Northern Michigan Gathering - June?

[bill schwab]

Hello All,

As was discussed earlier in another thread, I am hoping to have a group of midwesterners up to my place in northern Michigan for a gathering of the tribes so to speak. Spring is drawing near and Summer not far behind, so I thought it was time to start planning this thing. I've got 11 acres of woods near the big lake with a half finished house, plenty of camping space and hotels nearby. My favorite shooting place in the world, Sturgeon Bay, is close by as are miles more of Lake Michigan shoreline and other visual delights. Mackinaw Island is also very close and a great place to spend a day shooting if inclined. The Upper Peninsula is also just over the bridge. It will be an informal kind of a thing where I hope we can share stories, ideas and perhaps have a couple demos to share amongst us. Joe Smieglitz expressed interest in a wet plate demo if he can make it - I can have chems, paper and a plate burner for some fun with platinum and type 55 if interested. If anyone else has anything to show and tell, you are welcome. We can also just sit around the campfire with a favorite beverage in hand.

Here are the dates I am looking at... either the weekend of the 9th through 12th - or the one of the 23rd to 25th. We can go into July as well, but work will be ongoing at the house and it may be a bit more hectic. How about everyone interested letting me know if one, the other or both will work for you? You can also click on the poll so we can get a snapshot of when people can make it up. If you can make it either weekend, please choose both. Also let me know if you have a specialty you would like to share and we can work on making it possible with limited resources. We do have running water and such, but no darkroom as of yet... sorry.

FYI we are located about 20 miles north of Harbor Springs/Petoskey in Emmet County. If you know where Cross Village is... we are very near. The Mackinaw Bridge is about 15 miles to the northeast.

Hope this works!

Bill

Area Map (Zoom out to get the full picture)

 

[John Simmons]

I can do either weekend. Now that I live in western michigan....I have been chompin at the bit to get up that way.

John

 

[PeterDendrinos]

I would be more than happy to contact the folks on the list and let them know about this, in the event they don't see this.

Other than that, count me in. Any place any time.

Pete

 

[dlin]

I'd love to meet up, and the area sounds wonderful.

Daniel

 

[blaze-on]

Good timing..I am planning a road trip end of May heading north to Oregon then across to Michigan to visit family. Shooting along the way of course, but the 9-12th is right about when I plan on getting to the area. So count me in and keep me posted Bill. My family is in Muskegon/Spring Lake and I was going to head down through the upper peninsula. A few days up in your neck of the woods would be nice.

Matt

 

[jd callow]

Blaze-on I have done the trip you are planing, but in reverse. It is an excellent drive -- eastern bits of Montana through the western bits of Minnesota can get a bit redundant though.

AS for the best dates for me -- I'm clueless. I 'll do my best to make any one that is chosen.

 

[AeisLugh]

I'd love to be able to come, but I'll have to find out just how managable for me that will be. it's quite a trip this Ontario boy, having to go all the way around the lake that way! (unless there is some way to go across the middle of lake MI without having to swim it lol)

Sounds like you've got a beautiful place there, and would be great for some landscape shots.

 

[jd callow]

Ontario CA? Go via Sault Saint Marie if your coming from Wisconsin take the Ludington Ferry.

 

[AeisLugh]

Ontario CA? Go via Sault Saint Marie if your coming from Wisconsin take the Ludington Ferry.

Ontario, Canada. I'm damned near right in the center of the canadian side of lake Huron.

 

[ggriffi]

Bill, I voted but it doesn't really matter to me on either. How many s'mores ya think we're gonna need?

g

 

[smieglitz]

Hi Bill,

I can probably make either weekend as of right now. In fact, I may be in the area a few miles south of East Jordan about that time. My preference would be whichever weekend falls closest to an outing the Midwest Large Format Asylum may be doing in the UP around that time. I've posted a request in their forum for more information and will let you know as soon as possible. June is a marvelous time to be in that area.

Sounds like a good time. I'd love to see a platinum demo and I could probably bring along chemistry for cyanotypes and Van Dyke brownprinting in addition to the wetplate stuff. Wilderness State Park was on my list of places to visit this year so this is all working out nicely for me. I also have an old friend who lives in Cross Village and it will be great to see him again while I'm in the area.

Joe

 

[bill schwab]

I could probably bring along chemistry for cyanotypes and Van Dyke brownprinting in addition to the wetplate stuff.

That would be great Joe. I'm sure we can set up a good work area as there is plenty of room inside. Only hitch might be all the windows and skylights! I've been building the place with a lot of light for studio work as well. There are a couple rooms that can be made dark enough for coating and burning.

Wilderness State Park was on my list of places to visit this year so this is all working out nicely for me. I also have an old friend who lives in Cross Village and it will be great to see him again while I'm in the area.

All in the neighborhood. Who's your friend? Wilderness is part of the experience. There is a "secret" little lake there that is very private and great for shooting. Actually a flooding complete with dead cedar stumps, etc. Incredible on a still day. It can be like glass. Just you, the Beavers and a yearly family of Osprey. Great Bass fishing too.

I'd love to be able to come, but I'll have to find out just how managable for me that will be.

We'd love to have you if you can make it. There is a whole lot of beautiful country between us for you to travel through, that is for certain! If you've time, I've done the ferry from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island then across the bridge at Little Current and up around through Espanola and Blind River. Pretty incredible drive and saves that drive around the big bay.

I would be more than happy to contact the folks on the list and let them know about this, in the event they don't see this.

Great Pete, thanks. I will get ahold of a couple hotels in the area and try to get a block discount. I'll also get maps and an info package ready to give to everyone.

There is a great place in Cross Village called the Dead Link Removed. Decent Polish food, usually a good band on the weekends and one of the coolest bars you'll ever visit. It can be a good place as well for a group dinner. Can get a good group rate there too.

Glad everyone is interested! More to come...

Bill

 

[Frank R]

I've done the ferry from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island

Hi Bill, thanks for the link to this thread. I was not aware of it.

I was thinking about going back to Manitoulin Island this summer, but take a LF camera this time.

I hiked the Cup and Saucer trail (beautiful view and a "cave") and viewed the waterfall the last time.

 

[bill schwab]

I was thinking about going back to Manitoulin Island this summer, but take a LF camera this time.

Manitoulin is a great place! I've chartered sailboats with friends out of Gore Bay in the past. The Georgian Bay is spectacular with all the little islands and safe anchorages. There is some great, rocky coastline to the north over the bridge as well.

Bill

 

[Dinesh]

I would truly love to come but I am afraid that if I broached the subject with my wife, she would cut off my arm and beat me to death with it.

 

[Gim]

I'm good for either weekend and looking forward to it.
Jim

 

[smieglitz]

I still haven't been able to contact Don Feinberg about the MWLFA trip to the UP. I emailed him and posted a message to the MWLFA forum a couple weeks ago with no response from him. So, whichever weekend you decide is OK by me. I'll plan to be there.

Joe

 

[bill schwab]

OK Joe... Leaning toward the second week. The weather gets better every week in June and things should be consistantly warm by then. More to come.

Bill

 

[Jerry Basierbe]

Bill, Either weekend is good. Looking forward to getting up that way.

Jerry

 

[smieglitz]

testing the portable wetplate darktent

I went to the Cross Village area last week and took my new portable darkroom rig with me on a test run. There are a few bugs to work out of it, but I should be up and running full-tilt by the time June rolls around.

Here's a wetplate image on a full-plate enamaled aluminum sheet I exposed Sunday afternoon a few miles north of Cross Village on the dunes of a county park along Lake Michigan:

And a picture of the darktent and my 11x14:

More pics of the darktent .

Looking forward to the June get-together and to meeting everyone.

Joe

 

[Dan Henderson]

I'm very interested in participating, and right now either weekend will work.

 

[bill schwab]

Wow Joe! I can't wait to see this rig in action. That is a great portrait. I know right where you are. If only I had headed up to the beach on Sunday! I've seen a lot of crazy things there, but this takes the cake.

I was happy to see the homested made it through the winter, so I am now getting the finishing plans together to send out to everyone about the gathering.

Stay Tuned...

Bill

 

[wildbill]

I went to the Cross Village area last week and took my new portable darkroom rig with me on a test run. There are a few bugs to work out of it, but I should be up and running full-tilt by the time June rolls around.

Here's a wetplate image on a full-plate enamaled aluminum sheet I exposed Sunday afternoon a few miles north of Cross Village on the dunes of a county park along Lake Michigan:

And a picture of the darktent and my 11x14:

More pics of the darktent .

Looking forward to the June get-together and to meeting everyone.

Joe

I've done a bit of snowboarding on that hill.

 

[bill schwab]

Weekend Set June 23 - 25, 2006

OK everyone. I have settled on the second choice for weekends. June 23rd to the 25th. It has been a nice weekend in the past and is less crowded in the sweet spots being only 2 weeks before the 4th. It also looks as though many that would like to come can do either one. Sorry to anyone this leaves out, but I hope to do it again.

I'm sorry to leave this hanging for so long, but a couple travel prospects have been being kicked around and I thought I might be going to visit Winter in New Zealand around then, but that is still being looked into and I didn't want to leave you all in the lurch. I am looking forward to this.

I have been very busy, but will try to get a website up soon with info on the gathering... maps, places to stay, etc. I'll post the URL soon. Just wanted to let everyone know the dates.

Think warm... and NO RAIN!! I hope everyone can make it up.

Bill

 

[Jerry Basierbe]

Sounds good Bill. I'm looking forward to getting up there too.

Jerry