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4x5x365 – Image 310

4x5x365 by James Pratt Leave a Comment on 4x5x365 – Image 310
I sat for Robert Trawick to take my picture with my Toyo View VX-125 film camera using a 300mm F5.6 Nikkor lens. I had Robert tilt the top of the front standard about 20 degrees towards me, which threw the very narrow 1″ depth of field at a 45 degree angle from the film plane. This made the focus plane cut through my eyes and nose, but left my chin and forehead out of focus. This uses the Scheimpflug principle to tilt the plane of focus.

My good friend and fellow photographer Robert Trawick had been sick from cancer and finally felt well enough to meet me for coffee recently. I surprised him with my Toyo VX-125 4×5 film camera. Robert shot 4×5 film as a United States Air Force combat photographer, but hadn’t used it much since he retired. He was very excited to shoot 4×5 film again and talked about using it to photograph Air Force officers. We traded portraits and in this photo, Robert used the Scheimpflug principle to throw the plane of focus at a 45 degree angle to the film plane.

We tilted the top of the front lens standard towards me and used the Scheimpflug principle shown above to throw the plane of focus 45 degrees from the film plane. You can tell this by seeing my eyes and nose in focus, but my chin and forehead is out of focus.
Robert was excited to play with my Toyo View VX-125 4×5 film camera. We used my Nikkor 300 mm F5.6 lens for the portraits. I had to modify a Toyo 45G extension rail to fit on the rear of my Toyo camera – notice the long black tube tucked under Robert’s chin. This tube is normally made for the Toyo 45G and I had to do some modifications so that I could add it to my VX-125 to get the full extension for this Nikkor 300 mm lens. I also added longer bellows than comes standard with the VX-125, but that is an easy e-bay purchase.
I mixed up a fresh batch of chemicals for this project, since I hadn’t developed film in a few months and my chemicals were old. I process images in my kitchen sink using the Jobo tank in the upper left corner and have been doing so for a couple of decades.
I hung the 4×5 images to try in my kitchen doorway. Later I scanned them on my Epson scanner and later I will print them on old-fashioned silver gelatin photographic paper in my makeshift bathroom turned darkroom.
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James Pratt

James Pratt

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I am an Oklahoma based writer, commercial photographer, editorial photographer and adventurer based in Oklahoma City. I love telling stories about people. A motorcycle is my preferred means of travel, and I have over 5,000 hours piloting small airplanes. My editorial photography has been published in hundreds of magazines and my commercial photography has been used by dozens of companies worldwide.

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