Looking Out
California’s Big Sur coast.
Taken with Toyo 4×5 view camera and Provia 100 film. Approx 3 minute exposure.
The 4×5 inch green box of Fuji Provia slide film contains ten unrecorded personal perspectives waiting to be shared with the world. In darkness, I load each precious sheet into individual film holders, feeling the film reference marks to ensure that the emulsion faces outward. The holder will be inserted into my Toyo A2 4×5 large format view camera on location in my garden, at a nearby lake or perhaps the Eastern Sierra Mountains.
Nearly a year has past since my friend Gary encouraged me to pursue large format photography. Gary brokered a deal to purchase a camera from another friend, Sam. Along with the Toyo, Sam included 150 mm, 210 mm and 300 mm lenses. It would take some training and practice to learn to use the new camera but I was enthusiastic to learn a new way of studying the world.
Held to the light, the details of a sharply focused 4×5 inch slide image capture my attention and even offer the possibility of crafting a mural-sized print. The view camera’s tilt and shift movements enhance creativity.
But, there is another reason that I put my 35 mm camera on the shelf and focused on the view camera. The view camera forces me to slow down, to dedicate each shoot to a single image, or possibly two, to tell a story in a special way. My 35 mm camera and zoom lenses provide the ability to move quickly and capture many perspectives of the landscape, maybe too many perspectives. The Toyo’s workflow allows me to interject more thought into a single perspective, to try to tell a story in a special way.
I focus on the big picture, the quality of light and color on the land. I find landscape details during hikes and often return to favorite locations. I arrive with the Toyo and merely have a feeling about a spot, trying to prevent preconceptions from tainting my composition.
On location, I am ready to shoot. A composition is isolated, my tripod leveled, camera mounted and lens attached. I study the upside down inverted image on the ground glass and focus the bellows mounted lens. Tilts and shift are used to capture desired depth of field. Then I stop down the lens, set the shutter speed, close and cock the shutter and insert the film holder. Finally, I open the sleeve of the film holder and release the shutter to capture the cool blue light of predawn. I capture the moment as I gaze upon a window-like portal in a rock formation along California’s Big Sur coastline.
It is not this photographic process that is important for me. Actually it is not even the final image that drives me to photograph with the Toyo. The Toyo simply allows me to interact with the simple details of nature, to imagine and create in a personal and rewarding way by slowing down and enjoying the beauty before me.
Looking Out belongs to the following groups:
***Amazing + Analogue***, Abstracts from Nature, All About Water, All Things Poetic, Artistic, Philosophical, All Water in Motion (A Camera In The Description Before It Will Be Accepted), American Southwest , Artistic Motion Blur, California Sound , Colour and light, Film Photography, Fine Art of Landscape Photography, First Things, Images & Ideas, ImageWriting (2/24), JPG Cast-Offs, Landscape and Abstract Photography, MASTERS OF THE SCENIC, Minimalist Landscapes, Out of the Blue (75%+ Blue), Remember When, SEA and Style! Class! Elegance! Excellence! Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
Leanna Lomanski
Gorgeous work Chris!
Mary Ann Reilly
Hauntingly beautiful
Rachel McKinnie
Chris, this is one of my favorite images, not just of yours, but of EVER. It’s so beautiful.
Angel Warda
stunning!
follicle
wonderful ‘mist’ off the water!
oddpoet
this is gorgeous how do you take such photographs and where is it u must have a brilliant camera and go there at the right times of the day.
chris Whitney replied
The key is the right light and applying the imagination. The camera is secondary once you learn the technical part. Thanks for your comments oddpoet.
swelch
Beautiful image Chris. Exposure is spot on..good job.
jerry alcantara
this is amazing!
Linda Bianic
eeire and spectacular!!!! Mmmmm, lighting,,,,the technical part…....I have sooooo much to learn.
Tim Everding
fantastic work mate, stunning and eeire!!
linda858100
amazing,very nice.
misiabe80
Wonderful!!!
Stan Wojtaszek
love the soft look of the water
Adrian Kent
What a truly great shot!
Jason Connolly
Stunning shot..
Garth Smith
Beautiful shot, hauntingly so. Well done.
linda858100
fabulous shot,
Jeff VanDyke
Awesome Composition!!!
Rémi Bridot
Superbe !!!
Erwin G. Kotzab
A wonderful shot, from an often shown place. Pfeiffer Beach at its Best…..
Carol Barona
Stunning! Wow!
jlynn
Majestic!! Well done!
Kay Martin
Another beautiful image. Art!
Jonicool
So mysterious and beautiful!
Pamela B
Fantastic work!
Ralph Olsson
This is just beautiful…awesome work mate
Anthony Mancuso
fantastic work Chris, great composition and colour
Chipmunk
I want to be there….just sit and reflect
sulaartist
Lovely work Chris. Thank you !!!
Nelson Campbell
Unearthly beautiful…one of my favorites photos ever…
Tammy Espino
Outstanding!! WOW!!!
glenzilla
Ok this one get chops :)
gail anderson
wow… this inspires me.
Mojca Savicki
well, all your work is great, but this one man, i really love it!!!
deannedaffy
Mystical and magical!
sstarlightss
That’s a beautiful piece of fine art, Chris. Magical. Congrats on your very well deserved feature.
EarthGipsy
Very erie…...congrats!
Bradley Nichol
Hi Chris….glad to have found you here (Bradley Nichol JPG Cast-Offs)
Bonnie Blanton
Truly Stunning! Excellent technical chops for sure:)
Lesley S
Magical. So beautiful!
DevineDayDreams
this is beautiful! so serene! i love your gallery!
Lars Klottrup
Colours and compo Top! :-)
Regenia Brabham
An excellent long exposure. Awesome blues! Love the mood of this.
Tony Wilkinson
wow…......magical…..love it
Lara Bianco
amazing shot
Cheryl Lunde
Magnificent Chris!
Rosy Kueng
Brilliant work Chris! Love this kind of shot….would like to learn it :O)) untill then I enjoy your amazing pictures! Congrats on your feature!!!
UnEasy
So many kudos, all expressing the same sentiment – the beauty of this image is overwhelming – and each comment expressing this in different words. You know with a consensus like that you hit a home run. For me, the “haunting” colors [borrowing from one poster’s comment], almost iridescent quality of the fog and/or sea mist, and the just discernible texture of the rock all contribute to the overall beauty of the work. But I drift. This work is one of those so overpowering in its beauty it resists, with confidence, attempts to deconstruct it, secure in its majesty.
JeanineDelorme
This is so beautiful!
resin8n
What a wonderful shot!
lorilee
Enticingly beautiful!!!!!
bearpaw
just awesome….
fullcirclemand...
Absolutely fabulous – Your whole portfolio is super impressive:)
Isard
marvellous
bravo
Cassy Greenawalt
Great shot! Beautiful yet eerie.
Antanas
amazing view
Portia Soderberg
So beautiful Chris!
david-ong
truly amazing shot!
Jayne Logan
amazing indeed! very lovely – congrats!
Holly Martinson
Stunning capture, nice job!
fotonio
Excellent work and so beautiful!
TheBlindHog
Well Chris, this is completely humbling. Makes me want to put all my gear in the nearest Slavation Army kettle. Great job!
Susan Kimball
Beautiful!!
kalaryder
Lovely shot full of mystery
CATNIPMEOW
Ethereal….........
Jens Helmstedt
Great shot! Wonderful blue color tones!
kaycheree
Very mystical – beautiful capture!!
Adam Gormley
Hi Chris, wonderful mood in this image mate, so well captured!!
Stephen Van Tuyl
I love Big Sur! Spent some time down there during my “Hippy days” back in the late sixties. Great shot Chris!
BellaStarr
So Peaceful… great photograph
Denis Molodkin
Brilliant capture
photosbyflood
Great Shot Chris right down there on the purple sand beach I have to go back. The day I was there it was so windy it was like a sand storm. this is awsome just enough detail.
chris Whitney replied
Our second trip back here greeted us with a wind storm too. It will be hard to beat the first trip, but I will give it another try sometime. Thanks.
photosbyflood
Nice to see a familiar face !
Donna Chapman
excellent
Helene Henderson
Beautiful capture!
maremarie
Wonderful dreamy low key picture! :-)
kathy s gillen...
wow !!!
Carlie Hensley
Wow!!! This is Beautiful!
A.M. Ruttle
Thanks for taking the time to really savor what is around you, Chris, and for explaining how the large format changes what and how you experience the world. I have been very curious about the whole process you describe so beautifully to accompany your gorgeous image. AMR
Enno Kosk
Fabulous image!
Waleska Luker
Congratulations! On making the Top Ten in a First Things Group challenge.