When Adams talks about large format, he isn’t chasing “bigger for the sake of bigger.” He’s describing a whole operating system for photography: slower, more deliberate, less forgiving, and—because of that—more intentional.
Large format is where photography begins to behave like a craft. Not because the camera is “old,” but because the camera forces you to pay attention.
The bellows is not just a tube — it’s a liability you must manage
Large-format cameras look simple: a front standard, a rear standard, and a bellows connecting them. In practice, that bellows becomes a constant reminder that mechanics affect image quality.
Adams goes deep on the unglamorous realities:
- Bellows sag can literally vignette your image (and yes, even something as casual as draping your focusing cloth can cause problems).
- Bag bellows help with wide lenses and movements—but can also fold in a way that cuts off the image unless you shape it properly.
- Light leaks aren’t hypothetical. They’re maintenance. He describes practical ways to find leaks in the darkroom and patch pinholes when needed.
This is one of those Adams lessons that translates perfectly to 2026: your image is only as good as the weakest link in the system, and most of those weak links are boring.
Flare isn’t always “the lens” — it can be the camera itself
Adams calls out something we still forget: stray light bouncing around inside the camera can lift blacks and lower contrast. In a view camera, there’s often “wasted” light hitting the bellows and reflecting back toward the film, especially near bright subject areas.
His solution is wonderfully practical:
- Use a real lens shade (ideally adjustable) because controlling extraneous light is not optional with a view camera.
- Make sure interior surfaces are truly flat black, not “looks black in a product photo” black.
This chapter is basically Adams saying: contrast is fragile—protect it.
The film plane must match your focus plane, or none of this matters
There’s a deceptively important section on the camera back and ground glass. The whole view-camera promise depends on one thing: the film sitting exactly where you focused.
Adams points out that the ground-glass frame is held by springs, which must press the film holder firmly into position. Weak springs can mean softness and light streaks/fogging.
He also reminds us that the ground surface must face the lens, because that’s the plane you’re focusing on—and it must match the film plane precisely.
Large format is ruthless this way: you don’t get to “fix it in post” if your fundamentals are physically out of alignment.
Film holders: where good negatives go to die (if you get sloppy)
If the bellows is the liability, film holders are the trapdoor.
Adams gets specific, because this is where real-world mistakes happen:
- Darkslide convention matters (white side out = unexposed; black side out = exposed/empty). Ignore it, and you’ll eventually ruin something important.
- Loading discipline matters—touch edges only, avoid bending the film, make sure the holder closes properly so the darkslide seats fully.
- Dust control is a workflow, not a wish. He’s blunt about cleaning holders and prefers a vacuum because it removes dust rather than redistributing it.
- Static is real in dry climates; he even describes grounding the camera with a wire to prevent dust scattering through the bellows and landing on film when the darkslide is withdrawn.
Then there’s seating: the holder must sit perfectly in the camera back’s light-trap groove, or fogging can result.
This section reads like Adams quietly saying: your technique isn’t just exposure—it’s everything you do before and after exposure.
My 2026 takeaway
Chapter 4 is Adams using large format to teach a bigger point: A serious photograph is the result of an intentional chain of decisions—and every link in that chain is physical.
Even if you never shoot sheet film, the mindset still applies:
- Control stray light.
- Respect alignment.
- Build habits that prevent mistakes.
- Treat the “boring” parts (cleaning, seating, checking, labelling) as part of making the photograph.
I’m continuing this as a steady pace project: one chapter a day, working through all three books over the coming weeks.
Next up: Chapter 5 — Lenses.