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No need to justify anything. Use what you want when you want.
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If you need or want to use a particular format for a picture or process you are involved with, that is your choice and I cannot see that you have to justify that to anyone but yourself. A smaller format user may find that they get the results they want with their choice of equipment but that will not apply to everyone.
Roy Groombridge.
Cogito, ergo sum.
(Descartes)
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Ah, yes. The FUD factor. Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. How did the skilled people get to be skilled? Were they born with the skills? I bet they didn't just roll out of their cradles with the skills and knowledge they now have. In other words, learning is a joy and everyone must travel a similiar road. The more one learns the more enjoyable it all becomes. Even if they were born that way it makes sense to me that those who overcome FUD (as opposed to those that didn't or don't have the problem (if they really exist)) have accomplished more than those who don't wrestle with it.
Enjoy your own journey and go where you will. Someone said, "Will the person who says it can't be done please stay out of the way of the person who's doing it". And anyway, who is the person that I need to justify myself to as a photographer? That would be one helluva job.
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Just who were the negative critics? The reactions in the APUG gallery seem universally positive. One thing is for certain, you do not need a permit or the approval of others to do what you feel like doing. The use of an 8x10" would seem logical, given the printing processes you prefer, and you seem to be adept at getting results, even apparently with a somewhat cantankerous old wooden camera. I personally prefer bromide prints to Van Dyke, with you it's obviously the other way round and you seem to have the skills to work with this process. So why worry - just keep on going!
Regards,
David
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In my experience, the difficulty in LF is only about the higher cost of the film, awkwardness of operation and weight of the camera. Being saddled with a huge tripod is like dragging around a set of bagpipes wherever I go.
The technique itself is actually easier than 35mm, and lends itself to novices. A big negative can withstand many more "slings and arrows" than a small one.
In art school we were limited to 4x5 Plus-X in D-76 for the first two years. It was felt that our skill level was not yet up to the smaller formats. The third year we were allowed 120 film, and finally 35mm in the senior year.
Looking back on my early work from those days, I was certainly a novice and my photographs were easily identifiable as those of a student. But I never actually lost a shot. From day one.
Somehow, as long as the view camera shutter opened and closed, I was assured some kind of a printable image. Not so with 35mm, which had to be "right on" to survive the massive enlargement onto a print.
These days, whenever I get out the EOS, it takes a half hour of scanning the instruction book to refresh my memory how to shut off the many labor-saving electronic devices so I can then work in peace and have my own way with exposure and focus. That thing has more buttons than a clarinet.
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The only justification you ever need is that the equipment/process met your needs and you found its use and results satisfying to you. With regard to level of expertise it helps to have a grounding in the basic photographic principals and also learn to work in a methodical manner. Both these can be easily learned by the novice.
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 Originally Posted by scootermm
do you feel you have to justify yourself as a photographer in using a large format camera?
Justify ???
Hmph!! As if!!
It's your life - live it.
Do what makes you happy - just don't let what you do interfere with other peoples enjoyment of their own life.
Critics? - Use what they say constructively to increase your own enjoyment - ignore the rest - after all.......
It's your life - not theirs.
cheers
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You need the skill, such as it is, to use a handheld meter and a basic understanding of exposure. You clearly have those skills so I've no idea what anyone suggesting otherwise was on, but it wasn't coffee... Some people are so locked into their own way of doing things that they can't imagine any other way as being equally as valid.
I think you need to ask them exactly what skill or ability it is that they think you are missing. Actually, don't bother... What other people think is of no real consequence if you are happy with what you are doing.
Cheers, Bob.
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In my experience, people learn photography BETTER when they shoot LF! It's difficult, it's expensive, but the extra effort and the discipline it imposes on the shooter makes that person a better photographer. In addition, there is nothing quite like learning to see while looking at a larger ground glass. One of the advantages of LF is that the photographer looks AT the ground glass and sees an image and composes accordingly. With smaller formats, the photographer looks THROUGH the camera at the subject, much like with binoculars, and there is less awareness of the qualities of the image itself. With LF, you tend to focus on the image, whereas with small format, you tend to focus on the subject (no pun intended). This is a big difference psychologically and aesthetically.
The other aspect I find so attractive about LF is the simple discipline it imposes. You can't bang off several rapid fire shots so one tends to compose more carefully, select subject matter and vantage point more carefully, and the work tends to be more contemplative and deliberate. Is this appropriate for all subject matter? Of course not -- for some things, 35mm can't be beat, but if you can use LF you're always going to be better off doing so. Better to shoot one image well on LF than a lot of junk on 35mm, which is what often happens.
I think it is not an accident that people often ask small format shooters, "did you GET a good picture?" Whereas with LF shooters, the question is more like, "Did you MAKE a good photo?"
Fortunately, we live in a fairly free world, so take advantage of your freedom and choose LF -- it's hard on the wallet, a bit hard on the back, but does wonders for your creativity.  )
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