Large Format Photography Australia

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.

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.