Stretching The View

Wisner 8"x20" Panoramic View Camera

There is one desire as strong as the tides when photographing the elements of the land. Go wide. Some of the best views of the open landscape are wide and require a slightly different approach. Enter the modern day ultra large format panoramic camera. Or so one would think. The reality is that this format was born over 100 years ago. Originally designed for capturing large groups of well dressed people in banquet halls the camera became known as the banquet camera. A very catchy term that has endured throughout the years.

The banquet cameras came in three basic sizes and have changed very little over the years. For a true panoramic size the 7”x17” and 8”x20” were deployed. The largest size came in at 12”x20”. Regardless of the format used, the end result was amazing. Over the years the use of the banquet camera fell out of style. Most likely due to changes in attitudes and social behavior. Banquet halls no longer hosted the events of the early years. In time technology caught up and swing cameras were all the rage. Many group shots were taken with a swing camera due to the simplicity. Compared to a banquet camera, the swing camera was like a stroll in Disneyland. Much easier to use and more forgiving.

The decline of the banquet camera hit rock bottom in the early 70’s and all but fell off the map. Finding a flea on a tail of a Mississippi mud hound in December would have been easier then finding banquet format sized film. Only the most hard core photographer would even attempt to use the banquet camera. Then a strange thing happened. A sort of renaissance occurred. Attitudes changed and the banquet camera became very popular with the landscape photographer. Never before had a wide format been utilized for landscapes in such a manner. This was just the start. In the 80’s the Wisner Classic manufacturing company began to manufacture the banquet camera. Prior to the purchase of a Wisner, the only option was to find a used banquet camera and restore and repair. With the banquet camera in production, the format took off. And take off it did. There are still those that will restore the older style banquet cameras.

The 8”x20” format is the camera of choice for my wider images. The view in the glass is amazing. Trying to see the entire image in the ground glass presents the first difficulty. Next is the overwhelming size and weight. I often thought about the 12”x20” format. Not a true panoramic format, the 12”x20” is still the largest wide view on the market. And heavy as well. Coming in at an average of 30 pounds there is only two heavier camera models. With an aspect ratio 2.5:1, the view of the 8”x20” is two and a half times wider then high. The average 8”x20” camera comes in at 24 pounds. Most photographers will stick with a 7”x17”. The weight of the 7”x17 is less then half of the 8”x20” Weight is the largest factor when choosing an ultra large format camera. The size, weight, cost and every other possible downside of the format just drop off the face of the earth when I see the final image. The view in the ground glass is immediate.

Working with the 8”x20” format has changed the way I see the land. In particular many of the fine art images that I have would not have worked in any other format. The Ballyhoo tavern was the first example. The entire mural was captured in my ground glass. Another perfect image was the Coca-Cola mural in Fayetteville Tennessee. No other format would have worked. Yet using the banquet camera for traditional landscapes is not as easy as one would think. There is the ever challenging dilemma to avoid the so clichéd postcard image. The size of the image is some serious real estate that demands dedication. Very unforgiving is the banquet camera. With any new format the first year or so can be full of disappointments. Far too many times there is the nagging feeling of doubt. A sort of buyer’s remorse. Never once have I even come close to feeling that way with the 8”x20”. With all the images out there I suspect I never will. From the Ballyhoo in Terre Haute Indiana to the Tobacco Barn in Round Bottom Ohio…….the 8”x20” continues to pull at my artistic side.

Size Matters

The 8”x10” Legacy

A once living famous landscape photographer was asked about the size of camera he would take out into the field. His answer made perfect sense, “the largest I can carry”. That photographer was Ansel Adams. Back in his day there was little other then a mule to carry large cameras into the field. Often Ansel would pack hundreds of pounds of gear into his station wagon. Complete with a shooting platform on the roof, his setup was perfect for the time. Take that same gear on the trail minus a pack mule and life would get difficult very fast. Times have changed little since his day.

When camera format comes into question I often choose the aspect ration first. But I digress. When thinking of a large format camera most often the 8”x10” comes to mind. A perfect sized negative that gives a sharp as a tack contact print. The term contact print was derived from the process used to produce the final print. Prior to the days of enlargers, a negative was placed in direct contact with the printing paper. Thus the name contact print. The name stuck. The resulting image from a contact print produced a 1:1 ratio of negative to final print. No enlargement to degrade the final image quality. Most of the processes of the time were Ultra-Violet in nature and used the sun. More on those processes later.

The term large format refers to cameras that expose images onto individual sheets of film. Sometimes the term plate is used. Back in the day plates were most likely glass. The light sensitive emulsion was poured or coated onto the plate. In modern times the use of sheet film has taken over the use of plates. There are still processes that use both wet and dry plates. These are for the most hard-core individuals. The large format photographer has for the most part 3 traditional sizes of sheet film to choose from. First up is the 4”x5” size. Once the standard for advertising and studio work, the 4”x5” is by far the most popular size of sheet film. Dozens of varying emulsions over the years have been created. A select few were propelled into the cult like world with dedicated followers. Next up was the European 5”x7”size made popular by obscurity. The 5”x7” was a perfect size that could easily be enlarged yet still produce a zippy contact print. For those who desired even larger, the 8”x10” became the wholly grail of large format. Once considered the bread and butter of portrait photographers, the 8”x10” gained extreme status as “the” camera to possess. This due in large part to the likes of Edward Weston and Ansel Adams. Using the camera for portrait work, landscapes and fine art became all very much a standard practice. The 8”x10” negative was the ideal contact print. While Adams chose to enlarge most of his negatives, Weston was dedicated to the contact print process. There is no print that can compare or rival the contact print.

Working with negatives of this size does carry the realization that the larger the negative, the larger the camera….and heavier. The single most limiting factor when choosing format is weight followed by cost. The average 8”x10” comes in at around 12 pounds. Pack in a tripod, a lens or two and some film holders….the scales will start to tip around 30 pounds. Take that 30 pounds and place into a backpack, hike a few choice miles and you get the picture. One could wonder why not utilize the latest and greatest digital technology as a substitute for the large format camera. That is yet another topic of discussion for later. Much like the Midwestern field, the topic of digital vs. film is plowed on a daily basis. For now I shall state for the record that digital is not capable of giving the same results as a sheet of film. And even if digital could be comparable, the price is prohibitive. The technology used to produce an image on a sheet of film has changed very little over the years. Pure simplicity still in practice to this day. Working with a large wooden camera is a unique experience that is unlike any other image creation process. The images in the ground glass are upside down and backwards. This is due to the lack of mirrors on large format cameras. There are also no large format zoom lenses. Pick your spot carefully when staking claim to tripod real estate. Moving an 8”x10” camera on a tripod with a pricy lens becomes difficult even on friendly terrain. Try moving that same setup on uneven terrain and gravity just may win out.

With all the elements of difficulty using a large format camera can be very daunting to all but the most dedicated photographer. Simply viewing the negative is but a hint as to the end reward. Take that same negative and produce a contact print. Then there will be no question as to why such a large camera was used for there is no other print like a contact print. And no contact print in the large format world is better then the 8”x10”.....or maybe there is.

The One That Got Away

Missed Shot, Anywhere USA - 8"x20"

For every shot you see there are a hundred shots missed. From the Canyonlands of Utah to the coast of Maine there are images that simply refuse to go onto a sheet of film. Be it the wind, water (or lack of), clouds, rain, snow, did I mention wind? And the locals….flat out the best. These are but a few examples. The elements that conspire to kill a shot. So I now salute all that have at one time gotten the better of me. Here are a few of the ways my soda has been shaken over the years.

The hound dog in southern hills of West Virginia with the floppy ears, dish bowl of drool and a broken howl that would make any basset hound run for cover. The Forrest Gump of the canine world. Run Forrest, run. That poor dog was as sharp as a bag of Swiss cheese. Seems he was not too fond of my presence. All over a rusted old pcikup truck I was looking to imortalize onto film. This truck was in the middle of nowhere particular. Good thing he waited until my tripod was firmly in place to starting his bellowing. Silly dog did manage to get the better of my tripod. Not too smart of a dog as he was attempting too gnaw on the only piece of metal on the entire tripod. A wooden tripod that is. That is one dog I will not soon forget.

Then there was the majestic waterfall in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. Perched on the top of that waterfall was a pack of drunken two legged mountain locals tossing beer cans into the water. Real nice. Problem was this was no ordinary waterfall. This was the type of waterfall that has bold disclaimers at the base of the trail. Something like “8 people have died this season climbing this waterfall so if you feel like you are destined to be number 9 please register at the rangers office so we may notify your next of kin in advance.” And that is not too easy to fit on a wooden sign. These fine pillars of the community were drinking Budweiser like raspberry Kool-Aid. Nothing good could come from this. After spending a good half hour behind my camera waiting, one of the locals yelled out…ya all want us to move so you can take a picture? Now first off was the language barrier. I was thinking that ya all was referring to at least two people. Confused I looked around. They laughed. I later learned that “ya all” is singular and “all ya all” is plural. Go figure. Next was the law of averages. Sooner or later that Budweiser would kick in and someone would aspire to the Darwin theory of drunken stupidity. No matter as after an entire hour I cut bait and headed on to the next destination. Seems the question that was shouted in my direction was merely rhetorical in nature. That waterfall experience was the pickle on the crap sandwich that made up my day.

These are but two of the many times fate chose to play for the other team. This game is seldom easy to play, yet the hard work will always overcome the elements. Or so I am told. Until life proves me wrong you just may see me on the side of the road behind my 11”x14” view camera staring down a 50 year old paint job on a wooden door. Then there will be no question or doubt why I am there.