What's New
11/10/2006
The flood waters are receding, and I've been out photographing. Added some new images to the sdg gallery.
11/1/2006
Added some new images to the sdg gallery.
10/30/2006
Added some new images to the sdg gallery.
10/21/2006
Added some new images to the sdg gallery.
10/4/2004
After my experience with contributing to Mike Johnston's The Online Photographer I thought it might be interesting to try to write a more or less daily blog of my own. You can find it here.
10/1/2006
Ever since I posted my review of the Canon EOS-5d, I've gotten quite a few emailed questions from people who are considering jumping onto the 'digital bandwagon'. Far and away, the question most asked is "What's the largest print you can make from an exposure from the 5d and get a print of acceptable quality?"
As it turns out, this is a simple question without a simple answer. Read why, here.
9/25/2006
Added some new images to the sdg gallery, at the bottom.
8/16/2006
Added a review of the Really Right Stuff BH-40 compact ballhead, here.
8/15/2006
Did some preparatory restructuring, breaking the tripod head reviews out into separate pages and doing some heavy editing and extending of the tripod head reviews, on the camera support review page. Also broke out the review of tripod head quick release systems onto a separate page, and added considerable material there.
8/14/2006
Added a bunch of new images to the end of the sdg portfolio, here.
8/8/2006
Revised some reviews on the camera support web page, added a review of the stellar Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead, Acratech Ultimate Ballhead, Arca-Swiss C1 Cube. Added photos, too.
7/19/2006
Although there are some photographers who are happy to hide their light under a bushel, most of us would like it if our work got plenty of exposure. In fact, we’d all like to be making boatloads of money selling our photographs, but most of us end up settling for just getting the work out there and seen by people. And, in the end, if you want to sell work, you first have to get people to look at it.
This article examines various ways of getting more exposure for your work.
6/16/2006
New graphic design.
5/15/2006
Added some new images to the sdg gallery, at the bottom.
5/11/2006
Recent discussions on dynamic range got my thinking hard about it. I decided to measure the real, honest to God dynamic range of my EOS-5d. Here's how I did it, and what I found.
5/4/2006
For some time now, I've been very dubious about claims that you're better off uprezzing an image in steps of 10, rather than just doing it all in one shot.
This article puts it to the test. I compare the results of photoshop's bicubic, bicubic smoother, and the much ballyhooed Staircase Interpolation method, and we look at the results to see which is best.
Conclusion: don't bother with staircase interpolation.
4/8/2006
Since something like two years have passed since my last update to it, I've added the 2006 update to "How to Build a Photographic Website". It's follow-on to the 2004 update, which in turn was a follow-on to the original article written in 2003.
4/5/2006
Added an article that explains how my views on deep linking to images has changed.
3/25/2005
Some time ago, a really great photographer (Doug Plummer) came over, and we did some digital printing of one of his photographs so he could get a feel for what digital output is like.
Afterwards, Doug commented that he'd wished he'd seen me edit a photograph (using Photoshop) from scratch, so that he could see how I went about it. That idea stayed in my mind, and just recently it occurred to me that I could write a very interesting article which showed each step taken.
And that's what I've done with Anatomy of a Photograph - and you can switch back and forth between 'before' and 'after' versions for each step, by rolling the mouse cursor onto and off of the image.
Check it out, and let me know what you think.
3/23/2006
Added a brief review of Ted Orland's wonderful new book, The View from the Studio Door to the page of book reviews, here.
3/21/2006
Added a new gallery of photos. This stuff is my current work. I'll try to update it frequently. Eventually I'll figure out some sort of structure for it, but for right now, it's just a huge page with the photographs on it in one long column.
Comments on what sort of structure I should use to make the gallery more friendly are more than welcome, please email suggestions to webcontact2@butzi.net.
3/16/2006
Added the article The Monday Night Group (or, how to improve your photography in one hour a week), on the benefits of meeting with others regularly to review new work, and covering some of the practical aspects of how that can work to your benefit. I've been a member of the Monday Night New Work Review Group since 1998, and I think it's done wonders to improve the quality of my photography. It's simple. It's fun. It's inexpensive. And, it works.
I also added a local copy of the Monday Night Manifesto. Read the article first, and the manifesto will make more sense.
3/10/2006
Added my 'not a review' writeup of my experience making landscape photos over the past few months with my Canon EOS-5d. Read it, here.
2/11/2006
Rearranged the 'articles' page here, sorting things into categories so that related articles appear together
1/25/2006
Added a reprise article on the Zone VI meter modifications, here. In it, I examine an article by Alan Ross on the modifications (the one on the calumet web site), some scanned pages from the old Zone VI catalog, some criticism leveled at my data by Kirk Gittings, and decide that a) the modifications do not improve the accuracy of the meter, and b) so much time has elapsed since I first published my data that I no longer feel my conclusions are tentative at all.
12/31/2005
Ended the hurricane relief promotion; thanks to everyone who ordered during that period.
Added a link to the Linos web site in the Rodenstock lens data section of the web site.
7/10/2005
Added a review of the wonderful little Metered Light Pocket Spot digital spotmeter.
6/19/2005
I borrowed a USAF 1951 test target to continue the experiments with scanning described in the article below. When I scanned it using both the Microtek software for my ArtixScan 1800f and with Silverfast AI, I got a heck of a surprise. Check it out in Getting the Most From Your Scanner - Choosing Scanner Software
6/17/2005
I added a bunch of images to the Snoqualmie Valley stuff, here.
6/15/2005
I took a few minutes off from the process tuning work, and checked out the results of scanning B&W negatives in color and converting to grayscale in Photoshop. The results surprised me, and they'll probably surprise you, too!Check out Scanning B&W negatives in color.
6/15/2005
Although I'm always looking at the current contenders for replacing large format film with digital capture, they're not there yet.
So, I've decided to see how much the hybrid film/digital process can be optimized if we are willing to tailor negatives to scanning instead of printing on gelatin-silver papers.
The first step in this optimization process is to get complete control of film development for a variety of developers and the films I regularly use.
The result is a huge table of film development times and temperatures, for N-2, N-1, N, N+1, N+2, for D-77 (both straight and 1+1), Microdol-X (both straight and 1+3), and XTOL (straight, 1+1, 1+2, 1+3).
I'm like those zany Scrubbing Bubbles - I do the work, so you don't have to!
Check it all out, here. And check back for parts 2, 3, etc. Now that I have the development stuff done, I'm ready to get started with the interesting stuff.
4/28/2005
At last, I've updated the workshop page with dates for this year's Washington Coast workshop.
4/20/2005
For something like 80 years, black and white photography has been dominated by what I call the Silver Standard - the air dried, glossy, fiber-based gelatin silver print.
Inkjet printing has changed all the rules. It's time for us to let go of the Silver Standard and move on. It'll be ok. Really. Everything is going to be fine.
3/6/2005
I now offer print services - I can print YOUR image on my Epson Stylus Pro 9600, up to 44" x 80". You provide a digital, printer ready file, and the money, and I'll produce a print for you. Details are here.
2/7/2005
added links on the link page:
added Grant Collier's Nature and Landscape Photography Pages to the 'interesting places to visit on the web' section - this is a great site, give it a visit! I love the huge directory.
Added a link to Michael Gordon and Guy Tal's workshop page. They're offering workshops in the Lone Pine, CA area.
Added a link to Danny Burk's workshop page. Danny is offering classes and workshops all over. Check it out.
1/14/2005
I've described my photographic process, from film exposure, through scanning, image adjustment, and printing. Read it all. Let me know what you think.
1/13/2005
I took all the silver prints I had around the workroom, and I put them in boxes and put them away because I no longer refer to them when I'm making a digital print. The digital prints are now the standard of comparison.
That provoked some thinking about gelatin silver prints, digital prints, the properties of both, and why I seem to be drifting permanently away from conventional projection printing on gelatin silver paper.
It all got written up in Putting Away the Silver Prints (a few more thoughts provoked by digital printing)
1/12/2005
Patrick Lee felt there was a demand for my article on filmholder choices in Chinese. He's graciously translated it for me; the translation is here.
1/5/2005
Revised my copyright policy to allow linking directly to images. Read the new policy here.
10/20/2004
Recently, Tuan Luong posted an excellent article to www.largeformatphotography.info which described, in detail and with photos, what Tuan carries.
I found that pretty interesting, as did others. Long ago, I wrote up what I carry in this review but it's way past time for an update. Here it is.
10/2/2004
I've made a HUGE update of photographs from the Pacific Coast. The old, cruddy scans are gone. I've made new scans, and the images here are based on what I'm using to print these images digitally on my Epson 9600. They still suffer from the low resolution needed to have stuff on the web, but I've learned a lot and these are quite a bit better than what was up before. In addition to rescanning the stuff I had up before, I've added scans of most of my portfolio of coast photographs. The complete set is on the order of 60 photos, with a couple of handfuls of photos still to be added.
Because there are so many images, they're broken down into portfolios of six to ten images. As an experiment, I've abandoned thumbnails for this work, and the images are a little bigger. If you have a broadband/high speed connection to the internet, I think you'll like the larger images and the lack of thumbnails. If you are using a low speed connection, page load time is going to be long - I'm sorry, but as the prevailing access goes high speed, I'm noticing that no one ever drills through thumbnails, and I'm hoping that seeing a better rendition of the image might prompt some sales.
I'm slowly adding text to go with the images. It's not all done, and probably won't be done for a while. In the mean time, enjoy the nice pictures...
See the new top level gallery here. Then send me some feedback - on the images, on the new gallery design, etc.
9/12/2004
This past summer I made a trip to the Palouse. Photographs and some musings on that region, and photography there, are in a new gallery
9/3/2004
For years people have argued about whether there was any real difference between the Zone VI modified Pentax Digital Spotmeter and the unmodified meter. Since I now happen to own one of each, I seized the opportunity to compare them head to head. This article describes my methodology and results.
6/16/2004
I've come up with a nice method of applying 'toning' to digital black and white prints in Photoshop - you can read about it in this article
6/10/2004
Digital printing has changed how I think about prints. Read about it in this new article
4/10/2004
Added my first thoughts and experiences with digital printing here.
Added a gallery of images from the Snoqualmie Valley, here.
2/23/2004
More than four years have passed since I first wrote my article on putting together a photography web site. Lots of things on the WWW have changed, but much remains the same. Here's a little more of my experience and thoughts on the subject.
2/12/2004
Converted web site from Frontpage 2000 to Frontpage 2003, using CSS and DWT. I made some minor tweaks to graphic design and reformatted some things to get better consistency.
11/18/2003
There are two types of photographers in the world, and I divide them neatly in this article on two different approaches to landscape photography
11/15/2003
Added an article summarizing my first results from my attempts to see if adjusting the contrast of a print using VC paper can really replace the development controls of the Zone system.
11/7/2003
Added a draft of my article comparing 100 Tmax and Fuji Acros. The article will be updated as I get more results of the comparison done, over the next couple of months.
10/31/2003
Added an essay Ability, Accomplishment, and Art on the difference between ability and accomplishment, and what the difference means to us as artists.
10/6/2003
Added an article Copyright infringement and Your Website about detecting copyright infringement, and dealing with it, including a little bit about how the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (aka the DMCA) is actually your friend.
9/14/2003
Added an article The Flash of Recognition, (or Why I Photograph). It's a little musing about what makes some photographs great, and what this means to my motivation to photograph.
3/27/2003
Added info on the Olympic Coast Workshop I am co-leading with David Clarridge, here.
3/23//2003
Slightly revised graphic design.
3/12/2003
Added links to Cascades Academy of Photography and David Clarridge's web site on the links page
2/13/2003
Added a review of "Art & Fear" by David Bayles and Ted Orland to the book review page
2/8/2003
Added a little essay on the trend toward art that tries to be outrageous, why people make such art, and what we can do about it.
2/8/2003
Added some reviews of books, both ones I like and ones I hate.
1/21/2003
Added an article on building a photographic website.
1/13/2003
Revised graphic design of site. Added material on print sales and upcoming shows.
11/8/2001
Added a review of the Versalab 11x14 print washer here. Down at the bottom!
10/7/2001
Added a page reviewing various semi-photographic things like gloves, thermos bottles, wristwatches, etc. here.
7/16/2001
Added a review of the outstanding RH Designs ZoneMaster II B&W analyzer, here.
7/11/2001
Updated the Packet Film page to include more data about Fuji films available in Quickload, my latest experiences with Kodak single sheet Readyloads, and more data on Polaroid films.
5/16/2001
In response to seeing multiple people stumped by loading film holders, I've added an illustrated guide to how to do it, including details on what to expect inside that film box.
Check it out here.
5/1/2001
Michael Briggs sent me scans of the Apo-Ronar pages from an older Rodenstock brochure. I've placed them on the Rodenstock lens spec page here.
3/21/2001
I've finally gotten my hands on samples of the new single sheet Kodak Readyloads. I've written up a comparison of all the available packet formats for 4x5 films, including Polaroid, Fuji Quickload, Kodak two sheet Readyloads, and Kodak single sheet Readyloads, including detailed specs on the packets, holders, etc. You can read it here.
3/2/2001
Last summer, I spent quite a bit of time on the Washington coastline. Over the past two weeks, I scanned all the negatives using my new Epson scanner (reviewed here, tuned them up using Photoshop, and arranged the results in a new gallery of images.
2/15/2001
Added a draft review of my new scanner, an Epson 1640SU Photo, capable of 1600 pixels/inch and equipped with a 4x5 transparency adapter.
2/11/2001
Kodak have finally made an official announcement that TMX (Tmax-100) will be available in the new single sheet readyload packets. The readyload reliability project page and the filmholder page have been updated to reflect this news.
1/18/2001
Added a description of how to dry mount photographs here.
Added a rough draft of an article on choosing a large format camera here. It's rough. Feedback solicited!
1/17/2001
Added scans of the literature for Rodenstock large format and enlarging lenses. Literature and permission to put it on the web compliments of Bob Saloman, of HP Marketing Corp., the US distributor for Rodenstock lenses. Scanning and formatting compliments of me. Storage space and web service compliments of Bryan Willman, who graciously hosts this site for me.
Find it all here.
12/1/2000
Split the reviews of darkroom timers onto a different page here. Added text to revise my views on my abortive trial of the Saunders/LPL ET-500, and added a preliminary review of the RH Designs StopClock Professional.
11/11/2000
Updated the light meter review page here to more accurately reflect my views on the Sekonic L-508 meter now that I've owned it for a while.
10/11/2000
Updated the film holder page here to include information on Mido version I and version II lightweight/compact film holder systems.
Updated the darkroom equipment review page here to include information about the LPL ET-500 enlarger timer.
9/21/2000
Updated the film holder review page here and the Readyload reliability project here, to include an alert about the announcement of Kodaks new single sheet Readyloads, and the demise of Tmax-100 in Readyloads.
If you use TMX, and you want it in Readyloads in the future, especially the new, presumably more reliable readyloads, please make sure to call Kodak at 1-800-242-2424 ext. 19, and tell them you want B&W film available in Readyloads!
9/12/2000
Updated the "What I carry" large format equipment page to match what I'm currently using, here.
9/11/2000
Added Robert Monaghan's web site to the information part of the links page, here.
9/10/2000
Added some links to photographers web sites in the 'interesting places to visit' part of the links page, here.
9/5/2000
Added a gallery for one of my current projects, Childhood's End, here.
Added more data to the Readyload Reliability Project page here.
9/3/2000
Added a page with photo describing the pleated leader trick for fast, reliable loading of a Leica M6 here.
9/2/2000
Added reviews of film holders including grafmatics and readyloads here.
Added a review of readyload reliability here.