Photographing a ground glass screen

[roskav]

Hi All ... I was trying to do something new and I rigged up an old field 5x7 with an old schneider enlarger lens (150).  I then positioned a dslr behind the camera and focussed on the interior surface of the ground glass.  I think there may be something in composing this way ... but am I really just introducing a vignette and texture to an image ... would there be any difference otherwise if I just shot the scene plain?   Has anyone else been doing this? .. Would love to hear or see if so!  (PS maybe the reflections on the glass lend something to it .. emphasising the idea of a planar image.

Thanks ..R

[paul_jones]

Hi All ... I was trying to do something new and I rigged up an old field 5x7 with an old schneider enlarger lens (150).  I then positioned a dslr behind the camera and focussed on the interior surface of the ground glass.  I think there may be something in composing this way ... but am I really just introducing a vignette and texture to an image ... would there be any difference otherwise if I just shot the scene plain?   Has anyone else been doing this? .. Would love to hear or see if so!  (PS maybe the reflections on the glass lend something to it .. emphasising the idea of a planar image.

Thanks ..R

ive mucked around doing this with my old sinar. ends up being a very big camera, and very dark. but things seem to look cool on the focusing screen. i will have to give a more serious go..
ive also seen something somewhere of people shooting down the finder of a twin reflex.

paul

[ced]

If nothing else it adds a nice frame to the image...

[Rob C]

Hi All ... I was trying to do something new and I rigged up an old field 5x7 with an old schneider enlarger lens (150).  I then positioned a dslr behind the camera and focussed on the interior surface of the ground glass.  I think there may be something in composing this way ... but am I really just introducing a vignette and texture to an image ... would there be any difference otherwise if I just shot the scene plain?   Has anyone else been doing this? .. Would love to hear or see if so!  (PS maybe the reflections on the glass lend something to it .. emphasising the idea of a planar image.

Thanks ..R

I think what you have done has worked very well. It fits the mood and the subject neatly and gives an atmosphere that's rather attractive. You can't redo the use of the equipment parts very often without becoming boring, but if you trim that off, better, just frame closer, you have the basis for an interesting series of pictures.

Rob C

[Enda Cavanagh]

Hi Ros
How are things me ould namesake? I think your idea has a lot of potential. I think it would suit certain compositions and I think the reflections would actually add to the effect your are trying to achieve. It reminds me of the scenes from movies where one sees though the eyes of the wild west photographers (or am I imagining that!)




 

[paul_jones]

where can you get focusing glass without grids? without costing a fortune?

paul

[ced]

where can you get focusing glass without grids? without costing a fortune?

paul

Paul you can find others on the web but here is one link to make your own.
http://photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/005LO4

[roskav]

Hi everybody thanks for the replies, Jeremy Cowart is certainly v interesting ... he really makes something of his ground glass shots although I wonder how much of the texture is applied in PS?

I tried it again a couple of times and there is something to it .. although it is dark and you have to use a high iso for any fast shutter speed.  I also tried some movement shots ... ok I'll post some here but they are not that good.

In the end I just used my Hass V for the shoot with speeds of 1/2 second to 1/8 for what I wanted .. also the old one of movement and freezing a little part of it with flash which I have done quite a bit of.  I'll post some images when I have a chance.

Enda good to hear from you congrats on the mentions for the RHA .. am wanting to go down to have a look and might make it this w/end.

Ros

in the meantime some more tests that as I said are only tests and show certain weaknesses
R

[Rob C]

No, not weaknesses: style. Keep with it - it works well.

Rob C