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Magma View
Magma View
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brianchorski
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2 days, 15 frames

a look into each image shot on a roll of portra 400, using a Mamiya 645 medium format camera

Lone Pine, CA
Lone Pine, CA

I traveled to the Eastern Sierra after a work project fell through, and spent two days slowly making my way along Highway 395 — one of my favorite stretches of road in the country. I brought my Mamiya 645 along for the drive and shot two rolls of film.

Film is often unforgiving if you don’t get your settings right on a manual setup, so I’ll take you through a journey on 120 film — mistakes and all.

FRAME 1 — Really wish I would have waited a half second longer to pull the trigger, as this would have helped balance out the subjects.
FRAME 1 — Really wish I would have waited a half second longer to pull the trigger, as this would have helped balance out the subjects.
FRAME 2 — Not much to complain about here! Perhaps a slight crop on the right hand side where the pool ladder sneaks into frame.
FRAME 2 — Not much to complain about here! Perhaps a slight crop on the right hand side where the pool ladder sneaks into frame.
FRAME 3 — Composition is spot on, but lacks intrigue if I’m being critical.
FRAME 3 — Composition is spot on, but lacks intrigue if I’m being critical.
FRAME 4 — Similar to frame 3, just lacks a bit of intrigue and feels flat. Great colors, though!
FRAME 4 — Similar to frame 3, just lacks a bit of intrigue and feels flat. Great colors, though!
FRAME 5 — Just about inch perfect. Somewhat of an obvious composition to some, but a wonderful scene. Hard to pass up on THAT.
FRAME 5 — Just about inch perfect. Somewhat of an obvious composition to some, but a wonderful scene. Hard to pass up on THAT.
FRAME 6 — I really should have composed a bit higher above the bottom most shadow of this image. The slanted tree is an awesome subject.
FRAME 6 — I really should have composed a bit higher above the bottom most shadow of this image. The slanted tree is an awesome subject.
FRAME 7 — A wider lens would have been great here, but decided to shoot this scene anyway. Rad whip.
FRAME 7 — A wider lens would have been great here, but decided to shoot this scene anyway. Rad whip.
FRAME 8 — I ended up exposing for the shadows here and regret it, because the highlights blew out the mountain behind this scene. Bummer.
FRAME 8 — I ended up exposing for the shadows here and regret it, because the highlights blew out the mountain behind this scene. Bummer.
FRAME 9 — Exposed for the highlights here because I had a feeling the shot prior was blown out. My inkling was true with this one.
FRAME 9 — Exposed for the highlights here because I had a feeling the shot prior was blown out. My inkling was true with this one.
FRAME 10 — One of my favorites from this roll. Color palette is incredible and the symmetry brings it home for me. Super fun scene.
FRAME 10 — One of my favorites from this roll. Color palette is incredible and the symmetry brings it home for me. Super fun scene.
FRAME 11 — Backcountry time! Nothing like high alpine scenes. I loved the way the trees framed the towering peaks.
FRAME 11 — Backcountry time! Nothing like high alpine scenes. I loved the way the trees framed the towering peaks.
FRAME 12 — Camp for the night, nestled into a cliff edge overlooking an alpine lake. Not too shabby.
FRAME 12 — Camp for the night, nestled into a cliff edge overlooking an alpine lake. Not too shabby.
FRAME 13 — Went for another go on this composition to see how the film would perform differently in evening light. Dig the first shot more.
FRAME 13 — Went for another go on this composition to see how the film would perform differently in evening light. Dig the first shot more.
FRAME 14 — Exposed for highlights and lost a ton of shadow detail. Go figure!
FRAME 14 — Exposed for highlights and lost a ton of shadow detail. Go figure!
FRAME 15 — Exposed for shadows here and got way better results! One of my favorites from the trip.
FRAME 15 — Exposed for shadows here and got way better results! One of my favorites from the trip.
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