The Hasselblad Xpan is a camera I’ve always wanted since I first saw Mary Ellen Mark use one on the set of Steven Soderbergh’s Che films – she had come over Spain to shoot some promotional photographs for it. I didn’t know what it was, so I asked her… and that’s what started my journey with this mighty camera.
I could go on about this machine, but if you’re receiving these posts then you probably already know plenty about it, and if you don’t, there’s a great review here from Cal Stuart. The following images were all shot with the 45mm, and they’re all HP5, if I remember correctly.
These first two fellas were amazing and a lot of fun! This was taken in Mexico during the filming of Gringo. We were shooting in Veracruz on this particular day at an outdoor market. Wherever you looked at this market there was a photograph.
This next shot was taken in Havana, Cuba, where I was born. That one fella didn’t seem too happy that I was photographing him. I was driving by in a car when I shot the image.
This one was shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Again, I was driving and saw this on the sidewalk. Luckily I had my camera with me…
This is Peter Mensah walking the back lot at Q Studios in ABQ while we were shooting Midnight Texas. It was a cold night, the camera was in my bag right by me when I looked and saw that photo appear; I had to work fast!!!
Finally, also shot in ABQ at an airline training facility. It was very desolate which, of course, made me want to love it more
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17 Comments
ed
June 20, 2019 at 12:32 pmSpectacular images! What a wonderful, but sadly lost format. Takes considerable skill and a special eye finding a scene worthy of the film real estate to shoot in the first place.
Yul Vazquez
June 20, 2019 at 5:41 pmThank you. These cameras are becoming insanely expensive.
Yul Vazquez
June 20, 2019 at 5:41 pmThanks so much.
Gabriel
June 20, 2019 at 2:29 pmgreat stuff ! too bad is such an expensive format.
tom
June 20, 2019 at 5:22 pmExcellent images. Do you scan the negatives yourself or do you get them professionally done?
Yul Vazquez
June 20, 2019 at 5:40 pmThank you. The film is processed and scanned by Chelsea Photographic in Manhattan.
Andy
June 20, 2019 at 5:52 pmLoved you on Seinfeld and love your photographs. You’re a legend!
Yul Vazquez
June 20, 2019 at 6:00 pmThanks Andy. Very kind of you. I’m just happy Hamish let’s me post on here!!
Hamish Gill
June 20, 2019 at 8:17 pmYou’re always welcome, Yul, Seinfeld or no Seinfeld, I love your photos 👍🤣
Yul Vazquez
June 20, 2019 at 9:02 pmHAHAHAHAHA!!!! HAMISH!!! Thanks buddy!!
Kodachromeguy
June 20, 2019 at 8:25 pmWow, really nice. You used this unusual frame very effectively. Now you have inspired me to find my Xpan negatives from around 2004. I rented an Xpan for a project to fly over the Washington coast, but also took some scenes in Seattle. I will have to rig up a mask for my medium format film scanner, probably to fit onto the 6×9 film holder.
Yul Vazquez
June 20, 2019 at 9:02 pmThanks so much.
Huss Hardan
June 20, 2019 at 11:00 pmI use the digitiliza 35mm holder from Lomography. It is excellent.
Huss Hardan
June 20, 2019 at 11:02 pmThe photo of Peter Mensah is so cool and film noir! Love it!
It looks like you do not use the center spot gradient filter on the 45mm? Have you tried to remove vignetting via software (if you care..)? I’m going to experiment with mine as I like the idea of not losing all that light.
Kind regards
Huss
Yul Vazquez
June 21, 2019 at 12:57 amHuss,
Thank you. I don’t use the gradient filter. I like the look of it w/o.
David Hume
June 21, 2019 at 8:16 amWhat a great 5 frames! Thank you for sharing.
Yul Vazquez
June 21, 2019 at 3:25 pmThank you.