Documentary work with sheet film

I'm still working on my setup and wait technique.
I set up my gear and wait for a subject to drift into my life. 

I've always found this Hasty Mart storefront interesting. Nice and bright with an interesting gateway. I've never seen the store open and I've been past a lot.

I took this first frame just of the gateway. With the 120mm lens I have to fight to keep all the composition in the same light. I'm often running out of storefront and getting too much street in the background in full sun, which I can't handle well.

Doug Doolittle from Six Nations is helping out with a First Nation project in the area and was walking by with three of the students. They had never seen a large format camera before and had time for a photo.

Then I had a chance to shoot just Doug, which I think works better, then Simeon Wemigwans was shot alone.

You can see on the right side, the issue with the full street/full sun but I'm happy with the shots and am pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

-Rob Skeoch

Although I've worked as a photographer all my life, I'm currently back at school trying to finish my Master of Fine Arts Degree at the Maine Media Workshops and College. 

Cig Harvey is one of my mentors and the project I'm working on is a documentary on north Hamilton.