Think more, shoot less 2026

I have been thinking about what photo projects I want to pursue in the upcoming year. The 4x5 intrepid camera has gotten more use in the past few months, and I've improved the scanning process as well by adding a diffusion layer on the light panel. I'd say I've resolved some quirks and improved my overall 4x5 workflow since my entry into the world of large format in July of 2024. As a result, I'm thinking of focusing on color 4x5 in 2026.

I've come to realize that I already have virtually all the equipment I need to shoot color 4x5, apart from the chemicals. The choice of film will likely be Cinestill 400D for the C-41 process and E100 for the E-6 process. I've recently purchased a sous vide to regulate temperature as well.

Recently I've come across the idea "think more; shoot less." When I go out to shoot landscapes or cityscapes with my digital camera, I often don't even look at the images till weeks or months later because in a way I've already seen them and there is no mystery. With the 4x5 you never quite know whether you got the shot until you've both developed and scanned the sheet.

It takes time to set up the tripod, the view camera, and finally expose the sheet. In those 10-15 minutes you're there with your subject, thinking about it and how to capture it in a way that would best suit it. Once you take the shot you can take in a deep breath, hope you've gotten the shot, and slowly pack everything up again.

But simply taking the shot and going home doesn't mean you'll get to see the image that evening. Most of the time it makes sense to wait with the development until you've collected enough sheets to justify the chemicals.

In 2026, I'd like to go out for some trips, and return with a handful of exposed sheets, knowing that most are garbage, but maybe one image will be good. I no longer want to come home with hundreds of images, most of which are duplicates of the same subject anyways. One of my favorite photographers, Ben Horne, annually goes to the Zion National Park, and this year he exposed just 34 sheets of 8x10 Provia 100F. I say "just 34 sheets", the cost of the 40 sheets alone is close to 1,100EUR, that's without development and scanning costs. But knowing that I've already spent 2,900 EUR this year on photography equipment, a trip like this and exposing even just 20 sheets would be a better use of money and would result in better images than the 1,600EUR Fuji X100VI which I purchased in January.

I hope that buying new cameras will not be a pursuit in 2026, and instead I'll be able to focus on spending money to create images, rather than to buy gear.