At the Orono Power Plant (Orono, Maine)

This session marks the earliest I have ever worked with a model outdoors - prior to this it was May 15. The day was cool, but Lisa was comfortable enough to work for a good two hours. The day was perfect for photography, light overcast conditions providing wonderfully even lighting, while not costing much in terms of my exposures.

4"x5" film

The power plant we worked at is an abandoned hydro plant that drew water off the Penobscot River through huge penstock tunnels, one of which (I assume it was an overflow penstock) emerged beside the plant. It was in this space Lisa and I worked.

4"x5" film

This session was also my first session using my new 75mm f/4.5 Rodenstock lens for my 4"x5" camera, which performed admirably - the strongest image encompassing the full opening of the tunnel was made with it. The brighter image on the ground-glass, combined with the wide angle and large image circle helped tremendously with the image, and I look forward to pushing the lens to its limits over the coming months.

4"x5" film

All in all, the first outdoor session of the year was a success. Lisa was an excellent model, and was very comfortable, despite it being her first time modelling nude. Though the day was a little cool, I was very pleased with what we achieved, especially the number of strong portraits that were produced.