Below cotter dam

John Power
Posts: 94
Joined: 26 May 2021, 10:18

Below cotter dam

Postby John Power » 05 Oct 2021, 06:51

We were able to move around a bit more this weekend and were very glad for it.

This shot made me realize how much I want a longer lens... I had a good time zooming around this image looking for crops.

Switched it up from ortho here to FP4+ with an orange filter.

ImageBelow Cotter dam by J P, on Flickr

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Below cotter dam

Postby Walter Glover » 05 Oct 2021, 07:55

Nice work John,

Did you draw any conclusions about your preferences between the Ortho & FP4+ yet? An advantage of using sheets is to be able to use a sheet of each emulsion on the same shot. That way you're closer to comparing oranges with oranges (orange filter notwithstanding).
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

John Power
Posts: 94
Joined: 26 May 2021, 10:18

Re: Below cotter dam

Postby John Power » 05 Oct 2021, 08:27

Cheers Walter.

I wondered about doing that, but then supposed I'd be constrained to using one development method for both. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if I'd chose to do them differently :) i will make a plan for dev and give it a go next time, thatd be an interesting exercise. Thanks for the suggestion ;)

Mick Fagan
Posts: 412
Joined: 24 Sep 2015, 21:20
Location: Melbourne

Re: Below cotter dam

Postby Mick Fagan » 05 Oct 2021, 18:30

John, this looks quite good, the overall dense atmosphere of a forested area comes over nicely, yet you have detail in other areas that make the picture; not necessarily an easy thing to do in B&W.

You mention you wish for a longer lens, somewhere else you mention zooming here and there; do you have a zoom lens?

Mick.

John Power
Posts: 94
Joined: 26 May 2021, 10:18

Re: Below cotter dam

Postby John Power » 05 Oct 2021, 19:37

Hi Mick, thanks for your note.
When I mention zooming I'm probably talkiing about zooming in on an image once I've scanned it, looking around in the detail on a computer.

I've just today ordered a 300mm lens (Apo Ronar) which I am looking forward to a lot.

I think that 90, 135 and 300 should cover a lot of what I'd like to do on 4x5. This image is a good example of me being drawn to a view where there is lots going on and I've been pretty slow on the learning curve to pick a detail or two and bring them out as the subject. I often "zoom in" while looking at a scanned image and create crops that I like the look of. Its a different kettle of fish in the field but overall I'm happier with my compositions made this week than a month or two ago :)

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Below cotter dam

Postby Walter Glover » 05 Oct 2021, 22:54

Good luck with Apo Rona, John,

I agree that you needed something with a bit more reach than the 90mm. There was a long-held theorem touted by the likes of Fred Picker and others that the elementary kit was a 120mm and aa 210mm. I'd also suggest that the cheapest and most useful lens, irrespective of film format, is the 2 foot lens. You're standing on 'em, use 'em. Move around and engage with the motif and see the relationships between elements change as you move about. And don't forget to bend your knees to assess the effect of a chang of height. Not every gem lies in wait at standing eye-height.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

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Maris
Posts: 882
Joined: 27 Jul 2012, 16:02
Location: Noosa

Re: Below cotter dam

Postby Maris » 06 Oct 2021, 12:15

John Power, that's a really well balanced composition with big trees holding up the right and left sides, dramatic diagonal branches in the middle, and water flow from far to near to unify things. Walter Glover's suggestion of "foot zoom" uncovers a powerful technique that may not occur to the miniature camera user who could just stand in one spot and optically zoom at this and that in the landscape.

I try not to carry a 300mm lens because I can easily crop that narrower field of view out of a more versatile 210mm image with minimal quality loss. But if the river is wide and I don't want to wade (swim zoom?) for that distant fine detail then a 300mm lens is sweet to use. The irony is that when I do take the 300mm to chase far away things I can fall into the trap of wishing for a 400mm.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Below cotter dam

Postby Walter Glover » 06 Oct 2021, 22:58

Then that perennial issue of the ignorance of every gentle breeze mistaking 300mm of extended bellows for a spinnaker.

My mobility-scooter-friendly Sinar A-1 (Alpina / Wulf) arrived yesterday and tomorrow it is being couriered to a man with a hacksaw will cut down the extruded aluminium 450mm rail to something about 8 or 10 inches which will be all I'll need for my longest lens (Apo Symmar 180mm). If it can't be done with the bag bellows, it won't be happening. Other focaal lengths are a 120mm Apo Symmar and, snagged just today, a Super Angulon 65mm. Primarilly the 180mm will be there for off chance that I meet a willing model who can't rember where she left her clothes.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant


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