Bulky, cumbersome, old-fashioned. Ahh, the view camera.
Set up: 30 minutes
Focus: Forever
Making sure the object is 1:1, per assignment instructions: 45 minutes
Light meter reading: 30 seconds
Figuring out the correct exposure using the bellows formula [B²/FM²=EF], aka, three ladies arguing/debating what each number means: 20 minutes
TAKING THE PICTURE!! [set aperture and shutter speed, ensure lens is closed, cock the lens, insert the negative carrier, pull sleeve, TAKE THE PICTURE, flip sleeve, insert sleeve, remove negative carrier]: 10 minutes
On to the next person.
I spent ten hours at school yesterday, working with the view camera to get one exposure, developing the negatives using a pain-staking, methodical, anxiety-inducing process with my developing partner, Nick Nesmith (45 minutes). I printed color pictures for a color wheel project.
I found out I placed third in a Skills competition and now will move on to the state level! The theme was Line, Repetition or Symmetry. We had one day to take 40 pictures and submit our best three. I was pretty surprised that I placed, considering the outstanding images submitted by my classmates.
Ten hours spent solely focused on photography. I love this.
I will also be taking part in a month-long photo-a-day challenge I discovered through Christina of Photo Says Hello. I’ll be posting those photos on my flickr page. Feel up to the challenge? Want to participate? Sign up over here.
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