I finally got a Hasselblad. I wanted one since high school, however, with the advent of digital photography, the desire went away. Being back in the darkroom, though, has re-interested me in the traditional methods of photography, and with that, the desire for a top-notch camera.
This was off the first roll of photos I took with the camera. I’ve never used a medium format camera before. I read a ton of information on message boards, web sites, and watched stuff on youtube to learn how to do stuff like load film, use the lens for functions like aperature and shutter speed, use a light meter, and so forth. It’s very much unlike a 35mm camera.
Once all the equipment was ready to go, there is then the change of looking through the top of a camera, into a square, and seeing the image flipped. It takes longer to compose the image, move your body to get the framing correct, and then moving the whole camera around to determine the composition. You also only have 12 shots per roll of film, so there is a greatly increased desire to really choose one good shot to take, instead of snapping off 30 and hoping one is right.
The result is a much slower picture-taking process. Oddly enough, I love it! I think having to be so careful and considerate of everything I’m doing is really helping me form tighter photographs that pack more meaning into each frame. I’m carefully consider f-stops and shutterspeeds, whereas on digital, I generally only pick one to focus on and let my camera figure out the other.
I’m also starting to explore with using various chemicals in the darkroom to help me get finer photographs. This adds another element of personal control into the photograph. Basically, much more of ME is in each picture.
And, the results are great. I haven’t done a really great side by side comparison yet, but the Hasselblad might be delivering me sharper, crisper results than my new Canon 5d Mark ii. Or at least the lens might be. There are so many variables it’s hard to know for sure, but I do think my Hasselblad can stand on its’ own against some of the more powerful modern cameras.
So, I’m very pleased with this photo. I love the shades of grey I’m getting, and the crispness of everything, even though I intentionally blurred the fence a bit. I love the square composition – it seems like everything has a bit more room to breathe, but is also more focused and eye-directing. The building really was not so powerful in reality, but the crispness and square that the Hasselblad gave me seems to have focused the most important elements into a photo I really feel is outstanding.
I know it’s almost heretical to say, but I’m enjoying the Hasselblad more than my Canon 5d mk ii right now. I think both will balance out, however, and give me a wide range of versatility that I love as an artist.
