Sunday, July 27, 2014

Shooting Pandas

I loaded some Fuji Acros into my Ansco Panda and got out early enough two days in a row to take advantage of the morning light.


Because box cameras offer no possibility of any adjustments to accommodate light conditions, I think they tend to make the photographer more attentive to the existing nuances of light and shadow.  With a box camera in hand, I find myself looking more for instances of the play of light and shadow that brings out the character of the subject.  The central sharpness of the box camera's meniscus lens and the blurred periphery also help to emphasize the central subject matter.  The Panda provides a unique wide-angle perspective which is not available in any other box camera that I am aware of.




5 comments:

Jim said...

You really coaxed some great stuff out of this simple camera. I especially like the fourth shot, of the columns. The sky sets off the white of the building very nicely.

Ted Kappes said...

While I was looking at your photos I was thinking of the suggestion that is often made that new photographers start with an SLR like a Pentax K1000. I am thinking that getting to the point where one can get results like you have with the Panda would take a good knowledge of almost all aspects of photography. So I wonder if starting out with a box camera like the Panda might be the way to go. That is the route that I and a lot of other photographers took back in the day.

vanilla said...

No matter the sophistication of the equipment, it is truly in the eye. You have a great eye!

Mike said...

The Panda and I appreciate the kind comments.

I think one reason photographers often don't get more satisfying results from simple cameras is that they have set their expectations too low. Most cameras are very compliant and will deliver exactly what is asked of them. Of course, one must also pay some attention to the fundamentals of exposure and composition as well as basic system integrity, particularly with old equipment.

Julio F said...

These are excellent B&W in any camera.

Many of us started on box cameras indeed. But I did not get to make decent pictures until I had an adjustable one.

It takes not only a good eye but good technical knowledge to come out with these images from a box.