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Alec Soth
PhotographerKnown for: large-format documentary photography of American solitude
Alec Soth photographed along the length of the Mississippi River using an 8×10 view camera for Sleeping by the Mississippi (2004), which established him as a significant figure in American documentary photography. He joined Magnum Photos in 2004. His subsequent projects have maintained his interest in solitary American lives while expanding the formal possibilities of the large-format camera.
Gear & Materials(2)
Deardorff
Manufactured by L.F. Deardorff & Sons in Chicago from the 1920s through the 1980s, the 8×10 is a wooden field camera producing negatives 8 by 10 inches. Its bellows design allows for full front and rear movements including tilt, swing, and shift.
“Used an 8×10 Deardorff for "Sleeping by the Mississippi" (2004) and "Niagara" (2006); discussed in numerous interviews and the "Somewhere to Run" film.”
Mamiya
Introduced in 1995, the Mamiya 7 is a medium format rangefinder producing 6×7cm negatives on 120 film. Its light weight and high-resolution lenses made it a practical tool for location and travel photography requiring medium format quality.
“Soth has discussed using the Mamiya 7 for projects requiring more mobility than the 8×10 allows.”
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