nancy s.

<p>The Farmall M tractor (or Super M) is still in use. That is a spray rig it was hitched to. </p>

<p>Oh I have a 9-5 job (actually 7-3) to pay bills.... This other stuff, dogs and photography included, just supplements (in a good year) or subtracts (in a not so good year).... </p>

<p>Jerry.. just want to let you know I have no interest in smoking, drinking and (especially) chasing women (yikes!)! LOL <br>

I think that perhaps I am just bored. I have fiddled with various types of photography and I have a complete dark room set up and can make prints up to 16X20 and LF prints (have the holders, lenses etc). Doing this, while satisfying in the end, is a HUGE time suck (and time is an issue). Computer work is not my interest.. I work on the 'puter M-F and sitting in front of it nights and weekends is OK if the weather is bad. Otherwise... I have to be paid to sit there. <br>

I have been trying to renew interest taking pictures of dogs doing bite work and training to do bite work as well as conformation shots.. but it is more challenging to train that it is to photograph it! Fact is, I could have made a pretty good buck at a few trials this past year and I did not even step up and offer. <br>

I think this is the first time I have posted on P Net in a long time! <br>

I think I will probably just hang it up for awhile. Of course, by the time I want to do this again there may not be anymore film! (No No.. I do NOT mean to start that debate again).</p>

 

<p>Haven't found much pleasure in taking photos in a long time now. It is a 'finished' project of late. The challenge has waned and I rarely even have a camera with me. Sometimes I bring a little Canon 550 Point and Shoot digital. <br>

Still get requests for pro work and still do shots and still get a ton of compliments (not sure if it is the photography or the price LOL).. just not much interest on my part. It has all become "a job." Still do it well when I do it but I rarely bother any more. <br>

The equipment gathers dust and interest in using it wanes. Not sure if it is just that it is less exciting than other interests (such as training German Shepherds for K9/drug detection work) or if I am simply done with it? <br>

Ever drop photography for a spell and pick it up again later? As in YEARS later? </p>

<p>I have a bunch of different cameras but my favorite film camera is an 8008s with a 35-70 manual zoom. Right behind that is either the F3HP or the FM and I like the Mamiya 645e. <br>

However.. most of the photos I have were taken with a P&S Kodak DX 4900 Easy Share digital. That died last year. :( I replaced it with a Canon Powershot A 550 that I like OK but not as much as the old DX 4900. <br>

While I use them for pro jobs, the cameras I dislike the most are DSLR's. </p>

<p>I am considering a week stay in a mountain cabin in/near Lurray with the intention of day hikes in Shenandoah National Park (a dog friendly National Park). Any info on photo ops end of September to the middle of October? Experience with day hikes in the park (suggested walks etc.) would be appreciated!<br>

Thanks!</p>

<p>Do the very smart thing in this. Give her her money back TODAY and go swimming or hiking that day. <br>

Trust me on this one... Both you and the Bridezilla will be better off (especially YOU). </p>

<p>The signs merely say use of cameras are prohibited. No mention is made of when they were put up. No mentionis made of why they were put up. <br>

I suggest the OP go and take some photos and during the "strictly enforced" phase of the operation he can find out the whys. <br>

After he is released from custody or jail, matters little which it is, he can report back to P-Net and we will also expect the photos he took to be posted.<br>

It could be assumed the signs were placed after 9/11 (no one knows for certain). It could also be assumed this thread was started with the explicit intent of getting folks riled up. <br>

When I see signs like this, I usually take a photo. I have an archive.... </p>

<p>Why does this thread seem like a thinly veiled Film vs. digital rant re-hashed all over again?<br>

I find sitting in front of the enlarger a LOT easier than sitting in front of the computer diddling with a computer program on an image. Diddling at the enlarger is more relaxing.. or maybe it is the smell of fixer that is so soothing....<br>

For me, photography to day is painfully more difficult. </p>

<p>I might offer another "Perk" like a framed 16X20 but I would not cave to the discount. If you get this job and she tells her friends, "Michelle is a great photographer but don't forget to ask for a discount. I got 15% off!" then that is who you will be Michelle S. the Discount photographer. <br>

No is a complete sentence and if you discount a package to one you will be doing it for all. </p>

<p>Thanks. I don't have to worry about the ISO changes on the film cameras (it is all ISO 400)and since it is cloudy here today I think using ISO 800 inside and ISO 400 outside (and remembering to change the white balance on the digicam) will do it. </p>

<p>I agree.. its all about staying cool and watching settings.</p>

<p>I am shooting a wedding in a few hours.. the first one I have done in about 2 years (I have done a couple of other events in that time). I dropped out of the business as, in this area, there were so many people willing to do weddings for very little money so they could break into the market as part time weekend warriers. Some of them are very good, but when they think they are making money at $300-$500 for a digital weddding.. well, more power to them. <br>

Today's wedding is film and digital change up with three cameras (Kodak 400 NC color, Kodak CN C41 process B&W and digital). <br>

Since it has been awhile, I am really hoping I do this well. I have reviewed the people handling process and I have got all the equipmnet batteried up and set to go. I am nervous. LOL. The only consolation is that the bride will be MORE nervous. <br>

I picked up the job last weekend when the family memebr who typically does this work decided not to show for the wedding. I told the bride right up front that it has been awhile since I have shot a wedding and there will be nothing due me until I get the picutres back. I did show my previous work and she was impressed. Of course, the real question is, can I do as well for her. <br>

While the hour is late, I will take any last minute pointers (or reassurance.. ). Like I said, I think I have it nailed and I will remember to repeatedly check my settings.. I am shooting with a Fuji S2, a Nikon FM (black and white) and a Nikon 8008s (400NC). The digital will be ambient light, the two nikons have remote flashes on flash frames. </p>

 

Come to the Adirondacks next year and look around. I might have some new places for you to go depending on what gets acquired and open to the public in the next 12 months. Fact is, I have some film I am dropping off from a work related trip there end of September of many places not seen by the public.

 

There are a LOT of those bare trees and swamps and alder swamps (you haven't had an experience until you have battled your way through a Black Alder Adirondack Swamp in Black Fly Season in May.. LOL).

 

However, there is a lot of fall color too. You can get the right "mood" sometimes on rainy days with scudding clouds and those bare trees in drowned swamps. Some of it is better rendered in Black and White.

 

The trick with any place like this is getting OFF the road and hiking. Acadia is nice because the Carriage paths make it easy to walk a lot of places. However, for the vistas you need to climb up the mountains. I have been up all of them on the east part of the island but NOT the Beehive. No ladder rungs for me, Pigs will fly b4 I do that. I wanted to do Sargent and Penobscot but my knees and the time didn't give me enough days to rest between climbs.

 

The place isn't going anywhere tho, so there will be other times. :)

Shun, that is Hadlock Pond. I have a P&S image of it that I don't like and a slide that will be developed. The dead trees you are referring to are not the result of foiage loss but are drowned trees due to beavers raising the level of the lake. That is the swampy end and that is typical of drowned trees in swamps. I believe if they had their foiage you would find that most were Hemlock.

 

I walked the back side of that place on the carriage path from the gate house north to the intersection. It was a pretty walk and there is a lovely stone bridge built in 1926 as I recall with the inlet to Hadlock Pond flowing under it.

 

The foliage seems bett4er on cloudy days. I think this is due to no blue refraction in the air and the trees are evenly lit so there is no deep shade. It allows the reds and yellows to really "pop."

 

BTW I stayed in Town Hill on Knox Road in a house I rented just north of this site.

And, my traveling companion, of course. She is the BEST traveling companion I ever had. She never whines about the ride (or its length), never complains about the food, doesn't add to my restaurant bill, doesn't smoke or sniff any illicit substances or transport same across State Lines (like my LAST traveling companion.. of course he never inhaled...). She is clean and neat and doesn't mess up the order of things.

 

Yeah.. this photo has a lot wrong with it.. but this animal not only helped me UP the trail, she would stand and wait (on my request for those things) and between her and the walking stick, helped me and my bad knees down some very rough and rocky terrain. She was big enough to help too. :)

 

On top of that, when I had to go and shoot I could leave her with my equipment and ask her to down and stay there and she would guard it and stay with the stuff. She did this where there were no people and she did this where there were hundreds of people (like at Jordan Pond House). She also would walk at my side, never pulled and while keeping an eye on other people and dogs, did not drag me to either meet them or tear their heads off. She is well trained and no one messes with me with her along. Between her and the walking stick we got it pretty well covered. LOL<div></div>

Swamp Maple (soft maple or Acer Rubrum).<div></div>

The Rainy Day morning on the Walk Around Witches Hole from Rt 233.<div></div>

Another, from the Hike up Pemetic Mountain.<div></div>

I just came back from Acadia yesterday. Colors were pretty spectacular as the reds and oranges of the maples are

about peak there NOW. Of course, with only one day partly wet, the weather helped a LOT.

 

A few follow. These were with a digital P&S. I didn't even break out the Digital SLR.. rather shoot 645 actually.. and

slides.. so that is what I did. When I get those back from the "drugstore" I will share.. maybe post to my page or

something.<div></div>

BTW I was in the Adirondacks last week for two days and the foliage was just starting to "pop" there (first hand look).

 

FWIW the High Peaks areas showed evidence (a good deal of evidence) of Moose activity along with lots of bear. I was in some very remote areas off public lands and will be developing the film when I get back from ME. Pristine Lakes and colorful trees.. blue skies etc. Very nice. Fog was a problem in the early morning, but evening light was just stunning, especially with the red shift.

I am traveling to Maine next week to Acadia National Park for the week (rented a house outside Bar Harbor). According to the reports I have received, "Down East" will be high color or peak next week (yeah.. sometimes you just hit it right). Northern ME, Elevations above 1700 Feet in the Adirondacks will be at peak NOW and the Catskills are at High color now (above 1700 feet).

 

The Hudson Valley is low color, not peak yet. Northern ME and the Higher elevations or VT and NH and northern VT and NH are all at peak now.

 

I expect to have some stuff to share when I get back the following week. I am shooting 645MF, 35mm Slides and Prints and some Digital to share on the Net.

And Lake Powell. I might warn you that the boat rental and marine fuel to use it is PRICEY. I know it was pricey in 2003 when I did this BEFORE fuel went thru the ceiling (my travelling companion had little money and I paid.. still have the contract for the boat somewhere in a box). You do have to make reservations for the boat.

 

The moral to this story is to have a travelling companion capable of paying a full 1/2 on every trip! Still glad for the experience.<div></div>

If you head out of Page towards the north rim of the Grand Canyon there are the Vermillion Cliffs. With the right light they can be pretty specatcular for land scape photos. Of course all the other places mentioned. Been there oh my... 3 times now?<div></div>

Quite honestly, if you have such a bad sense of direction that you would get lost in the Badlands in SD you probably should stick to the trails.. but then you should anyway due to the fragile nature of the countryside. Fact is, I believe that is one of the rules.

 

From almost every vantage point you can see the road or the plains and if you shut your mouth and open you ears you will hear cars. Fact is, the park road winds through and it is sometimes hard to get a vista shot w/o getting a stop sign or a car in the image.

 

I had what I thought was a "great shot" (which is not at my disposal presently) that upon closer examination revealed a stop sign in the horizon......

 

The place is a good place to spend time and you are close enough to Hot Springs to go tour the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary as well. If you get a chance, go to the south entrance which is located on the Sioux Nation and is manned by Native Americans. You can learn a lot.

 

Next year, depending on $$ and time, I will be going back assuming they allow my new traveling companion to come with me (my dog).<div></div>

"The master encourages me to carrion."

 

Hahaha