HI, I'm very pleased about having learned about your forum, and even more excited about having joined and about the community adventures to come!
I'm a professional who had apprenticed in the culturally rich photo-lithography era, at a time when large format film-based colour separation and laser digital dot generating began to merge; evolving into what we now have come to know as the full-blown digital imaging age. Back then though... there were a half-dozen specialists involved with perfecting one image! There was a rich culture, team spirit and a comaraderie that made the trade a real GEM of a place to be. The digital age has for the most-part, swallowed up that culture- or might I even add "spat-it-out" to a great extent as well.
I've always enjoyed traditional film-based processes, and (while in my early 20's) even went on to modify a 500 lb. 1950's horizontal photo-copier camera (from before my time, LOL!) to shoot orthochromatic films and process them in my own lab environment. I also rebuilt an ruthlessly abandoned large format Linhoff view camera, played with some of the last remaining C-41, 620 format roll films that I managed to convince Kodak in Rochester, N.Y. that I deserved... and had great fun with a pre-1920 Kodak camera for it!
Today, I remain fascinated with the interweaving of processes, and with making things work in order to fulfill one's photographic aspirations, while also looking at the economics; then deciding upon a hybrid route to realise one's projects..."economically" and with acceptable aesthetic compromises. REALITY.
I'm not a purist; yet I truly enjoy "the process" of developing films, and working/playing in the one-of-a-kind lab environment that I've created for my lab tech work - first for my clientle, and also for my own creative exploits. What can I say, I'm a "service oriented kind'a guy", LOL!
So today, that's what I'm into... and that is, in-part, focusing upon others' photographic work to assist them with technical services via the hybrid lab environment that I call "my home away from home". I figure...with all these years of lab-tech experience (a seemingly natural affinity), I'm likely to keep learning by being there for others. In doing so, I also gradually improve my own skills as an off-beat contract photographer...hauling around my trusty 645 kit, and getting into all kinds of mischief.
By day, I work alongside a brilliant chemical engineer who formulates specialised inks for inkjet printers that we sell and refill (Reduce/Re-use/Recycle!). By night, my nocturnal alter-ego comes out to play, via KnightHawk StudioLab.
I'm a professional who had apprenticed in the culturally rich photo-lithography era, at a time when large format film-based colour separation and laser digital dot generating began to merge; evolving into what we now have come to know as the full-blown digital imaging age. Back then though... there were a half-dozen specialists involved with perfecting one image! There was a rich culture, team spirit and a comaraderie that made the trade a real GEM of a place to be. The digital age has for the most-part, swallowed up that culture- or might I even add "spat-it-out" to a great extent as well.
I've always enjoyed traditional film-based processes, and (while in my early 20's) even went on to modify a 500 lb. 1950's horizontal photo-copier camera (from before my time, LOL!) to shoot orthochromatic films and process them in my own lab environment. I also rebuilt an ruthlessly abandoned large format Linhoff view camera, played with some of the last remaining C-41, 620 format roll films that I managed to convince Kodak in Rochester, N.Y. that I deserved... and had great fun with a pre-1920 Kodak camera for it!
Today, I remain fascinated with the interweaving of processes, and with making things work in order to fulfill one's photographic aspirations, while also looking at the economics; then deciding upon a hybrid route to realise one's projects..."economically" and with acceptable aesthetic compromises. REALITY.
I'm not a purist; yet I truly enjoy "the process" of developing films, and working/playing in the one-of-a-kind lab environment that I've created for my lab tech work - first for my clientle, and also for my own creative exploits. What can I say, I'm a "service oriented kind'a guy", LOL!
So today, that's what I'm into... and that is, in-part, focusing upon others' photographic work to assist them with technical services via the hybrid lab environment that I call "my home away from home". I figure...with all these years of lab-tech experience (a seemingly natural affinity), I'm likely to keep learning by being there for others. In doing so, I also gradually improve my own skills as an off-beat contract photographer...hauling around my trusty 645 kit, and getting into all kinds of mischief.
By day, I work alongside a brilliant chemical engineer who formulates specialised inks for inkjet printers that we sell and refill (Reduce/Re-use/Recycle!). By night, my nocturnal alter-ego comes out to play, via KnightHawk StudioLab.
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