Medium Format

Posted by Paul

When I was younger and playing with different types of camera’s there was a huge range of formats to play with for the general user. We had the tiny pocket sized 110mm cameras, we had the 127 film sized which were almost camera sized and we had a huge range of 35mm cameras, from simple point and shoot to ones that were either fully automatic or fully manual.

I think the first camera that I ever owned was purchased on a family holiday to Butlins. It was a black plastic camera and the shutter was fired by a little metal lever at the front. There was no focus, no metering and it was all mechanical. It was back in the days when you would put them film cartridge into one of those envelopes they had in every magazine for Bonus Print or Supa Snaps and a week later they would return the prints and another film cartridge for you to use.

If you were extremely impatient then you could pop to the local chemists and if you were lucky they would develop and print for you either over night or while you waited, Either way it was quite expensive.

The first real camera that I ever purchased for myself was a Canon EOS 35mm camera, it was quite a basic model but served me for a good few years. You could set the shutter speed and it would automatically meter and set the aperture for you. Although the fastest lens I had at the time was a f4.5 to 5.6 zoom! However that aside it did  what a camera should do and took pretty decent images. Not sure why I chose Canon as my dad shot using a variety of 30mm camera’s, a number of Russian made range-finders Zenit and the like, and latterly a Minolta which he only finally sold a few years ago. He has now developed a love of 3D imaging and is looking to return to film as he has found the limits of the Fuji FinePix 3D digital camera.

For a number of years I neglected picture taking and then bought myself a point and shoot digital camera and rekindled the love of taking pictures. At the time digital was very new and exciting and I saved up and purchased the Canon 300D digital camera…perhaps the worlds first affordable SLR camera. Although at just short of a grand I am not sure how accurate that saying was!!

From there I leapt to the Canon 1D2N which is an incredible camera (even today), each year at Focus on Imaging I would wander along to the Hasselblad stand and look at the camera’s there and drool over the medium format bodies there. Medium Format had always lived in the realm of the working professional rather than dedicated hobbyist and with digital backs starting at around £15k even then. It was never going to happen. Although the recent price drop by Hasselblad will allow you to enter into the range at less than £10k.

Recently I got access to an old Yashica Medium Format TLR camera to use as a prop in some images and there was something magical about the feel and weight of such a robust camera. The shutter was broken on this one but was a relatively easy fix but the cost outweighed the value and so as a prop it remained – but who knows one day?

However the seed was planted and I then acquired a Mamiya RZ67 Pro II. This according to some is the ultimate studio camera (or was in the days of film). It is built like a small battleship and weighs about the same. The lens are pretty much all prime for this camera and with no metering and manual focus the studio or perhaps landscape are it’s playgrounds. You are not going to be shooting action with this. However get caught in a riot with this and you are going to have a very effective club!

There is something very retro about peering down into a huge bright waist level viewfinder and hearing the resounding clunk as you fire the trigger. However with only 10 images per roll it is not the cheapest and developing costs in this country are somewhat prohibitive if you want the images scanned. However after watching Framed Network I contacted Richard Photo Lab in America who will develop and scan for a very reasonable price.

I am looking forward to seeing the results of scanned images as thus far have only used some polaroid through it which was not the sharpest image (not that it was ever supposed to be) and one roll that I had developed by Jessops. I wasn’t happy with the way they developed nor the results and so wont be trusting them again!

What do I look for in a Model and what to avoid

Posted by Paul

Whilst everyone loves to work with perfect and agency models realistically this is not always possible or cost effective. Some of the best models I have worked with have not been ‘agency standard’ and this in now way means that they are not excellent models. Rather the industry has decided that because they are one or two inches too short for catwalk, or perhaps too curvy for fashion, or not mainstream enough.
Should we therefore overlook these models? I think not, society is full of individuals and it is these that we are trying to connect with via our pictures so lets embrace variety and take advantage of it!
For me it is more important that a model is enthusiastic and eager to work than how experienced or agency standard they are. At the moment for example I am planning some faery tale based images and the model I have in mind for some of these shots, is not ‘agency standard’ in that she is of average height – however she more than makes up for this in her modelling skills and all my images with her have been amazing. Would I rather use an ‘agency standard’ model for these shots – definitely not! The model has to compliment the image and vice versa.
References from previous clients are a good source of information but it is important to make sure that they are accurate and first hand. Too often we hear of people bad-mouthing others in the industry in order to get ahead. Model X will tell Photographer A that Photographer B said this that or the other… and quite often it is to build up a relationship with the photographer. Photographers will also tell models about other models they know or have heard about.
AN important thing to remember is that when you are being told stories about other people is that they are also probably telling the same stories to someone else but just changing the name – and it could be yours!
For me then I choose to work with models who avoid the gossip and simply take part in a shoot. A professional model is one that you will work with again and again.