There's a particular kind of silence that settles over you when you're working with a 4x5. No motor drive, no rapid-fire burst shooting - just you, a loupe, and a ground glass image that appears upside down and backward, asking you to slow down and really see.
I made this image at Mission San Diego de Alcalá in April of 2001. What drew me here was the interplay of textures, the rough plaster wall, bleached white and almost luminous, set against the deep brown of that arched wooden door.
Velvia 50 in sheet film is unforgiving and magnificent in equal measure. It renders reds with a ferocity that almost feels exaggerated until you compare it to the actual geraniums spilling from those terracotta pots and realize the film isn't lying at all. The brick courtyard took on a warmth I hadn't fully appreciated with my eye alone. That's what Velvia does: it shows you what your brain edits out.
Large format photography is a conversation with patience. You haul the gear, compose deliberately, load the film holder in darkness, and then you wait for the light to be right.
Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala in April of 2001
| Tag Name | Data |
|---|---|
| Title | Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala |
| Image Description | I shot this in April of 2001. I believe the view has changed much since then. The Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá was one of my favorite locations to take photos of. |
| Keywords | 4x5 film, FUJICHROME Velvia 50, Junipero Serra, Mission, Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, Mission San Diego, california mission, catholic church, church, drum scan, film scan, flowers, san diego, velvia |
| Copyright | Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved |
| Artist | ExpertPhoto.com |
| Make | Toyo-Field |
| Camera Model Name | Toyo-Field 45AII |
| Lens Model | Schneider 90mm f/5.6 Super-Angulon XL |
| Focal Length | 90.00mm |
| Focal Length In 35mm Format | 27.00mm |
| Date/Time Original | Sunday April 01, 2001 12:00pm |
| City | San Diego |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Grantville |
| GPS Altitude | 30 meters (98.4 feet) above sea level |
| GPS Latitude | 32.7846640816683 |
| GPS Longitude | -117.106651281678 |
| Map | Google Map Link |