I have been primarily a Black and White photographer for most of my life. I got started into photography with an old Kodak 8x10 all metal view camera with a hugh Majestic tripod and gradually moved down to 4x5 and medium format cameras. When I started with digital it was with a Canon Elph 1.3 mega pixel camera and then moved up. I have gotten caught in the technology web of photography that I never really spent much time in before. My many years of using my Linhof Technika was more about photography and less about technology. I was more concerned about evaluating the light and interrupting the subject matter than I was about program modes and auto focus points, etc. The view camera was just a box without batteries and sophisticated programs. The camera really couldn't tell me anything, it was just a manual tool. I controlled the camera, setting the focus, and determining the proper exposure with a hand held light meter. Photography for me has been pretty much intuitive with the numerous years working with film and a view camera. I am terrible with discussions about techniques and technical stuff concerning photography. I would best describe it as; I know how to tie my shoes but if I had to write a detailed description about it I would mess it up for sure. I went film-less two years ago when we sold our home and went full time RVing. I do miss my darkroom and the studio space that I enjoyed for so many years. It was my island where I could tune out the noise and concentrate just on my work. The image above shows how the new technology can improve your chances of recording an image that maybe film couldn't. This is HDR (high dynamic range) image of about 7 or 8 different exposures combined into one using the Photomatix Pro software . I am not a big fan of the HDR look because it can appear a bit phony with the bright colors and the overall softness of the image. I was happy to be able to make this image of the small church in this remote Mexican village, and it was with the help of the new technology that provided me this opportunity. I need to keep looking forward and bring the past along with me.
Linhof - http://www.linhof.com/master_technika_classic_e.html
Photomatix Pro - http://www.hdrsoft.com/
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