Getting Back To 4x5 Large Format Film
I’ve always had a love and hate relationship with 4x5 large format film.
The love part is really easy. A big gorgeous negative full of detail and a massive tonal range that is incredibly pleasing to the eye. Bonus that it tends to be fun and simple equipment that really leans into the mechanical aspect of photography. With the exception of the light meter, not a single piece of equipment with 4x5 large format even uses a battery. In fact, a lot of my 4x5 equipment is of the pinhole camera variety, which is really just the very definition of simplicity itself.
The hate part is a little more complicated. Believe it or not, but I do not have a dedicated darkroom. I do most of my film development in the kitchen and I rely heavily on a changing back to roll my film and to do all the necessary tasks that require a completely light tight environment. In a pinch I have a closet that can be made light tight, but it is time consuming and not exactly the most comfortable of places to work. None of this is a big deal when working with 35mm and medium format film, but once you get to the size of 4x5 large format (or even bigger) it can start to film cumbersome.
All of that being said, the hate part does not outweigh the love part. Not even close. Making art really isn’t about sticking to things that are simply convenient. If that was the case I wouldn’t be doing photography at all. It certainly isn’t convenient for my time and absolutely not convenient on my wallet. I do it out of a sense of love. Always have.
I recently decided to dive more seriously into 4x5 large format film more than I ever have in the past. Throughout the years I’ve picked it up in short spurts, exposed about ten or so sheets of film, and then put it away for months or even years at a time. However, something about the way the world has been heading these days has made me feel incredibly drawn to the format. When reading about 4x5 large format film one will often hear photographers talk eloquently about how it forces them to really slow down. This is one of those things that is absolutely true and in so many ways it is a glorious feeling in this age of social media hyper consumption.
Slowing down is also the biggest challenge of 4x5 large format film, and one I am determined to embrace. During the session I’m publishing on this blog post I went through ten exposures in about 40 minutes. That was honestly much too quick and I’d say it was needlessly fast. I’m perfectly happy with the results mind you, but if I have the opportunity to really look at a scene, contemplate it, see the light, compose it, and take my time without looking at my watch, there is no reason not to, and every reason to make it so.
Camera: Calumet 4x5 Monorail Camera with Schneider 210mm f/5.6 lens.
Film: Ilford HP5 4x5 sheet film. Developed in Rodinal.
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