Water Lillies, Soft Focus

[Maris]

Water Lillies, Soft Focus
Gelatin-silver photograph on Fomapan Variant 111 VC FB, image area 19.6cm X 24.7cm, from a 8X10 Fomapan 200 negative exposed in a Tachihara 810HD field view camera fitted with a 400mm f11 single meniscus lens.

Maybe there is a fine line between soft focus as an engaging optical curiosity, or perhaps a way of delivering a image grading into abstraction, or just a way of burning a large piece of film and ending up with wall paper. In large format there's no fun without risk.

[Mick Fagan]

Maris, doing the soft focus is unbelievably good.

One is almost transfixed with the dazzling reflections, and as a bonus, the falloff in the top corners, and to a lesser extent, across the top, pushes your view to the centre, where all the action is.

Quite the masterclass in lighting.