Panorama by 4×5 camera

For nearly one and half years, I have been scanning my film taken from about 20 years ago to current chronologically, and now 4×5 film came to point of my college years in Kamloops about 9 years ago. I tried panoramic  photography by my large format camera which allows perfect overlapping of 2 images. Here is how it works.

Since primitive design of the large format camera, its front board shift both orizontally and virtually (like a slide door).  With my camera, the amounts of the vertical movement is larger than horizontal one.

So I set up my camera vertically on the tripod, therefore, I could get wider panoramic images. Shift the front board to one side and take a shot.

Then shift the front board to the other side. Since a lens is mounted off center on the lens board, I flip the lens board to get more shift from previous position. And then take another one.

Finally, I merged them with Photoshop CS5. I do not think this photo does not meet my current quality standard. This is just youthful impetuosity.

So am I going to use this technique to obtain panoramic photography? Most likely, not because I own a panorama head now and prices of film have been doubled since 10 years ago. Obviously, Nikon PC lenses or Canon TS lenses are more practical in the digital age. However, if you are interested in large format cameras and taking full advantage of the bellows techniques, I think now is the time. You can find unbelievably cheap ones on eBay. That is another sad reality, though.

Stampede Wstern Gallery Show (2) – Stay on trails

This photo was taken in Lake O’Hara, British Columbiain in early September in 2010. I was walking on a trail and I found a beautiful green moss shinning in the morning sun light in a creek. However, I was with some friends heading to a location for the day. So I decided to come back in the evening. Unfortunately, the day turned to cloudy and we had a shower at the evening. But when I came back to the location I found in the morning, the sky was clearing up. I had still time before sunset.

But here was a problem. The creek was running about 3m below the trail. If I had taken Ninja action, I would’ve been able to go down to the creek. Well…now, I’ve got to tell myself…”No, I can not do this. It is not acceptable”. “Staying on trails”, that was clearly stated by a park ranger. It takes long time to recover once natural habitants are damaged. Photographers tend to bend the rule to get unique shots. But it may result in struggling own neck in long run.

Anyway, I kept walking and I came to cross the creek. Then there was a pass along by the creek. Lucky! I can reach to the green moss without stepping over natural vegetation.

Ultra wide Heliar 12mm/f5.6, my fun lens. Lee 0.9 ND filter. This is HDR image. I used PS to develop the HDR image but the outcome was not satisfactory. Then I tried Photometix, and I am quite happy with the result.