Rarely have I anticipated the outcome of a photo such as this one. Anticipation is one of the pleasures of shooting film. Spotting a potential subject composing and seeing it in a viewfinder, capturing it and then... the time in-between. During this time expectation builds, waiting for the outcome. Will it be good, will it be technically correct, will it have that bit of photographic magic?
Recently I was out and about in Bristol with fellow photographer Mark Heaver. Mark had bought with him his beautiful Chamonix camera and when he suggested that take my own photo with it I did not think twice. The camera itself is a thing of utter beauty, made from teak wood, carbon fibre, aluminium and stainless steel it sits elegantly on top of a tripod truly looking the part. I was totally transfixed by the upside-down image on the ground glass which magically came into view when I draped the black cape over my head and the back of the camera. So It's one thing when you have 36 frames of 35mm film and another when you have 12 frames of 120. But a large format single frame 4x5” photograph with its methodical preparation and deliberate execution certainly amplifies the post-shot anticipation.
Chamonix 4 x 5” View Camera | Kodak Portra 160