XP4N PHOTO PROJECT

I have been aware of the Hasselblad XPAN camera for a while now. There are one or two photographers that I follow on YouTube that have made videos on landscape photography using the XPAN camera. Made famous for its ability to swap from 35mm format to a full panorama without changing the film. It has the legendary 65:24 cinematic aspect ratio to play with for that stylised look to images. The cameras are sought after and are not cheap in the slightest, even on the second hand market.

Regarding the camera, the ability to shoot 24x65mm in addition to conventional 24x36mm format while using exactly the same film is a function that is unique and gives the photographer an interesting choice in terms of composition. Multiple options on shooting is always agreeable which is what makes digital photography so gratifying. That said, there has been a resurgence of late in the interest of film photography. The beauty of shooting with film and the art of getting your settings right without a digital preview of what you have captured. The craft of developing, and honing dark room skills rather than using digital tools. Whatever you shoot with, there is something delightful about that wide format of the XPAN that turns whatever composition you are looking at into a striking movie still. Well, potentially anyway!

A friend of mine made me aware of this XP4N photo app that is now available on the iPhone app store. You can get the app here: XP4N
It has been made by a developer called Bram Bos, who predominantly makes music apps. Like many of us, Bram was also unprepared to spend thousands on the real thing, especially in the second hand market where you just don’t really know what you’re going to end up with. Nevertheless, intrigued by the format and the possibilities of the aspect ratio, he developed the XP4N app. You can read his article outlining why he made the app here: XP4N: Every shot a movie still

I love taking photos with my iPhone. I have a gallery page dedicated to iPhoneography here. With this passion in mind I was looking for a new photo project that I could get involved with. Something I could do when I’m out and about in the world. The XP4N app captured my imagination immediately.

My intention is to do mini projects, starting with this first one below. The app does come with a selection of settings which emulate certain film types, but you can also set the camera to write a clean image to your camera roll. I have activated this option so I have flexibility to edit each image as I see fit, using other apps such as Snapseed and\or RNI Films or indeed with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

I also want to explore the digital art side of photography a lot more. Manipulating imagery to see what it can become after the initial shot has been taken. Something that I have held back from for far too long now for one reason or another.

I’m excited to see what develops. Pun intended!

© Mike Barrett Photography 2024 – All Rights Reserved

THE HEPWORTH GALLERY

First shoot of the project, The Hepworth Gallery. We went to see a preview of a new show recently and I decided to make a start with my XP4N project. These are the ones that made the cut. (Click on the images to enlarge).