Gowlandflex

I'm starting this blog to share my experiences working with a new tool. In the age of digital - and yes most of my work is digital - I'm starting to work with a very special 4x5 camera. It's a Gowlandflex you can learn more about it on Peter's website. To understand the camera you first have to know the limitations of most 4x5 cameras. Then you have to see this beautiful beast in person.

The downfall of most 4x5 cameras is the inability to focus once the film holder has been loaded into the camera. This means that if anything moves (even a few centimeters) the image will be out of focus. The genius of the Gowland camera is that it is essentially two cameras in one case - one to focus and one to expose. This means that capturing a decisive moment can be possible with a 4x5 camera. Now, of course lots of people have made amazing images with 4x5 cameras and recorded both decisive moments and real expressions - but still, not being able to focus at the time of exposure is problematic.

Why not digital - it's faster, easier, cheaper, more portable and on and on. Only thing is you can't shoot Polaroid p/n film with a digital camera and this film has a very unique, beautiful and unpredictable look to it. So, as much as this blog is about the Gowland camera it is really about the goal of working with Polaroid negative film.

Where are the photos? They are on their way. This is my first Blog entry and I need to get some photos ready to post. If you happen by here before that happens, well you can look at my website and see how far off the path the Gowland camera is for me.

Cheers,

Michael