greg_pratt1

Would not the original question have been better asked = Why is Bad Art so popular?

 

The striving for conformity the need, seemingly, to drag others down to ones common level is beyound me. Ever sat in a pub for a chat with out drinking? The drinkers of the group are soon uncomfortable and soon urge one to drink something. Might art tastes follow the same logic? Music it seems follows the same trend. If it doesn't sate the immediate fashion it's rendered offensive by many. Am I right in concluding that popular art is often course, vulgar and in your face, both of content and colour. Something to energise rather than to relax. So often we hear the call from the stressed for personal peace, yet the same folk suround them selves in raucouse sounds and images.

 

I am at loss to fathom this human trait.

Would not the original question have been better asked = Why is Bad Art so popular?

The striving for conformity the need, seemingly, to drag others down to ones common level is beyound me. Ever sat in a pub for a chat with out drinking? The drinkers of the group are soon uncomfortable and soon urge one to drink something. Might art tastes follow the same logic? Music it seems follows the same trend. If it doesn't sate the immediate fashion it's rendered offensive by many. Am I right in concluding that popular art is often course, vulgar and in your face, both of content and colour. Something to energise rather than to relax. So often we hear the call from the stressed for personal peace, yet the same folk suround them selves in raucouse sounds and images.

I am at loss to famthom this human trait.

This post has pulled a few Ausies out of the wood work.

 

Nice to see. Cheers.

There is a type of teflon style grease that's OK for this type of application. Finer than graphite grease. It has an other name that I've forgotten but it's available in small tins. Use it vary sparingly. A small bit on your fingers seems never to wipe off. On the more open areas, like slides that you may wish to make easy there is a dry lube stick available for car door locks etc. After dabbing it on wipe it well off and it will leave a fine dry film on the part.

Upon return from overseas trips and the prints have been hatched matched and batched, I find the common perveyor equally interested in nothing images as postcard types. I find there is as long a pause at the simple b&w part bridge, part footpath, part building slab as there is at the 'pretty' picture. The subject must be recognisable and have a main focus but I have been surprised to note that a few cobbles can cobble even the non image conscience foto flicker.

Another variation.

 

After WD40 treatment heat the whole caboodle over the gas stove. Use the hot air not the flame. When it's got to the point where you need a towel to hold it plunge the part of it into pre filled ice cold water. Best if you can cool the smaller part. This should cause contraction between the parts. You won't have much time but pretty quickly now apply the above mentioned hammer techniques.

 

Hate to say this but if all else fails you may need to resort to drilling out the screw. Quite harmless but as you have asked this question may I recomend a mechanic or such.

One problem of note (out of many) I experienced when mounting in the studio resulted in a lost print and more than a few suplimentary phrases.

 

Hot evening, large print, about 2024 or so. Nicely mounted using rub on membrane. In the morning after a very cold night I found unremovable contraction ridges on the print.

 

It seems contraction may be a factor to be aware of. I think of the print as well as the membrane which inadvertantly gets streached as the backing is pealed away. Heat pressing avoids this situatiuon. Otherwise I have been happy with the rub on technique.

 

2/- worth

Ann, if you ever want to get hi tech you may wish to lookout for a used bowl head tripod. There are plenty about. It's low, very easy to use and I find the bowl has sufficient movment to make any set up easy after inital leg set. One of the wood varieties is also very light. You may need to ascertain the rigidity though.

I have been photographing for decades. It has only been since I have taken a figure art course (for the sake of something to do)that I learnt how to see the shadows and work back from dark to light. It taught me a whole new way of seeing and how to cause a three dimentional effect. Also to recognise the fine nuances of light.

 

Totaly off topic but I thought it a good spot to dribble. Oh, by the way It was only a few days into the course I realised why I use a camera.

If you arn't too familiar with this style of shoot and you dont want to be seen to stuff about, as well as sugested above hire your talent if not suplied. Experienced models know their bodies and poses giving quicker results. To use raw talent requires considerable knowledge and patience unless your damn lucky.

If it's of any consequence the P series has axis tilt, possibly more convenient on the table. The F series has base tilt possibly more convenient out in the padock. The P will hang your future humungous lenses with ease whilst the F is touted as a lightweight for field work and is more delicate. Being Sinar a lot of the stuff is interchangable so any future change of heart won't cause you regret.

It is said that the Sinaron Lenses are the pick of the Rodenstock offerings. Reckoned to be tested by Sinar for their lable. Check their site. Sironar-n = S and Sironar-s = SE

I believe that Sinar haven't offered any new *film* lenses for some time so the latest Rodenstock offering may well fit the bill. As there are always some lemons the Sinar relabeling is one way of ensuring a good one.

 

Apo is reconed to focus the R G B more precisely than non Apo but I wonder if you would need a pretty good chain of process to percieve any difference and that, in colour.

Thanks for your collective and helpful comments folks. You seem unanimous and it again it shows the corporate construct spirit of this group.

 

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Greg -- gregpam@ozemail.com.au

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I too admit to gaining from Bob's knowledge. And I appaud this public show of appreciation.

I have the option of buying well priced 5 year old 165/5.6 and 210

super angulons from a digital intendee or is that progressee/r. The

question apart from the obvious generous coverage is how

sharp/contrasty are these lenses compared to say super symmers of the

same aprox f length for 4x5 usage. I may attempt 8x10 alternate

adventures in the distant future but for now it's 4x5 b+w. Would a

print show the differnce?

Would "open and airy," for example, really be any better as a descriptive term than "vivacious"?

 

I've come accross some 'vivacious' models that were a bit on the 'open and airy' side.

 

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Although your q. has been answered, I thought I could put in my $.02 worth. Italy as mentioned is darker than you may suspect. You will find the evenings set in early. Are you aiming to hand hold. Friends are often in a hurry to move on.

 

My last trip to the north in their winter had me on my limits at 400 asa. Some 800 was ok but did not offer the contrast sought. I now use saturated colour emultions. Experience has shown me that having different speeds in your bag is more problem that it's worth with out two bodies.

 

I use Neg for correction purposes and my personal style is to print all (800-1000+)images to 6x8 and selecting telling shots print to 8x12 mounting them in a folio for guests. *I do use pro labs.* After all what did your trip cost.

 

There are as may options as there are Photogs. Airport X-rays may be less of a problem with neg. -- Enjoy your trip.

If English is not your first language the conundrum of word usage can be quite beguiling at times. There.... how does that lot get you for a start.

 

Being curious as to the correct respectiue spellings of mat etc. I'll copy out here what my dictionary has to say.

 

Mat -- 1/ The border around a picture.

2/ A surface finish.

 

Matte -- A mask used to blank out part of an image so an other can be supimposed.

 

Matte or Matt -- A variable spelling of Mat.

 

 

So there. It doesn't matter a toss.

I would love for Bob to post links on these Lenses. In AU getting any information is like pulling teeth out of a chook.

 

If links are a non issue, would you be able to outline basic info regarding digital lenses for LF film use. i.e. image circle etc. and are they actually a consideration for film only aplications. Thanks.

56. 20 years ago LF in studio. Gave it up. Now back again in my retirement. Brought on by a will to travel. A trip is not a trip if no photos are taken. Greg Pratt AU

Try the ATL series if you are interested in repeatability. Without looking, I think one of the ATL's takes the expert drum anyway ATL's were never the less used by labs are now on the 'for God's sake get it out of here' list. A tad dearer but up to the job and considering the numbers of sheets you're touting may be worth considering. Probably not a weekend only machine thou.

"I found the park rangers in Australia surprisingly fiddly about the use of large cameras on tripods, so be prepared for some hassle there. "

 

I would say that's because they would not have a clue what it is. Even if you showed them they would think your barmy. Aust for all it's blessings is a land of P&S and disposable cameras. Regarding the parks the best bet is to front up at the park office and start asking lots of questions indicating who what where etc. You will find they more often than not will bend over backwards to help, often pointing you in the right direction re. outlooks etc. Pre empting this way I have never had any trouble. Aboriginal reserves may differ. Where sizs equals importance and importance equals cash. Not always but....Once again pre introductions etc work wonders.

 

My experience anyway. -- Greg

Steve Feldman

 

"So I took a few back roads around only to find a farmhouse with a 10 year old boy holding a shot gun. My 45 Crown Graphic was no match for his double barrelled shotgun. I hung a fast "U" outta there."

 

Could not have been too remote for there must have been a good TV reception. Or maybe so remote that TV was the only schooling.

If you can't get a hole drilled into your center column or find a plug that screws in, or won't. Find some way of entering a ring of some sort over the 1st section. You may need to disasemble. A variety of key rings my work with a smaller one to take the chain. Joining up the three legs this way at the center by rope or chain allows you to put a rock or something in the middle. Any thing to give weight. Good luck.

I would like to suggest you think carfully before comming to Aust. Nothing wrong with the place at all if you came as a tourist. There is little to no LF suport almost none in 8x10. Away from the four main centers forget it. The distances are huge with days of travel for little gain in photographic opertunity. For example in a camper van try about 6 days of non stop monotinous nothing to get across from Adelaide to Perth. Those who have done it seldom volenteer for a return trip. The cities are much like other cosmopolitan centers found around the globe.

 

If your tastes run to desert, nothing type areas that's fine but you may soon tire of that, in 8x10 any way. If you're considering Aboriginal reserve type areas, access is by permit only and often needed to be sourced months in advance.

 

You have been to NZ well it's nothing like that, where photo oppertunities abound around every corner. We go to NZ too to get those Adams type images.

 

All costs considered may I suggest you seek some other locations if you wish to use 8x10 or dare I say also 4x5. Apart from that welcome aboard you will enjoy.