Tech Talk: Tools and Process

Today I was doing some technical tests with my 4x5 Field Camera and a Leaf Digital Back. I have been curious about using this combination for a while and am trying deduce if it is worth my time and energy to employ in aspects of my project, Rambles in the Park. I am currently using a manual Graflok adaptor for the digital back. The process is more akin to shooting with film in terms of focusing, replacing the focusing back with the digital back, and the like. Needless to say, it is very process oriented, and won't change unless I pony up and buy a sliding back adaptor that is 5x more expensive than the manual back.

A self described homeless woman from California with her 9 month old son. I was doing technical tests and she proceeded to sit down in front of my camera and nurse and knit. 

I have an assortment of 4x5 lenses that vary in quality. This morning I was using a Fujinon 90mm lens from perhaps the late 70's . In the past I have used this lens for black and white work and have suspected that the coating/color of the lens was off a bit for color work. After doing some tests this morning, I discovered that the shutter does not work with the digital back below a 1/15 of a second (see below) I also discovered a purplish halo on the subject in certain combinations. 

detail: note purple halo around the babies face

Some people enjoy the process oriented aspects of the view camera. Several of my students embrace the process of large format. I feel this combination is a great way to teach students to slow down and visualize. For me, working with the 4x5 (and film) for Land of the Stratus was rewarding, though I purposely chose to work with the camera, so as to slow down and go back to the basics. 

An exposure at 1/8 of a second with a Leaf Back

My plan is to keep testing this combination for the sake of knowledge, experimentation, and education. At this point, I think investing in a high quality wide angle lens for the the Mamiya 645 DF may be a more practical solution for my current workflow. At some other juncture, perhaps myself or one of my students will find the ideal project to employ this combo. I feel there is a potential, for the right project, to use this hybrid combination of tools and techniques. 

4x5 with Leaf Aptus Digital Back, 90mm lens, F8, 1/15 second, 50 ISO (note no color distortion on this image)

Nikon D700: Subjective Tests and Musings

I was recently hired to do a 3 day photo shoot starting in Seattle. The shoot motivated me to upgrade my digital camera. My fine art photography is primarily done with either a 4x5 or 6x7 film camera, but when it comes to work for hire,  digital is the obvious solution.  So this week I took the hit and purchased a Nikon D700. I have been interested in shooting with a full frame sensor since the Canon 5D, and I finally took the plunge for the Nikon. I will spare you my personal musings on the psychology of buying, or my theories on Nikon's long term marketing plan.

Included are some of my  general impressions of the Nikon D700 after one day of shooting and editing. I also spent a week doing on-line research. A website that I get a lot of info from is Ken Rockwell's website (www.kenrockwell.com). I swear he is a salaried Nikon employee. There is also a lot of websites making fun of his site and biases, but non the less I generally distill the basic info I need from his reviews (should I admit this?) 

The D700 is a well built camera. It is relatively easy to use (though the manual might suggest otherwise) and if you have been using Nikon digital SLR's, it's a simple transition. The Nikon 50mm 1.4 lens I purchased along the the D700 is relatively cheap and sharp . The camera reminds me of an old school Nikon film camera- particularly the viewfinder. 

Gripes:

No 5:4 ratio. For some reason I thought full frame meant that it would match the traditional rectangle of, for example, my Mamiya 7 II. Duh on my part. Apparently you can only get this with the D2, for a couple of thousand dollars more. 

It works with my DX lenses, though the D700 only produces a 5.1 file size. Gurrh! The Nikon D300 produces a 12.1 image with the same lens. This means I will have to buy more lenses and cannot use the nice 18-200mm dx zoom lens I bought this last summer, unless I don't mind shaving off 7 megapixels of image size. 

Above is an example of my son in a dark room using an ISO 3200 (with no flash) This appears to be one of the big selling points of the D700 camera (as well as the equivalent Canons). It is a nice feature, though is it worth the extra cash for my work flow? Oddly enough for the upcoming shoot I am doing, it will be a big asset, though of course I will still have a tripod and two flashes to cover the low light and night photography. 

The bottom line:

I will learn to appreciate this camera and it will pay for itself in a couple of shoots. Non the less, I am hoping that I will not have to upgrade the Nikon D700 camera as often as I am supposed to upgrade software and computers. I just cannot take it. I like my film cameras!

Tech Talk: Digital Photo Papers Over the Years

Over the past 6 years I have been using heavy photo rag papers that are akin to printmaking papers such as BFK. My inkling for these kinds of paper comes from graduate school, where I was working with and around photographers who often considered their images more as objects, or things, then for example windows. I also did work with the renowned printmaking studio, The Tamarind Institute, in Albuquerque, NM and fell in love with the weight, volume, and tactility of traditional print making papers.

During the past few years my work has shifted back towards the photographic (vs printmaking) and I have struggled to find a paper that serves the work. This coupled with shifts in digital printing technology and the abundance of new papers flooding the market, has left me feeling somewhat daunted. Over the past 5 years, I have been printing on Sommerset Velvet Enhanced paper. I used this paper to print the series Trace. Trace has a painterly/printmaking quality that works well with Sommerset Velvet Papers.

As a general proofing paper and for teaching purposes, I use Epson Photo Enhanced, which has taken on several different incarnations over the years. This paper is an economical choice for proofing and produces decent images, though the overall quality is lacking for fine art prints. Last year I began using Hahnemuhle Photo Rag papers for landscape the work I was doing, and at first I was ok with the paper. Over time though I realized that the kind of work I was making did not translate well onto this paper. Needless to say, I burned through a lot of this relatively pricey paper, as I tried harder and harder to eek out prints that I was never going to get. Fortunately it was not a complete waste, as I was able to take what I learned and make a series of prints of very personal works entitled "When I See You, I Will Show You Our Road..." For this particular series, the tactility, weight, and warmth of the paper lent to the subject matter and enhanced the images in the manner I envisioned.

Over the past eight months I have been shooting and hand processing 4x5 silver negatives. I am interested in creating digital prints that have the look and feel of a traditional silver print. Hence this fall I began experimenting with new papers. While at SPE this last spring in Denver, a representative for Harmon papers gave me some samples of their new Photo Baryta FB papers. This fall I was finally able to test the samples and was very impressed with the quality. I tested Harmon FB Matt Photo, Gloss FB AI, and the Gloss FB AI. All three papers in my opinion looked as good as many silver prints I had seen over the years. The fact that the prints came came out of my Epson 3800, and not a wet lab, is even more incredible. More recently I tested the Hahnemuhle Baryta paper and was equally impressed. The 3 gloss surfaces (1 Hahnemuhle and two Harmons) I tested, reminded me of digital luster paper with a silver look reminiscent of Agfa and Ilford papers. Most recently I printed a packet of 15 11"x14" images on 13"x19" Gloss FB AI paper and am very happy with the results. The marriage of traditional and digital technology is key in the success of this work. Change is slow but I am finally getting it!

A little background on Baryta, culled from the web. Wikipedia writes: Barium hydroxide is the chemical compound with the formula Ba(OH)2. Also known as baryta, it is one of the principal compounds of barium. The white granular monohydrate is the usual commercial form. I also like that it is used as a homeopathic remedy and to clean up chemical spills. You can find out more about the paper on the Luminous Landscape. " They write: "Baryta is barium-sulphate, a clay-like material that is applied to a fiber paper substrate. On traditional papers with light sensitive emulsions it acts to whiten the paper, produces a high degree of reflectivity, and as well provides a ground for the emulsion. Some of the finest photographic papers that we used to use, such as Multigrade IV FB and Ilfobrom Galerie FB, were Baryta based."

N+1, N-1

During the past few days I have been shooting both medium and large format film, combining both technical tests and attempting to develop some creative seeing. On Monday I shot late into the evening and I was happy with a couple of the 4x5 negatives. Two of the images from the Monday night shoot have provided me with some direction that I might like to go with this new work.

T-Max 400, 4x5, DeHart, 6.08. 
I was interested in capturing the dark quality of the evening trees and lake. I exposed the negative so that the image would be dark, yet maintain detail. My exposure was between zone II & zone III (intentionally underexposing slightly). I overdeveloped (n+1=10%) so as to give the image drama. (click on the image)

6x7 negative, Plus-x, ISO 125, Yellow Filter. DeHart, 6.08. 

I Overexposed 1 stop and used N-1 to lower the contrast. This is a typical "formula" that I often used in Arizona in bright light for black and white.  This kind of lighting technique reminds me of an open flash. The light is usually over my should (from behind) and is very direct. I used this kind of lighting in my recent color work in Buffalo. (minus the N-1). I am currently moving in a different direction with lighting in my developing project.

I will be biking in the San Juan islands over the next 2 days and plan to shoot and camp on Shaw Island, which is quiet, relatively undeveloped, and very private. The University of Washington owns a marine preserve on the island. I will also be on San Juan Island to meet with Barbara Cox from Photokunst to learn more about photography "scene" here in the islands. 

Tech test, v.1.0: Stones

Stone Zone Test-18%, DeHart and Sons, 2008

I finally found some time to do technical tests yesterday. My goal with the first 6 sheets of film was to start seeing in black and white again and to iron out some kinks with metering and developing. In addition I was testing some filters I recently purchased. Developing in the bathroom with my HP Combiplan T tank was a little awkward at first, though I am getting the kinks ironed out. My sons and I collected stones at the beach yesterday and we thought we would make a stone zone chart for fun. 

Summer Reading

Over the past few weeks I have been reading, or re-reading Ansel Adams book The Negative. It is an exhaustive technical guide on producing negatives using the Zone System. I have been learning and re-learning a good deal from it. One of my projects this next year is shooting black and white landscapes and what better source then to go to the master for technical advice. I suppose in many circles, Adams is not in vogue these days, and yet his influence on both the art and craft of photography is insurmountable.

Ansel Adams, The Negative

I only first heard of Adams series of books after undergrad (1994) when I was working at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. I briefly worked for a photographer, peddling his tasteful black and white photos of the region. I was not so good at selling his work, though Robert Bennett was a good guy and he loaned me one of his Adams books on the print. I have not seen nor talked to Robert in many years but I did notice that he is focused full time on his woodworking business. http://www.whidbeywoodworkers.com/artisans/rbennett.html

Ansel Adams, The Print (thanks Robert)

Unlike most photo graduates ( I did not get a degree in photography, until my MFA) I did not learn about nor fully understand the Zone System until I was teaching a large format photo course, designed by photo faculty Paul Mckee, at Prescott College in Arizona. Paul studied with among others, Frederick Sommer (who lived much of his adult life in Precott). Teaching large format in Arizona was inspiring and memorable, though like many things in life, did not turn out the way I had envisioned.

I am getting primed to begin shooting here on Orcas and in the San Juans. I have almost pieced together a makeshift developing room and am putting the final touches on updating my photo gear for landscape shooting. There is plenty of inspiration on the island and now I just need to find the space to begin, or should I say, continue, our adventure here. I have actively been shooting on Orcas for over 6 years now. During the summer of 2002, we spent 5 weeks on the island and I began shooting black and white with a view camera. Since then, we have returned every year for at least a few weeks or more. For several years I shot color with my medium format. This last year I returned with field camera. Most of the work I have generated on Orcas thus far has not stood the test of time, though I was happy with some of the images from the last visit in Jan. of 08.

Obstruction Pass, Pigment Print, Edition of 10, 16"x20", Edition of 5, 24"x30", Jan. 2008, Dennis DeHart

HDR Test

Dennis DeHart, HDR test (Central Terminal), 13x19 (Interpolated), 2008

During my photo excursion in central Buffalo, I did an HDR test. Essentially I placed the camera on a tripod and bracketed for a total of 6 photos. Then I imported them into Photoshop (CS2 or above) and the software composited the image in 32 bit. After some finagling with the opacity and the like, I made this image with a lower end Nikon DSLR. (You can read more about how to do HDR in an article by Dan Burkholder on the Texas Photographic Society website) The benefits are obvious. In this scene, the shadows on the upper left are about 6 stops darker then the highlights in the hole in the roof on the right. Using the HDR workflow allowed me to gather much more information then was possible with a single image. Neat!

Howdy from Buffalo and lens tests

Dennis DeHart, After the October Storm, Buffalo, NY, 2006. (6x7 film)

During the last few weeks I have been going through my 6x7 negatives of Buffalo from the past 3 years. I have managed to find some interesting images and it is has inspired me to make more images of Buffalo with my Mamiya. This weekend I decided to do some technical tests with a Nikon Digital SLR and a borrowed AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm 1:2.8 D lens. You can read a detailed discussion of the lens at Ken Rockwell's website. The bottom line, this lens rocks! While it will set you back a bit, you just can't go wrong with the superior quality. The tests I did this weekend don't actually reflect the kind of work I have been editing/shooting, but non the less is was interesting to do and gave me an excuse to go tromping around Buffalo.

Dennis DeHart, lens test/digital, 5 images mocked up together, Buffalo, NY, 2008

Living and teaching in Buffalo, one just cannot escape seeing pictures of urban decay. I have tried my best to avoid it as a subject matter, and yet it is everywhere and can be quite compelling. These images were taken in one of the outlining buildings at the old Buffalo train terminal. The photos were taken on a tripod for about 30 seconds each, with an ISO of 200.

An old post card I found on line. If I am not mistaken, the image in the "o" in Buffalo is of the exterior of the central terminal in its glory days.

Buffalo Historical Museum and Digital Backs

While in Denver, I was looking at a Leaf Aptus 65 camera back attached on a field camera like mine. I was very interested for obvious reasons and the rep let me experiment with the Aptus for a good half hour or so in the trade show. While the benefits of such a device are obvious, one could shoot and have processed, some 3500 sheets of color negative 4x5 film for the price of the Aptus. The rep was smart enough to not scare me away, by giving me a verbal price quote of about 35-40% less then the street cost (maybe he quoted me the used price for the 5 year old version) The rep also mentioned that the show at the Buffalo Historical Museum by Michael Horowitz was done with an Aptus. So today I grabbed the family and checked it out.

Cathedrals of Industry
Photographs by Michael L. Horowitz
Part I: Colonel Ward Pumping Station
February 1 - July 25, 2008

First off, If you have not been to the Historical Museum, go! It is a great place to learn about the history of Buffalo. Buffalo has a lot of history and one could spend weeks exploring the region on this point alone. Admittedly, I went to see the exhibition Cathedrals of Industry more out of curiosity of how the Aptus performs then pictures of industry. Horowitz prints are well presented, semi salon style. It is quite pleasant to see photographs in this beautiful old building. I was not overly impressed with the image quality of the prints. This may be due, in part, to my preconceived expectations of the Aptus. A number of things could have also contributed to the quality of the prints (lenses on the camera, the quality of light, how the file was converted from Raw, sharpening filters, the printer used, paper stock, etc.) As with a majority of black and prints I have seen done digitally from beginning to end, the longer tonal range of film was missing in these prints. The digital prints that I have seen done well in black and white are generally from hybrid solutions derived from a film scan. I guess I am still a hold out for film both financially and aesthetically. I suppose if I was a commercial shooter, the Aptus could be a good tool. I can understand the need for convenience and immediacy, both of which don't always make for good art. Last week I had digital back envy, but fortunately today, I was cured of that, at least for now.

Photo: DeHart, 2nd floor Buffalo Historical Museum looking from above the Horowitz Exhibit

A Follow Up On Hahnemuhle Bamboo Fine Art Paper

People have been asking me about what I think of the Hahnemuhle bamboo paper I recently wrote about (see my 2-4-08 posting) For example, an e-mail today reads:

I read on your blog that you are excited about using the Bamboo paper by Hahnemuhle; do you print your own prints and have you used it as yet? What printer do you use, we have an Epson 3800 and am interested in knowing if the bamboo paper will be successful with it. Thank you. Susan and Neil

http://www.thesilvermansphotography.com

I thought I would use this opportunity to answer the Silverman's questions and review my experience with the paper. I am currently printing with an Epson 7800. I have made about 15 color prints, mostly portraits and a few landscapes, on 8.5x11 paper. The weight and look of the paper is handsome and has a warm, slightly yellow tone. The paper in my experience prints deceptively dark. I am using the Bamboo profile off the Hahnemuhle website along with the settings that they list including printing at 1440 dpi. I mention dark for several reasons, with one being that I find that I need to raise my brightness and contrast levels for the final prints by about 10% to achieve the luminosity that I want. In addition, I proof under daylight balanced (5200-5400) tubes on white walls and find that unless I use additional work lights, that the prints read really dark. For example, I showed my wife some prints from a series of portraits, and the whole time she complained at how dark they were until I held them under direct light, and then the prints kind of glowed and looked great. This may be the "spiritual" quality the manufacturers are talking about. I have printing on photo rag bright white paper and so this may also have something to do with the way my eyes reads the prints. Recently I have also been having some trouble with the 7800 not wanting to load the paper (I have to guide it gently) and it has been getting caught in the printer (which has to to with the way the paper slightly curls, which in all fairness is an issue for many of the heavy rags, which I usually "work" a little before I load in the printer) I like the paper, both for its quality and what it stands for environmentally. My personal aesthetic currently gravitates towards the bright white papers that I am used to working with, though I plan to keep the bamboo paper on hand for special and unique projects.

Outdated Film tests (yawn?)

As a college professor of photography and digital imaging, it is often a sizable part of my job to stay on top of technical issues. I can spend a large part of my teaching day dealing with chemistry, software, cameras, computers, hardware, film, printers (film and digital ) etc. etc. etc. I spend very little time on these aspects when it comes to thinking, teaching, and writing about photography, art, or pedagogy, within the larger context of intellectual and cultural issues. Non the less, deep down I am a technophile (I think all photographers must be to some degree in order to make things work) and am always testing and learning about some new or old aspect of photographic and computer technology. Technology plays a huge role in my life ( I would say more then most, less then some) and yet I give it so little credence in my daily living. A book that comes to mind for me when thinking about some of these issue is called High Tech, High Touch: Technology and our Search for Meaning, by A. Naisbitt, N. Naisbitt, and D. Philips. I have not read it in many years but now have to go find it on my bookshelf.I actually did not began this entry in order to go on some tangent about technology, but instead to discuss an exciting topic: developing outdated film. Recently I was shopping for some 4x5 film and the gentleman at the counter told me that they did not have any in stock. He then reached under the counter and pulled out a bag of 10+ boxes of expired color and black and white film and offered to sell it to me for $50. Why not. I like a good deal and though the color was probably no good, the black and white, he and I were confident, was still good (about 250 sheets in total including T-Max, Tri-X, and HP-5) So last night I took my antiquated, outdated technology and made some test shots, with my antiquated camera, in a light snow storm and in our little apartment. It was kind of fun.

Photo: Dennis DeHart, F22, 8 sec, exposure test with expired T-Max(2004)

I tried the 3 types of film in both my field camera and Leonardo (a pinhole camera). I am happy to report that the film (dated 2004) works great and am now obligated to shoot black and white film for a while. It is down right American (and perhaps universally human) to want a good deal , yet when it comes to serious photography, I leave less and less to chance and just use the "correct" tools including fresh supplies and relatively new equipment.

Photo: Dennis DeHart, F32, 30 sec, exposure test with expired Tri-x (2004)

It is very gratifying to still find chance encounters with archaic tools and materials in my art/photo making process. I don't think this is profound enough conceptually to make work about (I am sure it has been done) but who knows, the process is definitely enjoyable. Now hopefully, you will enjoy the pictures I make. xoxoxox