ABOUT THE PROCESS

Large and medium format view cameras were our standard for forty years.  Erskine used a Linhof Master Technica (4"x5") camera with five lenses and a backpack full of sheet-film holders.  Later a medium format Fuji GX680 (6x8cm) {shown above}, covered the balance of work. The distinct advantage using each of these view cameras is the ability of the lens to swing, tilt, and shift to increase depth of field and control perspective while the larger format films also increased sharpness. Recently added to those reliable film cameras is a Nikon DX3 (25 megapixel) camera which when coupled with Nikon's tilt/shift lens makes amazingly sharp large prints. The approximately 50 megapixel images (when merged) closely match previous work of the 4x5.

A basic selection of a polarizer and a 2-stop graduated neutral density filter was and still is used as needed to balance existing light conditions on about 90% of the images. With the larger cameras most all images including wildlife are photographed from Gitzo 1228 or 1448 tripods. View camera exposures normally range from 1/8 second to several seconds at aperatures between f22 an f64. A few images have required time exposures of more than one minute. Photographs from the Nikon cameras are f16 to f22 as a slight distortion can occur at the smallest aperatures. The Nikon images are normally photographed with image stabilized lenses on a monopod. Merged images are photogaphed from the tripod using Nikon's shift/tilt lens for three to four matched exposures.

The exceptional color and brilliance of the photographs are accomplished at the time of exposure through the photographer's choice of optimum light, mood, and season for each image. Printing of each photograph is done by the photographer. The introduction of digital printing from the high-resolution film scans (also by the photographer) permits even greater control over the final print with greater detail in highlights and shadows, removal of unnatural colorcasts, and exceptional sharpness.

For film, Fuji Velvia has always been a favorite. Our photographic prints beginning in 1993 were printed with Fuji Crystal Archive archival papers.  Prior to that, industry testing for lightfastness proved to be unreliable. Currently all photographs are either digital/raw capture or scanned from film. Both are printed on an Epson 9800 with Epson Ultrachrome K3 inkset and Epson's Premium Lustre paper. This paper/ink combination is selected for its reproduction accuracy, archival life, and lightfast stability of displayed color prints. These newest prints are conditionally tested for over 100 years lightfast.

Erskine and Sandy Wood