Free course · 9 steps · Several weeks, one skill at a time
Large format, step by step
Understand a view camera, choose lenses, use movements, and expose and focus sheet film with care.
For photographers comfortable with manual exposure, for example after Shooting medium format. This course is about sheet film on a view camera.
What you need
Steps
1Meet the view camera
A view camera has sheet film, a ground glass screen and movable standards. You compose on an inverted image, one sheet at a time.
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Read the guide and learn the parts of the camera and the order of the shooting process. Set up your camera on a tripod and find each standard and control.
Checkpoint: You can now name the parts of a view camera and describe the shooting process.
2Choose a lens and check its coverage
A large format lens must project an image circle bigger than your film, and the extra coverage is what allows movements. The first lens you buy shapes how you work.
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Read the guide, then use the coverage tool to see whether a lens suits your format and the movements you want.
Checkpoint: You can now judge whether a lens covers your format with room for movements.
3Allow for bellows extension
When the bellows are extended well beyond the lens focal length, less light reaches the film and you need to add exposure. It matters most for close subjects.
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Read the bellows section of the lens guide. Use the bellows factor tool to see how much extra exposure a close subject would need.
Checkpoint: You can now tell when bellows extension affects your exposure and where to find the correction.
4Load sheet film holders
Sheet film is loaded by touch in complete darkness, and dust in the holder shows up in every print. Getting the sheet the right way round and flat under the rails prevents the common faults.
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Clean the holders in the light first. Then follow the sheet film section of the loading guide in a changing bag or darkroom. Practise with spare film before you load anything important.
Checkpoint: You can now load a film holder in the dark, with the emulsion side correct and the dark slide the right way round.
5Compose and focus on the ground glass
Focusing a view camera means working under a dark cloth with a loupe, with the lens wide open. The image is inverted and dim, so there is a sequence to follow.
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Set up the camera and follow the large format focusing steps in the guide. Focus on the most important plane, then stop down to check depth of field before you expose.
Checkpoint: You can now focus on the ground glass and check depth of field before shooting.
6Use tilt, rise and shift
Movements let you control perspective and the plane of focus. Front rise keeps verticals parallel while the camera stays level, front tilt and swing place the plane of focus, and only rear movements change the shape of objects.
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Try the quick start uses in the guide: rise for a building, tilt for a field or a tabletop. Refocus after each movement and watch for dark corners from running out of coverage.
Checkpoint: You can now use front rise to keep verticals parallel and front tilt to place the plane of focus.
7Meter the scene
Reading the light accurately matters more when every sheet costs money. You need to know what your meter assumes about the scene and when to override it.
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Read the guide and practise metering a high contrast scene. Decide what matters in the picture and read the light from there.
Checkpoint: You can now meter a difficult scene and choose which tones to protect.
8Place tones with the Zone System
The Zone System lets you decide where tones fall, then expose and develop to match. With sheet film you can develop each sheet to suit its scene.
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Start with the simple workflow in the guide: meter the important shadow, place it, then check where the highlights land. The zone system tool helps you practise.
Checkpoint: You can now place a shadow and check where the highlights will fall.
9Make a long exposure
Film loses sensitivity at long exposures, so a metered time needs lengthening. Your film choice, tripod and cable release all matter.
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Read the guide, then use the reciprocity tool to find the adjustment for your film. Bracket your exposures and keep a note of what you did.
Checkpoint: You can now adjust a long exposure for reciprocity failure and keep the camera steady.