Single image – Routin Linn

Two days after Christmas, I escaped to North Northumberland to visit Routin Linn in North Northumberland (also known as Roughtin Linn or Routin Lynn). Taken with an Intrepid 4×5 camera and Fomapan 100 rated at EI50, this is possibly my favourite large format image so far.

It was also a good demonstration of the advantages of carrying gear in a shoulder bag rather than a backpack. When a long walk is required, a backpack is definitely called for, but when it’s very muddy or wet you sometimes don’t want to take off your backpack to get camera gear out, and a shoulder bag comes into its’ own.

In this case I had waded out into the middle of the stream with a digital camera attached to my tripod, the large format gear in a shoulder bag, while trying to avoid the water going over the top of my wellies. I then decided to get the Intrepid out but didn’t want to leave the stream.

So I was able to remove and store the digital camera, get out the Intrepid, attach it to the tripod, unfold it, get the 150mm lens out the bag, attach it, get out and use a little allen key to tighten the lens board, get the dark cloth out and focus the camera, get the exposure meter out and take readings, get a shutter release out and attach it, get the film holder out, and take the shot, all whilst standing in the stream – which definitely wouldn’t be feasible with a backpack.