Monophoto

Jim -

 

Does your camera have a graphloc back? If not, then you really don't have a choice.

 

I started out on the LF journey with a Crown Graphic using a graphloc-type roll-film back. It was a great way to start, but I quickly concluded that I liked to be able to use the full 4x5 format for most applications. On rare occasion, however, I still find that a roll back is useful - particularly if I need to use a color emulsion that is not readily available in 4x5, or where I don't want to have to search for a lab that can do 4x5 color.

Here's what the scene looks like from that porch - - -

I will be flying to California next month with a tripod as checked luggage, and

am puzzling over logistical options:

 

1. Large suitcase, with the tripod inside wrapped in underwear.

2. Tripod in a standard canvass tripod bag.

3. Tripod in a specially-constructed plywood box.

 

In the past, the large suitcase has worked, but there is always the risk of an

overweight charge. I've also done the canvass tripod bag, but the anxiety level

about it getting lost or damaged enroute has been pretty intense. The plywood

box would be pretty secure if I could figure out how to securely close it while

still making it possible for the TSA to open it for inspection.

 

What are your thoughts?

Andy -

 

There is an inner and outer perimeter wall surrounding the Taj Mahal, with a formal entry gate in the inner perimeter. If you stand in the middle of this entry gate, you get the standard, on-axis view down the reflecting pool toward the monument, including all the people.

 

But if you walk through the gate, immediately turn LEFT and walk about 50 yards, you will find a spot where the inner wall includes a porch-like structure. You can step up onto this porch, and then frame the Taj against a set of trees. This perspective almost completely eliminates people from the frame, and the foreground trees make the composition more interesting.

Kelly -

 

As others have noted, the Caltar W 90mm f8 was made by Schneider. Itis a relabled SuperAngulon and dates back to the late 1970's.

 

I also have one, and have no difficulty attaching a Cokin 67mm ring. I suspect that your's may have damaged threads. I think that's something that Grimes can repair.

"You may want to look into how to make overseas calls or internet use in China. I didn't think that these would be a problem, but some recent visitors to Beijing told me that their hotel tried to charge them outrageous fees."

 

This is a problem that has been with us for decades, and there is no incentive hotels to change their practices. The best solution is to buy a phone card, and call from a public phone.

I suggest changing only as much as you actually anticipate spending. Keep in mind that there is a service charge for changing money, so if you have RMB left over and try to convert back to dollars, you will lose 2x the service charge.

 

Also, do dismiss the possibility of using a credit card, especially in the larger cities. That's safer, and the service charge will be considerably lower than you will get from a moneychanger.

 

I'm sure it's possible to blow through $1000 per week in China. Whether it's necessary is another matter. If you are living (eating, sleeping, drinking, etc), you won't need that much. But if you are playing tourist and buying gifts for the family back home, you can easily spend that much. Just keep in mind that whatever you buy you have to schlep home. And when you get home, the ICE inspector may assess a duty charge that adds to the cost.

Scheduled outage for server maintenance.

Mike -

 

I didn't try to follow your exposure calculations - its too early in the morning for that. But that's the easy part.

 

There is no formula for reciprocity correction. Actually, reciprocity failure characteristics differ between films, and becomes very non-linear as the exposure time increases. And more importantly, once your exposure time is out in the minutes to hours range, small errors don't matter any more.

 

If your calculated exposure is 4 hours or so, the corrected exposure to allow for reciprocity failure will be many times that - probably in the 12-16 hour range or more. And on top of that, you probably should bracket your exposure.

 

You didn't indicate what the subject is, but if your ability to do the exposure is bounded by the daylight/darkness cycle, you may want to rethink the use of that ND filter.

Pack films require either the 500/550 holder (for the larger format films), or the 405 holder for the smaller format films.

Interesting question.

 

I find that there are two phenomena that accompany the onset of winter. One is a reluctance to go outside, and this tends to cause me to think in terms of indoor and still life work. The other is that I almost always have a stack of negatives that I have made over the summer that I have not gotten around to printing, so I spend more time in the darkroom.

 

But as the winter wears on (and one, and on), I become more acclimated to colder weather, and by mid-February cabin fever starts to set in. As a result, I do tend to venture out to work with winter scenes.

Lynn -

 

Let me add to the confusion.

 

First, I would suggest avoiding Polaroid type 55. Its a great film, but it also a film that requires a special holder (type 545) and special handling. And its very expensive. Perhaps after you hone your skills.

 

Second, there are two basic types of film - tradition and tabular grain. Tabular grain includes T-Max and Delta. These are fabulous films, but as Schwalberg said in Popular Photography many years ago, they are "films for consenting adults". They were designed for art photographers who want precise control of exposure and contrast; the contrast can be controlled by careful exposure and by precise controls on development. These are not forgiving films, and if you are learning and need the flexibility to accommodate errors, they may not be the best choice.

 

Traditional films offer latitude to accept variations in exposure and development. These would be my choice for learning. They also have the advantage of being a bit less expensive.

 

Tri-X and HP5 are fabulous films than can produce wonderful results. They are also relatively easy to find. Efke/Adox (they are the same product) are good films that are relatively inexpensive, but they have a reputation for being scratch-prone. The choice between Tri-X/HP5 and Efke may depend on how you intend to process your film - if you are thinking about open tray processing, then TriX or HP5 might be a better choice than Efke.

 

At the end of the day, however, the differences between films is subtle, especially at 4x5. So pick something, and go make some pictures. You can always fine tune your film choice later.

Strictly speaking, the only thing that US customs is supposed to accept is their own form 4457. Or at least, that's what the form that I got back in 1979 was called. To get the form, you have to visit a customs office in the US, fill out the form and display the stuff for inspection, and then have the customs agent sign and stamp the form.

 

But as a practical matter, in literally hundreds of trips, I was never challenged to produce the form. In fact, in 35+ years of international traveling, I don't believe that I ever had a customs inspector ask me anything other than where had I been (damn near everywhere), why (business), and who did I work for.

 

The one exception - upon re-entering the US on my very first overseas trip (back in 1971), I dutifully reported that I had purchased some film along the way, and the customs inspector wanted to asses a charge for duty. I politely produced a brochure published by US Customs that said that film purchased outside the US could be brought in without paying duty, and he backed off.

 

In the past, customs had two concerns. One was with expensive goods purchased outside the US and brought back without payment of various US taxes. Today, most things can be bought for less in the US than they can outside. That is especially true of photographic gear. The other concern in the past was with importation of labeled goods in situations where US companies had exclusive rights to import those brands, and there was a suggestion that individuals who were bringing those items had the intention of reselling them. That's really a archaic concept today.

 

Instead, I think that the main focus of customs inspectors today is various controlled substances.

August 1984.

Other posters have identified the major scenic spots. I would add that Istanbul is a great city for walking, and in my experience, is quite safe. I recall walking through the souk and out a rear entrance, eventually ending up in a park that I believe was near a university. But the area was much less touristy and much more photogenic. Look for the guys delivering cups of tea to merchants selling their wares along the sidewalk.

Each negative in an indivdual sleeve. Usually Kodak acetate, but a few polyethelene sleeves also. Then everything is stored in Light Impressions archival boxes.

Yes - you can carry on film.

 

Whether you can have it hand inspected depends on the policies of the airline and/or authority who does the inspection. In the US, hand inspections are possible, but I can't tell you about practices in Greece.

 

That said, the general consensus today is that unless you are taking some very unusual film, you may be better off not saying anything and just letting the film go through the carry-on x-ray. There is good scientific evidence that a few x-ray inspections won't harm ordinary film.

The first item sounds a bit like a variable diffuser. Haven't seen one in years - one of those useless pieces of junk that were so popular in the 60's.

 

The second item is a wrench used to assembling lenses and other optical items.

If by "street photography" you refer to the classic quirky images of people, then my suggestions would include:

 

1. Fisherman's Whart and Ghiradelli Square - lots of people, some doing crazy things.

 

2. Golden Gate Park - lots of people having fun.

 

3. Market Street - very busy, business focus

 

4. Chinatown - for the obvious reasons. Note that street photography may not be quite as welcome here.

 

5. The Tenderloin - ok, we're getting gritty here, and there could be some personal risk, but this is where you are more likely to find the edgier images.

Drove up to Lake Placid yesterday. Colors in the Adirondacks are at or near

peak, but are not as brilliant this year.

Schipol was one of the last airports to adopt technology solutions for screening passengers. I recall passing through there in the mid to late 1970s and receiving hand inspections that were more intimate than my annual physical exam. And they didn't use rubber gloves.

 

Schipol does use technology now, but I have not tried to test their views on hand inspection of film. On one hand, the Dutch are notoriously precise and exact, and deviating from the established process is totally counter-culture. On the other hand, they are famous for their hospitality.

Eric -

 

A couple of years ago, my office had a summer picnic at the Mohonk Mountain House. This hotel is actually located in a state park, so I belive that it is open to the public. It's near New Paltz.

 

There are several trails around a beautiful lake - my wife and I spent 2-3 delightful hours walking through the woods (in the rain, of course).

I've been to Trinidad both on vacation and on business. In general, it's not noticeably different from any other desitination in the Carribbean. English is spoken, food (especially seafood) is very good, quite a bit of poverty but I didn't experience any problems with personal security that I would blame on social conditions.

The 405 holder gives you the dimensions you are looking for, but Polaroid announced this past Spring that they were discontinuing type 665 material. Bummer.

 

However, you can use type 55 in a 545 holder.

John -

 

Can you work on the holders with the lights on? If so, I would think that when you pull out the darkslide, you will see where the bits of film are stuck under the rails, and can then carefully attack those areas, perhaps with an X-acto knife, to remove the film.