Living Large

I freely admit stealing that headline from the editor of Scientific American. She was talking about the current issue with articles about dinosaurs, narcissists and Wolf-Rayet stars. The 4x5 Pinhole Lab Camera is my largest camera. Film photography, especially with large format sheets has been described as a dinosaur. Pinhole is often characterized as the evolutionary forebear of photography. Dinosaurs are very old. The expired-in-1981 Plus-X film involved might be called a fossil. And, of course, most of my photography is dependent on one fairly big star, although thankfully nothing like a Wolf-Rayet. The practice of publishing almost every one of my pinhole photographs could be evidence of narcissism. The title fits.

Taking advantage of the easy loading at home, with the film in the 90° angle of view 60mm position and .28mm pinholes, I set out for this giant oak behind the Morgan House. As will become apparent, the strictures and demands of large format sometimes seem a bother but my enthusiasm was restored a bit when this was the first negative I edited.

A very convenient spot to change film is in the little enclosed courtyard/passageway behind the Beach Building. There is a nice stone table to lay everything out in relative privacy. People looking at their phones have walked right by me with my hands in the changing bag. Wondering about what to photograph next, I took notice of what I was actually looking at while rummaging inside the bag. I left the .28 pinholes and put the film at the 117° 38mm position. Also using the rising pinhole with the tripod on the table. The courtyard is not very large but looks like it at this angle of view.

Taking advantage of having everything ready, reloaded at 60mm again and went across Algoma Boulevard and found the saber toothed stone wall of the Trinity Lutheran Church in dappled light.

Changing back at the stone table, switched to 90mm and .34 pinholes for a scene passed earlier on my way to change film from the Morgan House - the Public Safety Building aka The Police. Did the architect intend it to look like a brutalist concrete fortress including the pointy equilateral triangle shape? I once went on a tour which included locking the group in a holding cell. The trees along the street soften it up a little.

Back to 60mm and .28mm pinholes in the darkroom. This pole on the way to the lake seemed to have a large responsibility holding up wires from every direction supported by two sets of guy wires.

Staying at the same angle of view, looking north at the posh sailboats anchored in Miller's Bay.

Taking advantage of a shady picnic table by the lake, I switched to the ultra-wide 38mm without a particular scene in mind. Found this large fluffy hydrangea in front of the sharp corners and straight lines of the neoclassical Yacht Club a few blocks away.

Then I destroyed two sheets. One, by forgetting to secure the shutter when putting the camera in my backpack to transport it to a place I could make the change. Then, flustered when noticing the shutter had accidentally opened, in addition to trying to change the film while sitting with the bag in my lap on a bench, I must have loaded a sheet backwards in the film holder after dropping the film in the bag. There must be something at home to photograph so I can just use the darkroom! 

Moving back to the "normal" angle at 120mm with the .45mm pinholes for a closeup of three of our tomatoes waiting under the Christmas cactus.

Staying at the narrow setting, a minimalist composition of the brass watering can.

Another normal closeup. A piece of clematis, that was the victim of a pruning accident early in the summer, just stuck in a bottle of water, with mixed results.

Just past half way through the box of film, it's getting a little easier. There are a few tricks, like what is the best arrangement in the changing bag. Small things, like which way the film box is oriented, make a big difference. It requires a yoga-like unwavering concentration on procedural rituals. I've found myself closing my eyes and saying the steps aloud as I do them.

The 4x5 Pinhole Lab Camera has slots for the film plane at 38, 60, 90, and 120mm (117° to 56°). With pinholes on the axis and 20mm above it in both orientations. The pinholes in separate mounts can be changed as appropriate. The forty year-old Plus-X was semistand developed in Rodinal, diluted 1:100.