Unburdening myself from the weight of medium format
A lot has been written about the challenges and rewards of shooting with medium format cameras. Some of it here. Since I started shooting with a Fujica GW690 III and Mamiya 645, through the purchase of the fantastic Fujifilm GFX 50S, I have looked at medium format photography as a means to greater image detail and dynamic range, but also as a way to push myself.
Shooting MF does change the way I work, which I appreciate. It does slow me down. I do consider what I am trying to capture more than if I’ll strolling the street with my XF10. The added bulk and weight of the system, even the relative small GFX system, makes me consider what, why, when, where and how I will shoot. All good things.
Except. At times, that weight of expectation takes some of the fun out of photography. The feeling that I can only shoot with the GFX when I have a well-considered project and the perfect conditions is a burden. I know, the problem is me and not the camera. No matter what camera.
After a little reflection, I am trying to change my perspective. I am attempting to just pick up the camera, no matter which camera, and shoot what interests me. Sometimes I will make a considered choice for using the medium format and sometimes I will grab whatever is at hand.
Below are some images I made recently, as I whiled away a couple of hours. Finding so-so light and “nothing” interesting to shoot, I had to look a little harder. And, there as plain as the paint on a wall, I was surrounded by these wonderful and colourful, abstract paintings.
Note to self: Keep looking and shoot what interests me!
NB: Images captured with the Fujifilm GFX 50S, fronted with the GF63mm f/2.8 lens.
DON CRAIG photography 
3 responses to “Great expectations”
It’s a forever battle… weight and quality of gear versus convenience and being forced to slow down. It has helped me a lot to look through my pictures to see which ones I liked the most, then to look at the EXIF data to determine what equipment I used. Surprisingly, the 70-200 2.8 VRII was a close second to the 24-70 2.8. I would have thought the 14-24 2.8 would have won, or even the 50 1.4. But no … the things I liked most were from the 24-70 and 70-200. So now I have resolved to take those two lenses on my most important exploits, weight be damned…. :-)
Good advice Kevin. I don’t mind the weight of the MF camera as much as I do the weight of my own expectations.
I’d have to carry a negative-weight camera to deal with that on my end :-)