I had just finished assembling a 5×7 field camera that I purchased on eBay years ago that was totally disassebled and in the process of being restored. At the same time I was constructing a new back for another 5×7 field camera to support a 4×5 Graflok back. It had been awhile since I had regularly used large format cameras, and I was excited to again experience a world of photography that was far removed from my usual digital world. It is time to slow down and be more deliberate!

My first step, actually my current step, as I re-enter this world of large format cameras was to find my copy of Using The View Camera by Steve Simmons. I also unearthed my old copies of View Camera magazine, also edited and published by Steve Simmons. I had subscribed to View Camera magazine for years; it not only inspired the use of large format cameras, but also to me creative photography as a whole! I unfortunately found that with the end of publication of the magazine, the magazine’s website, viewcamera.com with its wealth of information was also gone.

I have no intention of replacing viewcamera.com, but simply to share my adventures on viewcamera.net as I play with large format cameras.

Thank for joining me here, John Van Horn 7/31/2025