Best wishes for safe arrival of the 8x10! I love playing with Harman direct positive paper (in 4x5), especially with pre-flashing to tame the super high contrast it otherwise has. Took a few tries, nothing too complicated, using my enlarger light and timer set at a defined height above the paper. I found that I did not need to pre-flash the same day, could do at least the night before if not longer, which is very convenient. For general LFF content, no need to do to much with gear alone, anyway it's all so much simpler than digital computerized cameras there's less to say. How you work in the field is especially fun and educational. Alternative processes in the darkroom are fun to watch, but they're mostly inaccessible due to the chemicals involved, so a little frustrating too! Cheers from Montreal.
I enjoy the problem solving aspect. It helps with understanding of the process and the medium. Sometimes, I've already overcome the problem; I empathize. Sometimes I've never encountered the problem, I anticipate and plan ahead. Sometimes I am encountering the problem, I realize. Every one of these episodes I enjoy because of my journey shooting large format too. I am currently trying to work with direct positive and trying to get a good understanding of metering with it. It is tougher because the latitude is so much smaller. Which iso, and then how many zones I can get. It is a process that I'm learning now, which your video testing delta 100 has been very helpful
Thanks for the comment Jason! Direct positive is incredibly tricky with a dynamic range of only 2-3 stops. Even the slightest shift of variables can yield different results. It's a patience tester but good notes (including video of setups) helps the process.
Should have titled the episode, "Super Cool Mat In The Hood". 😉 I like watching you shoot in the field. You have a way of describing why you chose a particular scene that I enjoy and find useful.
Looking forward to seeing how your Joshua Tree trip goes and the results of course. What do I like from your channel - easy - almost everything. Would be nice to see some more alternative processes as I am preparing to try out Kallitype printing but still need to make a contact frame and don't yet know if the UV LED's I got are up to the job. More about toning would be good too. Have you done any wet-plate collodion - that would be nice to see too. I have plate-holders ready and waiting but the process isn't cheap and I still haven't splashed out on the chems - later in the summer I hope.
Love the channel. Would like to see more in the field vids. I am also getting ready to try out the 510 pyro developer and would love to hear your thoughts on it.
I can feel your pain. Hope its well worth it. Feedback: as said below, a sense of honesty and modesty. Also, you're the youngest Vlogger I know of that truly understands LF. Most of my work is in the field and I'd like to see your entire field equipment and how you protect it in transit. Thanks for being you.
Jonathan I appreciate your comment greatly! It still feels like I have a long way to go in my LF journey, but glad there are some things I can share to the many folks that are starting out in the hobby.
Your mix of videos is Always fresh 👍🙂 As 8x10 seems to be leaning more towards black and white. Future video explaining choosing good conditions would be valuable to understand. 👍
I like things pretty much as they flow from who you are. If I had to pick something for myself, I'd like to see some darkroom processes for making prints from 4x5 negatives. I'll never be able to move to anything larger and although I love watching the whole 8x10 process, I'd like to be able to make 8x10 alt process prints from the smaller negatives. Thanks.
My favorite thing is seeing you haul that big old camera and tripod to somewhere worthy, and then seeing the results. :) Just behind that is the darkroom stuff, but to be honest, I've seen and done just about everything in the darkroom over the past half century -- except color printing, and 8x10 and larger. I would love to see some actual Calotype (aka Talbotype -- the paper negative part of the *first* patented negative/positive process), but I understand that takes a lot of testing and experimentation, and it's very dependent on quality and condition of the paper used (today's Chanson isn't the same as what Talbot and friends had in 1850, and watercolor paper is probably too dense to contact print from).
Hola Mat, I could use a pause to clean my chemical bottles as well, nice idea. We now have a new member in the family, I really didn't have much time lately. I promise to catch up with the unwatched episodes hehe. Good news is that we get to shoot the most pictures indoor now. The first portrait of my child was done on my 8x10 :D
I love the honesty you bring to the channel, your excitement, disappointments, and just being you! No matter what subject you talk on I'll watch! Enjoy Joshua Tree!
You're going to love Joshua Tree. It's so different from your local environment. When I was in Death Valley a few years ago we drove through a Joshua Tree "forest" and some of them looked so humanoid in the late afternoon that it was a bit creepy lol A friend of mine from Santa Fe, NM does a workshop out there every fall. Shoot and Pt/Pd print. He's the guy that I learned how to make digital negatives and print Pt/Pd. On the topic of what I like to see - I enjoy watching you shoot, develop, and print. Maybe a series like that (again)? That said, whatever you film, I'll watch.
You were 100% right about the environment Michael! I think my body received more sun than in the last 2.5 years! The whole trip was excellent, now it's in the lab's hands. Fingers crossed.
@@MatMarrash I'm looking forward to seeing the results. On an up note for me, I pickled up two Majestic heads from eBay. One is a little stiff and probably needs the lube changed. Other than than that they are in great shape. Neither has the adapter that I need so I still can't use them. Something will turn up. I'm pretty patient.
Enjoy hiking around Joshua tree. You will be reunited with your Tachihara very soon. As for what I would like to see with LFF, here are my thoughts. The techniques of large format are familiar to me. I would like to know more about your creative process. Which photographers influenced you the most? How do you decide where to plant your tripod? How do you interact with your subjects? It would be nice to see you do interviews with other large format photographers, if not in person, then through the magic of Zoom. As someone working in 8X10, you appear to not have access to an enlarger. My basement darkroom doesn't have a high enough ceiling to accommodate one, even if I could find or build one. Do you find contact prints limiting? It would be nice to see a discussion of more exotic developers, or even developers such as D23. I've noticed that people new to the darkroom see the processes as fragile. In my experience they are anything but. Some videos showing how tolerant of abuse the process is might help people. For instance, showing that mistakes in times and temperatures will usually yield usable results. Also showing that film 30 years expired will usually yield usable results if handled correctly. I always enjoy your videos. Thanks for all you do.
My favourite thing about your channel is your personality, Mat. Yes, I am big on large format, and I love to learn new ideas or techniques. But tbh, your positive attitude, your humble approach and your sensitivity is what makes me keep watching this channel. And yeah, I would have the same feelings if I part ways even for a few days from my Shennie. Some of them are not just "tools".
What a funny coincidence! I too spent last week cleaning the darkroom. I never imagined the amount of stuff I managed to accumulate in there. And lets not talk about the surprising amount of dust and grime I found...😝 But now it's all squeaky clean and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. I just have a small 6x6 stationary tray full of knickknacks to sift through.
Oh, wow. So much good stuff to be excited about in this video! I can't wait to see the video with Tariq! Likewise, really looking forward to seeing what you do in Joshua Tree, Mat! While I appreciate all that you do on LFF, my favorite videos are always the videos out in the field. "Joining" you on a hike with the big camera and seeing the photos that you make along the way is both relaxing and inspiring.
I love the conversational tone of LFF. It’s very welcoming to viewers regardless of experience with LF. I’m interested in whatever you’re doing, so I don’t have any real suggestions. I’m new to LF and have found it frustrating, more than some perhaps, as I have very little feeling in my hands. This makes loading and unloading film impossible for me. When I saw your video on XRay film and development by inspection that changed the game. Admittedly XRay or ortho film alone limits my LF options, but that’s ok with me. I can see and do it myself and besides I’m not trying to use a field camera like a point a shoot anyway 🤷🏽♂️. I appreciate the channel and the work you do to bring this information to a wider audience. Thanks 🙏
I really love the channel and the work you do. I always enjoy the field videos and gear talks, but I also crave more detailed film tests… like a dive into Pan F or HP5 or Portra.
@@MatMarrash I’m hoping Ilford will see the light…at least 4x5 and hopefully 8x10. Another subject on my wish list is to do the same with a 6x9 roll film back… a more affordable alternative to sheet film.
PS - you did insure it in case the worst happens, right? And also, did you just ship the body, or did you ship the lenses and film holders? And tripod?
Shipping + insurance was still cheaper than surge pricing for checked baggage. Included everything but extra film holders which went as carry-on. Full report on the process coming once I've got my film back from the lab.
I enjoy your channel very much, your knowledgeability and the way you communicate. Thanks a lot! I agree with many comments I’d like to see more field work
One thought I have is more tutorials on camera movements (using 4x5 to save some money!) by showing through actual prints what happens to an image with specific movements versus without those movements. This could apply to focus, depth of field, perspective shifts etc. While various books have sample images, your experience and clear explanations (and laid back approach!) could be very helpful to us all. Cheers!
Hey Matt, I’m traveling soon with my setup. I just wanted to know why you chose to ship your camera vs carry on? And personally I like the field/portrait work. Thanks for the great content and I always look forward to new post.
Hey Larry I packed it up due to weight vs. price. Checked bag fees (even with media pass) would have been 1.75x the cost of insured UPS ground. For international travel, I'll used checked fees since they allow more weight vs. domestic. For kits < 50 lbs., this is a non-issue.
Field work would be of great interest. Working with large frame is so different from digital shooting and requires a different eye and approach. Thanks Matt.
Enjoy the trip! It's hard to choose what I want to hear about in the future because - for me - large format is all about going down rabbit holes! I guess I enjoy the really detailed deep dives on technical stuff, from the inverse square rule to the ins-and-outs of various darkroom processing methods. I've been eyeballs deep in obscure corners of the DIY photography internet lately since I've started building a 14x17 camera, so maybe I just enjoy a good challenge! 😅 Right now I'm in a town with more cows than people, so I don't know a ton of large format photographers offline. I suppose that cameraderie and 'parasocial interaction' is a big reason I subscribe (today's video being a great example). :-)
I want to see it all: Gear, technics, people, photos and even some "look back onto and repeat" the works of the big artists. Next wide angle video could be with another person view unlike yours. Next shutter video could be something you did not think of etc
I don't have a large format camera (YET), still rocking the medium format and digital ones. But what I enjoy most about your episodes be it field work, darkroom work or whatever is the calm nature in which you present and share the topics. They are very insightful to anyone with a camera. Keep up the great work!
i enjoy the printing sessions and pictures of the pups
Thanks for sharing.
Some introspection is always in order. Have fun in Joshua Tree!
For me LFF is a warranty of candid photography, seeing the world through your eyes and your lens.
My favourite part of LFF is the video production quality 🙈 You truely do knock it out of the park with it!
I like seeing the field work on LFF but it's also fun to see the different gear involved in shooting LFF
My favorite aspect of LFF; the signature Mat Marrash enthusiasm!
Best wishes for safe arrival of the 8x10! I love playing with Harman direct positive paper (in 4x5), especially with pre-flashing to tame the super high contrast it otherwise has. Took a few tries, nothing too complicated, using my enlarger light and timer set at a defined height above the paper. I found that I did not need to pre-flash the same day, could do at least the night before if not longer, which is very convenient. For general LFF content, no need to do to much with gear alone, anyway it's all so much simpler than digital computerized cameras there's less to say. How you work in the field is especially fun and educational. Alternative processes in the darkroom are fun to watch, but they're mostly inaccessible due to the chemicals involved, so a little frustrating too! Cheers from Montreal.
Ack, your having fun in my back yard!!
Thanks for the help at Fort Hayes and the squeaky clean darkroom sink my friend !
You're welcome! Now to head out there and make a mess of the sink all over again. ;)
Love this video, feels like we are just friends talking about our life ... although it's a little one sided!!!
I enjoy the problem solving aspect. It helps with understanding of the process and the medium. Sometimes, I've already overcome the problem; I empathize. Sometimes I've never encountered the problem, I anticipate and plan ahead. Sometimes I am encountering the problem, I realize. Every one of these episodes I enjoy because of my journey shooting large format too.
I am currently trying to work with direct positive and trying to get a good understanding of metering with it. It is tougher because the latitude is so much smaller. Which iso, and then how many zones I can get. It is a process that I'm learning now, which your video testing delta 100 has been very helpful
Thanks for the comment Jason! Direct positive is incredibly tricky with a dynamic range of only 2-3 stops. Even the slightest shift of variables can yield different results. It's a patience tester but good notes (including video of setups) helps the process.
Should have titled the episode, "Super Cool Mat In The Hood". 😉
I like watching you shoot in the field. You have a way of describing why you chose a particular scene that I enjoy and find useful.
Looking forward to seeing how your Joshua Tree trip goes and the results of course.
What do I like from your channel - easy - almost everything. Would be nice to see some more alternative processes as I am preparing to try out Kallitype printing but still need to make a contact frame and don't yet know if the UV LED's I got are up to the job. More about toning would be good too. Have you done any wet-plate collodion - that would be nice to see too. I have plate-holders ready and waiting but the process isn't cheap and I still haven't splashed out on the chems - later in the summer I hope.
Love the channel. Would like to see more in the field vids. I am also getting ready to try out the 510 pyro developer and would love to hear your thoughts on it.
I can feel your pain. Hope its well worth it.
Feedback: as said below, a sense of honesty and modesty. Also, you're the youngest Vlogger I know of that truly understands LF. Most of my work is in the field and I'd like to see your entire field equipment and how you protect it in transit.
Thanks for being you.
Jonathan I appreciate your comment greatly! It still feels like I have a long way to go in my LF journey, but glad there are some things I can share to the many folks that are starting out in the hobby.
Your mix of videos is Always fresh 👍🙂
As 8x10 seems to be leaning more towards black and white. Future video explaining choosing good conditions would be valuable to understand. 👍
Everything is good, Mat, but I’d like to see more portraits. Outside and in.
I’d like to see more on printing with 8x10 especially how to manipulate contact prints as access to an 8x10 enlarger is unobtainable.
I like things pretty much as they flow from who you are.
If I had to pick something for myself, I'd like to see some darkroom processes for making prints from 4x5 negatives. I'll never be able to move to anything larger and although I love watching the whole 8x10 process, I'd like to be able to make 8x10 alt process prints from the smaller negatives.
Thanks.
My favorite thing is seeing you haul that big old camera and tripod to somewhere worthy, and then seeing the results. :) Just behind that is the darkroom stuff, but to be honest, I've seen and done just about everything in the darkroom over the past half century -- except color printing, and 8x10 and larger.
I would love to see some actual Calotype (aka Talbotype -- the paper negative part of the *first* patented negative/positive process), but I understand that takes a lot of testing and experimentation, and it's very dependent on quality and condition of the paper used (today's Chanson isn't the same as what Talbot and friends had in 1850, and watercolor paper is probably too dense to contact print from).
Hola Mat, I could use a pause to clean my chemical bottles as well, nice idea. We now have a new member in the family, I really didn't have much time lately. I promise to catch up with the unwatched episodes hehe. Good news is that we get to shoot the most pictures indoor now. The first portrait of my child was done on my 8x10 :D
Hey congratulations Dōng! Starting the family portraits off right with a big color portrait.
I love the honesty you bring to the channel, your excitement, disappointments, and just being you! No matter what subject you talk on I'll watch! Enjoy Joshua Tree!
Joshua Tree was a blast, now catching up with the world and hoping there's something on the film!
More pinhole - portrait and landscape:)
You're going to love Joshua Tree. It's so different from your local environment. When I was in Death Valley a few years ago we drove through a Joshua Tree "forest" and some of them looked so humanoid in the late afternoon that it was a bit creepy lol A friend of mine from Santa Fe, NM does a workshop out there every fall. Shoot and Pt/Pd print. He's the guy that I learned how to make digital negatives and print Pt/Pd.
On the topic of what I like to see - I enjoy watching you shoot, develop, and print. Maybe a series like that (again)? That said, whatever you film, I'll watch.
You were 100% right about the environment Michael! I think my body received more sun than in the last 2.5 years! The whole trip was excellent, now it's in the lab's hands. Fingers crossed.
@@MatMarrash I'm looking forward to seeing the results. On an up note for me, I pickled up two Majestic heads from eBay. One is a little stiff and probably needs the lube changed. Other than than that they are in great shape. Neither has the adapter that I need so I still can't use them. Something will turn up. I'm pretty patient.
my favorite thing in LFF is your beautiful face!
(*blushes*)
Enjoy hiking around Joshua tree. You will be reunited with your Tachihara very soon. As for what I would like to see with LFF, here are my thoughts. The techniques of large format are familiar to me. I would like to know more about your creative process. Which photographers influenced you the most? How do you decide where to plant your tripod? How do you interact with your subjects?
It would be nice to see you do interviews with other large format photographers, if not in person, then through the magic of Zoom. As someone working in 8X10, you appear to not have access to an enlarger. My basement darkroom doesn't have a high enough ceiling to accommodate one, even if I could find or build one. Do you find contact prints limiting? It would be nice to see a discussion of more exotic developers, or even developers such as D23. I've noticed that people new to the darkroom see the processes as fragile. In my experience they are anything but. Some videos showing how tolerant of abuse the process is might help people. For instance, showing that mistakes in times and temperatures will usually yield usable results. Also showing that film 30 years expired will usually yield usable results if handled correctly.
I always enjoy your videos. Thanks for all you do.
My favourite thing about your channel is your personality, Mat. Yes, I am big on large format, and I love to learn new ideas or techniques. But tbh, your positive attitude, your humble approach and your sensitivity is what makes me keep watching this channel.
And yeah, I would have the same feelings if I part ways even for a few days from my Shennie. Some of them are not just "tools".
great video, even if no camera was involved, but loved the frankenstein portrait @ 4:02 inspiring, and great capture of this candid moment.
Some more studio work would be great, not a lot of it in LF on RUclips 😎
You got it Craig, more studio work coming!
What a funny coincidence! I too spent last week cleaning the darkroom. I never imagined the amount of stuff I managed to accumulate in there. And lets not talk about the surprising amount of dust and grime I found...😝 But now it's all squeaky clean and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. I just have a small 6x6 stationary tray full of knickknacks to sift through.
Oh, wow. So much good stuff to be excited about in this video! I can't wait to see the video with Tariq! Likewise, really looking forward to seeing what you do in Joshua Tree, Mat!
While I appreciate all that you do on LFF, my favorite videos are always the videos out in the field. "Joining" you on a hike with the big camera and seeing the photos that you make along the way is both relaxing and inspiring.
Thanks Chris! Field Work are my personal favorite, but it's good to hear what everyone likes and wants to see.
I love the conversational tone of LFF. It’s very welcoming to viewers regardless of experience with LF. I’m interested in whatever you’re doing, so I don’t have any real suggestions. I’m new to LF and have found it frustrating, more than some perhaps, as I have very little feeling in my hands. This makes loading and unloading film impossible for me. When I saw your video on XRay film and development by inspection that changed the game. Admittedly XRay or ortho film alone limits my LF options, but that’s ok with me. I can see and do it myself and besides I’m not trying to use a field camera like a point a shoot anyway 🤷🏽♂️. I appreciate the channel and the work you do to bring this information to a wider audience. Thanks 🙏
I really love the channel and the work you do. I always enjoy the field videos and gear talks, but I also crave more detailed film tests… like a dive into Pan F or HP5 or Portra.
Those could be expensive tests in LF, but I like the idea! Now when is Ilford going to make Pan F in sheets?!
@@MatMarrash I’m hoping Ilford will see the light…at least 4x5 and hopefully 8x10. Another subject on my wish list is to do the same with a 6x9 roll film back… a more affordable alternative to sheet film.
PS - you did insure it in case the worst happens, right? And also, did you just ship the body, or did you ship the lenses and film holders? And tripod?
Shipping + insurance was still cheaper than surge pricing for checked baggage. Included everything but extra film holders which went as carry-on. Full report on the process coming once I've got my film back from the lab.
I enjoy your channel very much, your knowledgeability and the way you communicate. Thanks a lot! I agree with many comments I’d like to see more field work
I appreciate that!
One thought I have is more tutorials on camera movements (using 4x5 to save some money!) by showing through actual prints what happens to an image with specific movements versus without those movements. This could apply to focus, depth of field, perspective shifts etc. While various books have sample images, your experience and clear explanations (and laid back approach!) could be very helpful to us all. Cheers!
And consequens of smaller aperture needed when not using movements.
Fieldwork is good as well as the studio work. Basically anything you can show using gear. Along with processing of course. Soup to nuts 🤪
Hey Matt, I’m traveling soon with my setup. I just wanted to know why you chose to ship your camera vs carry on? And personally I like the field/portrait work. Thanks for the great content and I always look forward to new post.
Hey Larry I packed it up due to weight vs. price. Checked bag fees (even with media pass) would have been 1.75x the cost of insured UPS ground. For international travel, I'll used checked fees since they allow more weight vs. domestic. For kits < 50 lbs., this is a non-issue.
Field work would be of great interest. Working with large frame is so different from digital shooting and requires a different eye and approach. Thanks Matt.
Thanks Darrell, those are my favorite types of LFF's to make!
Enjoy the trip! It's hard to choose what I want to hear about in the future because - for me - large format is all about going down rabbit holes! I guess I enjoy the really detailed deep dives on technical stuff, from the inverse square rule to the ins-and-outs of various darkroom processing methods. I've been eyeballs deep in obscure corners of the DIY photography internet lately since I've started building a 14x17 camera, so maybe I just enjoy a good challenge! 😅 Right now I'm in a town with more cows than people, so I don't know a ton of large format photographers offline. I suppose that cameraderie and 'parasocial interaction' is a big reason I subscribe (today's video being a great example). :-)
I want to see it all: Gear, technics, people, photos and even some "look back onto and repeat" the works of the big artists. Next wide angle video could be with another person view unlike yours. Next shutter video could be something you did not think of etc
I would pretty much kill for a working, calibrated Crown Graphic!!!
You may not have to turn to a life of crime, since that one will be given away on the channel!
@@MatMarrash Then it's back to a life of crime... I never win anything :D
There there- there's always 120 film 😂
I don't have a large format camera (YET), still rocking the medium format and digital ones. But what I enjoy most about your episodes be it field work, darkroom work or whatever is the calm nature in which you present and share the topics. They are very insightful to anyone with a camera. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the comment Andy and the longer you hang around, the stronger the likelihood of a large format kit! ;)