Technical Info

"Trees and Creek, Great Smokey Mountains"

• style
• camera
• lenses
• film
• color prints
• black and white prints
• darkroom
• other gear

Style

I have been developing my photographic style for over ten years. Originally being fascinated by photographers associated with the West Coast movement such as Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham and Edward Weston, I also grew to favor the avant garde aesthetic. While developing my skills, I found it useful to duplicate different photographer's styles in order to gain proficiency in rendering a scene how I envisioned it. By emulating people before me, I have gained an understanding that would not be possible on my own.

Camera

Most of the images from the Portfolio have been made using a 4x5 inch view camera, however, there are some that were taken using a 35mm camera. I use a Linhof Technikardon 45 view camera which holds 4x5 inch sheet film. This camera fits my style perfectly by being an extremely versatile camera. For years I was using 35mm cameras and quite satisfied with the results. But I always loved large prints and the small format just didn't hold together past size 16x20. My Linhof is capable of a very wide selection of lenses from 47mm all the way up to 500mm (which is equal to about 300mm lens on a 35mm camera). This is one of the things I love about this camera: it still gives me all the options and flexibility that I had with using smaller cameras, plus it's a blast to use.

Lenses

My lens choices reflect much of my equipment selection, which is to choose items that are just a little outside of the norm. The 75 lens is just a little wider than what is usually chosen for a wide angle lens (90mm); the 135 is also a little wider than a normal lens (150mm); the 240 is a tad longer than the typical (210mm); and the 450 is just something you really don't see being used all that often for landscape images.

Film

The majority of the color images you see are made with Fuji Velvia. This film is by far the most popular for landscape style images. I also use Kodak E100SW when I want the color to be a little warmer or if a scene is particularly contrasty. All my black and white photos are made on Kodak TMax 100. I have a Jobo CPP2 rotary processor that I do all of my processing with. I found when I switched to large format photography, the cost significantly increased. In order to save money, I decided to do my own processing and this has worked out beautifully. My local lab charges $2.25 to develop a single sheet of 4x5 transparency film; with my Jobo I can processes that same sheet for only seventy-five cents! Plus the results are professional quality. All transparency film is developed with Jobo's 3-step E-6 developing kit, and I use Agfa Rodinol diluted 1:50 or 1:100 (depending on contrast) for the TMax.

Color Prints

All of my Limited Edition color prints are made using the Cymbolic Sciences Lightjet 5000 printer. It is a digital enlarger that used Red, Green and Blue lasers to print onto real photographic paper. The results are unlike anything I have ever seen. In March of '98, I was on a photo trip to Yosemite National Park. The Ansel Adams Gallery inside the park had portfolios by artists who were using this printing method. The prints were so spectacular, I knew I had to try this for myself. I chose an image that I was never able to print with traditional means becaue of the severe contrast problems. I thought, if this works on this photo then I'm convined. Sure enough, when I received the print back from Laser Light Photographics, it was all that I hoped for. Best of all, the image that was never printable now exists and is on display because of this technology.

Black and White Prints

My Limited Edition black and white prints are produced using traditional chemical processes. You may wonder why I would use different processes for color or black and white. The answer is because I still enjoy working in the darkroom. I find the entire process satisfying and rewarding. There is a sense of wonder and magic everytime I create a fine silver print. It may also have to do with the way I interpret color versus black and white imagery. When I photograph a scene, it is almost intuitive whether I make it color or b/w. Working in the darkroom creating a silver print just feels right to me. Also, the print surfaces of silver prints are very attractive. I especially like Oriental Seagul variable contrast paper.

Darkroom

As with most of my equipment selections, my darkroom consists of special and unique items. My enlarger is a wallmounted Salthill Fiber Optic 4x5. Salthill is no longer in business but their products are still considered to be some of the finest in the industry. The enlarger uses a separate slide projector-like console to beam light through a bundle of fiber-optic cable. The cable is threaded through the enlarger chasis, up to the enlarger head and dispersed onto a diffusion panel above the negative carrier. The result is an enlarger that does not vibrate or generate heat to cause image distortion or negative curl. I like it alot.

For my color images, I use Adobe Photoshop to handle the image maintenance. There are some people who argue using Photoshop harms photography by cheating and creating photos that are not real. In my opinion, Photoshop is the best thing since color film. If you find a method or technique that serves your images to their fullest potential and is an accurate means of translating what it is you are trying to express, then go for it. I really don't care if you have to adjust the color differently or remove an unwanted object. I would much rather view an image that has been altered or manipulated if it is true to the artists intent, than view an image produced from traditional means and have it be a compromise from what the artist was aiming for.

Other Gear

• Fuji Quickload Film Holder
• Kodak Readyload Film Holder
• Sekonic L-778 Spot Meter
• Gitzo Safari Studex S320 Tripod
• Domke Photo Backpack
• Lee Graduated N/D Filters
  1. .3 Hard
  2. .6 Soft
  3. .9 Soft
• B&W Filters
  1. Kaeseman Circular Polarizer
  2. Red/Orange
  3. Yellow/Green
  4. Blue
  
  

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