Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/08/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On 1999-08-11 leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us said: >Check out the newest PHOTO Techniques. There is an article titled >"Truth and Beauty: The Gestalt of Small vs. Large Format" by Mike >Johnston. It's very good and very true. Read the whole article, >but the final observation is: "Great 35mm pictures are truthful >impressions of the world: records, observations, or reports of >reality.....Great large-format photographs express an individual's >consciousness, and feelings and ideas about form, beauty, and >spirit." I contend that 35mm can also accomplish what is ascribed >to large-format, but large-format cannot accomplish what is >ascribed to 35mm. Comments? >Leically, >Tina >Tina Manley, ASMP >http://www.tinamanley.com Tina, Ah...you present a tough question. IMO the formats are mutually exclusive. I say this having used, and still use, all formats from 35mm to 8x10. LF will never enable the photographer to move into the center of the action, to catch transient moments at whim, etc. However, 35mm--even if used on a tripod, with the finest grain film, mirror-up (for the SLR users among us), etc.--will never, to my eye, match the fluid tonality, tactile quality, etc., of an 8x10 contact print. Have you ever seen an 11x14 contact by, say, Brett Weston? Have you stood before the 8x20s and 12x20s of a Michael A. Smith? Simply beautiful and wonderful stuff! So...different tools for different results. I enjoy both...however, at my age the 8x10 is getting a little heavy to lug very far!! Best regards, Alan Huntley Net-Tamer V 1.11.2 - Registered