Large format photography has pros and cons compared to the 120 and 35mm formats. The most apparent advantage is that it produces a more significant negative, typically in sheets from 4×5, 5×7, and 8×10 inches. 

Compared to the image area of a 35mm film frame (24x36mm), it's clear that the large format is - large. This increased negative size means that large format photography can capture far greater detail. This improved size means that prints and enlargements made from such a negative will have much finer grain than prints made from smaller negatives.

The other significant benefit to shooting LF photography is the ability to control the lens angle relative to the film plane, something that's more difficult with 35 mm and 120 mm film cameras. By tilting or shifting the lens or the film plane, it's possible to focus and control the final image more precisely. The downside of shooting large format cameras is less portability, speed, and ease. 

Over the years, and dedicated to film photography, the idea of an 8x10 camera always intrigued me. Edward Weston, Irving Penn, Dorothea Lange, and many others used these cameras to create impactful and lasting work. 

To many photographers, it must look insane to take a sheet of film the size of printing paper to expose a single image. Large format is a deceitful beast. It is like sliding down a slick slope, and before I knew it, I was hooked.

Creating images with a large-format camera, I found enthralling. With the incapacity to quickly frame and take a shot, it is critical to observe the subject and the scene. It is as well a meditative process, like Zen. Creating and developing images on 8x10 film sheets can inflict slight terror. I ask myself if I misjudged the light or bumped the camera. The subsequent panic attack starts when dropping chemicals into the developing tray or tank.  

Did I judge how well I observed the scene in front of me and did I artistically capture how I saw it in my vision? If everything is done the right way, it can be a stunning result.

Gear needed for this journey: lens, tripod, cable release, film changing bag, film holders, film, development equipment, loupe.

There are numerous challenges – it is heavy, complex, expensive, and massively time-consuming. But seeing good results, and suddenly there is a devilish look in my eyes as I proudly produce negatives and contact printings, unlike anything I ever get from another camera.