Large Format

Large Format

What is it?

Large format is the highest detailed film that is available in the major market today. The reasoning for it being the most detailed is because it is also the biggest negative that you can buy as well, as one neg is 5inches x 4inches  and does not come in a roll as its lesser counterparts it comes as one negative sheet.

Who uses it the most?

Large format is mainly used by landscape photographers and at the beginning of the photographic era. The reason this size negative was used in the start of the photographic era is  because the enlarger was in its early stages so they needed images to be a a great quality form the off. During these time photography was considered a higher class privileged so this was an exclusive thing and the public had no really access to this.

Examples:

Ansel Adams

Adams was the farther of landscape photography, he fully understood how to use his kit to its full potential. Adams was almost the person to set the bar when taking a technically beautiful photograph when showing a full range of tones. As you can see in this image Adams has both a perfect white and black and a great range of mid tones. The effect of doing this makes the photograph complete technically to get this when framing the image you must  look at tone and not colour Adam's had this on point. He showed this technique throughout his images clearly showing that he knew his subject very well. This particular image to me like all his image is a statement of how well Adams knew he could do within this field as when he first started out he was one of the first people to create this fine art of the negative and how it should look. The photograph is simple in the way it is composed and there is a certain aspect of symmetry with the mountains adjacent to each other this is also shown with the reflection within that water. When analyzing this image which is coherent with Adams' other work i cant seem to find a reason for these images as there are no really hints but taking into account that photography as just a baby at this point there was no real market for fine art so Adams had to create it.

Edward Weston

Weston was again a photographer of Adams' times but took a different approach rather than expressing technical brilliance as the soul message of the image he wanted to shot the beauty of nature. The beauty of nature can also be referred to as form this was the start of the fine art market which Weston and Adams created.This low key image is one that is truly striking today let alone when the world have never seen anything like it before. The tones and flowing lines capture the dramatic form of the leaf leading the viewers eye around the image and let them take in all of feature that are on show. The simplicity of this image is the best way to show form as it makes sure that no distractions from the pure beauty which Weston want to exhibit to the world. When thinking about this photograph i cant help but wonder what the photo would look like in colour but even without seeing it i know that the tones would not translate to the viewer as well as its film companion.  

In my next post i intend to try out this clearly brilliant type of visual recording technique for myself but i will not be using the film i will be using positive photo paper to create my images. Doing this will increase exposure time but be much quicker than processing the film.