NE Ohio, Bi-Monthly, May 30-31, 2009 Gathering at the Powers’ House

[djkloss]

how's the flow at Blue Hen Falls?

 

[bill schwab]

Have fun this weekend kids! Play nice!

 

[Lee L]

Have fun this weekend kids! Play nice!

Will do Bill. Have fun with your wife and kids.

Lee

 

[jp80874]

how's the flow at Blue Hen Falls?

Sorry Dorothy. It was raining when I planned to go look at the water flow. As mentioned before, we have had a lot of rain this week. All streams and rivers have got to be flowing. The good news is that looks great. The bad news is that the bank you are planning to stand on may wash out when you step on it. Wave when you pass Cleveland. Be careful out there.

John

 

[jp80874]

Have fun this weekend kids! Play nice!

Darn,
it sounds like you are going to have the entertainment with the Monty and Bob show. Where do you place bets. I haven't seen Monty since we were in Louisville, but it looked like he works out a lot more than Bob. He probably has to if he wants to move that 20x24 camera around. His pocket camera is a Dick Phillips 7x17.

John

 

[ic-racer]

So far sunny with blue sky. See you all at 9:00.

 

[winger]

Have fun guys! I'll miss you and be thinking of you when I'm building lenses. If any work out, I'll bring them to next gathering.

 

[steckmeyer]

John,
Thanks for your kind and generous hospitality. We had a great time. I am mixing up fresh Xtol right now so I can see how Ann did back in the Ledges. Next time we will bring Gideon (I promise Jeff). See you in two months?.....or will that be too close to PhotoStock 2009 for the bi-monthly meeting?

Best regards,
Bob & Ann

 

[Lee L]

John and Dolly,

Thanks for hosting the "Fissures, Fisher's, fissures, Fisher's, fissures, Fisher's, where's Fisher?, there's a kingfisher!" edition of the NEOH APUG get together. I had a great time.

It was very nice to get in the shooting time, print viewing, and general and photographic talk and idea exchanges with a fine bunch of people.

Thanks to Shawn for the surplus chems, ic-racer for the darkroom tour, and to everyone who shared their work. Already looking forward to next time, and hope those who were busy elsewhere can make it back.

Oh, yeah... I say the missing Fisher owes us a full report at the next gathering on the activities that kept her away from from our gathering. Perhaps that could be one of the 'workshop' style activities that John asked about. It's dangerous to miss a gathering, you might get elected to something.

Lee

 

[djkloss]

I had a fabulous time and have nearly forgotten the "jeep incident". It only took two hours to get home, which means I'm getting more comfortable traveling. This also means, it will be easier to get there next time, and maybe spend more time. Thanks Dale for sharing your darkroom with us. Good luck Jeff and Eva. Thanks all for expanding our horizons. And most of all John and Dolly for your wonderful hospitality. Also, a huge thank you to Jeff and Eva for sharing your AAA!!! Nick, sorry I was too tired to look at the meter. Shawn, your miniatures were great. Anne & Bob, nice seeing you again and Norm. And Peter and Lee, always good to see you too. Hope I didn't miss anything or anyone, oh and the girls too!

Dorothy

 

[winger]

Oh, yeah... I say the missing Fisher owes us a full report at the next gathering on the activities that kept her away from from our gathering. Perhaps that could be one of the 'workshop' style activities that John asked about. It's dangerous to miss a gathering, you might get elected to something.

Oh no, what did I "volunteer" for this time? Next time I see you guys, I'll bring the lenses I made this weekend. It was a blast. I may post the shots when I get around to scanning them. Can I flip something from neg to pos and left to right in PS and still post it in the gallery? We shot on paper for the slowness (using lens caps as shutters).
Sorry I missed your outing, but I will be at Photostock.

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

John, I can't thank you and Dolly enough for the continued hospitality.

It was great so see everyone again and missed seeing a few others. I had a great time photographing at the ledges this morning, hopefully everyone found the early hours to be worth while. I'm looking forward to seeing some of the work next time around and maybe here in the meantime.

Couldn't resist developing some film tonight, hope to have some prints done this week. Shawn

 

[Jeff Bannow]

Great to see everyone and thanks to John and Dolly for the hospitality! I'm not as quick as Shawn, but I do hope to develop our film this week.

Found my local camera store has Farmer's reducer too, so thanks to Peter's article I think we should be able to bleach back that print. Now, if I can just find mat board then we will be in business!

 

[jolefler]

Gotta say "Thanks"...

Even though I couldn't get there due to physical limitations.

It really isn't often that folks as hospitable as the Powers offer their home and nearby venues for community use. My hat's off to them for their selfless contributions. We KNOW what they do to promote film usage!

Jo

 

[Lee L]

Oh no, what did I "volunteer" for this time? Next time I see you guys, I'll bring the lenses I made this weekend.

I hadn't checked the schedule. Didn't know you were working with Alan Greene. I have his book, which is very interesting. So your assignment is to cram everything you learned in two days into a session at the next NEOH gathering.

Lee

 

[ic-racer]

I was really glad to see everyone again! Sorry for my abrupt departure on Saturday, but I had been informed in no uncertain terms that eight hours is plenty long enough to take a picture and the kids wanted to go to the park.
I got my film holders loaded and went out Sunday. When I got to Johns, it looks like everyone had left for home, so I'll have to say 'good bye' to everyone right now.

Jeff: I am sorry I did not get a chance to pick up that densitometer to check it. I have plenty of test control strips that I usually throw away after I measure them. I can send one to you with all the values marked, based on my calibrated machine. That should be good enough to check you machine.

 

[ic-racer]

I'll throw out an idea for a typical "format" for future meetings:

SAT 9:00 AM: Informal 'check-in' and head count for the weekend. Courtesy call to John if you can't make this so he knows who all to expect. Meet on John's back porch for coffee and chat, equipment show-and-tell or swap&sell.
SAT 10:30-12:30 Free time to shoot. Groups or individually.
SAT 12:30-1:30 (Optional) Lunch at Fishers
SAT 1:30-5:00 Free time to shoot.
SAT 5:00-9:00PM Meet at Johns for Pizza-Icecream then print portfolio presentations and discussion.

SUN: 9:00-11:00AM Meet at John's back porch for AM coffee and discussion. Then a 'mini-workshop' where someone can sign up to present some technique to the group (split tone, lith print, f-stop printing, banquet camera technique, ice cream making, etc.)
SUN: 11:00-1:30 Free time to shoot
SUN: 1:30 (optional) Lunch at Fishers, then farewells for some or more shooting the farewell.

I wouldn't be surprised if Lee (and his cat) volunteered to be "Central Organizer and Enforcer" for all this. He could stay in contact with people with a cell phone to monitor their location on a minute-by-minute basis. He would also be held responsible if the train were to become 'disconnected.' ( )

 

[winger]

I hadn't checked the schedule. Didn't know you were working with Alan Greene. I have his book, which is very interesting. So your assignment is to cram everything you learned in two days into a session at the next NEOH gathering.

Lee

I'd love to see that book sometime. I may just buy it, though. Does he also get into camera making in the book?
Anyway, the class was great and relatively non-technical. I'm actually going to go do some more test shooting with one of my new lenses in a few minutes.

 

[Peter Spangenberg]

Thanks John and Dolly

Thanks for the hospitality. I could only make Saturday up to the darkroom tour at Dale's, but I enjoyed seeing everybody. By the way, if anyone wants a copy of the bleaching article I sent to Jeff, please send me your e-mail address and I will be happy to send it as I have 4 scanned pages in jpeg format. The article was written for a B&W master printing publication by Bruce Barnbaum and talks about the technique for using bleach on shadow areas that need to be lightened selectively. I had never tried this before I read this article, and now I'm a fan.

My e-mail address is Suarte85@roadrunner.com

Peter

 

[Lee L]

I'll throw out an idea for a typical "format" for future meetings:

In the spirit of realism, no sarcasm intended, I'll post this above our cat's food bowl for a trial run next weekend and see if it works.

Joking aside, I think it's very hard to keep that many people 'on task' given the vagaries of travel, good light, varied appetites, diets, and budgets, breaks for off-roading adventures, differing shooting locations, etc. It would be nice to have a central point of contact, but many of us don't have cell phones, or don't carry them on weekends, and I wouldn't impose the role of "central organizer and enforcer" on anyone. Hosting the cat herd is challenge enough. Keeping a disconnected train on time is an impossible task. I think the best we can hope for is a relaxed atmosphere and flexibility where everyone can get as close to their goals for the weekend as possible, and not be disappointed if it doesn't work out exactly as planned. I guess those who have cell phones might stay in closer touch that way, and we might make a list of those available at the start of the weekend.

There is a sort of general pattern already, and the schedule was rearranged for Sunday by consensus on Saturday evening, which worked well except for absent hotel management. I would like to have shot more, but I'm rather close by, and the point of the exercize for me is mostly good company, exchange of ideas, and seeing the work, so I'll opt for those things at the expense of more negatives on these get-togethers.

I'm certain that anyone with an interesting presentation could schedule that themselves and people could decide whether or not to do that. Nicholas accommodated a number of different schedules to show his meter and timer combo at the first meeting.

That said, I can understand your disappointment. I have missed Photostock two years running because of family obligations, and will again this year. We muddle through.

Lee

 

[Lee L]

I'd love to see that book sometime. I may just buy it, though. Does he also get into camera making in the book?
Anyway, the class was great and relatively non-technical. I'm actually going to go do some more test shooting with one of my new lenses in a few minutes.

Yes, he does cover sliding box and folding cameras as well as film holders. Those are in the beginning chapters. I'll bring the book to the next get-together. Remind me though. The book has good detail on both his camera building and lens construction techniques.

That might be a good thing for one of the meetings, especially if it looks potentially rainy: bring your favorite photo techniques books.

Lee

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I'll add my profound thanks to John and Dolly for another really wonderful weekend.

I'm with Lee in that I come for the company and conversation.

As to scheduling the activities of a large number of cats ...

Living in the area I have a 'been there, done that' attitude and now only go out to photograph the local sites when the light or weather are exceptional. I almost always shoot the one hour after dawn and the hour before and after sunset - the last light of twilight can be interesting (and a bit of a crap shoot). Only if the clouds or light are stunning do I venture out into the noon-day sun, despite being both an Englishman and the owner of a (slightly) mad dog.

I think if formal shooting hours / field-trips are established they might best be, in the summer, sunrise to 9:00am and again from 7:00pm to sunset. In the present scheme I haven't noticed any great shooting activity in the late morning or in the afternoon except for the occasional camera-in-hand quiet desultory ramble around John's lake (que music for quiet desultory rambling).

I normally have to leave in the evening so a picture show-and-tell in the afternoon would work for me, and often enough an informal picture show does take place in the afternoon hours.

I would reserve the late evening hours for campfire chats.

 

[jp80874]

I am so glad to hear that all of you had a good time. Thank you for coming and taking such good care of our home. It was a blast for me and a continuation of the fun - camaraderie I have wanted to have with other photographers since I retired. Dolly is focused on six more days until school is out for the summer.

I did a post party environmental impact study. Dolly said it gave her so much pleasure to see us enjoying ourselves so much. Dolly’s mother and next door neighbor, stopped by to say how much fun we must have been having and to thank us for not passing out in her driveway. Another neighbor walked over and said the next time we had a party with overflow cars we should not try to park in the Jeep high ditch, but rather send the excess over to his driveway. Dale stopped over yesterday afternoon after you all had left and we saw the regular tenant had already moved back. There was a doe watching and a spotted fawn cavorting on the other side of the pond across from the house. The baby was so cute.

We all talked about the problem of the CVNP being full of people who might have the bad manners to disturb our photography. However when I showed up at about eight AM the only cars in the parking lot were from our sun rise group. That is with the exception of the one other car, a young man who was driven in by a cute young blond who I jealously suspect kept him for the evening. He was most surprised when the arresting officer told him how many hours the rangers spent looking for the driver of that car, thinking he might have fallen off a cliff and be lying dead at the bottom.

I would say that we have a consensus of good reports. That can only mean we should start planning the next event. Jeff has to work every weekend in August. That means we get to enjoy Eva more. Would July 25-26 be too soon after Photostock for those who are going? Should we try July 25-26 or wait until September?

We talked a little about what we might do the next event. The park will be there for sunrise and sunset shooting. Down town Cleveland has a wealth of bridges across the Cuyahoga, but we should do that as a group for self protection. Dorothy talked about showing how she tones and lith prints. We could do that outside to have enough space and ventilation. Dale showed us his Durst 1184 enlarger, but it really might be interesting to walk through the steps of using a nine foot high 8x10 enlarger with a podium control station. A lot of you shoot 4x5 and a few 8x10. Would it interest you to actually set up an 8x10 and 7x17 for dummy shots in the yard just to understand what is involved? Bethe has volunteered to show and tell what she learned at the pinhole convention. The William Wegman: Fay and a Helen Levitt exhibits will be on at the Akron Art Museum. We always do show and tell. Please post any ideas you have on dates and things we might do. We can start a new thread once we pin down a date.

Thanks again for coming.

John

 

[DeBone 75]

Mist another one.

One of these times I may get to come to another one of these get togethers. I came for the first one but have not had the time or money for any others. I realy enjoyed the just setting and talking. Most people I hang around with have little or no knowledge or interest in Photograhpy. So it is a welcome treat. I can't add much to the show and tell but as Chauncy Gardner would say "I like to watch". Now how many of you got that reference?

 

[Lee L]

I can't add much to the show and tell but as Chauncy Gardner would say "I like to watch". Now how many of you got that reference?

We weren't doing that, no TV nor what Shirley presumed.

Lee