doug grosjean

One more, same time & place.

My dad with my son Jean-Luc, in East Toledo Christmas parade following an overnight snowstorm. . On arrival at the staging area, Dad looked around at other participants, and remarked: "I see all the fools aren't dead yet." . Life goes on. . My son Jean-Luc, aged 14 in the photo, and the subject of a few CMC posts here, is now 25 and graduated college. . I fathered a second son in August 2018. Baby's name is Phoenix, for second chances & re-birth from ashes. . My father passed away in September 2018, having met & holding baby Phoenix only once. . Mom & I married in October 2019, and started a wedding photography business. . The photos are precious to me. The memories moreso.

I purchased a Zeiss-Ikon Ikonta 6x9 folderbfrom Certo6 on EBay back around 2006, 2007. It was described accurately on EBay, price was fair, and it has worked well. About $150 back then. . I also shoot with a Widelux FV, but that is 2 frames of 35mm film for each exposure, and they go for $800-1,800 on EBay currently. . The Veriwide you mentioned sounds extremely fun to me, but my budget for cameras, when it exists at all, is hundreds of dollars, not thousands. . The medium format Widelux interests me, but that isn't an inexpensive camera either, so it remains on my wish list.

That was my first SLR. Bought new in 1982. Took shots like this.... Used it 20 years. It eventually failed electronically.

Panoram D photo. July 2007.

Medalist photo. Circa 2006, 2007.

Regarding 620 cameras: I have a Medalist and a Panoram. Respooling isn't hard. . On vacation, I'll use a changing bag and do a couple in the morning before getting out. . The nicest thing about 620 is that cameras that take 620 are often underpriced, because most buyers don't want the bother.

Amother sample shot. Same camera.

I have taken a 1950s 6x9 Zeiss-Ikon Ikonta with me in a Pelican box on some big whitewater trips through Grand Canyon. It can do quite well.

A Widelux & a Rolleiflex. Widelux photo attached.

I recall Gene M. fondly. Always a kind word for my Widelux work. . I recall him sending a very stinky warped camera around for other users to try. Herc-O-Flex maybe? I was one the participants. Classic early autos came out with bumpers looking like they had warped and almost melting.

<p>Nice post. I have an Argus C3 that I paid too much for at a garage sale ($10), but which works well, and I've taken it on some trips as a backup film camera, and then never had to use it. When I have used it, it worked well.</p> <p>I too live not too far from Ann Arbor, and have visited the Argus Museum.</p> <p>I'm nitpicking, but.... One thing you wrote: "would you rather plow with a mule or a John Deere tractor? Both would do the job although with the mule perhaps with less finesse and precision."</p> <p>I don't know about a mule, but I've plowed with horses, following along behind a single-row walking plow, and repeatedly had modern farmer who were watching tell me they couldn't plow that straight with their modern gear. I suppose that, just like using vintage cameras, the results depend on practice and the user's skill with the tools.</p>

<p>I hope you've enjoyed the photo-journaling. It's the first big river trip I've done where I had enough electricity and batteries to power the Tough 3000 the entire time, using spare pre-charged batteries *and* a 12,000 milli-amp dual USB-port power supply.</p> <p>Several photos were taken while I was in the water, and the camera was in my hip pocket while I was in waist-deep water helping to push the Clifton Lee off rocks and shoals.</p> <p>Great trip. I'd do it again in a minute.</p>

<p>Finally, the end - pulling into Maiden's Landing, just outside Richmond, at the end of Day 8. Finished!</p><div></div>

<p>In camp, in the morning, all batteaux in a row.</p><div></div>

<p>Into every life, a little rain must fall, eventually....</p><div></div>

<p>In camp, the river provided a handy place to wash. Dr. Brummer's soap was a favorite.</p><div></div>

<p>And fine dining, using the batteau as a combination picnic table, buffet bar, and drinks bar. One meal even included some fine, home-made corn whiskey. Drop anchor, climb out, soak in the warm water to escape the HOT summer heat, and just ... live. Oh, and eat. And perhaps drink a little bit.</p><div></div>

<p>There was music on the river, as we continued down....</p><div></div>

<p>And a selfie, Period clothing, as the trip progressed.</p> <p>The mud and dirt are real. Getting out to push the batteau off rocks and shallow ledges was a frequent occurrence. We had a good boat and crew, but.... sometimes there just wasn't enough water flowing over the shallowest of the ledges.</p> <p>Physical effort required was about like pushing a car out of a snowbank up north.</p><div></div>

<p>Josh - a modern-day Huck Finn.</p><div></div>

<p>Josh poling....</p><div></div>

<p>Josh, a 13 y/o whitewater kayaker, takes his turn at front sweep.</p><div></div>

<p>And here, in a more relaxed position. </p> <p>We'd trade off our duties, so eventually every crew-member could do everything. Some were better at running the sweeps than others, so the A-team sweeps might run the harder rapids, B-team sweeps run easier rapids, and C-team everything else that's left.</p> <p>Time aboard wasn't all work; there was time to sun-bathe and nap as the batteau continued to make downstream progress.</p><div></div>