Northern Michigan Gathering - June?

[bill schwab]

Great Jerry... the more the merrier.

 

[mjs]

I'm planning on being there. I'll need a place to plop a tent. Thanks for organizing this, it's starting to look like one of the highlights of summer for me!

mjs

 

[bill schwab]

I'll need a place to plop a tent.

Plenty of room for that! Looking forward to meeting you.

Bill

 

[jp80874]

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.

Dinesh,

Find an enticement that will make her wish to go on the great adventure. You are in the flower incentive business after all.

After forty years in sales I am still delighted and amazed at what motivates people, especially those you think you know. I casually approached the trip at breakfast today with my wife who likes to sketch and paint water color landscapes that I am trying to photograph. I mentioned the excitement of a short ride (400 miles one way) to meet a bunch of photographers gnashing their teeth in the cold amongst the Great Northern Mosquitoes. She who does amaze, responded, "how many art museums would we drive by?

Help me here Bill. Have I have missed any. You go west from Cleveland to the Toledo Art Museum which is showing “The Essence of Laughter: Satire through the Ages, Works on Paper and Toledo’s Satirist: Pulitzer Prize Winner cartoonist Nick Anderson.”

You turn right and go north to Ann Arbor. The U of M is showing "Rethinking the Photographic Image: The Best of Photography from the George Eastman House Collection" In the Painting gallery, "European and American Art: 1700-1900 - portraits by Oudry, Perronneau and Reynolds, as well as later portraits by Couture and Sandys; landscape and genre paintings by Whistler, Stevens, Monet, Pissarro and Bouguereau; and an group of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany "

North to East Lansing , the Kresge Museum at Michigan State and another of her favorites, “The collection of ancient and Egyptian art at the Kresge Art Museum is small yet diverse.”

If we stay up north long enough the Ansel Adams exhibit opens in Toledo on June 30th for the return drive.

I let you know how it plays tonight.

John Powers

As a foot note, last year we drove a thousand miles to the Maine Photo Workshops and a water color workshop in Rockland. It took us three days, three museums and six bookstores. Somebody else did it in fifteen hours taking naps in rest stops.

 

[bill schwab]

...turn right and go north to Ann Arbor. The U of M is showing "Rethinking the Photographic Image: The Best of Photography from the George Eastman House

John,

This is perhaps the best part. I urge anyone coming up that way to stop and see this show. I have now been twice and it got better the second time. Pretty much as I remember the display at the Eastman House when I was last there several years ago. A truly great representation from the history of photography.

My wife tells me you purchased a frame... too kind. I only hope you like the thing. Exciting that you are starting into 7x17. We started building the frames in that format to help push me to get into the format as well!

Hope you can make it up. There is certainly a lot of beautiful landscape for you and your wife to scout. There is also Mackinaw Island close by for those that may want to go off on their own. Lots to photograph there... and no cars to deal with. Only bikes and horses. Please don't be expecting anything too formal at my place though. As I have said, it will be a rustic experience and there won't be any real schedule to speak of. I pretty much plan to act as a guide for those that wish to tag along and to point those that don't into some interesting directions. There are so many possibilities that I could never cover them all in a weekend. There will be a couple things planned, including a dinner at the famous Legs for those wanting to attend, but it will be basically a loose affair using my place as base.

Website almost ready... It'll have maps, directions, places to stay, etc.

Bill

 

[smieglitz]

It was a beautimous sunny day in SW Michigan today so I took the darktent out again and tried some new wetplate chemistry. Everything worked surprisingly well today so I'm hoping that will continue on when the gathering happens in June. Hopefully all the bugs have been worked out.

Here's a quarter-plate positive wetplate collodion image today on enamaled aluminum. That is me in front of the darktent on location. Exposure was 1 second about f/8 with a Deardorff 5x7 and 180 Rodenstock lens. Looks like the fogging and contrast problems were resolved today.

I'm leaving midweek to attend a wetplate workshop in NY with John Coffer. Should be a very interesting time learning from the master.

Joe

 

[bill schwab]

I'm leaving midweek to attend a wetplate workshop in NY with John Coffer. Should be a very interesting time learning from the master.

Nice portrait Joe!

I got a flyer on the Coffer workshop with an order from Artcraft. Looks like it will be a great time. Have fun at "Camp Tintype"! Please post afterward with a report.

Bill

 

[bill schwab]

Website Up - Northern Michigan Midwest APUG Gathering June 23-25, 2006

Hello All,

At last I have the Website up and running that will give information and RSVP details to those planning to attend this gathering near Cross Village, Michigan.

This LINK will take you to the Website. To be able to read the info package you will required to have Adobe Acrobat Reader.

I will also be PM-ing everyone who took the poll and expressed interest with this information.

Looking forward to meeting you all,

Bill

 

[bill schwab]

Did I Say Bring Bug Spray?

Bring Bug Spray!

I just got back from shooting at the beach where I was nearly carried away by mosquitos. I was covered in Deet, but a few of the damn things got to me anyway. It is a very quiet night and the sound of them buzzing was pretty amazing.

Anyway... those of you coming do not forget the good stuff.. spray that is. Here at the house in the woods there is hardly a skeeter, but anywhere near the water and you will be food.

Bill

 

[Lopaka]

Bring Bug Spray!

but anywhere near the water and you will be food.

Bill

But only during prime shooting hours...

Bill,
Looks like a fun time. Unfortunately, I find I have a conflict that weekend with a family function - would have loved to come. Have to catch up with you guys another time.

Have a great time - and post some snaps!

Regards,
Bob

Hmmm....Legs Inn...SMACZNEGO!!!

 

[bill schwab]

Last Minute Details

Hello All,

A few last minute things will be in the mail to all who have said they are coming. By now you should have all had directions either via online download or snail mail package. Anyone who still doesn't know where they are going, give me a PM and I will make sure you get the maps. More info can be found HERE. It looks as though there might be upwards of 12 of us planning to come. There may be a couple last minute folks as well. I'm trying to get my friend and dealer Tom Halsted to come along as well and bring a selection of his gallery's work. A few nice Westons, Evans', etc, might be inspirational. That is a slim chance, but he has expressed interest in coming and will do so if he can.

A couple of you have asked about a meeting time. Sorry... forgot that one. I'd say get there whenever you can. I will be there Thursday doing a few last minute things, so anyone arriving early should feel free to stop by. As for the rest, try to get there by Friday 7PM or so, otherwise we'll be at the beach or other shooting destinations for late light, sunset and twilight. On nights when I shoot I am usually back at the camp by 10 - 10:30PM. Keep in mind that we are almost at Solstice and it will be light past 10PM.

Those of you who plan to arrive on Saturday... anytime is good. I assume we'll be around camp in the late morning/early afternoon. I have dinner at the Legs Inn scheduled for those that want to attend at around 5PM so we can be done by the time of the good light. After shooting it will be back to the camp for a fire.

As I said earlier, I will be sending another email to all soon detailing any last minute things. Looking forward to meeting all of you!

Bill

 

[bill schwab]

Still On!

Hello All,

I've had several last minute emails looking to see if the gathering is still on this weekend.

Yes... It is still on. Anyone that doesn't know where they're going let me know via PM.

See you there.

Bill

 

[smieglitz]

I'm already on my way and within an hour of the place. I plan to be there Friday afternoon. Weather report looks excellent with sunny days in the mid-70s.

MJS don't forget the contraband...

Joe

 

[mjs]

No fears, Joe. Found a beautiful albino but, alas, no leopard. Doesn't work without the leopard, so I guess it'll be just me. ;(

mjs

 

[bill schwab]

Success! Thank you all for coming! It was a great weekend and I look forward to seeing everyone's photos from the gathering. Just Joe and I are left packing up the place. Back up to the campfire soon for more conversation... we miss you all already!

Thanks Again!

Bill

PS... There are a couple extra chairs at the fire pit, anyone missing theirs?

 

[Dan Henderson]

Bill: It is we who attended that owe you the thanks for hosting this gathering. I am sure that I speak for everyone in saying that the time and energy that you put into making us all feel welcome, guiding us around to some interesting spots that we would likely have not found ourselves, and unselfishly sharing your knowledge was way above what anyone could have expected. It was also great to meet and talk face to face with others from our online community. I'm already looking forward to next year, and heartily recommend to the rest of the Michigan Apuggers that you do not miss it!

I for one cannot wait to get into the darkroom and start processing film from the trip.



Thanks again,
Dan

 

[jd callow]

Sh*t, I was hoping to spring over at the last minute, but missed it. I am already begining to miss this beautiful state...

 

[mjs]

What a great weekend!

Thanks, Bill, for hosting this event. I greatly appreciate your generosity with your time and all the effort you put into this event: it was obvious that you spent considerable time and thought into making things as pleasant, interesting, and productive as possible for us and you succeeded superbly. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone, seeing all of the wonderful portfolios, and spending time in beautful northern Michigan. The platinum "mini-workshop" was a perfect introduction to this particularly beautiful medium and those members of my family who have seen the prints I made are very impressed with the unique qualities of platinum/palladium prints. Great, just what I need: something else to spend money on!

One of the folding chairs was mine (the purple one); a $5 end of season K-mart special. I forgot it but I have plenty more of them. Please keep it; I'm sure that it will come in handy in the future.

I look forward to future meetings with you and any or all of the other participants: everyone was very generous with sharing their knowledge, time, rides, and supplies. It was truely a great experience and I hope that you will repeat it in the future. Thanks, again!

Mike Sherck

 

[Gim]

Thanks Bill for putting this gathering on. One of the best weekends I have had in a long time. What a great bunch of people.
Jim

 

[Jerry Basierbe]

Bill,
I can only repeat what everybody else has said. It was great weekend. Alot of fun, great people, great host. I'm looking forward to the next one.
Thanks.

Jerry

P.S. Watch out for the Cranes.

 

[markos]

Bill, thanks for organizing this. It was a wonderful weekend, both for the photography and for the conversation. I enjoyed meeting everyone, it was a great time. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Mark Severson

 

[dlin]

Bill,
I had a wonderful time with you and fellow APUGgers this past weekend. You were a fantastic host/guide and a fount of information. Thank you for your generosity and great humor. I look forward to seeing all the work coming from this get-together, and to future meetings.
All the best,
Daniel

p.s. One of the folding chairs left behind was mine- I was just reserving a spot for our next meeting

 

[bill schwab]

Thanks all... you're too kind. I had a BLAST. I've uploaded the group shot we did to the "Workshops and Gatherings" gallery. If you missed it, it is (there was a url link here which no longer exists). Anyone that wants me to email a full sized one for printing, send a PM with an email address and I will send it along. Look for more uploads of the festivities there soon. Thanks again!

Bill

PS. Mike and Daniel... Your chairs will be waiting by the fire for you next time.

 

[smieglitz]

... I've uploaded the group shot we did to the "Workshops and Gatherings" gallery. If you missed it, it is (there was a url link here which no longer exists). ...

Wow. What a handsome group!

Bill it was just a great time. Thanks for hosting the event. Great location, great group, Great Lakes, great food and great conversation around the fire. Who coud ask for more?

Having Tom Halsted there to show those marvelous Michael Kenna portfolios and the the Ruth Bernard'S and Harry Callahan prints was also super.

Looking forward to the next one.

Joe