Photography Without A Viewfinder

[Swift1]

Hope it's okay to share this here...
Something I wrote on my website a few days ago.
http://www.coltonallen.com/photography-without-a-viewfinder/

 

[lynnb]

You do very well without a viewfinder Colton. I like your eye for colour and composition.

Regards,

 

[Swift1]

You do very well without a viewfinder Colton. I like your eye for colour and composition.

Regards,

Thank you, Lynn, for checking out the article and for both your kind comments.

 

[aicardi]

Very nice indeed.

 

[Huss]

Colton, you do better w/o a VF than most do with! Some of those compositions are just perfect. If you want to use a camera w/ a waist level finder, you are not 'limited' to medium format etc (I'm sure you know this already) . I have waist level finders on my Nikon F and F2, as well as Minolta XK. With those, you don't actually need the WLF finders most of the time, just pop off the prism and use it like that. Most of what the WLFs provide is shade to make the image easier to see.

 

[emmef2]

good pictures and interesting article, I especially like the composition of the first three

 

[Swift1]

Very nice indeed.

Thank you 🙂

 

[Swift1]

Colton, you do better w/o a VF than most do with! Some of those compositions are just perfect. If you want to use a camera w/ a waist level finder, you are not 'limited' to medium format etc (I'm sure you know this already) . I have waist level finders on my Nikon F and F2, as well as Minolta XK. With those, you don't actually need the WLF finders most of the time, just pop off the prism and use it like that. Most of what the WLFs provide is shade to make the image easier to see.

Thanks, Huss.
I have thought a fair amount about getting a 35mm with a WLF. I'd love to have a Pentax LX with a WLF and a motor drive.
Having AF and AE are really handy though... 🙂

 

[Swift1]

good pictures and interesting article, I especially like the composition of the first three

Thank you 🙂

 

[Thardy]

Nice. I like the point of view of these photos.

 

[Swift1]

Nice. I like the point of view of these photos.

Thanks 🙂
I'm pretty limited in how high I can get the camera so I have to shoot everything from maybe 3 feet off the ground.
It's a pain for trying to do portraits...

 

[Darthfeeble]

While I use the VF on my live view cameras when the sun is too bright to see the screen, I prefer using live view. I feel that it's easier to compose there rather than the VF.

Nice work Colton.

 

[Huss]

Thanks, Huss.
I have thought a fair amount about getting a 35mm with a WLF. I'd love to have a Pentax LX with a WLF and a motor drive.
Having AF and AE are really handy though... 🙂

Hmm, Nikon F4s are cheap. They are AF, AE and can have WLFs. Wonder if the AF and AE works with the WLF?

 

[Swift1]

While I use the VF on my live view cameras when the sun is too bright to see the screen, I prefer using live view. I feel that it's easier to compose there rather than the VF.

Nice work Colton.

Thank you.
I rarely shoot digital, but having live view is definitely handy.
I want a 35mm film camera with a live view system like the Sony A-350.

Hmm, Nikon F4s are cheap. They are AF, AE and can have WLFs. Wonder if the AF and AE works with the WLF?

I have wondered that myself. I don't think the AE works. Also the F4 is huge... 🙂

 

[Baipin]

Those are some amazing compositions, even for someone who would use a viewfinder. The fact that you don't, and still come away with results like this, is just remarkable. I see it as a testament to the camera being an extension of oneself - not what creates the image, so much as what records it. Keep it up!

 

[CMur12]

Hi Colton -

I remember you making reference to shooting from your lap. I am absolutely amazed at how tight and effective your compositions are and I am inspired by your work. You are clearly able to isolate bits of a scene in your mind's eye and analyze them. This would be a good exercise for all of us.

Your shooting without a VF reminds me of the old gunslingers, who filed the sights off their revolvers (possibly to give them a smoother exit from the holster) and shot from the hip. 😛

Keep on inspiring us, my friend!

- Murray

 

[Swift1]

Those are some amazing compositions, even for someone who would use a viewfinder. The fact that you don't, and still come away with results like this, is just remarkable. I see it as a testament to the camera being an extension of oneself - not what creates the image, so much as what records it. Keep it up!

Thank you 🙂

Hi Colton -

I remember you making reference to shooting from your lap. I am absolutely amazed at how tight and effective your compositions are and I am inspired by your work. You are clearly able to isolate bits of a scene in your mind's eye and analyze them. This would be a good exercise for all of us.

Your shooting without a VF reminds me of the old gunslingers, who filed the sights off their revolvers (possibly to give them a smoother exit from the holster) and shot from the hip. 😛

Keep on inspiring us, my friend!

- Murray

Thanks Murray.
I think it's probably a very good exercise to shoot from the hip and compose without a viewfinder.
I love the gunslinger reference 😀