Hello from Georgia!

[PonySoldier1887]

After "lurking" here for quite a while I came to the conclusion that this site probably met my requirements/expectations best. I am 77 years of age and the majority of my photography these days is 4x5 (Wista SP) and Nikon FE with some 6x6 (Mamiya C330f).....all B&W and developed/printed at home.....all TMX and TMY2. I finally "downsized" from 8x10 four or five tears ago but 8x10 is still my favorite format. The amount of hostility on some of the other sites motivated me to leave and the majority of folks here seem to be helpful and civil. I hope I can both contribute and benefit here!
Joel

 

[MattKing]

Welcome - hope you enjoy your time here.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Welcome, Joel. My favourite format is also 8x10. There have been a few nasty people here in the past but they were soon kicked into touch. The ignore function is a great tool. Cheers!

 

[Ariston]

Welcome, Joel! I am north of Atlanta, so not too far from you.

We share some of the same tastes - I have a Wista (old cheaper one) and an FE that I frequently use. It's cool to hear you print at home. I was just gifted an 23C by Vincent, and hope to be printing as soon as I can get set up.

 

[glbeas]

Welcome Joel. My brother lived in Warner Robins a good while back and was a member of a photo club in Macon, I visited a meeting one time and brought my 8x10 Korona to show and tell. Seems to be some nice folks there in your area. Do you get out on photo expeditions often?

 

[PonySoldier1887]

Gary... Even the local photo club is only digital (Thomaston, GA) and I am strictly a "solo" act here. Despite that I do make my rounds to places like Juliet (of "Fried Green Tomatoes" fame) and High Falls State Park. I am nowhere near as mobile as I was during the twenty-five years when I traipsed the Chatooga River with an old Calumet C1. I lived in Marietta for many years (graduated from the old Sprayberry High School on Allgood Rd).

 

[mitch brown]

Hi Joel
great to see you join our site . I am in Thomasville south of you about 2.5 hours . I have put together a photo show sponsored by the owners of the new Marriott Hotel being built here that you might want to come to. It will have photos by Alan Ross, Dan & Jill Burkholder, Elizabet Opalenik. Sandy King , just to name a few showing many of the different photographic printing processes. along with demo of several of the processes .It is hopefully will be held the last week of Jan .
Mitch

 

[glbeas]

Gary... Even the local photo club is only digital (Thomaston, GA) and I am strictly a "solo" act here. Despite that I do make my rounds to places like Juliet (of "Fried Green Tomatoes" fame) and High Falls State Park. I am nowhere near as mobile as I was during the twenty-five years when I traipsed the Chatooga River with an old Calumet C1. I lived in Marietta for many years (graduated from the old Sprayberry High School on Allgood Rd).

I live fairly close to the new Sprayberry, off Ebenezer Rd. I know how the mobility problems can be, got some torn cartilage and other health problem keeping me close to whatever vehicle I ride in. Theres still a few places to get out and shoot at though.

 

[PonySoldier1887]

Hi Joel
great to see you join our site . I am in Thomasville south of you about 2.5 hours . I have put together a photo show sponsored by the owners of the new Marriott Hotel being built here that you might want to come to. It will have photos by Alan Ross, Dan & Jill Burkholder, Elizabet Opalenik. Sandy King , just to name a few showing many of the different photographic printing processes. along with demo of several of the processes .It is hopefully will be held the last week of Jan .
Mitch

Thanks for the "heads-up" Mitch. Some of these folks are personal favorites and I will be watching for details!
Joel

 

[Sirius Glass]

Welcome to APUG Photrio!!​

 

[juan]

Welcome to Photrio from St. Simons Island. If the governor ever lets us geezers out again, I might get to the Macon area. I’ll shoot you a PM and maybe we can shoot. I also gave up my C1 a few years ago but still have a Wehman 8x10.

 

[PonySoldier1887]

Hey Juan...
Governor will never let us old geezers out again! We're toast don't you know. I don't know if this crap will ever be over with but I did not anticipate spending my "geezerhood" hiding out behind a mask! I envy you for your location.
Joel

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Welcome to Photrio from your neighbor to the west in Mississippi. It's nice to welcome another large format user.

 

[MNM]

Hi, I'm up to your north and west near Rockmart,

You just inspired me to pull the Calumet 4x5 out. Believe it is a CC400.

 

[PonySoldier1887]

I still have one of the 400 Series... the short-bellows, black version... and it is still my choice if I need 90mm or shorter. I owned and used the long-rail (26"), wide, and 8x10 versions at one time or another. Overseas, along the East German Border I was often "scorned" by my West German counterparts for the "lack of sophistication" when compared with their Plaubel and Linhof cameras but my equipment survived the harshest elements and got the job done. I served for many years in the US Army as the Officer-in-Charge for the Fulda Border Resident Office. When you consider that period it was the apex of the American optical industry when the "lens-of-choice" for Viktor Hasselblad was the Kodak Ektar! A different world.
Joel

 

[MNM]

Just measured. Mine is the 26" long-rail. Got it with a 6-1/2" Calumet lens with Copal shutter. Found it at an antique store in Kennesaw. It's certainly stout. Found a Bogen 3050 tripod in Calhoun. The two together are hefty. Can't imagine lugging them around much.

I've put off working with the Calumet due to both unfamiliarity with the workflow (forgetting to close the shutter before pulling the dark slide - whoops) and the lack of a 4x5 enlarger. Good to know there's experienced and local resources to point me in the right directions(s) if need be.

 

[Bormental]

@PonySoldier1887 welcome. I like your username. Post some photos please! One thing we need is more photos here.

 

[StepheKoontz]

Welcome from up in Atlanta!

 

[PonySoldier1887]

You Folks are all too kind to an old "horse-soldier" and I can only say thank you for your warm welcome! I do hope that I can be of some assistance since that is what fora of this type should be all about... after all, for many of the younger participants, film is the exception and "an alternate medium" where we older folk lived by the darkroom! (By the way Bormental, the PonySoldier comes from the First Cavalry Division - my first combat unit and an affiliation maintained over a quarter century.) I now have a decent scanner (I hope) and hope to begin posting some images... all B&W film, mostly "baby" large format (4x5).
Joel