What a wonderful set of photographs, you must be very happy indeed. I also love large format in 4x5, but rarely shoot it nowadays as I always seem pressed for time.
Really awesome compositions here. I especially like the way the road(s) look leading into the mountains on the North Cascades shots.
This is coming from someone who's been to the Oregon coast and Northwest only once, but the thing I remember being so striking was the colors, specifically the greens and blues (and the contrast between the two). Do you ever find yourself missing shooting color, especially in this part of the world? Or have you seen enough of it from being in the area that you find it easier to focus more on composition and light when shooting black and white?
I’ve found I’m just not all that great at shooting color. I like the way light changes tonality and black and white and it’s easier for my simple brain to process those types of scenes. There’s people out there that are masters of color photography, but I like things in black and white. Plenty of color photographs from the coast I can admire :)
Great photos as always! I am anxious to make a trip to the Pacific coast, its at the top of my bucket list. I also want to slide down to Northern California to see the Redwoods. FP4 has quickly become my favorite black and white film, like you if the light quality is there, its what I am shooting. HP5 is my standard work horse film, I can push it, pull it, and get great results. I have also been on a 510 Pyro kick, I've been testing results using that developer on all my current black and white films from HP5, Tri-X, FP4, Kentmere 400, Pancro 400, and Arcos. FP4 is gorgeous in 510 Pyro, I don't think I will use any other developer with it. Arcos 100 does very well in it as well. However, I mixed up my own batch of Barry Thorntons 2 bath developer to try so I am excited for that. Keep the photos coming!
Thanks so much, Derrick! Be sure to let me know if you make it out to the PNW, I’d be happy to share some of my favorite spots or even meet up if we can make it work. I did some location scouting just south of the CA/OR border to check out the Redwoods, and my god…what a scene. Absolutely surreal. I’ll back to shoot, for sure.
You nailed the FP4/HP5 descriptions. It’s exactly how I view the two and how well they work together. Be sure to share your results with that new developer, I’m very curious to see how it compares.
Sheesh, that is a ridiculous number of incredible images. So hard to even scratch the surface of what had an effect. I love the conditions you got in the fog with the Acros (and how that emulsion renders tonality in general—you’ve got me itching to crack open the frozen box of expired 4x5 original formula I snagged from Japan), of course the epic dog image, and the way the golden grasses rendered in that silvery tonality. I also found the yin and yang waterfall contrasting image very evocative and beautiful.
I love the approach to 35mm as a storytelling medium and way to explore some genres, because I enjoy your occasional departures from pure landscape. You’ve struck a nice complementary balance with it. I might just have to shoot more of it and take a page from your book (even if scanning 36 images feels like a marathon…)
What a wonderful read and collection of work. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Can’t thank you enough, Stephen, I really appreciate the thoughtful comments and kind words.
The time has come for you to bust out that expired Acros. I bet that just looks superb.
Lastly, in all the time I spent looking at the waterfall shots, I never realized that yah, it’s a yin and yang composition. Huh…that’s really, really cool! Thanks again, my friend!
What a wonderful set of photographs, you must be very happy indeed. I also love large format in 4x5, but rarely shoot it nowadays as I always seem pressed for time.
Thanks for the kind words! 4×5 is so much fun, I hope you’re able to make some time for it soon!
Really awesome compositions here. I especially like the way the road(s) look leading into the mountains on the North Cascades shots.
This is coming from someone who's been to the Oregon coast and Northwest only once, but the thing I remember being so striking was the colors, specifically the greens and blues (and the contrast between the two). Do you ever find yourself missing shooting color, especially in this part of the world? Or have you seen enough of it from being in the area that you find it easier to focus more on composition and light when shooting black and white?
Thanks for the kind words!
I’ve found I’m just not all that great at shooting color. I like the way light changes tonality and black and white and it’s easier for my simple brain to process those types of scenes. There’s people out there that are masters of color photography, but I like things in black and white. Plenty of color photographs from the coast I can admire :)
I like very much misty seascape
Thanks, Iraklis, it was a very beautiful scene. I’m happy to hear you liked it!
Great photos as always! I am anxious to make a trip to the Pacific coast, its at the top of my bucket list. I also want to slide down to Northern California to see the Redwoods. FP4 has quickly become my favorite black and white film, like you if the light quality is there, its what I am shooting. HP5 is my standard work horse film, I can push it, pull it, and get great results. I have also been on a 510 Pyro kick, I've been testing results using that developer on all my current black and white films from HP5, Tri-X, FP4, Kentmere 400, Pancro 400, and Arcos. FP4 is gorgeous in 510 Pyro, I don't think I will use any other developer with it. Arcos 100 does very well in it as well. However, I mixed up my own batch of Barry Thorntons 2 bath developer to try so I am excited for that. Keep the photos coming!
Thanks so much, Derrick! Be sure to let me know if you make it out to the PNW, I’d be happy to share some of my favorite spots or even meet up if we can make it work. I did some location scouting just south of the CA/OR border to check out the Redwoods, and my god…what a scene. Absolutely surreal. I’ll back to shoot, for sure.
You nailed the FP4/HP5 descriptions. It’s exactly how I view the two and how well they work together. Be sure to share your results with that new developer, I’m very curious to see how it compares.
Thanks again, Derrick!
Beautiful work
Hey thanks so much, Emilia, really appreciate the kind words!
Wow these are awesome 👌 👏 👍
Thanks so much, Josh, really appreciate it!
Sheesh, that is a ridiculous number of incredible images. So hard to even scratch the surface of what had an effect. I love the conditions you got in the fog with the Acros (and how that emulsion renders tonality in general—you’ve got me itching to crack open the frozen box of expired 4x5 original formula I snagged from Japan), of course the epic dog image, and the way the golden grasses rendered in that silvery tonality. I also found the yin and yang waterfall contrasting image very evocative and beautiful.
I love the approach to 35mm as a storytelling medium and way to explore some genres, because I enjoy your occasional departures from pure landscape. You’ve struck a nice complementary balance with it. I might just have to shoot more of it and take a page from your book (even if scanning 36 images feels like a marathon…)
What a wonderful read and collection of work. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Can’t thank you enough, Stephen, I really appreciate the thoughtful comments and kind words.
The time has come for you to bust out that expired Acros. I bet that just looks superb.
Lastly, in all the time I spent looking at the waterfall shots, I never realized that yah, it’s a yin and yang composition. Huh…that’s really, really cool! Thanks again, my friend!
Absolutely gorgeous work. Well done.
Really appreciate it, Rob, thanks so much!