Month: February 2026

Moore State Park in Winter — Hasselblad 500cm / Ilford HP5 I took this image on Ilford HP5 120 film with the Hasselblad 500cm and the 80mm f/2.8 C lens. The negative was developed in Rodinal, and the enlargement was developed in EcoPro Paper Developer. What drew me to this scene was the scale —...

The Early Era: Box Cameras and Folding Designs (1901-1928) The first decades of medium format photography were dominated by simple, affordable cameras designed for amateur photographers. The Kodak Brownie No. 2 (1901-1935) was produced in several versions, all featuring the characteristic box design with a simple meniscus lens and rotary shutter. These cameras produced 6x9cm...

I chose the Hasselblad 500cm to begin my medium format film journey for several compelling reasons: Complete modularity. The 500cm separates into distinct components—body, lens, viewfinder, and film back—each of which can be swapped independently. This design allows you to carry multiple loaded backs for fast film changes in the field, switch between waist-level and...

Medium format photography rewards patience and punishes carelessness. As I’ve learned firsthand, the format presents challenges you won’t encounter in digital work. Development Issues The image below demonstrates several problems that can occur during home development. Dust, fibers, and processing errors are all common hazards. This test shot shows what happens when chemistry goes wrong....

This is question I’ve always pondered. I’ll never stop shooting film, but do I need to enlarge in a darkroom as well? Is scanning and printing a better option? A scanned negative can retain the total gradations and colors I get from film, but also gives me a digital master that can’t be lost, scratched,...

Shooting medium format film is one of the most rewarding experiences in photography. The massive negatives, the shallow depth of field, the tonal richness — there’s nothing quite like it. But let’s not sugarcoat it: medium format film is expensive to shoot, and the costs have only gone up in recent years. Whether you’re considering...

I’ve started a new website to host my large format journey @ LargeFormatFilm.com The site is brand new, so the content is admittedly thin at the moment — but that’s about to change. My goal is to use both of these websites as a comprehensive home for everything I’ve learned shooting film over the years,...

There’s something unmistakable about a well-exposed medium format negative. When you hold a 6×6 or 6×7 transparency up to the light, or pull a contact print from the wash, you’re looking at something digital simply cannot replicate. It’s not nostalgia talking—there are real, measurable reasons why medium format film produces images with a distinct aesthetic...