Large Format:

For the great majority of my fine art landscape work over the past few years I have used a large format wooden view camera that uses 4x5” sheet film. I use color transparency (slide) films and started shooting B&W negative films inthe spring of 2008. This is my camera of choice because the large film stock allows me to capture about 15x the detail of a traditional 35mm film camera (which is what I started out with). This added detail is a requirement for making jumbo prints like 40x50 inches or even larger panoramics. The format is also accepted by discriminating publishers of high quality calendars, fine magazines and large format books. Occasionally I will use 120 roll film in a special back on the 4x5 camera for shooting 6x12cm panorama images.

In the summer of 2009 I acquired two new view cameras, a whole plate camera that uses 6 1/2 x 8 1/2" film and an 8x10" camera.

My large format kit consists of the following camera and lenses:

• Deardorff V8 8x10 view camera from 1950 that was beautifully refinished by another photographer over the last couple of years
• Seneca Improved View Camera (a Black Beauty) from 1903-1904 that uses whole plate film (or glass plates if I get the urge)
• Ebony model RW45 4x5 camera with full tilt, swing and shift movements
• Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5 with Optar Rodenstock 135mm and Kodak Ektar 203mm lenses that I bought to use for street shooting
• Zero Image 4x5 pinhole camera that is for pure experimentation and fun
• 7 modern large format lenses from Schneider, Rodenstock and Nikon in the following focal lengths: 75mm, 110mm, 150mm, 210mm, 240mm, 300mm and 450mm
• A collection of vintage lenses including rapid rectilinears, a couple of Petzval design lenses, a Wollensak Velostigmat and a few others
• A couple of Pentax digital spot meters and a Gossen incident light meter
• Kodak Ready-Load and Fuji Quick-Load film holders along with modern and vintage sheet film holders
• Da Yi roll film holder for using 120 roll film for shooting 6x12cm medium format transparencies and negatives
• Color transparency films are Fuji Velvia and Provia films along with Kodak Ektachrome VS
• Black and white films are Fuji Neopan Acros 100, Arista Edu Ultra 100 (Efke), and Kodak T-max 400
• Currently using Agfa Rodinal, Ilford DDX and Diafine developers for my B&W film in Jobo Expert tanks (3010 and 3005)

35mm and Digital:

I rarely shoot 35mm film any more since transitioning my travel and lifestyle photography to the digital format. I sold two of my 35mm camera bodies, but I couldn’t bring myself to unload my Nikon manual body. Since all of my 35mm lenses fit the new Nikon digital SLRs, the transition was fairly simple from the equipment standpoint. A couple of new modern lenses completed new kit. As mentioned already, I shoot this format I am trying to be less conspicuous as a photographer when shooting travel and lifestyle images which are used primarily for stock photo agencies. I will make the occasional exceptional image into a print (usually an open edition) and maintain quality up to about 24x36 inches which is a bit larger than my limit with 35mm film.

My 35mm and Digital Kit consists of the following cameras and lenses:

• Nikon D300 digital SLR with the MD-10 Vertical Grip
• Nikon FM2 manual SLR
• 2 Nikon fixed focal length lenses in the following focal lengths: 24mm, 50mm
• 2 Nikon zoom lenses in the following focal lengths: 17-55mm and 70-200mm
• 1 Sigma 10-20mm zoom lens
• 1 Nikon 1.4x adaptor for the 70-200
• 2 Nikon SB-600 speedlights
• 10 GB of Compact Flash Cards

Tripods and Miscellaneous:

I also use a lot of accessories some of which are listed below:

• Gitzo G1348 MkII Carbon Fiber tripod
• Gitzo G220 metal tripod
• Slik Carbon Fiber Monopod
• Arca-Swiss B1 Monoball ballhead
• Bogen 3057 View Camera Head for the 8x10 and Whole Plate cameras
• Various Arca-Swiss style camera and lens mounting plates from Really Right Stuff and Kirk Enterprises
• A selection of graduated neutral gradient, polarizer and warming filters from Singh-Ray, B&W and Nikon
• Camera bags from Photo Backpacker, LowePro, Tamrac and Domke, including three backpack styles, one shoulder bag and one sling type bag
• Reflector and diffuser panel for light control in the field
• Three studio hot lights with umbrellas