“It’s the result of thinking—and I see this with students all the time—that using the view camera forces conscious, decision making.  You can’t sort of stand somewhere, and it is exactly where you want to be.  Do I want it here, or do I want it there—two inches this way or two inches that way.”

– Stephen Shore

The MA cohort were inducted into the 5×4 View Camera, they spent the sunny afternoon working in a small group getting to grips with this format and exploring it’s implications when producing imagery.

This format produces great detail and students were taken aback by the clarity of the ground glass, the flipped image causing them to slow the process down and consider composition in a way that they haven’t before.

Using large format sheet film can be a very costly exercise, so the students also explored an experimental way of producing prints using darkroom paper negatives. The developed results provided unique and unpredictable prints that mirrored the subjects they put before the camera’s gaze.

Stephen Shore – Uncommon Places Interview