UTAH APUG activities for 2011??

All the utah posts are from 2006...Must have been a great year for analog comeback enthusiasm...seems I am a bit late on the scene.
I am Wondering if anything in medium format or large format film is going on in Utah for 2011? Printing Courses, workshops ect... I would love to attend. I will be building a permanent and roomy B/W Darkroom in my basement based on the Kodak planform and am looking for an additional enlarger to my Omega B600 capable of printing from 6x7 - 4x5 negatives.
I am teaching myself the hard slow painful way but am enthusiastic enough to carry it through to the end.
Currently I am building a Mamiya RB 67 kit for landscape. (Pro S body 6x7 capable, 90mm and 50mm lenses, and a sturdy Tripod and ball head) A soligor spotmeter, and dual cable release, and polaroid back are on the way. My focus in Utah of course is primarily on landscapes, and occasional portraiture.
Does anyone have experience using graduated Red filters as a substitute for a GND for Black and white landscpae work? It seems logically interesting to bump contrast in the sky and expose normally for the ground like a GND for B/W film.

I Hope to hear form the UTAH APUGGERS soon!!
sounds ironically identical to APE-HUGGERS dont you think?
I cant imagine saying "Yeah I am a member of APE-HUG...We Hug APES!"

Scott McClarin.

Hey Scott,

I'm just around the point of the mountain. I would be a good resource for help in the darkroom. I teach at my darkroom and up in Park City.

There are several of us here on APUG, Im sure we will come out of the wood work soon.

Graded red would be interesting. I would offer greater contrast in the sky but not on the ground. It may work for some images. I would at least give it a try.

You can get a GND for like $20 at Pictureline if you need one.

Let me know how I can help.

I am interested in your workshops...
When do you typically schedule them?
I suppose I should humbly start at the start and work my way up...
do you do weekend field time during any of your workshops?

It is great to know you are available for general photography information as well.

Thanks for being a valuable resource.

I am excited to begin using my spot meter on a regular basis and compare images that I made earlier without it.
Hopefully more keepers will result.

Earlier I was using a point and shoot digital camera bracketing 3 frames while spot metering with the camera (the most it could do) in Priority mode, and then examining the histograms before deciding on an exposure for the Mamiya, but this was just to get my exposure in the ball park,(notthing longer than 8 seconds was possible) Then I would just guess for Reciprocity Failure with Macro 1-2 stops and ummm well bracket 2-3 shots just to make sure.

With a 1Deg spot meter I hope to begin capturing specific ideas I have for contrasty black and white compositions where the subject I am interested in is exposed how I want it to be. I cant imagine a better feeling than exposing and knowing that a textured black and a textured white are a certainty within every frame. I cant get that with digital. That is why I am back into Film, it is more deliberate, more poetic, and more fulfilling. I am sure the same goes for analog printing.

thanks.

Anyway I can help out, glad to do it.

There have been some discussion of a Great Salt Lake workshop this Spring.

A GSL workshop!
Awesome, Please let me know when that workshop materializes I want in on it!

Thanks.

Hi Scott,
I'm also a slc film shooter. I shoot 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10. I don't even own a digital camera. I've been working at a small custom lab here for the the last 13 years and have seen the demise of film photography. Good to hear your going the opposite direction. I see digital images every day and they just don't compare to a well exposed neg.
It sounds like your off and runnig with the darkroom but if you have any questions feel free to drop me a line.

Rich

Thanks Rich, actually the darkroom is in Design and planning phase, I will be Demolishing my entire basement and the Darkroom is just one of the rooms in the rebuild plan.
I am still piecing together parts to enlarge 6x7 negatives to print, currently 6x6 is the max capacity of my Omega B600, I am looking for a Beseler 45XL on KSL and craigslist since I hope to move up to 4x5anyway.
I will certainly be picking APUG brains when I start building, and taking workshops for photographic and printing technique in the not too distant future. I am seriously contemplating my current digital camera as my last as I build up the RB system. So far bleaching the backs off of Fuji FP-100B instant film negatives for scanning is my latest endeavor, but enlarging to print from the emulsion that was lifted and pressed between two glass plates would be much more interesting. My ultimate goal is towards BW prints of UT Landscapes. Thanks for reaching out and getting in touch. I see digital at this point in my experience as detrimental to learning photography. It was obvious as soon as I wanted to take more than one exposure of the same subject at the same distance without re-focusing, and wanted to subtely change the DOF and preview the DOF before wasting an exposure. soo much is automated in digital that creative thought is being erased from the whole process, and I want to practice that creative thought process as a way of thinking, seeing, and capturing rather than shooting and chimping. I will definitely hit you up with questions from time to time. I am glad to hear of some who keep the celluloid burning along with the midnight oil.

Robert,

I hope this spring's workshop is still in the works? I plan on being one of your attendees.

I will be Kodaking and Hasselblading in Moab during Easter Jeep Safari again this year.

Steve

The Wave in Coyote Gulch

I just purchased 3 month in advance tickets for 2 people (7.00 each) for one day access to the Wave in Coyote Buttes

Google search images link:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...m=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1571&bih=768

It is on BLM land located on the border of Southern Utah and northern Arizona (6 mile wilderness hike with only 10 people allowed per day) late in July, its going to be hot but wonderful! I will be hiking my Mamiya RB 67 system with Ilford Delta 100, and Fuji Velvia 100 and 50 if I can find it. Is there any other film I should consider. I have 6 backs 3 in 6x7 the rest 6x4.5 in working order but only have 4 darkslides, and one functioning instant film back. I am really excited to do this day hike. I have rigged a belt case for my Soligor Spot meter and am set up for BW with a B+W Yellow #8, and Tiffen #25 Red filter, and some color work without filters. Want to get a clip on lens cover for the soligor though

wish me luck!

Are there any tips for hiknig medium format cameras on moderately difficult hiking trails?

The RB system with 50mm and 90mm and a 2x Tele adapter + a Manfrotto Tripod and pro ball head takes up a bunch of room in my day pack! My main goal is to keep plenty of water on the outside of the pack! I am thinkning of getting a collapsible film reload tent to reload my backs, but I am not sure how much film I can expose reasonably in 5 hours. I really wish I had a second RB Pro s body for this hike.

smcclarin said:

I just purchased 3 month in advance tickets for 2 people (7.00 each) for one day access to the Wave in Coyote Buttes

Google search images link:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...m=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1571&bih=768

It is on BLM land located on the border of Southern Utah and northern Arizona (6 mile wilderness hike with only 10 people allowed per day) late in July, its going to be hot but wonderful! I will be hiking my Mamiya RB 67 system with Ilford Delta 100, and Fuji Velvia 100 and 50 if I can find it. Is there any other film I should consider. I have 6 backs 3 in 6x7 the rest 6x4.5 in working order but only have 4 darkslides, and one functioning instant film back. I am really excited to do this day hike. I have rigged a belt case for my Soligor Spot meter and am set up for BW with a B+W Yellow #8, and Tiffen #25 Red filter, and some color work without filters. Want to get a clip on lens cover for the soligor though

wish me luck!

Are there any tips for hiknig medium format cameras on moderately difficult hiking trails?

The RB system with 50mm and 90mm and a 2x Tele adapter + a Manfrotto Tripod and pro ball head takes up a bunch of room in my day pack! My main goal is to keep plenty of water on the outside of the pack! I am thinkning of getting a collapsible film reload tent to reload my backs, but I am not sure how much film I can expose reasonably in 5 hours. I really wish I had a second RB Pro s body for this hike.

Click to expand...

Congrats on getting into the Wave! We're going this May, and were lucky to be selected out of over 500 applicants for that day. Take lots of water - I understand it's a long hike in and out. And of course, there's no water available anywhere in the area. We'll be "hiding" a gallon or two of water along the way to drink on the way back, plus we'll each be hiking in around a gallon to drink there. Make sure to bring some food and sunscreen as well. The sandstorms can be pretty bad too, so be prepared for 50+ MPH winds.

I would think about taking a little gear as possible due to the weight. You shouldn't need a changing tent to change your 120 film - just use your body to shade the film from the sun when changing and you should be fine. I'll be taking my Hasselblad with the 50mm, 80mm, waist level finder, tripod, meter, and two backs - one for color and one for b&w.

Scott,

If you want to contact me via email or give me a call I can help you plan for the trip.

Let me know,

Robert

smcclarin said:

I just purchased 3 month in advance tickets for 2 people (7.00 each) for one day access to the Wave in Coyote Buttes

Google search images link:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...m=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1571&bih=768

It is on BLM land located on the border of Southern Utah and northern Arizona (6 mile wilderness hike with only 10 people allowed per day) late in July, its going to be hot but wonderful! I will be hiking my Mamiya RB 67 system with Ilford Delta 100, and Fuji Velvia 100 and 50 if I can find it. Is there any other film I should consider. I have 6 backs 3 in 6x7 the rest 6x4.5 in working order but only have 4 darkslides, and one functioning instant film back. I am really excited to do this day hike. I have rigged a belt case for my Soligor Spot meter and am set up for BW with a B+W Yellow #8, and Tiffen #25 Red filter, and some color work without filters. Want to get a clip on lens cover for the soligor though

wish me luck!

Are there any tips for hiknig medium format cameras on moderately difficult hiking trails?

The RB system with 50mm and 90mm and a 2x Tele adapter + a Manfrotto Tripod and pro ball head takes up a bunch of room in my day pack! My main goal is to keep plenty of water on the outside of the pack! I am thinkning of getting a collapsible film reload tent to reload my backs, but I am not sure how much film I can expose reasonably in 5 hours. I really wish I had a second RB Pro s body for this hike.

Click to expand...

I have measured with my mapping software at work that it is a 3.5 mile hike and the access road from I-80 is close to 8.2 miles long. The hike includes off angle sandstone up to 25-30 Degrees of slope in some portions as you approach the wave area.
I understand that people with bad or weak ankles that will want to pay attention to every step once they are on side sloping slickrock for 1/4 of the distance.
My wife is not a camper so a hotel room after will be mandatory.
Google earth helps alot with previews, examples, angles and ideas (but you do become aware of what has been done before and I dont want to duplicate).
we do plan on a large light umbrella and some small collapsible chairs during the heat as there seems to be no indication of shade around the wave and I am looking for a good large brimmed hat. (any recommendations?) Light comfortable hiking shoes and sunglasses with shorts and a shirt with a rain jacket in the pack is mandatory of course.
We only have Sunday to access this place so our plan is to hike in before dawn work like mad in the good light, and explore shadows and high contrast compositions during the day and hike back in the subdued light of the evening (wife will be itching to leave by then where as I could stay till after dusk happily).
I understand Buckskin gulch, nearby, has wonderful opportunities as well, would it be worth a repeat trip?

Thanks Robert, I will pick your mind when i get some time away from work!
have been reading about variable contrast printing and am excited for your workshops this summer!!

I am slowly discovering that my favorite part of using Film comes from thinking more about the whole process in the journey and not just the destination of an image.

Rich, which lab is it? I have been going to Replicolor to process my film untill I am set up to develope at home. Currently demolishing my basement to build a darkroom, and simply cant wait to see my negatives.

The best wisdom came from throwing all of my gear in a bag and hiking it all over creation only to realize all of those items I didnt use and probably wont really need. Realizing I may only need a 50mm lens with a 25A filter for BW and two film backs instead of the 90mm + 2x Tele extender + 5 film backs + 2 instant pack film backs, and every filter I own, and 10 rolls of velvia 50 and 10 rolls of Fuji Acros, + 10 boxes of Fuji Instant FP-100B but I was prepared for a week long shoot instead of 8 hours that turned into 3 because I forgot to pack lunch. Sometimes wisdom requires hindsight when seeing requires more than believing at a place like the Wave. Awe inspiring. I would have shed 5-8 lbs of weight if I knew then what I know now, and brought lunch as well. looking foreword to going back.