Ben Horne Photography: Zion 2010 (Day 6)

This is day 6 of my video journal from my fall 2010 trip to Zion National Park. Please be sure to check out my blog for more information about my photographic journey.

For more information, including my adventure blog, be sure to visit my website at: http://www.benhorne.com

Music: Kevin Macleod (Bathed in Light)

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Zion National Park
• Fuji Velvia 50
• 8x10 Camera
• Fall Color
• Narrows
• Reciprocity Failure
• November
• Photography
• Large Format

[bensdmkII]

On my trip to death valley, I visited Racetrack and shot some photos of the rocks there at wide angle. The foreground rock was only a foot or so away from the camera lens. When I measured the bellows draw, my 150mm lens (8x10) was now focused at 180mm. When I did the math, it was something like a half stop of exposure I needed to add. I find this important on slide film, especially with a contrasty subject where the shadows and highlights are maxed out.

[bensdmkII]

Thanks for the comment! In some cases, I'm left with just one sheet of film left from the previous day, and I didn't want to re-load any more film. I find that the single sheet of film does give me added discipline though.

I've learned the hard way on bellows extension factors. I've found that it's actually most dramatic when using a wide angle lens. When you do the math, you'll see that a very close subject might require 0.5 stops or even more of compensation. That's a lot for slide film.

[callmeBe]

@bensdmkII Oh, wow, you're REALLY wide! OK, well, I'll keep that in mind . . . thanks! Racetrack, never been there, but I did live in Bishop for several years and spent time in the desert just north of Death Valley(hey, as you know they all run together) in the Saline Valley. There is a road that connects Big Pine to Nevada, and about 30 miles down the road you take a well maintained gravel road into Saline. Lots of wood mine headframes and old weathered buildings against the barren hills.

[callmeBe]

So are you using your extension factors when you are doing, say, 1:1 on a wide angle lens (ie, ca. 210 mm), or are you going wider than that?? (me, I've done 210mm before at 1:1 and never needed compensation, but never wider than that. This is also on B&W film where there is very wide latitude. But I totally assure you, the negs. are very full and not in the least bit underexposed.). Anyway, I use to think at some point I would push my bellows to the point of needing compensation; not yet!

[callmeBe]

Did you limit your one available exposure in the name of disipline, or was there some other reason?? Also, you mentioned bellows exposure factor--Ansel wrote quite a bit about that. At what 8x10 bellows length do you need to begin to use your exposure factor?? (As for me, I can rack out to just under 30" of length on 8x10 and not need to compensate, so I have never needed to do it as of yet--my longest lens is a 23" artar). Love your camera!! Regards, B.

[paintingwithlight]

I love it!