I’ve almost converted to medium format photography. For those that say: “what is that”, it is a way to use physically large photographic equipment in ways to achieve the finest image quality in photography. Medium format equipment is in a way using camera relics of the past with the most state of the art digital recording media.

However the “relics” are hardly relics as they are now manufactured to very high standards, are precision instruments, and use the finest optics available. The medium format digital media is like taking digital camera media we know today and adding more recording power. So much so that if used optimally, the equipment capability is almost the equivalent of recording the detail of what the human eye is able to produce.

My conversion to medium format is both a challenge artistically and technically. It is clear to me that fine art is in many ways attention to fine detail. I like the two part essay of Mark Dubovoy made on a popular website (Luminous-Landscape.com): “Everything Matters”

Here is an image of the camera equipment I am using now: (Alpha STC camera with a PhaseOne IQ180 digital media back)

Here is a snap of myself in a workshop in San Miguel Mexico using the medium format equipment with other participants and instructors:

The humorous part of my conversion to this new equipment is that the pace of technological change will probably make the iPhone of the near future do everything medium format is capable of today! Exciting times in Photography.

PODAS is a exceptional workshop hosted by Phase One, a high end medium format photography company. The workshops are offered throughout the year and are held in special locations worldwide. The first event of the year was offered in San Miguel de Allende, a small colonial city in Mexico rich with history and more recently art.

The workshop is full immersion into the world of improving image quality by using awesome equipment with some of the best instructors in the photography scene. We were treated to day trips into historic Spanish silver mining areas and side trips behind the walls of San Miguel street fronts. In a word about the workshop: “awesome”.  Check out the Phase One workshop website: http://www.phaseone.com/en/Workshops/PODAS.aspx

The workshop consumed most of a week and we elected to stay over and continue to enjoy the location for a second week. That gave us the opportunity to take shots in and around the city and take in more of the great restaurants. It was a pleasure living in a city that welcomes tourists and provides a great venue for photography. We will be back!