Shooting the US Open on 4×5 Film: A Modern Photography Experiment in the Era of High-Speed Digital Cameras

The intersection of traditional analog photography and high-stakes modern sporting events represents a fascinating paradox in contemporary media production. While mainstream sports journalism relies almost exclusively on high-speed digital sensors, automated focus-tracking systems, and motorized telephoto lenses capable of capturing dozens of frames per second, a recent experimental project at one of golf’s premier championships took a radically different path. Photographer Jared Polin, widely known through his platform FroKnowsPhoto, undertook the formidable challenge of covering the United States Open Championship using an antique 4×5 large-format view camera. This deliberate constraint transformed a routine sports assignment into an arduous technical endurance test, highlighting the stark technological chasm between nineteenth-century photographic principles and twenty-first-century athletic spectacles.

The Main Facts of the US Open 4×5 Experiment

The operational parameters of the project were defined by extreme limitations. A 4×5 large-format camera uses sheet film measuring four by five inches per exposure, a negative area roughly fifteen times larger than a standard full-frame digital sensor. Each individual sheet of film must be manually loaded into a light-tight holder in total darkness, inserted into the back of the camera, exposed one sheet at a time, and then flipped to expose the reverse side. The equipment offers no autofocus, no auto-exposure, no continuous drive mode, and no instant preview screen.

Operating alongside collaborator Austin, Polin accepted an invitation from tournament organizers to document the championship grounds. However, the choice of equipment immediately complicated the assignment. Unlike digital shooters who can fire hundreds of frames in a matter of minutes to secure a split-second swing or a dramatic putt, the large-format workflow restricts a photographer to a handful of calculated exposures per hour. The setup requires a sturdy tripod, a dark cloth draped over the photographer’s head to block ambient daylight while focusing on a dim ground glass screen, and meticulous manual adjustments for shutter speed, aperture, and bellows extension.

The Chronology of a High-Pressure Analog Workflow

The day at the US Open followed a rigid, high-stress chronology that pitted the unyielding pace of a major golf tournament against the glacial mechanics of large-format photography. The timeline of the endeavor can be broken down into distinct phases of preparation, execution, and retrospective analysis.

Weeks prior to the event, the logistical hurdles began. Transporting bulky wooden or metal field cameras, a supply of heavy film holders, a specialized light meter, and a heavy-duty tripod across the sprawling landscape of a championship golf course required careful physical conditioning and equipment reduction. Unlike studio settings where large format thrives, a golf course demands constant mobility across uneven terrain, long distances between holes, and strict adherence to gallery ropes and marshaling rules.

On the morning of the tournament, the workflow commenced before the first shutter click. Film sheets—loaded the night before in a makeshift darkroom space—were inventoried. Arriving at the venue, the photographers established their presence among the traditional media contingent. While digital photographers unzipped Pelican cases filled with multiple high-end mirrorless bodies equipped with 400mm and 600mm telephoto lenses, Polin deployed the 4×5 camera, drawing curious glances from fellow media members, tournament officials, and spectators alike.

As players approached the targeted tee boxes and greens, the operational bottleneck of the format became immediately apparent. The rapid cadence of professional golf—where a player addresses and strikes the ball in a matter of seconds—clashed directly with the deliberate preparation required for a large-format photograph. Anticipating the precise moment of impact required extraordinary foresight. The photographer could not react to an event after it happened; the focus, framing, and exposure had to be pre-calculated based on where the athlete was expected to stand.

Throughout the day, multiple moments of intense self-doubt arose. When fast-moving action or unpredictable lighting conditions threatened to ruin an exposure, the fundamental question emerged: why abandon modern technological marvels, such as the Canon EOS R5 Mark II utilized for behind-the-scenes video documentation, in favor of a photographic method that predates modern sports by over a century? Yet, despite the hurdles, a select series of exposures was successfully captured, yielding latent images on sheet film waiting to be developed and scanned back in the studio.

Supporting Data: Digital Speed Versus Analog Deliberation

To contextualize the scale of this experiment, it is helpful to examine the quantifiable differences between contemporary sports photography gear and traditional 4×5 field cameras.

Modern professional sports bodies, such as the Canon EOS R5 Mark II used during the production of accompanying video logs, are capable of electronic shutter continuous shooting speeds of up to 30 frames per second with full autofocus and auto-exposure tracking. Equipped with advanced neural network algorithms designed to detect human eyes, faces, and bodies—and specifically trained on sports like golf to track club heads and balls—these digital systems ensure an exceptionally high hit rate for sharp, well-exposed action imagery.

In stark contrast, a 4×5 field camera yields zero frames per second of continuous action. The photographer is limited by the physical inventory of film holders carried in their bag—typically holding two sheets of film per holder. Carrying ten holders yields a maximum capacity of twenty exposures before requiring a return to a darkroom or changing bag to reload. Furthermore, the optical physics of large-format lenses result in an extremely shallow depth of field at wider apertures, demanding precise focus placement measured in millimeters, often complicated by the dynamic movement of athletes.

Background Context of the US Open and Modern Media Integration

The United States Open Championship, administered by the United States Golf Association (USGA), is one of the most prestigious and demanding tests in competitive golf. The courses are intentionally set up with narrow fairways, deep rough, and lightning-fast greens to push the world’s best golfers to their absolute limits. Media operations at such events are similarly rigorous, hosting hundreds of credentialed journalists, photographers, and broadcast technicians who compete for prime shooting positions around the course.

In recent years, media access has evolved alongside digital publishing demands. Outlets require instant transmission of high-resolution images from the course to digital news desks within seconds of an event concluding. Photographers routinely utilize wired Ethernet connections or high-speed wireless transmitters built into their camera bodies to FTP images straight from the media center to global syndication wires.

Introducing a 4×5 analog camera into this high-velocity digital ecosystem subverts the modern expectations of sports journalism. Rather than chasing instantaneous news delivery, the project embraced a neo-pictorialist philosophy, prioritizing the unique aesthetic qualities of large-format film—such as its extraordinary tonal gradation, expansive resolution, and distinct optical falloff—over newsroom expediency.

Statements, Inferred Reactions, and Professional Implications

While official statements from tournament organizers regarding the experiment were limited to granting media access, the reactions from the surrounding professional community underscored the polarizing nature of the project. Traditionalists within the fine art photography sector lauded the endeavor as a refreshing push against the homogenization of digital sports imagery, where tens of thousands of virtually identical high-speed frames flood media channels during a single tournament weekend.

Conversely, working sports photojournalists noted the impracticality of the method for commercial assignments. In an era where news organizations face shrinking budgets and accelerated publishing deadlines, the time-intensive nature of processing, scanning, and editing large-format sheet film runs counter to the economic realities of modern media consumption.

Nevertheless, experiments of this magnitude serve a crucial function in the broader photographic community. They strip away the crutches of automation, forcing practitioners to re-engage with the fundamental physics of exposure, light, and composition. As Polin noted in post-event reflections, the experience provided an extensive educational foundation. The lessons learned regarding field logistics, mechanical pre-visualization, and tactical positioning under pressure will directly inform future analog projects, should an invitation be extended to return to the championship next season.

The Broader Impact on Photography Education and Workflow

Projects that bridge the gap between antique analog gear and modern high-tech platforms—such as simultaneously recording the behind-the-scenes process with cutting-edge mirrorless video equipment—offer significant educational value. They demonstrate to emerging photographers that style and substance often emerge from creative constraints rather than infinite technological capabilities.

In the broader context of content creation, exploring the outer limits of equipment utility encourages a deeper appreciation for both historical methodologies and current technological innovations. Whether utilizing advanced low-light motion techniques in digital environments or mastering the deliberate pace of field cameras in high-speed athletic arenas, the synthesis of rigorous technique remains the hallmark of professional visual storytelling.