what is large format?

Let me preface: This is a geeky post. It is all about technical stuff. If you're another photographer, you probably already know this about me, my geeky technical side. This is probably because I HAVE to be with film and large format. If you're really gonna use this stuff, you need to KNOW how. Also, I am in no way an expert and I am sure there are landscape photographers who could run circles around me with large format, but since I use it my way, here is my view.

Let's start with some technical and some history. Photography started out big. In the digital age, where all those consumer (and most professional) level digitals are based on 35mm size equipment (its lightweight, so versatile!), and are easy to take about with you on adventures. In the early days of photo, larger formats were the norm. Civil war soldiers had tintypes (that's a photograph on a piece of tin) created for their families. Timothy O'Sullivan and Matthew Brady were photographing the Civil War with larger formats than 35mm (almost 100% it was after a battle, bc trying to do a wet plate process with shots flying... oy.)

35mm wasn't available then. Photography was not a consumer enterprise.

Fastforward, to Ansel Adams and F.64. The use of larger formats became a thing of fine art. It was phased out of the family type work because smaller, more manageable cameras (with rolled film) became available.

Large format is a designation about the size of the negative (or digital plate in some cases). Film sheets (not rolls) that are 4 inches by 5 inches or larger are considered large format. There are different types of cameras that take this size of film. For example, there are field cameras. These type of large format camera close up in a box, travel easier than other types of large format, and are used predominantly in landscape photography. However, the film plane can be fixed like in 35mm and medium format-- it cannot be manipulated. The focal plane (or front standard) can be adjusted up, down and tilted on its axis.

Another type of large format camera is a monorail system. The downside is that it doesn't travel up mountains too well, and its heavier in general, but the upsides, to me, are endless. Yup, you read correctly. There's no end to the upsides of a monorail. For example:

Focal plane and film plane can be manipulated. The focal plane controls the.... focus. (smartie if you got that!) the film plane controls the perspective. So you can fully manipulate your focus points AND your perspective.

WHY does that matter, right?

Well, when you can manipulate your perspective, you can make things appear different than they are in real life. E.G.: you can be standing to the right of a mirror, but make it look like you're in front of it, you can adjust for vanishing points in architecture, possibilities are limitless.

When you manipulate your focal plane you can make one thing in focus on a plane but not the entire plane. For example, you can have just the hands, or just the eyes..... the possibilities... you know where I'm going with this.

Last thoughts:

--I never photograph without plane manipulation. No offense, Ansel, its just not my style. I don't do landscapes, so the sharpness afforded by f.64 isn't necessary for me.

--The technical understanding and application of the zone system (google it) is not optional with large format. If you don't know it, using this format (or honestly, any camera at all) you'll just getting a BIG negative. No redeeming quality for just being big.

thanks for reading this LONG and technical post.