We joined a group of local LF photographers last Saturday for a gathering and group shoot at a local park. I have to say that we had a great time. Met some new friends and saw some old ones also. It was a fun time for sure and I am glad we were able to attend. There were nineteen people there and most every kind of camera you could imagine from DSLRs to 8x10s. There was most every level of experience, from beginner to seasoned pro. The talk was lively and the interaction was priceless.
I hauled an 8×10 camera, set it up with several lenses, and let those that were interested look and ask questions. The thing is, I did not expose a single sheet of film. I really had no intention of making an exposure. I was there to enjoy the interaction with like-minded folks. I was there to talk shop. This was a gathering organized for the purpose of letting the interested see what a view camera is and how it works. This is the best way to learn whether you should look more seriously into LF, or not. Working with a view camera is not for everyone. I would never recommend to anyone that they run out and buy a big camera.
I took film, just in case something did materialize, but I never put a holder in the camera. I, for the most part, had no intention of making photographs. Certainly there were some visually interesting things going on in the park, but I was not in the mode of making images. I was in the Left Brain Mode of talking about cameras and how they work.