaxed and open, observe, and see what I am drawn to, visually and emotionally. I don’t want to gather hundreds (or thousands) of snap shots in hopes of finding “something good” several days later while weeding through “the pile” on the computer. I am looking for one or two moving pieces of art. I want to ‘Bring the Fine Art of Nature Home”!
When I am drawn to a subject, I take my time. I don’t want to force it. I look at the main subject that grabbed my attention, and then look at the context. If I am still drawn to the subject, I see if there is a specific composition that feels right. If so, I take out my camera, choose a lens (my large format cameras only have fixed focal lengths) and look at the rough composition. Next I settle on my focal length, choose my perspective (camera height, distance from the subject, side to side angle, etc.) and finally, ELIMINATE anything I can from the composition. I prefer clean and simple. I then decide as to whether or not this composition still pulls me in. If so, it’s on to the technical stuff (which I keep minimal!).
Now that I have composed THE image, and the light is or will soon be ideal, I decide whether or not I need to use a filter. (Most often I am filter free, with a few exceptions: Split ND filters to even out exposures, polarizers for removing glare on wet rocks and foliage, and contrast filters for black and white film photography.) Finally, I calculate the exposure, load one sheet of film and capture one exposure.
The image above, Ice Reflection, El Capitan, is a stunning example of this process. With no clouds to make El Capitan appear unique and interesting in a more direct composition, I put myself in a position to explore something unique. I relaxed and maximized my chances by choosing this location (you can’t force it). I was there early, knew the light to expect, and just went with it. I walked along and let the shoreline ice grab my attention. I checked it out, moved around and watched the reflection change as I moved. The ice patterns alone were worthy of an image. When I was able to add the contrasting reflection of warm light on El Capitan with that of the blue sky, the dimension changed dramatically. For me, this image is now about pattern, detail, light, color and place. Amazing!
Notes:
I shot this image using my 4×5 inch film camera. This large format equipment has numerous benefits: The film size captures a huge amount of information. It is relatively slow to set up (encouraging me to be very considerate in my image choices). It is quite expensive to shoot (again encouraging me to be very considerate in my image choices). I can change the shape of the camera, and thus change the focal plane to match the image needs (this enables extreme critical focus and allows me to use the lens at its strongest working aperture). Each of these factors leads to the finest print quality available. I created one exposure. The exposure of the shot.
Importantly, this process of how I see, work with my large format gear and focus on “THE SHOT” is what has made me a successful gallery owner and workshop / tour leader. I am able to make photography a relaxing endeavor focused on the feelings that brought each of us to outdoor photography to begin with. I am eliminating the intimidation factor of technological overwhelm, and I am sharing the strong basic process of seeing, feeling and composing “The Fine Art of Nature”. When participants visit my gallery and view my large fine art prints on the wall, they find great relief in learning that you don’t have to be a computer engineer to do photography at the highest level. Please join me in the field!
Photo Tip:
The lesson learned here is one of the biggest I share with my workshop / tour participants. Relax, stay open and don’t force an image. The art of landscape photography begins with seeing in a way that communicates what we feel when we are lucky enough to experience natures beauty. Especially when we have travelled somewhere with the purpose of doing photography, the natural (modern) inclination is to shoot all we can. The reality is, the shot isn’t always there. I believe it is better to come away with a few beautiful, heartfelt pieces of art, than it is to grab hundreds (or thousands) of images that are mere snapshots. Furthermore, I never shoot with the mindset that “I can fix it later” or “make it art” in the computer. Enjoy the beauty in these inspiring natural places, immerse yourself in your surroundings, and use the basics to compose the art that moves you.
Equipment:
Canham 4×5 Metal Field Camera, Rodenstock APO Sironar-S 150mm lens, Fuji Provia 100 Transparency Film, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Tripod, Sekonic Digital Spot Meter.
Private Workshops:
I am available for private individual or group workshops and tours near my home in Lake Tahoe, or anywhere in the world! join me when you are ready to take your photography to the next level, when you want a guide for the sweet spots of Lake Tahoe, or when you want to improve your photographic success on your next photo trip! Contact me directly: 530-544-4269 jonpaul@jonpaulgallery.com www.jonpaulgallery.com
When the Magic Happens!
Steaming Tree, Light Rays & Reflections
When the magic happens, all is right in the world. This was one of those moments. After several days of rain, and a relatively cold night, the rising sun heated the dark, wet tree and created steam. A scene I have walked by numerous times was transformed into a mystical wonderland. It was thrilling to experience. As the steam filled the air, obscuring the forest beyond, and filtering the rays of sun breaking through the branches, I immersed myself in the experience. This isn’t a mere photograph. This is a translation of what I feel when Mother Nature is kind enough to let the magic happen.
I chose to shoot black and white film on my 4×5 field camera, as this image was all about mood. The tones of black, white and grey were necessary to translate the emotions of the light show, narrowing the scene down to light, dark and form. i love making these artistic choices in the field, as opposed to shooting haphazardly, and hoping to fix it in a computer later. This is the only way to translate the feelings we experience in nature with our art. For me, the art is the experience. My photography is the simple artistic representation.
Photo Tip:
This is a classic example of using the Zone System in order to capture a huge exposure range in one sheet of film. I metered on the dark shadow on the tree, then underexposed 2 1/2 stops. This rendered the tree relatively black, with a touch of detail remaining in the shadows. The areas of bright light (lit grass & backlit fog) metered 7 stops brighter than the shadow. To remedy this, I used a N-2 processing time on the film (under processed 2 stops) in order to narrow the range between shadow and highlight to 5 stops. Using these tactics, I was able to create a negative that rendered detail in both shadow and highlight areas, while keeping a full range of contrast. The craft of large format film photography is a real joy to work with, and when done well, renders amazing results!
Equipment used:
Canham 5×7 metal Field Camera, 4×5 Reducing Back, Rodenstock Sironar-S 150mm lens, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo Carbon Tripod, Kodak T-Max 100 Black and White Film, Ilford ID-11 Developer.
The Joy of Sunrise!
Sunrise, Misty Reflection, The Oxbow
Sunrise is a special time for landscape photographers. We venture out into a dark world with great hope and expectation. The world is quiet and still, with most creatures (at least humans) still asleep, and the wind waiting to be pushed by the suns first warming rays. Often times it is quite cold, but we come prepared. To endure the lack of sleep, darkness and bitter temperatures is a small price to pay to witness the first glimmers of light on a new day. At times this is looked upon as sacrifice. However, for those of us that have experienced the new dawn in a spectacular, and perhaps remote wild location, this is food for our soul. The image a reminder of the feelings we experienced in that spiritual place.
I have continued to use large format film in the hopes of doing justice to these special moments and places. I hope to share more than just an image, but to give you, my collectors, the ability to be in that place, at that time, so your life can also benefit from what nature has to offer, if I am willing to endure a little discomfort. Soul food. May it fill you up.
The Story
Sunrise at Oxbow Bend is a classic! The anticipation of waiting for the sun to rise to the east and illuminate Mount Moran, the Teton Range and the yellow aspens in the foreground is fantastic. However, on this Fall morning, Mother Nature shared a visual appetizer! I looked over my shoulder to the east and realized the show was starting early, and in the opposite direction. Fortunately, I had time to move my 4×5 setup, compose and focus in time to capture this incredible light show. The shape of the clouds, the mirrored reflection and the mist rising from the river were capped off by the pastel colors of sunrise. The depth of this image draws us in, as this location draws me back year after year. Enjoy the view!
Photo Tip:
Everyone loves a colorful sunrise reflected in a still body of water. It’s a classic type of scenic image. Depending on the physical conditions of the location, it can also be very challenging to create a solid exposure. Most often, the sky is lit with the best color before the sun actually rises above the horizon. This leaves us with a larger dynamic range (from highlight to shadows) that the film or digital sensor can’t handle in one exposure. You either end up with accurately exposed sky and black foreground and mountains, or accurately exposed foreground and blown out / white sky. While many people choose to use HDR software or image blending to put together two or more exposures in the computer, I prefer the simplicity of using a split level ND filter. This filter enables you to hold back the amount of light entering the camera from the sky, reducing the dynamic range, and enabling you to capture the scene in one exposure.
In the example above, I used a 3-stop split ND filter with a soft gradation. I was then able to expose for the foreground (bushes and fall color in mist), giving me an exposure latitude easily handleable by my transparency film. The result is a very true exposure in which I held the highlight detail and pastel color in the clouds, along with retaining shadow detail and subtle fall colors through the mist in the middle of the scene. Another bonus; very little computer time and a clean image that can be printed to 48×65 inches!
NOTE: Many people use split filters or image blending / HDR and forget the fact that reflections are always 1 stop darker that what they are reflecting. To keep a natural look to your image (albeit subtle), make sure the reflection is a little darker than the reflected subject. It’s all about the details!
Equipment Used:
Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera, 4×5 reducing back, Caltar IIN (Rodenstock) 90mm lens, Singh Ray 3-stop soft gradation split ND filter, Gitzo Carbon Tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Fuji Provia 100 4×5 inch Transparency Film.
Fall Photographic Workshop in Grand Teton National Park!
A Fall Photographic Adventure in Grand Teton National Park
Grand Tetons in the Fall, 2012: September 27-30.
This will be a four day adventure focussing on iconic Teton landscape images, as well as wildlife photography. Along with putting us in the right place at the right time to capture our dream photos, I will be teaching about composition, exposure, light, perspective and proper technique. 100% of our time will be spent in the field, where we will learn while doing. While our days are long and tiring, they are also extremely rewarding both photographically and personally. Comeraderie is a huge part of our experience. We will have a great time in a world class wilderness environment and come away better photographers for it. This will be limited to a small number of participants so everyone has all the personal attention required to get the most out of the experience.Please call to discuss any details that may help you make your decision.Please call the gallery directly to inquire! 530-544-4269
Lily Pads & Fall Reflection Panorama
Lily Pads & Fall Reflection Panorama
I composed this image on Lily Lake, at the south end of the Lake Tahoe Basin. I love this area for it’s signature Sierra beauty, along with the peace and quiet that can be experience here. Early this fall morning the wind stood still, enabling me to enjoy the crystal clear reflections and mist rising from the water. The old cabins and row boat added to the ambiance of this Walden like scene. I chose to create this image before the sun rose high enough to illuminate the far cliffs, keeping the moodiness of the scene. I didn’t want the electric pop of direct light here. I was mesmerized by the tranquility, and the shaded light enabled me to hold the richness I wanted in the colors. Finally, I chose the panoramic format to accentuate the mist on the far side of the lake, and give an expansive view of the most detail filled portion of the scene I was observing. This image is now available as a limited edition directly through Jon Paul Gallery.
(Note: This is one of the locations available to my private field seminar participants! Contact me through Jon Paul Gallery for information on my seminar offerings.)
Photo Tip:
I love shooting in low ambient light pre-sunrise, after sunset, or in overcast conditions. Colors are very rich, and otherwise impossible exposures are tamed by the even light. However, these conditions produce a blue cast that our film or digital sensors record. Occasionally, this can be a cool effect, but most often it just looks unnatural. This can be solved in several ways: we can use a warming filter over our lens, we can set the white balance in our digital camera before shooting, we can correct the color temperature in our Raw converter or, within PhotoShop, we can open a curves adjustment layer and use the grey dropper. Shaded light is fantastic for scenes that can become too contrasty in direct light. Just be aware of the color cast and know how to correct it if you would like to. Happy shooting!
Equipment used:
Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera, Canham 6x17cm panoramic roll film back, Rodenstock 150mm APO Sironar-s lens, Fuji RDPIII Provia 100 transparency film, Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head.
Stay Open to Something Different!
Schwabacher's Beaver Pond Reflection
This is one of my favorite landscape images from my recent trip to Grand Teton National Park. I had a morning to myself during my Fall “shoot with the pro” field workshop, so I visited the iconic Schwabacher’s Landing. After the sunrise at the most popular spot fizzled, I wandered around and took advantage of the soft, mottled light that was produced by the encroaching storm clouds just 30 minutes into the day. The low sun at this time of year makes this possible. This beaver pond held a perfect mirror reflection. I was able to include a beaver hut, dramatic clouds , fall color, moody dead trees, and the dramatic peaks in the background. Normally this is a lot to include in one composition, but the reflection helped balance and calm the image. I captured the image on 4×5 inch transparency film, so the detail is amazing. As with most of my images, this composition has a real wow factor, but the viewer will be awed by the subtle details in a large gallery print. Another amazing experience that will endure the ages!
Photo Tip: During Fall and Spring, don’t disregard the soft light one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset. Especially when combined with dramatic skies in these changing seasons, early and late light can be a nice compliment to colorful compositions. While dramatic alpenglow and sunrise/sunset colors are exciting, warm light can be more subtle and pleasing for fine art images that will hang in someone’s home. Take advantage of the magic hour at these times of year and you may be greatly rewarded!
Equipment: Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera, 4×5 reducing back, Rodenstock 150mm APO Sironar-S lens, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Tirpod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head, Fuji Velia 100F transparency film. Film scanned on a Hasselblad/Imacon 646 drum scanner.
“SHOOT WITH THE PRO” Grand Teton Seminar
Oxbow Bend, Mount Moran and the Grand
So many gallery visitors and fellow photographers have asked me to guide them in Grand Teton National Park that I altered my Fall schedule to introduce this unique offering! COME SHOOT WITH THE PRO (that’s me) in one of the most stunning locations in the world. This is not a typical seminar. I will be using my experience and knowledge to pursue stunning new gallery images. I will welcome a total of only 4 individuals to join me on this professional excursion. I will put us in the most iconic locations at the right time of day, and with a little cooperation from Mother Nature, we will compose some amazing images. While we shoot together, I will answer your questions, share tips and help ensure your photographic success. After our sunrise landscape shoots, we will pursue wildlife such as Moose, Elk and Bison. During the day, we can choose to pursue more images (weather permitting), or learn from photo critiques on your laptop in camp. Join me at a beautiful campground, or rest in one of Jackson Hole’s hotels and meet me in the morning at our sunrise location. This promises to be an amazing experience. Join me!
This seminar/tour is being offered on relatively short notice. Please contact me ASAP.
530-544-4269 gallery 530-545-2896 cell jonpaul@jonpaulgallery.com
We will meet/greet the afternoon/evening of September 28th. The morning of the 29th will be our first sunrise shoot.
We will be immersed in photography 24/7 through sunset on October 2nd. This makes a full four days of shooting, and living the photographic dream! Please call immediately for details and to reserve your spot.
Bison with Fall Color & Falling Snow
A Peaceful Maui Sunrise
Pastel Sunrise, Maui, Hawaii
What better way to start your day than with a soul full of tranquility! As I enjoyed the peace and solitude of the pre-dawn hour in reflection here on the beach in Maui, Mother Nature added just enough pastel color to spice things up. Given that the sun had not yet risen, there was an even, soft light that projects little contrast, and enables us to feel the calmness of the moment. The relatively long exposure time softened what little wave activity there was, the outgoing water blended nicely with the sand, and the puffy clouds were washed in the same colors and tones as the rest of the scene. The light reflection of of the water, mirroring the sky added to the cohesiveness. The different elements add a bit of interest, yet they are blending together in such a way that the feeling of peace is strengthened. I hope this image shares the with you the joy I felt while composing this amazing moment in time. Enjoy the view!
Photo Tip: Shooting pre-dawn or post sunset can enable you to capture soft glowing light not seen at other times of day. As opposed to direct light, these special times provide an other worldly mood created by light filtering through greater amounts of atmosphere and reflecting off of the atmosphere. This is a sure way to add drama to otherwise common or familiar locations. Given the low light, a longer exposure time will be required. Remember to use a sturdy tripod along with a cable release to avoid camera shake.
Details: Canham 5×7 metal field camera with 4×5 reducing back, 150mm Rodenstock Sironar-S lens, Fuji Provia 100 speed 4×5 quickload film, Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head, Singh-Ray 2-stop split ND filter.
My Photography and What I Share in My Seminars
In an age where high volume and over the top/oh my gosh imagery is what many people expect, my personal taste and style continue to be based in the subtleties of landscape photography. I have a passion for fine details, either on their own, or as an important part of a more grand landscape. My work is about the joy and escape I experience while out in the field. When immersed in a beautiful natural setting experiencing the (apparent) simplicity of nature, I just feel right, happy. While I revel in the grandeur of some of these locations, that initial excitement is often the trigger that moves my thoughts away from daily business, obligations and stress. Once “free”, I find that I am open to all the little details that are the building blocks of the grand (and obvious) surroundings. As an end result, I use my personal style of photography to translate what I feel and experience, along with what I see, to the people that view and collect my work.
I still shoot large format film for several reasons, which all relate to the above statements. First, I am a gallery photographer. My primary end product is a fine art print, most often in very large sizes. I love the look of a big print made from big film! Second, I like the ability to use camera movements to critically focus my images for greater (natural) sharpness. Third, this equipment slows me down and helps me focus on one composition. I can’t rush around creating many mages, each with only a bit of meaning to me. I want to compose that one image that requires all of my attention, enabling me to create the art I am passionate about, not just a bunch of pictures (Thus, my catch fraze, “Bringing the fine art of nature home”). Fourth, I enjoy the craft of using a big bellows camera with all of the manual adjustments. It gives me a nostalgic feeling and a sense of pride in making a daily effort to continually master the most basic, and most important aspects of landscape photography. Finally, all of these factors come together when I experience the reactions of people visiting my gallery. I realize the impact my work has on peoples lives when they are moved by my images. A large part of this impact is a product of the artistic process I have chosen to bring my vision to fruition. I am often told that my work goes well beyond the technical “work” of photography, and shares the emotion and passion I have for my subject.
Even with my choice of equipment, almost all of my seminar participants shoot digital. People do not join me in the field to learn HDR or how to work their particular digital camera. I take people out to great locations where we look through the lens together and work on solidifying the basics of image creation while capturing beautiful images. I passionately answer all of their questions, share important aspects of good technique, and focus on learning while doing. I have been amazed by how many people share with me that their photography has come to a standstill since they got their great new digital SLR. Most have become so bogged down by “all of the functions they need to learn”, that they simpy forget about composing an image, properly exposing the image, and using good technique for sharp image capture. I enjoy helping people get a jump start with the basic (and most important) foundations of seeing and creating the images that move them . I love photographing the natural world, and am very excited to share what I have learned with people who sincerely want to learn.
Please visit my web site, www.jonpaulgallery.com , to view examples of my work. Also feel free to contact me directly to purchase my work or to arrange a field seminar privately or for a small group. When in South Lake Tahoe, visit the Jon Paul Gallery in person. I appreciate input and the opportunity to share my passion with you.
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