Two years with large format film

[Vieri Bottazzini]

Hello everyone, it now has been two years since I started thinking about working with large format 4x5” film, and what an exciting, inspiring ride this has been! Working with large format proved to be everything I hoped for and more; after two years, I am fully convinced that this has been the right choice for me and that large format film is the medium that best helps me express myself through my photography.

Between our Workshops and my personal work, my wife and I do travel a lot; however, I was surprised to see that, grouping together all our travels, since I got my first 4x5” camera I had the opportunity to work with large format for a total of about 365 days in the field over two calendar years!

While the learning never stops, after these two years I now feel confident enough about sharing some thoughts about this photographic experience and all it entailed, hoping you’ll find them interesting and useful regardless of any eventual interest you may have in working with film.

The article is way too long to share here; if interested, you'll find on my blog, here: ​https://www.vieribottazzini.com/2026/05/two-years-with-large-format.html

Enjoy the read and let me know your thoughts! Best regards,

Vieri

[kers]

Thank you for the interesting article.

Around the year 1995 i was into 4x5 inch doing architecture. Just this week I was again confronted with the old 4x5 inch while I was cleaning my room.

It still has a lot of magic and i really wanted to use it again. Just for the fun of it, because i just cannot see me using it in a way that will work for me as it does for you.
At my wall a large 4x5 inch print of the Mont Blanc Glacier made in 2003 with my own made balsa wood 4x5inch camera. ( I was walking) Extreme sharp and a perfect exposure on a slide. ( i was lucky)
One of my most favourite photos, also explaining how small we are and how big those glacial fissures are... I found another 2 small people on the photo after printing it!
I still have a developing tank so i can try some BW; It is too bad that my most preferred BW film - kodak Technical pan 25asa - is not available anymore (and never was for 4x5 inch)

[Vieri Bottazzini]

Thank you for the interesting article.

Around the year 1995 i was into 4x5 inch doing architecture. Just this week I was again confronted with the old 4x5 inch while I was cleaning my room.

It still has a lot of magic and i really wanted to use it again. Just for the fun of it, because i just cannot see me using it in a way that will work for me as it does for you.
At my wall a large 4x5 inch print of the Mont Blanc Glacier made in 2003 with my own made balsa wood 4x5inch camera. ( I was walking) Extreme sharp and a perfect exposure on a slide. ( i was lucky)
One of my most favourite photos, also explaining how small we are and how big those glacial fissures are... I found another 2 small people on the photo after printing it!
I still have a developing tank so i can try some BW; It is too bad that my most preferred BW film - kodak Technical pan 25asa - is not available anymore (and never was for 4x5 inch)

Hello Pieter,

thank you for reading and commenting, happy you enjoyed the article and great to know that you are interested in using 4x5" again. Thank you as well for sharing your 4x5" story and image, that is a beautiful shot of the Mont Blanc!

Have fun with your balsa camera and share some photographs with us!

Best regards,

Vieri