Lugging a Monorail

[SteveGangi]

I saw that issue. To think I've been just kicking them out of my way for years

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[SteveGangi]

Maybe I just don't have any imagination, but it always boils down to "Why didn't I think of that". Living in L.A. you would think there were plenty of weird bizarre things. So much weirdness has already been done... squashed bugs, splattered veggies, dog poop, you name it. Maybe I just ain't crazy enough

 

[Eric Rose]

now Aggie if you were to eat a banana while it was "having sex" and then photographed the peel, would that be considered a "snuff" pictuure?

 

[Ed Sukach]

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (SteveGangi @ Feb 10 2003, 09:53 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Maybe I just don't have any imagination, but it always boils down to "Why didn't I think of that".&nbsp; Living in L.A. you would think there were plenty of weird bizarre things.&nbsp; So much weirdness has already been done... squashed bugs, splattered veggies, dog poop, you name it.&nbsp; Maybe I just ain't crazy enough

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Hmm ... that might just be *it* ... the source for all Artist's blocks. At times we are just *too* "sane".

 

[fotobob]

What is the hurry? WhenI use my large format camera I am never in a hurry. This beautiful format has ben designed to allow you to slow down and enjoy the surroundings as well as your work. Part of the job is setting up your camera properly and looking so that you have a chance to previsualize your final image. If you are having problems get a field camera. This will make your load lighter and easier to carry but won't set up any faster than your rail if it is setup correctly.

My suggestion is slow down and enjoy your craft.

 

[fhovie]

I remember my tour of Death Valley with a Calumet C401. I would hike, lugging a huge box to about where I was going to shoot, set it down and then walk all over the place looking for that perfect image. Then I would say "Ah Hah!" and go looking for my camera. ...... ....... Then I would find my camera and start lugging it to where I found that perfect image ....... ........ ....... Then I would settle for a little less than that because I knew the wife and kids in the car were getting impatient .... .... .... Now add 10 minutes of set-up - focus focus focus and re-focus- Forget to close the lens before opening the dark slide on the Grafmatic. NUTS! that usually only ruins one shot. Take 5 more - Oh man! that shutter is acting up again - now they are honking the horn. OK - well, I got five .... maybe. Now get it all back in the box as quick as possible and lug it back toward the highway. It is a nice balmy 115 F. and I know that won't hurt my images either. On the negs of course there are many little clear specs. Something about lugging a view camera into a dusty area and of course, being a "dry heat," there is the whole static thing working.

Now the "kit" is 16.5 pounds. It goes in an F64 pack or my BIG Jansport. I can hit the trail and get DEEEP into the woods. My new friends are biting insects and poison oak. And of course after all this "growth" there are all these people swarming around with 35mm or worse ... DIGI warts. And they are taking great pictures! ---- My Shrink says I will only recover my sanity if I just give up on all this photo mumbo jumbo.

My dog still understands though.

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[Robert Kennedy]

Hell, I make the dog help carry the gear now...

 

[bmoulton]

I use an Arca swiss Compact also, with 4-5 lenses, extra bellowws, meter, film ,etc. and struggled as you have. I opted for the larger F64 pack, which I believe is labeled the BPX. I find it sturday, well designed, easy to configure without having the added expenses of Gnass type bags. The Lowe line, especially the pack Dykinga uses, is obviously a wonderful unit. I simply found the F64 an equal alternative.
Bob