I have been asked in some camera club presentations why I shoot square. It is a long answer if I really delve into it. I will discuss working in the square aspect ratio and how it works compositionally in my series on composition.
Suffice to say that square feels like home for the moment.
I did want to show you my first love affair with square photography.
This is my Bronica EC. An Electronically Controlled focal plane shutter on this two and a quarter square beast. I say beast as it weighs nearly two kgs. And the sound it makes when the shutter goes of is startlingly loud and rather unique. A mixture of whirs and a final clunk.
It was dads. He loved it. I saw it in parts on his repair bench a number of times. Lots of wires to ensure the electronics worked well. The electronic shutter was for exposure reliability I understand. Not that this particular camera was reliable. It keeps breaking down for me. It’s spent a few years at another repair shop ten years ago. Then it worked again for a brief while before stopping again.
I used it through my first and second year of art school. I took some beautiful portraits of dad with it. I mush show you those one day.
Dad eventually gifted it to me for my 21st birthday.
When I return to film one day I should get a nice six by six camera. Am thinking a twin lens reflex might suit me. I am also thinking of adding a mask to my 8 x 10 camera so I can shoot 7 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches square with it. I have some Provia in the fridge for some beautiful colour rainforest photography in Tasmania one day. Dreams. Perhaps I never will return to film. I am not a fan of headaches induced by chemicals if I was to process my own again.
So here are some photographs taken with the Bronica. I must scan some more of my earlier work. This is all post 2000.
King Fern, Newnes Plateau and Gunn Point Darwin.
Photographs and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2020