The inauguration

[2F/2F]

In Roanoke, VA, with 3,300 miles so far. Made it from Jasper, AL (near Birmingham) today. First motel of the trip! To Richmond tomorrow to stay with family. DC for the next three days, then back to Richmond, and home.

Steve, the inauguration is really just an excuse for a road trip! Road trips are heaven to me, and it has been way too long since my last one. I also want to be there, and I want to be shooting there, because this sort of thing is what I love to shoot. I am glad to be staying off of the interstates. it is the only way to really see the country, and I have never really done it before. When I barreled across the country after getting out of the Navy, I did it in two days, and largely at night, so missed a lot.

I did not think I would handle the cold so well, but it really is not that bad, even at 10F in Jasper last night.

Still shooting the FD stuff. Haven't even cracked out the Mamiya yet. Just about a dozen rolls for b/w 35mm, and a handful of 5x7 sheets.
On the way back, will be taking the Blue Ridge Parkway down to NC after taking my codriver to Monticello. I saw it years ago, and would like to see it again.

 

[2F/2F]

Back home last night after 7,617 miles. What a beautiful country. Drove through that freezing rain storm mess in Oklahoma and the Ozarks for two days, so the car is totally blasted. The ice didn't totally slough off the car until Hernandez, NM two days later. Went through northwestern NM, Northeastern AZ, Grand Staircase, and Zion yesterday afternoon. WOWZERS!!! The only landscape that rivaled NC and TN for sheer beauty. After Zion, it was only 4 p.m., so I decided to cut a day off the journey, and barreled home on I-15, unlike most of the trip, which was made on U.S. Highways, state routes, and other smaller roads. Today is to decompress, then work all day tomorrow from 6:30 to 7 p.m....assiting for a shoot at a martial arts tourney downtown....

I am ready for more, I can tell you that...but glad to unload my ball and chain of a traveling companion.

As for film, I took care of a 50-pack of HP5...timed perfectly. Finished that last few shots at home last night. I also shot about ten rolls of Delta 3200, plus maybe 6 or 8 rolls of 120 through the Mamiya.

As for equipment, I used everything I brought except for my Sunpak, several things broke, malfunctioned, or were abused. I am surprised my Pentax digital Spotmeter is still alive after being dropped at the top of a concrete embankment at the top of a bridge, and sliding 50 feet down to the railroad tracks (between Salisbuty MD and Virginia Beach), and then being left in a frozen snowy field for three hours in Forgan, OK. I drove back 60 miles to get it that time. I dropped an AE-1 with my 200mm f/2.8 IF onto the rocks of the Mississippi River in Natchez, LA, and it busted the [formerly] mint lens off the camera. I put the lens back together but a small piece that connects the aperture ring to the internal stop-down lever is missing. I replaced the lens with another copy at Penn Camera near Washington...I debated it, but in the end I am glad I spent the $200, as I used the lens for some of my best shots at the inauguration.

Thanks for all the offers of help. I just didn't have the need for any this trip, and had limited Internet time and a fairly tight schedule, driving 12 hours a day (plus) for 20 days.

 

[white.elephant]

I really hope you have the time to post some of these images.

I can imagine the thoughts running through your head as you realized the meter was missing and where it might be.

 

[jd callow]

Sounds like a fabulous trip (I'm Jealous). It is interesting to read what others choose to use (film/camera) and even more interesting to see what they shot.

 

[keithwms]

Well, despite being this close to DC, it just wasn't possible for me to go up. My class was at 2 pm and the university only canceled classes through 2pm! It would have taken me a good 5 or 6 hours to come back, most of that time getting through the beltway.

So, instead I went to our sports arena, where the inauguration was broadcast on the big screens. Took a mamiya 6 and pro z. I couldn't get the shot I wanted in a single frame, so I took two and did a combined-frame pano using (gasp) photoshop. Here it is:

http://keithwilliamsphoto.net/obama/content/Obama_JPJ_final_1_large.html

Apologies to anyone offended by the non-analogue post processing