Dear Roger,
I can appreciate that simply putting a 6x12 back on is easier, more particularly seeing how you already have one. However, no doubt most people considering this don’t have one and someone would need to be very keen on the 6x12 format to want to invest in a Horseman.
I can also appreciate that if you 'have been there, done that' with making adaption’s to cameras it holds no appeal for you now. Everybody is different however, and to play devils advocate some could argue going to trouble and time to lug around and set up a 4x5 with 6x12 back wastes time compared to say a Horseman; and so, as a paradigm such as yours, that part of it could be considered not a part photography either and the person with the Horseman can take the high morel ground and say 'I would rather just take pictures'.
If we can consider photography is a form of art akin to painting for the moment, then on one end of the scale we could say some of the indigenous Australians artists go to a lot of trouble and preparation to collect the pigments for the paints that they are going to use, substrates to paint on, and making their own brushes; they feel this is all part of the process of painting and puts them more in touch with what they are creating. On the other hand many people just go and purchase the pigments, paint and brushes because they would rather just make pictures and can’t be bothered with the hassle...so which one is more involved in the hobby of making pictures and which one isn’t? Of course it could be easily argued the person making their own equipment and supplies has a greater synergy with the environment and thus the picture being created. The reality is they are both making pictures though and can be called artists. on the other end of the scale entirely Leonardo Da Vinci (just about my all time favourite person for many reasons not just art) being a ‘Master’ was said to have his apprentices do a great deal of work for him, in as much its often said he had them fill in the basics of the picture and he would do the finer details. Perhaps in your case you have ‘been there and done that’ (having plenty of experience with older equipment) and are more like (or at the stage of) a Leonardo Da Vinci type artist. 🙂
To draw a slightly longer bow, writing about photography could be considered part of the hobby, you or some others may wish to separate it and that may be on the basis that some people write about photography with different agenda’s driving their thoughts as they write; perhaps advertising or promoting a particular product. But for many (even if they don’t know it) they write or talk about photography (even on these forums) because the human mind uses this method as tool for further creative thoughts/inspiration and is a memory retention mechanism, in this respect writing or talking about photography, can be considered part of photography as it leads to the next picture being made. Sometimes ‘a cigar is just a cigar’ of course and someone wants to simply know an answer to a question.
However, back to the point at hand of renovating, adapting and using a vintage camera; there is no reason why for many people taking the time to adapt or use a vintage camera, even though it is more time consuming before the actual image is taken is any less a part of the hobby (and could easily be argued its more). It can simply imply that person is taking a more holistic approach to photography and wishes to use or have an understanding and appreciation of the history, old lenses (different brushes), equipment, techniques and the people that used them. This in turn gives them a different inspiration and insight into the next picture being made. Some artists (Pro Hart, recently passed on, comes to mind) produced staggering amounts of pictures on average per year (akin to just taking pictures), while other notable artists produce but a few a year. I would suggest that if someone wants to take the time and effort to restore or adapt a vintage camera for the purpose of creating a picture then it is at the very least a significant part of the hobby.
‘Just taking pictures’ is often mentioned on RFF and in some instances as some sort of rebuke to others (not saying you), but I would suggest that perhaps there is a bit more to photography than just taking pictures
cheers
Andrew
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