Homemade dark cloth question from beginner

Nicholas, Here is a quote from a review of 'Lives of the Muses' by Francine Prose..."Like Ray, Weston was already a renowned photographer, with a habit of bedding his best models while his wife was at home taking care of their four sons. In fact, it was his mistress and assistant at the time, a young photographer named Sonya Noskowiak, who he asked to set up his first session with Wilson, shortly after spotting her one evening at a concert. Noskowiak showed Wilson Weston's nudes -- perhaps even some in which she herself posed. " It seems possible that Ms. Noskowiak's skirt was not always 'where it was supposed to be'! :) Cheers Ann. PS I mean no offence by posting this quote as I am an admirer of both EW & SW.

<p><i>Any tips on making my own dark cloth?</i></p>

 

<p><i>Anybody tried to make a gore-tex darkcloth?</i></p>

 

<p><a href="http://www.rdrop.com/users/twest/photos/gear/bender-4x5-build.html#Dark-Cloth">http://www.rdrop.com/users/twest/photos/gear/bender-4x5-build.html#Dark-Cloth</a>. Ultrex blocks more light than standard Gore-Tex, but less than the triple Gore-Tex.</p>

Ann,

 

Touche. One-upped again. As you may already know, Charis Wilson herself tells the story of her first visit to EW's Carmel studio in 1934 in her Through Another Lens, My Years with Edward Weston (1998), pp. 3-7. The two had recently met at a concert and he had invited her to see his work, but a trip to Los Angeles intervened and only then did EW arrange for Noskowiak to show Wilson the prints. According to Wilson, the nude studies definitely included images with Noskowiak as model and Wilson "had no trouble" picking them out from the others. But the love affair between photographer and his model seems at the time to have been known only to the "Carmel gossip mill."

I have used a Zone VI 4x5 focusing cloth for over twenty years with good results. The cotton doesn't slide off the camera like some of the slicker materials. I like is just as is--no velcro or elastic. The generous size makes it easy to close together under the camera for maximum darkness. The larger size also makes it easy to move my head around to inspect the corners of the ground glass. When I am working with the film holders and making the exposure I wear the cloth over my shoulders. The warmth is comforting on cold days. When I am exploring near the camera I often drape the cloth over the camera. The "extra protecion" may be mostly psychological. The cloth measures 4'x5'.

I like the idea of having a focusing cloth made by your mother. Life is more than technical things.

I should add to my other response--

I use wooden folding cameras. (Zone VI/ Wista DX and Wisner TF) Smaller lenses with number 0 shutters can often be folded up with the lens in place if the lenses is truned around facing toward the ground glass. Wrap the camera in the focusing cloth. Wrap an extra lens in Domke lens wrap if you use more than one lens. Put the camera in an ordinary book pack (the one you probably already have). Light meter and cable release go in the small pouch in front. I use a very small shoulder bag (Domke Super Compact) to hold the film holders. This is a sweet, low tech way to hike comfortably all day.

If your mother is a seamstress and could make you a vest to carry your film holders, a small notebook, pencils and small etc. you would have a very useful item! I would gladly purchase one from her, also!

<p>Is BLACK a given ? Yesterday I purchased 1x1.5m of ivory blackout material for less than £2. Following my habit of starting from scratch with materials in hand I improvised with crocodile clips on the rear stand - nothing else (KISS) - tests indoors are excellent . There may well be too much leakage from below on bright days (Ireland hah) in which case a velcro strip should prove effective. At present I don't see the need for a black inner as the material is 100% lightproof. Ivory because white just looked too severe and double duty as a backcloth was always in mind. Great to be back using hands and brain after many years of sports snapping and computer.</p>