wes_carroll1

My last film order consisted of nothing but Quickloads. It is more expensive but a lot less trouble. Luckily the film I prefer is available in Quickloads.

I recieved it. I read it. I'll look forward to any future information they send also. It's not like anybody is doing something bad here.

I haven't been there is several years and the last time was too early for the peak fall colors. The first week of Oct. would have been better. Each year varies some what though. The Snake River Lookout and The Oxbow Bend are the best places for very early morning photos in my opinion. The ponds just south of Moose are where I have seen the most moose. Gee, that stands to reason doesn't it? Actually just about anywhere in Teton Park that has willows is a good place to watch for moose. Signal Mountain is the only place I've ever seen a bear. It was a black. Teton Park is also better than Yellowstone for autumn colors. Elk are all over Yellowstone. The gysers don't do much for me. The various falls and Mammoth Hot Springs can produce some nice photos.

I doubt I'll ever go to Yellowstone or Teton Park during the summer again. After Labor Day it's much more pleasant. The mass of people has thinned drastically. It was probably eight years ago the last time I visited and I was not yet involved with large format, but cameras of all sizes are frequently seen. I saw and met Leanord Lee Rue on my last visit also. He was shooting video of elk, and later that day I saw him again in search of otter.

Take enough film. The stores in Jackson are very expensive if you run out. Abi Garamon has two photo galleries you might want to visit. One is called Under The Willow. I can't recall the name of the other. I don't think his work is exceptional, but he has been selling a lot of photographs to the tourists for years. You may get a few ideas as to some good photo subjects after seeing his work. Tom Mangelsen's Images Of Nature gallery is worth seeing too. He has been very successful selling his wildlife photographs and has several galleries in several states.

I think it's the Weather Channel's web site that has a fall leaf color map that starts tracking the leaves as they start changing. You might want to check that before you finalize your trip. You might consider calling the Jackson Chamber Of Commerce too. I was very disappointed to have to leave just as the leaves were starting to get good. I may go over there this fall for a few days myself. I still haven't decided where I'm going for my autumn excursion yet.

Jorge, I have very few photographs I'm overly thrilled with. I may have been at the time and for a while afterward. I'll throw out photos I used to think were masterpieces. I think that means we are growing. We are more honest with ourselves as we learn to produce more meaningful photographs.

I do agree with people's comments about Fatali's descriptions about how much time and effort he put into his photography. The photographs should be able to sell themselves without the added hype.

I have an Epson 875DC that does the same thing. It has done it to every photo I have tried to print on anything other than regular letter grade paper. I have come to the conclusion it is a pretty poor design and I no longer try to print photos with it. I don't think running rollers through wet ink was one of Epson's more brilliant ideas.

Jorge, I like the tree photograph. It may look boring to you, but it was new to me and I haven't seen it long enough to be bored with it.

 

I'd like to add a comment about photographers in general. Maybe they haven't been able to sell the work they enjoy doing, and have settled on producing a product that sells. Maybe it's not truly art, but if they have found a way to make a living through photography, more power to them.

 

I worked with a guy that criticised my interest in photography. He claimed there was nothing left to photograph, it had all been done before. He went on to tell me he'd like to be a writer. I could have tried to burst his bubble and told him not to bother, the words had all been used before. I have sold some of my photography. He has never seen a single word he has written published.

 

I'm just a working class stiff. I spent the last twenty seven years operating heavy equipment. I recently had to quit working due to disability. My back is ruined and the rest of my body is shot too. I would have gladly played any kind of artsy fartsy games required if I could have made a living selling nature photography. I know of one such photographer that is doing just that. He has made a very successful business selling to the tourists. He lives in a beautiful area that is crawling with tourists. Most photographers would consider his work to be nothing but oversized glitsy postcards. The tourists have been feeding him for a very long time. They like what he is doing. I doubt if he worries too much about pleasing us as he makes another deposit in the bank.

I don't understand why it is considered a sin to make a pretty photograph. So what if it's all been done before? Seeing if you can do it as well is the first step toward learning to make it better. Not every photograph has to be an earth shattering new revelation. Hell, what's wrong with just having a little fun and enjoying photography? Why be so anal retentive?

I'm not a technical photographer and the results frequently confirm that. I ENJOY it though. If I had to become mired down with the pressure of making the definative photograph that is going to please everybody, well, I just don't need that kind of pressure.

Why criticise these successful photographers? Some of the arguments sound like they are based on envy of certain photographer's success. If you don't like thier work, don't buy it. Don't look at it. If they somehow survive and are successful, I guess your opinion doesn't matter. Someone likes thier photographs. Maybe thier customers are just too stupid to see them as the phony frauds they are. Maybe you are the only one that sees through all that lack of talent. Sorry if I offend anyone, but nitpicking and trying to discredit other's talent annoys me.

I also use the Kodak holder with the black pressure plate. I've never used Kodak film in it but use Fiji Quickloads in it all the time.

Okay, I ordered some. Not wanting to go totally with a new film yet, I ordered equal amounts of Provia and Velvia. Hopefully one hundred sheets will see me through autumn. I tend to shoot roll film in my Calumet roll film holder, or 35mm, only when I'm running low on sheet film. Seems once you get into larger format, it's hard to take smaller sizes seriously.

Thanks Ted. I'll do that.

Thanks for all of your opinions. I think I'll go ahead and give it a shot. A fifty sheet box and three twenty sheet boxes of Quickloads should give it a chance to convince me one way or another. As for color accuracy, I used to shoot nothing but Kodachrome 25 or 64 in 35mm format. I was convinced it was the only way to go. The quality of processing was getting deplorable. Velvia was still pretty new and I hadn't tried it. I was complaining to another photographer about Kodachrome processing. He suggested I try Velvia and he claimed I'd never shoot Kodachrome again if I did. He was so right. After a couple of years I went through my files and eliminated a lot of Kodachromes. I couldn't believe how dead so many of them looked to me. Hopefully Provia will be another happy surprise.

I have been shooting Velvia exclusively for several years. I'm going

to order some film very soon and I am thinking of trying some

Provia. I've read through the archives and feel this may be worth

trying. I have a recoprocity chart taped to my light meter for

Velvia. Should I just cut all the times by a half since Provia is

rated at 100? I shoot strictly nature landscapes in 4 x 5 and have

frequent long exposures.

Any suggestions on other films I might be interested in would be

welcome. I'm not that knowledgable about the various films since I

tend to stick with what works. The thought of a little more speed is

very tempting if I don't have to sacrafice very much to achieve it.

I believe I read something in some Wisner literature that Ron chose mahogany because it is the most stable of all woods. By stable I think he was talking about moisture retention, less swelling and shrinking. He also uses spar varnish because it remains flexable. It won't crack with expansion and contraction. If it holds up on boats, it should last on a camera.

I think Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble still carry The Photopgrapher's Market. It's published by Writer's Digest Books. A new volume is published every year. Your local library might carry back copies. Each years publication has a lot of new tips, interviews of publishers, and a listing of various types of publishers, what they want, what they pay, how to submit, and who to contact. You'll have a vast assortment to choose from. You'll also see that the pay isn't that great. John Shaw's The Nature Photographer's Complete Guide To Professional Field Techniques has some good information. Jim Zuckerman's The Professional Photographer's Guide To Shooting And Selling Nature And Wildlife Photos is very useful too.

I bought a Tiffen a few years ago for 35mm. I tried it and didn't care for the results. Everything seemed to have a reddish unnatural tone to it.

The town of Forks on the west side of the pennisula, has a decent motel ( Pacfic Inn ) that I stayed at.

I don't get much, and none from other countrys. I also belong to two

other forums.

Thank you for all your suggestions. I'm sure there will probably be

more to come. I will certainly consider all options you have given

me. I am at the point of questioning if I want to even bother with

sending material to publishers. I sent in a submission last month

and that was the first I've sent in for several years. I didn't send

anything but 35mm slides. I didn't want to risk losing any more

large format transparencies. Considering how low the pay usually is,

it really makes you wonder if it's worth the bother. I'd at least

like to make my hobby pay for itself.

What is your method of submitting large and medium format transparencies to publishers? The few I have submitted, I cut windows in black poster paper and left the transparency in it's plastic sleeve. I attached a business card to each window mat with a description and transparency number typed on each card. I'd like to hear what method others use. How do you mark your transparencies so they can be identified if they become seperated from their packageing? Are there any products available that could simplify a submission? I know Light Impressions has some window mats, but they seem rather expensive for what you get. The last time I submitted large format, some transparencies were lost, and a couple were damaged. I've never had problems when submitting 35mm.

I'm 55. Started shooting 4x5 8 years ago. It's been an on again off

again situation with me. I haven't decided if it is worth the

trouble yet. I enjoy it much more than 35mm. I just haven't been

able to sell large format, not that I have submitted much. The few

customers I have dealt with seem to be more receptive of my 35mm

work.

Thank you Ron, I will take you up on the offer of replacing the

vials. I will send you my address. I can live with the finish on the

camera. I knew before ordering the camera that the finish was

applied by brush and I didn't expect a perfect finish. I just

expected better than I got. I bought the camera to use, not as an

art object. I would not have been satisified with the workmanship if

I'd done the work myself though and I wouldn't have expected to pass

it off as acceptable to anyone else. I just seems to cheapen a fine

camera if the finish looks sloppy. The varnish is lumpy and looks

like it should have been strained before application. I'm assuming

you saw a need to make some changes since you said you had fired

some people.

Thanks in advance for the new vials. I will enjoy using the camera

more when I can rely on the levels.

Mr Wisner, I simply requested an answer when I contacted your

company about repairing the levels in my camera. I am very capable

of reinstalling them myself. I was asking if you would send me new

levels if I broke these while removing them. They look as if they

are very fragile. I find it annoying to have to use a seperate level

when I have levels installed on the camera. Too bad a little care

wasn't involved during the installation. I can live with the crude

finish. I just don't think a product should be sent from the factory

unless it has passed certain quality standards. A sloppy finish

doesn't give a very good first impression. Apparently you needed to

get rid of some people that weren't doing their jobs very well and

hopefully you have some reliable people now. I don't feel it is

neccessary to send in my camera for such a minor repair as

reinstalling the levels. I can do it myself in less time than it

would take packaging it to ship it you. My question still stands.

Will you send me some new levels if I should break these while

removing them?

I don't think anyone here is trying to destroy your business. I

admire you for your success. Whether it is your fault or not, you

own the business and your employees should be doing their jobs. If

they aren't, are they going to tell you? Do you have to be looking

over their shoulder all the time to insure they are doing quality

work? If they ignore our questions about problems, do we all have to

call you personally to be sure we are heard? Maybe you just didn't

know. If that is the circumstance, it is too bad it took a public

forum for you to find out.

I also have an opinion about no owner's manual for your cameras. I

had absolutly no experience with a large format camera prior to

buying a Wisner. I'd never touched one. The first thing I did was

gouge the bellows when I opened it. An owner's manual, or at least

some sort of warning would have been a big help. I sure I'm not the

only person that has learned to use a large format camera completely

on their own.

My Wisner Technical Field 4x5 is 7 years old. The camera works fine,

but the finish looks very crude. The levels and the trim around the

levels are very crooked looking. I have sent a couple of e-mails

asking if they would replace the levels if I should break them. I

would like to remove them and install them so they are actually

level. I have had no response. I like my camera, but if I had to

replace it, I'd probably look elsewhere. Customer service does

matter.

I have an Acer Scan Prisa 1240UT that will scan up to 5x7 trans. It

was only around $150.00 new and since it is over a year old, you

might be able to find a used one cheap. It has a plastic cover in

the lid you pop off and then use whatever mask, which is included,

that you need. I ordered mine directly from Acer. You might want to

check out their, as well as other manufacturer's web sites, to see

just what is available.

We all are into photography at different levels and for different

reason. It sounds like you need to relax and maybe enjoy what you are

doing a little more. I love it when I have a very productive day.

Some days it just doesn't happen. If you feel the need to meet

production quotas, get a factory job somewhere. You will never get

enough numbers to please them and you will have plenty of the stress

you seem to need in your life. (Just kidding).The number of

photographs I'm going to make is the last thing on my mind. I get

totally into the subject at hand and then move on to something else,

and hopefully another subject will inspire me to make another

photograph. When I shoot 35mm, I pretty much take the same approach,

except I usually will shoot a little more film on the subject.