Is APUG alive in the Bay Area?

[rorye]

Looks like a great trip Tom, I can't make it this time but look forward to joining you on the next one.

 

[Siraldenn]

Bay Area photographers are spread up and down both sides of the Bay, from Mill Valley (and north to Mendicino). I have lived off and on in S.F., since the late 60's, and the City is a heaven for MF and LF Film Photographers. There is a Photographers group that meets in Golden Gate Park, a group of former Combat Photographers who meet monthly (most of them still shoot for fun), the A. Adams Gallery hosts meeting, and the list goes on... A. Gasser's photographer's supply is alive and well on 2nd St. (south of Mission St.), The Photograpehr's Workshop on Folsom just around the corner from Gasser's. Some of the Pro Labs used to host meeting also.
For the pro's on tight schedules, getting to meetings is hard. I had to retire, before I started thinking about joining a group (internet helps in this respect).
I have been a working photographer in "film" for more than 40 years, and now live in Northern California, north of S.F., closer to the Redwoods and Coast I want to take photos off. I have worked in everything from 16mm to 8x10. I now use M/F 6x9 and 6x6 systems (they are smaller and lighter to carry around.
All you have to do is walk around San Francisco, and you will see photo galleries here and there (South of Market, the "Barbary Coast" area north of the Financial dist. as well as working studios.
In the City, life just goes on, I used to like watching people going about their business and occasionally get it on film.

 

[Mark_S]

Just checking in with everybody - I was the OP on this thread, over a year ago. I have mostly completed my move, although my darkroom is still in Maine - and I am not sure when that will be moved and I manage to build a new darkroom out here. I have been living in downtown San Jose for 6 months now, and am making use of a rental darkroom (darkroom at debug). I have put my LF gear away for the time being, and am concentrating on small formats.

All of the comments that flooded in from the original post were great, it really helped me to understand better what the local scene is, and that is something that I am sure will continue to evolve as I settle in.

 

[BradS]

Hi Mark, Welcome to Silicon Valley.

 

[grahamp]

I've been here just short of eleven years, I still don't know what the scene is!

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I so want to be back there again, but that's going to probably have to be a retirement dream.

 

[Iwagoshi]

Mark, I have a feeling your LF won't stay packed for long. Before or after your next trip to Yosemite or Carmel it will again see the light of day.

TFC, I don't know anyone that has moved back to California to retire. Most move away to Las Vegas, Mexico, or Oregon. The taxes alone will eat your fixed income alive.

grahamp, you live in Richmond? Did I almost bike into you on the Bay Trail?

 

[Mark_S]

Iwagoshi - although taxes are high in California, my overall taxes went down when I moved from Maine to CA. Maine taxes are even higher. This includes income taxes, car registrations and property taxes.

 

[grahamp]

...

grahamp, you live in Richmond? Did I almost bike into you on the Bay Trail?

Yes (McBryde), and no, I haven't been near the trail recently. Though I am supposed to dig out the Brompton and go for a ride with my brother in law soon. Lots of house issues at the moment. I did build a 5x4 pinhole camera recently for use next week.

 

[k_jupiter]

Just checking in with everybody - I was the OP on this thread, over a year ago. I have mostly completed my move, although my darkroom is still in Maine - and I am not sure when that will be moved and I manage to build a new darkroom out here. I have been living in downtown San Jose for 6 months now, and am making use of a rental darkroom (darkroom at debug). I have put my LF gear away for the time being, and am concentrating on small formats.

All of the comments that flooded in from the original post were great, it really helped me to understand better what the local scene is, and that is something that I am sure will continue to evolve as I settle in.

Downtown SJ? I just moved from 12th street to Sunnyvale. It's a nice place to live (san jose that is).

It's also a nice place to photograph.

tim in Sunnyvale

 

[Mark_S]

Greetings fellow photographers. I am still settling in to life in San Jose, and am preparing to pack and ship my darkroom from Maine to California, but since I don't have a space to set up a new darkroom, the equipment will all be going into storage for the time being. I continue to use a rental darkroom in San Jose, but I can't work in large format there, and it is difficult to do a lot of the things that I would like to do. Does anybody know of a space that I might be able to rent inexpensively to set up a LF darkroom, or perhaps an underused darkroom that I could rent time in?

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I don't know about underused, but if you don't mind the schlep up to San Francisco, RayKo has wonderful facilities to accommodate large format darkroom work.

 

[tjaded]

I second the vote for RayKo. They have a great place. B&W or color.

If you need film, let me know! (website close, but still not complete....)

Dead Link Removed

 

[Mark_S]

Thanks guys - I had discounted RayKo since I hate driving, but since it looks like they are walking distance from the Caltrain station, I will have to try them out....

 

[Roger Thoms]

They are within walking distance from Caltrain and that is how I get there from San Mateo. I'll throw in my Rayko recommendation, definitely a good resource. And for food and coffee there's a Wholefoods and a Peet's Coffee and Tea a block away.

Roger

 

[sionnac]

Glass Key Photo at 448 Haight Street in San Francisco is a great place to visit. They are inside of Rooky Ricardo's Records, itself a great shop; Glass Key has hard to find film, paper, ink and chemistry ... and if you have a turntable (and like old fashioned bottled root beer) you will be in heaven. They even carry 127 format.

 

[Mark_S]

Update in case anybody else is interested:

I have been in San Jose for a little over 2 years now. The Debug darkroom which is close to my house just doesn't meet my needs, so I have been using RayKo who have a great facility, but they are just too far away to be useful. Although I am renting, I am building a darkroom in the garage. My darkroom will be 8x10', will allow me to go back to using my enlarger which IMHO is the finest enlarger ever made (Ilford MG600 - a rebranded Durst Multigraph), and will be able to print up to 16x20. If all goes according to plan I hope to be printing in the spring.

 

[Mark_S]

Update in case anybody else is interested:

I have been in San Jose for a little over 2 years now. The Debug darkroom which is close to my house just doesn't meet my needs, so I have been using RayKo who have a great facility, but they are just too far away to be useful. Although I am renting, I am building a darkroom in the garage. My darkroom will be 8x10', will allow me to go back to using my enlarger which IMHO is the finest enlarger ever made (Ilford MG600 - a rebranded Durst Multigraph), and will be able to print up to 16x20. If all goes according to plan I hope to be printing in the spring.

Darkroom is complete and functional. I posted some pictures and a description in the Darkroom Portraits (II) thread....

 

[macandal]

Darkroom is complete and functional. I posted some pictures and a description in the Darkroom Portraits (II) thread....

Link?

 

[macandal]

Glass Key Photo at 448 Haight Street in San Francisco is a great place to visit. They are inside of Rooky Ricardo's Records, itself a great shop; Glass Key has hard to find film, paper, ink and chemistry ... and if you have a turntable (and like old fashioned bottled root beer) you will be in heaven. They even carry 127 format.

UPDATE: They're moving right next door to their current location. They should be there by Tuesday, October 16th. I was just there Sunday and the owner told me the news. Also, next door to Glass Key, there is a little art gallery with some paintings and a few pictures. Go visit them.

Agree about Glass Key. Competitive prices and a small but very good variety. They carry Adox paper!!

 

[macandal]

Groups

Are there any groups being formed in San Francisco? I say SF and not SF Bay Area, because I don't have a car. Yes, there are alternatives, but I would prefer a group here in the city. Anyway, I used to go to one that met at RayKo, but it dissolved. Are there any other groups? Large Format groups in particular? Thanks.

 

[rorye]

Not that I know of but it would be nice.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

I'd come.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

I should clarify, I'll come but only if its not an equipment circle jerk.

 

[rorye]

I should clarify, I'll come but only if its not an equipment circle jerk.

Agreed, for sure nothing's worse than a bunch of "I have the biggest camera" guys.