Ben takes great pride in creating photographic images of the highest quality in color and black and white that are true to his natural subjects. He uses the best of traditional and cutting edge technology, seeking to create and print his medium format photographs honestly to provide the discriminating viewer with an accurate rendition portraying the natural beauty of the subject. His photographic prints and all materials used in their presentation are prepared to meet the highest archival quality standards for maximum longevity and a lifetime of enjoyment.

Ben’s primary subjects are the scenic vistas of mountains, landscapes, rivers and shorelines of Virginia and the nation. These locations include the University of Virginia and surrounding areas, the James River, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Tangier Island and the Eastern Shore, and the Outer Banks. He has also focused his cameras on national locations including West Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Maine, Colorado, California, New York City and State, South Dakota, including the Black Hills and Badlands, numerous national and state parks and many of the most scenic drives in the country.

Technique and Equipment

Ben Greenberg searches for locations to photograph throughout Virginia and across the nation that illustrate the unique beauty that makes the United States such a visual wonderland. Photographing these scenes requires extreme patience and diligence, often requiring numerous visits to a single location until the conditions provide an opportunity for an outstanding image.

Ben studies weather forecasts and conditions closely in order to better anticipate lighting conditions that enhance photographic possibilities. These opportunities are usually best presented very early or very late in the day with what photographers sometimes refer to as the “sweet light”. This may require awakening hours before sunrise in order to arrive at the desired locations well before the best time to “shoot”.

While Ben’s early photographs were taken with an extensive Nikon 35 mm camera system, since 1982 his preferred system is that of a Pentax 67. Used exclusively since around 1990, the Pentax 67 system is a medium format system that produces images 2.25 inches by 2.75 inches, approximately four and one half times the size of a 35 mm image. All photographs taken with this system involve the use of fixed focal length lenses ranging from 45 mm to 200 mm, the equivalent of 22.5 mm to 100 mm in a 35 mm system.

Since 2002 Ben has also been creating panoramic images not only with his Pentax 67 system but also with a Fuji G617 panoramic camera that creates images 6 cm by 17 cm.

The use of medium format cameras creates images of extreme sharpness and clarity, permitting huge enlargements that retain their natural beauty even in extreme sizes. Ben has personally printed his images in sizes up to five feet long.

Almost all of Ben’s photographs are taken with his cameras on a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod. He carries his equipment in the field with an F64 backpack.

Ben’s primary film is Fuji Velvia which is known for its extremely sharp detail and saturated colors. He also uses Fuji Provia 400 film when he needs higher speed film typically when he needs to use a faster shutter speed.

Ben only uses filters in a limited way. When necessary due to cloudy or shady conditions, he will use a warming filter to render images that are color-balanced for daylight. He also used polarizing filters to cut through the effects of haze, to reduce reflections and to help clouds stand out in the sky.

The color images are scanned with a dedicated medium format film scanner, the Minolta Dimage Multi-Pro. The scanned images are then tweaked and prepared for printing (not changed in any significant way) in a computer with Photoshop software. Archival prints are made with an Epson 2200 printer or an Epson 7800 printer using Epson roll and sheet papers.

Black and white prints are produced from chromogenic black and white negatives printed in a traditional darkroom by the photographer or by use of the Epson 7800 printer from the same color slides from which color prints are made.

Ben’s use of Photoshop to prepare his images for reproduction is consistent with traditional photographic shooting and darkroom techniques. While tweaking images in the computer can be a more effective methodology than traditional techniques, Ben’s photographs are printed consistent with the visual image he observed when to shot the photograph and with the image that was scanned. Ben prefers to use computer-based techniques that reflect what can be achieved in a traditional darkroom printing color or black and white photographs rather than creating images in the computer, a practice that has become all too common in this digital age.

All prints are double-matted using archival acid-free mat boards backed by acid-free foam core. Each image is hand titled and signed. Ben uses only quality metal frames, as metal frames are the only method of framing that is truly archival. Regular single pane picture frame glass is normally used. Plexiglass is also used for those images being shipped. Museum glass is provided when requested by the purchaser. Non-glare glass is not used as it interferes with the clarity of the image.

Using these archival printing and display methods, Ben’s photographs are expected to retain their image quality for 75-100 years or more as long as the photographs are kept in proper conditions. Heat, sunlight and humidity are all conditions that can damage photographs and other art forms over time.