4x5 Film

The picture on the left shows the 4x5 film camera. The one on the right is the viewfinder (yes, it shows you your image upside down). This camera is quite hard to operate. Before opened all you see is a black box. A hidden button under the leather cover of the camera is the only thing that will open it. Once I forgot about this hidden button and it took me maybe half an hour to figure it out. When the camera is opened it slides out on a rail and the bellows opens like an accordion. You adjust the bellows to focus the image. You can't forget to take a light reading (I had to do this with another camera) then adjust the shutter speed and aperture to that specific light. The film case (which has been loaded into a plastic case previously) slides into the camera. Removing a strip of plastic from the case then exposes the film. I know- this sounds complicated. It took me some time to get the hang of it. All together the 4x5 camera has about twelve steps to take just one picture. 

The beautiful building known as The Institute of Peace. Whenever I drive by I always wonder how they clean those huge windows. The amount of light that goes into this building must be wonderful. 

The National Archives! Columns. That's about it. 

The Department of Urban Housing and Development. Not exactly sure what the purpose of the circular saucers are, but they remind me of UFOs. At least they make for a different picture.   

The West Falls Church Metro. What I love about this picture is the way the light shines through the windows. It allows for movement in the photograph. The 4x5 camera brings out the texture in the ceiling, making a more detailed picture.

This is a new Metro station that is being built near Tyson's. Although the building doesn't fill the whole frame, I like how the top of the building seems to send you off into space. 

Dulles Airport! The camera allows the viewer to see lots of detail. You can see the graininess of the cement and the shadows drawn from each shape. Lines and curvature in the building give the static photograph movement.   

Dulles Airport once again. I think the repetitiveness in shapes and lines make it a beautiful building.