After studying the work of Vanessa Winship recently I have a new fire under me to shoot large format negs overseas. Carrying the equipment 1/2 way round the world can be a bit daunting, dealing with airports is tough but being lazy is not an option. For me my subjects are in Asia so I simply need to overcome the difficulties to get my equipment there. Going overseas allows me to grow, you see so many different ways of living, cultures, foods, environments, languages. Simply put you learn different ways of living and experiencing life. So many folks I know in Canada live in such terribly small worlds, it's like they live in their hallway closet. When you go out into the world, it changes you as a person. You become more tolerant, more accepting of others etc, its fricking wonderful.
In my 13 or so trips to Asia I have never had any film fogged so I am not worried about that. I have taken 35mm, 120, 4x5 and 8x10 Tri-x with me through the years and have faced no problems (even after 7 X-rays). I read today that in-fared films fog in X-ray machines. Personally I have always found that sort of film-print (infrared) very gimmicky looking so that is not a worry for me. I believe 3200 ASA stuff might also face some fogging issues at airports but I do not shoot that film either (still made by Ilford, not by Kodak).
Another advantage of shooting one film is you truly understand the film, you know how it responds to X-ray machines etc., so there are no nasty surprises. I know what to expect when I put my Tri-x in a machine, if I put other films in I am unsure, so why play games? Choose what works for you and use that consistently until you know everything about the film, how it responds in different light, how it handles different developers, how it is to print on different photo papers (preferably one or two) and how many times it can be X-rayed before it fogs. Simplifying allows you to grow as an artist.
What I want to do is to shoot the 5x7 Tri-x and the Linhof with one lens, and the Leicas with Tri-x and multiple cameras. Those types of shooting are so different it would be so satisfying to do both. One day large format, the next day 35mm. The trick is to overcome my laziness, and get the cameras over seas. Jock Sturges, John Sexton manage to do it now, Paul Strand did it back when air travel was even more difficult. Why can't I? Nothing is impossible to accomplish, you just have to want it bad enough. No excuses, the creation of the work is most important. Am really looking forward to the day I can have 6 months ahead of me in Asia to just make pictures.
Eventually I will take my 8x10 view camera to Asia to photograph. I need to use up my supply of 5x7 film first thou, it will be a bit easier to shoot and I have a ton of that stuff, all outdated.
In my 13 or so trips to Asia I have never had any film fogged so I am not worried about that. I have taken 35mm, 120, 4x5 and 8x10 Tri-x with me through the years and have faced no problems (even after 7 X-rays). I read today that in-fared films fog in X-ray machines. Personally I have always found that sort of film-print (infrared) very gimmicky looking so that is not a worry for me. I believe 3200 ASA stuff might also face some fogging issues at airports but I do not shoot that film either (still made by Ilford, not by Kodak).
Another advantage of shooting one film is you truly understand the film, you know how it responds to X-ray machines etc., so there are no nasty surprises. I know what to expect when I put my Tri-x in a machine, if I put other films in I am unsure, so why play games? Choose what works for you and use that consistently until you know everything about the film, how it responds in different light, how it handles different developers, how it is to print on different photo papers (preferably one or two) and how many times it can be X-rayed before it fogs. Simplifying allows you to grow as an artist.
What I want to do is to shoot the 5x7 Tri-x and the Linhof with one lens, and the Leicas with Tri-x and multiple cameras. Those types of shooting are so different it would be so satisfying to do both. One day large format, the next day 35mm. The trick is to overcome my laziness, and get the cameras over seas. Jock Sturges, John Sexton manage to do it now, Paul Strand did it back when air travel was even more difficult. Why can't I? Nothing is impossible to accomplish, you just have to want it bad enough. No excuses, the creation of the work is most important. Am really looking forward to the day I can have 6 months ahead of me in Asia to just make pictures.
Eventually I will take my 8x10 view camera to Asia to photograph. I need to use up my supply of 5x7 film first thou, it will be a bit easier to shoot and I have a ton of that stuff, all outdated.
