Any Melbourne APUG members?

I've been given the ok too...

I am yet to check with my tour director but will give provisional approval on her behalf.

Okay, it looks like we have a chorum for the 2nd of January.

What would you guys like to do? Sit, drink and boast? Go shooting, drinking and boasting? Compare prints? Compare equipment? (".... my format's bigger than yours. You call that a camera? This is a camera!").

I'm easy either way. I would prefer to either shoot or sit, drink and tell tall tails.

Once we've decided what we're doing, we can decide on a venue.

Cheers,

Graeme Hird said:

What would you guys like to do? Sit, drink and boast? Go shooting, drinking and boasting? Compare prints? Compare equipment? (".... my format's bigger than yours. You call that a camera? This is a camera!").
Cheers,

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My vote:
1. Shooting, as I have not been to Melb for a couple of years. (followed by, or preceded by)
2. Eat, Drink, chat, be Merry.
3. Would be VERY interested to see how a LF rig works as I've never used one or known anyone who has one.

The good thing is that any of these could be done as a group, or if the group consensus is to just Eat, Drink, chat, be Merry, then I could go shoot on my own before or after the group stuff.

One other thought: Would it be worth arranging an online chat here on APUG for those thinking of attending? Much quicker to make decisions real time. We'd need to set a date/time for the chat session.

Thoughts?

I agree, a little bit of shooting would be good. And I too would love to see how a LF rig works, as it's also very new to me.

There are probably several possible venues where we could shoot and not be too far away from food and drink establishments.

Tell you guys what, I just bought a 5x7 camera and I'm willing to let all of you play with it, if you'll supply the transportation to Oz

Jeremy Moore said:

Tell you guys what, I just bought a 5x7 camera and I'm willing to let all of you play with it, if you'll supply the transportation to Oz

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I'll be more than happy to show you around Jeremy. I know Nige and while I don't like to drive in Melbourne, I know how to get there easily from Sydney; there is some beautiful country there.

well I now have a LF camera so can probably bring it along... Graeme can show us how it works

I've been on a couple of CBD Wandering Shoots and it works ok. Swap mobile ph numbers, agree a time to meet somewhere and then wander off in groups and singlely. Since we were all heading in the same rough direction we kept running into each other, stop for a chat or wander anlong together for a bit, see something that interests so explore while others move on, etc.

Biggest problem is agreeing where to eat! Should start discussing that now!

To paraphrase Kath, "Oi like what Oi'm seeing!"

Life's too short to keep unexposed film in the holder. Eat, drink, shoot, be merry! Sounds like we can make a day of it.

Jeremy and Robert, you are both welcome to attend (as is anybody reading this), but we won't be paying for the privilege of your company. Of course, Jeremy might get to Oz if he clicks his heels enough .....

You guys already in Melbourne can set the agenda of where and when to meet - it sounds like we'll be able to use most of the day and some of the evening, so consider starting early .....

I'm more than happy to show off my Tachihara and how I use it. I'd also love to play with other LF beasties, so bring 'em if ya got 'em!

Cheers,

Graeme, you can play with my Hasselblad if I can play with your Tachihara.

..... and then I can finally answer "yes" when I get asked The Eternal Question!

Jeremy Moore said:

Tell you guys what, I just bought a 5x7 camera and I'm willing to let all of you play with it, if you'll supply the transportation to Oz

Click to expand...

You know, once upon a time, transportation to Oz was as easy as stealing a loaf of bread. Now you must demand hand inspection of your bag and you can't bring a knife to butter the bread, even if you still had it.

Ahhh, those were the good ol' days ......

Recently when in Melb, I was told Micheals Camera were about to open their new show room, complete with the largest genuine (working?) Leica mockup in the world. They said it would be large enough to walk inside. Unfortunately we were not there long enough to see it.
Anyone for 'Beat the Shutter' - starting at Bulb and working up to ... oooh .... say 1/250th?

John McCallum said:

Anyone for 'Beat the Shutter' - starting at Bulb and working up to ... oooh .... say 1/250th?

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Sounds like the latest Indiana Jones Episode: "Indiana Jones and the Search For The Holy Grail Of LF Photography."

Cooee! Any updates?

Things to be sorted:
1. Rough plan for the 2nd? Are we going to meet somewhere for "First light" opportunities? Are we hanging around long enough for "Last light" shooting?
2. Locations for the above? (maybe Melb locals can suggest?)
3. Niges point re "FOOD" Where and when?
4. Who is coming for sure?

I'm probably 90% certain at this stage. Plan to arrive late Saturday afternoon, spend evening with Melb friend, meet y'all at first light somewhere, spend the day shooting, playing with LF rigs, food, drink, chat etc etc, Shoot last light, then hit the road back to Sydney late Sunday evening or maybe early Monday morning.

With 10 hrs drive each way, I just want to make sure it will be better than staying at home to drink, eat, be merry, in my own beautiful back yard

Glenn

1. First light will presumably be around 5 am. Last light should be around 9 pm.
2. The Southbank and casino area is a very central location possibility, so should be reasonably easy for people to get to. CBD has a lot of photographic potential. First light over the Yarra looking towards the city usually works.
3. Plenty of food and drink options in the same area.
4. I'm 99.9% certain at this stage.

Any other ideas for venues????

I'm a certainty (unless I'm dead, in which case I'll be there in spirit).

First light shots of the CBD over the Yarra with rowers sound fine to me (I've had one in my head for many years - from about the tennis centre taking in the art centre and the CBD .... could be a good opportunity to make it a reality).

I think Kevin and/or Nige will need to choose the refreshment venues - I'm likely to choose my old favourite Chinese: Nam Loongs in Russel St. Not very classy, but great food. I don't even know if it's still there ....

For later referrence (ie if I forget) my mobile number is 0408 95 11 76.

Cheers,

5am to 9pm is a full day.. 3 meals at least in that lot Macca's for breakfast, HJ's for lunch and Pizza Hut for tea... how's that for fine dining cuisine! Maybe not! I'm up for a decent meal of chinese!

99.9% certain too... 99.99% certain I won't manage 5am to 9pm though! I better check with my 'tour director' what hours I'm actually allowed out.

Location wise, the edge of the Yarra makes a good meeting place as it's gots lots of open space to setup a LF camera without getting in peoples way, etc. I'm heading out today to buy a backpack to convert into a camera bag to be able to bring mine along. Got my wood tripod, so will look the part even if I can't take a decent pic!

Is everyone going to be tote'ting a tripod? Small camera users might have different expectations to the LF guys, especially in manoeuvrability... the other times I've done this I've taken my 35mm gear and we were pretty mobile, covering a lot of ground. Having meet-up times and locations during the day can let everyone explore at their own pace, but then reconveining allows for storytelling, etc. One needs energy food to cart this gear around anyway!


BTW, Graeme... you not related to James Hird the footballer are you?

The 2nd sounds pretty good. I just finished a photographic canoe trip down the Yarra from the headwaters to Port Melbourne. Took the 8x20, 11x14, 8x10 and a 5x7 back. Melbourne Docklands is also a nice spot, not as busy and almost as close but downhill from the CBD. There's also the area just across from Federation Square, a bit more relaxing (just upstream from the Princess Bridge. Are you serious about 5:00am? I thought there was only one 5:00 in a day. And besides, to start shooting at 5:00am requires a start a fair bit before the light hits.

I'll bring a tripod, but I'm just an MFer. I've done the 5 am sunrise a couple of times. But I did it contre jour, so I was facing east on a bridge at Kings Way, with the city to the left of frame and Southbank and casino to the right, and the rising sun shining over the river in the middle. Graeme, that view you're thinking about is I would guess, facing more north-westerly, so the sun is rising behind your right shoulder. But yeah, there are several good places to check out along the Yarra, without getting in the way of people.

Nige,

If the three way progressive fat attack is all that's on offer, Melbourne has regressed more than I thought! I'm sure the fine dining will be under control on the day.

I am distantly related to James and it shows - I'm also ruggedly good-looking, rich, versatile and well respected in the public's perception. Wanna buy a bridge?

Kevin, you are correct in your assumption of where I want to be (though I'm imagining at this time of the year the sun will be over my left shoulder at sunrise.) I'm thinking the CBD on frame right, Yarra as a leading line from lower left to Princes Bridge, with the Art Centre spire on the left frame edge, preferably with a rowing crew moving down stream into the shot (say at lower third intersection). That's the plan, anyway. We'll see how close I get to it (if we even decide to be there at that time).

David, are you likely to come along? I'd really love to see one of those BIG cameras you've got.

Tripod goes without saying, but it will only be my little one. The other is a surveyor's tripod which I only use when I'm shooting from the car.

I reckon an easy place to meet would be on the bank of the Yarra opposite the swimming centre in Batman Avenue (Beaurepair?). My memory and progress might have thwarted my description here.

And yes, I'm serious about the very early start. There are two good times of the day for available light shooting - why remove 50% of the options for the sake of a warm bed? Life's too short .... However, if you guys want to sleep in and meet later that's fine. I'll tell you all about it at the pub.

I'll do a little research and narrow down times and angles a bit soon.

Cheers,

Sunrise for Melbourne, 02/01/05 = 6.02am, azimuth=119 degrees

Sunset = 20.46pm, Azimuth = 240 degrees

(Source is http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/AltAz.html)

holy mackeral... wot time do I need to be there for 6:02 sunrise... just working out if I go clubbing overnight

Yes, I'll be there. Should we exchange mobile phone numbers? It might make the final meeting up a bit easier.

Do they have a Starbucks in Melbourne these days?