"Annual" Northern Michigan Gathering 2007

[CGross]

I will definately call Jim, and if anything order something from Calumet.

I have plenty of sheet film, but if you will never use the open boxes, bring them along and I'll pay you for them. My biggest challenge is empty boxes !!!!

I just moved up to 4x5 so have no empties to put exposed film in....have been staring at some matte board thinking about whipping up a film box, but haven't tackled that yet.

Cody

 

[Dan Henderson]

Hey, if you're driving through GR (or Kalamazoo for that matter) you might give Norman's Camera a call. They might have some 4x5 film, depending on what you want. Looking forward to seeing all of the old faces and meeting the new ones up north next week. I'm planning to get there early Wednesday morning.

 

[CGross]

Thanks Dan. I may give them a call. All of the local shops here in Cincinnati do not carry any readyloads or much LF film for that matter. Arrrggghh!!

Quick check on the long range weather forecast at accuweather is showing the following:

19th - Morning rain; overcast Hi 70 L 42 - Looks like potential for evening rain
20th - Clouds and limited sun Hi 66 L 45
21st - Times of clouds and sun Hi 69 L 50
22nd - Sunny to partly cloudy Hi 74 L 56
23rd - Rather cloudy Hi 76 L 60
24th - Mostly cloudy and warm Hi 80 L 57

Overall it looks like pretty favorable weather.

Cody

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Let me wish everyone a happy gathering. I had this fairly firmly set in stone to attend this year, but some recent developments have put a halt to it. Next year, next year... Have a lot of fun, and post lots of images in the galleries!
- Thomas

 

[North Light Press]

Hello All,

Bill here. I mistakenly put this thread on ignore and can't undo it for some reason. Anyway, this is the reason for the posting under my business' name.

I am working on the final details of the loose schedule that will go out later this evening. The first couple of days will be pretty low key as most aren't arriving until Thursday or Friday. I should be there by 2PM Tuesday and you will be welcome to come and set-up camp then. I have to ask this year that everyone park up on the road to keep the place as free of cars as we can. You can drive in to drop your camp gear and then move it back out to the road. We only have 2 small roads on the property and it can get pretty bottled up in there with only a few cars. Parking on the main road is no problem as there is plenty of room on the side and very little traffic down our dirt road.

More if I think of it.

As for the weather... up in the Straits area can often be quite different due to the meeting of the 2 Great Lakes. Very often the rest of the state can be socked-in and we will be beautiful. However it does go the other way as well, so cross your fingers!

Bill

 

[mjs]

Wednesday evening and I'm just getting those pesky final things done -- charging the Ipod and cell phone, washing the car, etc. My 8x10 film hasn't arrived so it looks like I'll be bringing the 4x5; 18 sheets might do it but then again, maybe not. I'd hate to be 400 miles from home and discover that it's "not".

Looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend. The weather looks perfect.

Mike Sherck

 

[Jerry Basierbe]

I just got back a little while ago. Another great time and great people. Thanks again Bill. Looking forward to next year already.

Jerry

 

[North Light Press]

Thank you Jerry... and thanks to everyone for coming. What a spectacular week I had with all of you! I loved looking at everyone's prints in person as this little screen doesn't do them their full justice. Always amazed at all the talent.

And thanks for taking all the bottles! When I went up to the cabin after all left, it was spotless... like the event never took place. What a great crew! Thanks for all the help, companionship and laughs. Now I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone was shooting while there!

Thanks again, Bill

 

[jp80874]

Just waking up after the 400+ mile ride home. Thanks Bill and all for such a wonderful party. I really enjoyed meeting you all, admiring your work, learning from you, sharing ideas, seeing wonderful places, shooting together. What a truly great gang of good people. I just wish I could stay awake as long as you youngsters do. Sign me up for next year and I hope you all will come here later next summer.

Thanks,

John Powers

 

[Gim]

I had a wonderful time again. What a great bunch of people to be around. I benefited greatly from the various discussions and the knowledge of the attendees. Thanks to everyone and especially Bill for making this such a nice event.

Jim

 

[jmxphoto]

Had a great time and learned a *ton*

Wow! My head is still spinning from everything. I was looking for something to push me outside the little box I've created for myself and this certainly was it. I was in waaaaaay over my head, but in a good way. I'm so excited to see how the film looks. I already sent out my 35mm film and 4x5 chromes for development. The black and white 4x5s will take a bit longer as I need to work out a precess for them. Thanks everyone for the great conversations, Q&A's, and everything. Especially Bill, thanks for putting this on and opening your home-in-progress to all of us.

If anyone wants to relive Joe's wet plate collodion demonstration, I put up a small gallery here:
http://jmxphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/3057513/1

Here's a gratuitous sunset photo that was taken digitally.
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=624275052&size=m
I blame the gathering for my better-than-snapshot composition.

-James

 

[jamie young]

Boy that was a long drive, but I was really glad I came to the gathering. It was great to meet everyone and see your work, which was incredible. Thanks Bill for hosting the event! The cirkut group shot is in the wash as I write this, and came out fine. (maybe a tad thin but good enough to print).I can't wait to process the other film.
Jamie Young

 

[Jerry Basierbe]

Hi Jamie. It was great to meet you. The group shot was certainly fun. I enjoyed seeing your work with the cirkut cameras. I'm looking forward to seeing the group shot.

Jerry

 

[smieglitz]

...
If anyone wants to relive Joe's wet plate collodion demonstration, I put up a small gallery here:
http://jmxphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/3057513/1
...
-James

Thanks for posting that James. Here's the finished plate of Lisa:

4" x 5" ruby ambrotype on purple glass

It was another great time with a bunch of interesting folks, great food, great photographs, and some quite entertaining stories and chat around the campfire.

Thanks you very much again Bill for putting on such a wonderful event. And also thanks to everyone who brought their beautiful images to share.

And finally a great big thank you to Jamie for his wonderful presentation of historical panoramic work and his sharing of personal work. Nothing like a 14" x 108" contact print. I can't wait to see the group shot done with the smaller cirkut.

Maybe folks could post a few platinum prints and UP works as well.

Sorry I couldn't have spent more time there this trip. But, I'm looking forward to a return and also to the get-together John Powers proposed for Ohio next year.

It was great seeing Lisa, Don, Paul, Mike, and the entire group again and meeting the new folks.

It was simply great interacting with such a passionate group of photographic artists in a beautiful setting. Thanks again to everyone and especially Bill.

Joe

 

[bill schwab]

Here's the finished plate of Lisa...

Joe, Looks like the framing issue got solved. Really nice image. Thanks again for bringing all the gear and doing the demo. Really looking forward to having you up for a wet plate workshop as well.

Bill

PS. Loved the Magic Bus!

 

[deisenlord]

Such a wonderful event, everyone so willing to share their time and knowledge, and the level of work was really humbling. Jamie, it's going to take all my will power to stay away from ebay looking for some wierd panoramic camera! I really enjoyed your presentations. Bill thanks again for a fun and very inspiring event.

Ike

 

[dlin]

Just got back from a trip out of the country and wanted to say a belated thank you to Bill and to everyone who made the trip up to northern Michigan for a wonderful time. As usual, Bill was a very gracious and entertaining host (including some good tales about experiences with certain pharmaceutical products ). The sharing of prints was particularly rewarding- nothing beats seeing and holding the real deal, including the many fantastic vintage prints Tom Halstead brought up. Particular thanks to Jamie Young for his presentations and demonstrations of panoramic photography with cirkut cameras, and to Joe Smietlitz for showing us his new "Magic Bus" mobile wet plate darkroom, which was just plain COOL! I had a great time and I'm already looking forward to next year.

All the best,
Daniel

 

[Jerry Basierbe]

Hey Daniel,
It was good seeing you again. Too bad you had to leave early, but the trip you took was more important. I hope it went well. Looking forward to seeing what you shot.

Jerry

 

[CGross]

Daniel, good to hear you are back, safe and sound. Hope you had a wonderful trip. And as Jerry said, I too am looking forward to seeing your prints from the outing. Hopefully things work out so we can get together soon for some shooting around the area.

Cody

 

[bill schwab]

WIldfires!

Just a bit of info about the area... I was up where we all were a couple months back in the Tahquamanon Falls area yesterday photographing and the road was closed at the upper falls. Seems there is a rapidly expanding wildfire that has already consumed more than 5,000 acres just west of the falls. It was strange getting back to the Mackinaw Bridge and finding it almost completely concealed in the smoky haze. There was a cool north wind last night and the smoke was all the way south to my place here in the Cross Village area some 80 miles away. No fun living in the tinder dry woods with the smell of wildfires in the air! Made for an incredible sunset though!

It is really dry. The falls are reduced to almost a trickle and less than half of what they usually are. I've never seen them this dry. Usually around 40 -50,000 gallons per minute go over... they are now at about 1,314 gallons per minute. Amazing...

Bill

 

[Lopaka]

Thanks for the info, Bill. We are planning a trip north in the next couple of weeks, keep us posted on what you know.

Bob

 

[jp80874]

Bill,

I hope the fire stays 80 miles away, or better yet gets put out by rain. Good Luck. We had a fluke 6 inches of rain in an hour and a half in Cleveland's snow belt late last week. That caused havoc in the rush hour. Most of Cleveland and certainly here south of Cleveland had clear, hot, sunny skies. Our pond is down two feet.

Thanks again for a wonderful gathering. Hope to see you all here next year.

John Powers

 

[Lopaka]

The fire is not being reported in the Detroit area, in spite of the fact that it is prime vacation season and many from this area go there at this time of year. It is big news up north.

http://www.9and10news.com/category/story/?id=120184

I do hope they get it under control soon, and without loss of life. The DNR indicates it will take at least a week - and that is a wild guess.

Bob

 

[ernie51]

I live 50 miles south of the Mackinaw Bridge and we have been getting haze and that awful burning smell from the Newberry wildfire for several days now, depending on the wind direction. The Seney area suffered a similar burn 30 or 40 years ago and it's effects are still visible. Our area has had no significant ran in at least 30 days and the woods are dry and brittle. The next 5 days show a 30% chance of rain at best. Please be careful out there, even a car left running or just parked over dry grasses can spark a fire...Dennis

 

[bill schwab]

The fire as reported has now grown to over 10,000 acres and is showing no sign of slowing. In fact, AP is reporting that they have lost ground on it in the last couple days. Seems it is expanding both north and south. Still in uninhabited areas and no structures or lives have been lost thankfully. They also brought in a Water-Bomber from Minnesota to help with fighting the fire from the air. It is in pretty unaccessible areas and is apparently hard to fight.

On another note, I have attached a snap I made of the falls on Friday to show how it is drying up. Compare it to (there was a url link here which no longer exists) as posted in the gallery. Looks like we're becoming the new desert!

Bill