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LF: Historic auto race

Daniel Buck

New member
Took my speedgraphic 4x5 down to the Historic Sports Car festival this weekend at California Speedway, took 20 sheets with me, 25iso Adox Orthochromatic film. The whole setup with the speedgraphic is working like a charm!

I do think for the shots inside the open garage pits, my ambient-to-flash ratio is a little heavy on the flash side. I was shooting f5.6 for most of the shots, shooting at around 1/200th at full power on the flash. I think if I were to have tried 1/100th, that might have given me the extra boost in ambient light that I think these need.

Also, now that I've become more comfortable using the camera setup, I'm (next race!) going to focus more on my composition. I've shot most of these with pretty loose compositions, not really doing much more than centering my subject. I hope to explore some more creative compositions during the next event. And bring more film!

Here's the first 6 negatives:

HSC_001.jpg


HSC_002.jpg


HSC_003.jpg


HSC_004.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Took my speedgraphic 4x5 down to the Historic Sports Car festival this weekend at California Speedway, took 20 sheets with me, 25iso Adox Orthochromatic film. The whole setup with the speedgraphic is working like a charm!
Was this the standard lens that came with the camera at about 150mm?


HSC_001.jpg


This picture is of simple beauty. The car is a marvel of curves, not only sensuous but also implying speed even at rest. It's interesting how the form of the car is designed to keep air resistance to a minimum, hold the card down to the road and in itself, excite the senses. We have few cars that match this experience. Your photograph, showing it speeding while stationary, is classic.

Asher
 

Daniel Buck

New member
It's a bit wider than a "normal" focal length I believe, it a 127mm f4.7 Ektar. I'm not sure if that lens was meant to be used on 4x5, but it covers just fine. i believe it was meant to be used on a slightly smaller format, but I think it's fairly standard on the 4x5 speeds.

In that shot of the car sitting in the open lot, I wish that newer truck weren't in the background, to me that would just make the photo alot nicer! I didn't even notice the truck when I was shooting though. Still getting used to the pop-up peep site through the wire-frame finder.

Have thought about putting something longer on there, to get a bit more blur in the backgrounds, but I kind of enjoy the slightly wider view, makes the camera easy to use in (relativly) confined spaces, which is usually what it's like in the pits at these races (this is mainly what I'm using this camera for, vintage auto races)

I'll pass on your compliments to Aaron :)

Here's a few more, hot off the scanner :D


HSC_011.jpg


HSC_009.jpg


HSC_008.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Daniel,

Your focus is excellent. Is it just with the rangefinder that came with that lens? Is there anything about that Speed Graphic that makes these shots easier for you than if you would use the Crown Graphic? Synch speed perhaps?

Asher
 

Rod Snaith

New member
Fantastic shots Daniel. I've been a fan of Cobras and GT40s for most of my life, and you've managed to capture a couple with perfect focus.

As for the parking lot, I hear your pain on the truck. Every outdoor car show I go to always seems to have a new vehicle parked right behind a classic. You can snap the pic, but you know its not going to be quite as nice as it could have been...

Rod
 

Daniel Buck

New member
Daniel,

Your focus is excellent. Is it just with the rangefinder that came with that lens? Is there anything about that Speed Graphic that makes these shots easier for you than if you would use the Crown Graphic? Synch speed perhaps?

Asher

I think the only thing different from the crown and the speed, is the focalplane shutter in the rear. Which, I'm not using with this particiular setup. My other speed I use the focalplane shutter to use some of my barrel lenses that don't have built-in shutters. I've been thinking about picking up a crown graphic for this setup, since it would be a bit lighter weight.

I'm focusing with the Kalart range finder on the side of the camera. I had to calibrate it, but once calibrated, it's pretty reliable! In all of these shots, there's really only about 6 inches to 2 feet in sharp focus, and I've managed to nail the focus just where I wanted, not to bad for walking around shooting hand-held with this heavy rig :D

Fantastic shots Daniel. I've been a fan of Cobras and GT40s for most of my life, and you've managed to capture a couple with perfect focus.

As for the parking lot, I hear your pain on the truck. Every outdoor car show I go to always seems to have a new vehicle parked right behind a classic. You can snap the pic, but you know its not going to be quite as nice as it could have been...

Rod

Indeed, the vintage cars are so sweet, but there's always something in the scene that gives it away that it's not a vintage scene! That doesn't bother me entirely, since I'm not trying to fool anyone that it's an actual vintage shot (since some of these cars are actually vintage race cars with a history, not copies!) but it would be visually nicer if there weren't some of the modern pieces in the background. oh well!
 

Rod Snaith

New member
but it would be visually nicer if there weren't some of the modern pieces in the background. oh well!

The last show I was at was a street show. There was a _nice_ 29 Model A (genuine, not a kit) rod. It was the last car in the line, with the town's old movie theatre in the background. Would have made a beautiful shot, except for the lazy SOB who didn't want to walk and parked his lifted Chebbie pickup right at the end of the row (skirting past the big ROAD CLOSED signs).

I grabbed a couple shots, but it was disappointing.

Rod
 
Took my speedgraphic 4x5 down to the Historic Sports Car festival this weekend at California Speedway, took 20 sheets with me, 25iso Adox Orthochromatic film.

Daniel, kudos for going the vintage route, and as you illustrate with your images, there is something very special about the way a 4x5 renders out-of-focus areas. The closes I've ever come to these is the Canon 50mm f/1.2L wide open, but even so it doesn't come close to this "look". As everybody else here, I love your Porsche 356 shot, and also lament the truck in the background.

Do you have a 4x5 enlarger to make some darkroom prints? It's the next logical step, if you are going to the trouble of shooting a speed graphic :)
 

Daniel Buck

New member
Do you have a 4x5 enlarger to make some darkroom prints? It's the next logical step, if you are going to the trouble of shooting a speed graphic :)

Unfortunately, no I do not. I don't have room for a darkroom setup at my current place. This is one thing that I do want to look at setting up when I make my next move, a 4x5 enlarger, and an 8x10 contact frame. I had a 35mm enlarger when I was in college (well, my roommate had one), that was alot of fun!
 

Ron Morse

New member
I thought I answered this post some time ago. I must have hit preview as I often do.

I love the cobra. In fact I have considered building a replica. Thanks for showing these. I love them. You do very nice work. I wish I was as good.
 
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