sallymack

Mud! I'd gotten stuck in it before so I knew to watch out for it, noting whether or not plants grew in it, but nothing prepared me for stepping in a hole. This is out at the wetlands restoration site I've been photographing for 10+ years and, as usual, I was alone.<br> <br>Down I went, relieved to hit bottom at about three feet. Goopy, oily, smelly, sticky mud at water's edge. Discovering I was in a hole with firm rim, I took the picture I wanted--after all, I was there, had a good angle and lighting, and protected the camera as well as I could from water and mud--and started digging. With incoming tide, I could sit on the rim of the hole and dig only slightly faster than the hole filling up. In the end it took a couple of hours of digging and I had to sacrifice one of my new boots (second time I'd worn that pair) but I was able to get out. Riding my bicycle home with one booted foot and one muddied socked foot was the least of my problems.<br> <br>Since then, I've purchased mud boots and tap every step in advance with my tripod. Lesson learned. --Sally

<p>Good for you for working hard to change your life. It can't have been easy to get all that set up. Good luck. --Sally</p>

I'm encouraged to see that my local camera store offers b&w film developing and enlarging classes. Although I no longer develop and print film, remembering the thrill of seeing pictures appear as if by magic. . .<br> <br>Taking pictures on film is an act of faith. Without faith in the process I wouldn't be taking pictures on film. The results of the process justify the faith, as if faith needs justification. Yeah, I'm romanticizing but I love film, even the wait to get it back from the lab. Took a roll in today. --Sally

Sorry, no camera recommendation but it's quite a switch from film to digital. As another old dog, I find the technical aspects of digital daunting and spend way more time at the computer than I like. <br> <br>Living in an area where film and processing are as accessible as ever helps keep me shooting MF film as well as digital. --Sally

Projects come to me as opposed to my having ideas for projects. If I go out with an idea of what I want to photograph, I'm often disappointed--the scene doesn't exist or look the way I wanted it to, the light isn't right, access is limited, I can't get the angle I want, etc.<br> <br>Going out with no specific purpose in mind leads to projects of varying lengths of time. Just seeing where the road would take me one day years ago led to a 10+ year project of photographing a wetlands restoration site near my home.<br> <br>More recently. I discovered deteriorating, bubbling mirror-film on windows in a ramshackle building. The film reflects sunlight shining on a yellow building across the empty parking lot, making wonderful golden abstracts. I've been returning to those windows for months, now, sometimes just going out to see what the windows look like at different times of the day and under different lighting conditions. --Sally<div></div>

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Bryce. You've been through a lot in the last few years. As I get older, the number of things in which I'm interested decreases. Like you, I don't feel any lightening (of spirit or whatever) for that lack of interest, just. . .not interested.<br> <br> However, I still find joy in photography. When I don't, I'll take a lesson from you and won't be taking any more pictures. --Sally

Thanks, again, Ken. I'm finding that everything is different in Australia--electricity, time zones, phone systems, then there's the 15-hour flight from Los Angeles. . . Stockpiling books and loading my iPhone with music in anticipation although I haven't yet figured out what I need to do to use the iPhone as a phone. Before anybody suggests a Kindle: I HATED it. I won't plan to use the Hasselblad on the bus (it's surprisingly difficult to shoot from a moving bus) but my little Olympus might do the trick if I see anything far enough in advance. Nice picture, the red wheels a good touch. --Sally

Thanks, Peter, but I'm trying to cut down on the amount of time it takes to get a "pretty good" scan. Scanning then opening in Photoshop means I'd have to open every image. If I want to do serious editing, I'll open an image in Photoshop but 99% aren't worth the time it takes to scan (except that I haven't seen them), let alone open in Photoshop to adjust colors. When I need a "perfect" scan or print, I'll put more time and effort into it but for now I want quick and (not too) dirty. If "perfect" is possible easily, that's a plus but not required. --Sally

Hi, Ken, thanks for the link. Beautiful pictures! Time lapse isn't my style but I'll be taking the Hasselblad and four prime lenses (including wide angle) plus film and tripod as well as a small, digital Olympus camera. "Travel light," ha! I've arranged for five days at Ayers Rock Resort, already know it won't be long enough. --Sally

Thanks to all. Your answers have helped clarify my thinking about what I want.<br> <br> I want "pretty good" scans fairly quickly. For images that are worth the trouble, I'm willing to spend the time. But of the 80+ rolls I've scanned so far, only five images are worth more than a cursory glance. Another 5-10 are possibles. The ones I like can be seen at http://www.sallymack.us/portfolio/nature/ if anyone would like to take a look.<br> <br> <b>William</b>, I have the latest version of Silverfast SE (free update), just downloaded it last week. But, duh, why didn't I think of the free trial version of AI? Thanks for the suggestion. --Sally

Thanks, Peter, Silverfast has algorithms for most of the most popular films. They're useful as a starting point. For most of my photos, I don't care--about 99% aren't worth fooling with--but I'd like to see them. The older ones I've never seen printed or on screen. Correction DOES take a long time for me, time I don't have with so many negs. I don't enjoy it, either, but I am learning so it's not all tedium. The major time component so far, however, is having to look at and correct each and every image. For instance, the thumbnail images show the "frame box" well within the black film borders but when I enlarge the frame, I ALWAYS have to adjust the frame box. It would speed things up if I didn't have to enlarge the frame on every image. The "find frame" command does not find every frame on 120/220 film (I haven't tried 35mm). It finds each half of the negative carrier (which contains three 120 images) and adjusts exposure based on that half, including the black borders that separate the negatives on the film. Useless. I have to create a separate frame for each image and look at each frame individually. That's what I'm trying to speed up. I'll take a look at colorperfect, thanks for the suggestion. --Sally

I'm trying to decide if it would be worth it to purchase Silverfast AI to scan negatives of hundreds of rolls of color and b&w film, 35mm and 120/220. I currently use Silverfast SE which came bundled with my Epson V750 scanner, using Mac OS 10.7.5. Film is mostly Kodak dating back to the 1970s. Recently completed scanning the negs from 1980-1990 of some 80 rolls of 120/220, all but about four rolls were b&w. Color, I discovered, is a whole 'nother ball of wax! Any suggestions as to whether Silverfast AI would speed up the process and/or give more options for truer color? Or would calibrating with an IT8 card help? I'm new to scanning, can you tell? Thanks. --Sally

Hiya, Ken, Yup, the learning curve keeps going on and on. And ain't it fun! Learning photography, there's no end to it even if you stick to the same camera/lens/film. The camera isn't the most important element, after all, it's the photographer. As the photographer grows and changes, his/her photography changes--then there's even more to learn. It never ends! I used a Mamiya for a few years. The parallax of a TLR drove me crazy. Some years later I discovered Hasselblad and breathed a sigh of relief, a camera that allows me to photograph what I see! Although I now use a small Olympus digital camera, the Hasselblad remains my favorite and I love film, everything about it, even the wait to get it back from the lab. OZ, eh? I'm visiting in July, Melbourne to Uluru--by bus! Are you anywhere along that route? --Sally

<p>Reflection of yellow building on disintegrating film on window, Olympus E-PL5. I've been watching the light on this window for weeks, keep returning later and later in the day to catch the best light. This picture comes closest, so far, to how I want to photograph it. --Sally</p><div></div>

It's not new but I just re-watched John Huston's glorious b&w "The Night of the Iguana." It shows how well b&w can be used, every scene beautifully filmed. Am I the only person who checks out CDs and DVDs from the library? If the local library doesn't have what I want, there's always inter-library loan. Although I may have to wait, the price is right (eh, Sarah?) and I'm pleased when the movie comes in. Thanks for the recommendations, I'll be checking them out. --Sally

Thanks, Jeff. I like your photos, too, especially the one of the GG Bridge. --Sally

<p>blue and white</p><div></div>

Thanks, Sarah. I've been reading up on DAM (data asset management). Whereas there are some good ideas, it seems overwhelming, even with batch processing. The chapter on "inception" in the book I'm reading is chapter 12. I need something simpler! Like you, I have folders going back many years. Folders named to match contact sheets in date-order seems to work fine for most purposes. However, this system doesn't work well when I want to locate a particular photo quickly (although I can usually locate it). With my using a digital camera more, I haven't developed a system beyond using folders of broad topics ("abstracts," "industrial," etc.) with a new set annually to keep a lid on the jumble. If the photo isn't in "industrial 2013," I'll check in "industrial 2012." I'm considering printing digital "contact sheets" for reference. Folders is good, glad to hear it. --Sally

Hi, Arlindo, I use my Hasselblad film camera with both b&w and color film because I love using it. It allows me to take the pictures I see after having had to compromise my vision to fit my equipment for a number of years. The 2-1/4" negs are gorgeous. However, digital is playing a bigger role. With an Olympus ELP-5's zoom lens, I can photograph physically smaller things than I can with the larger camera. And I use the digital camera for "scouting," take a digital picture, see if it's worth pulling out the Hasselblad, setting up the tripod, etc. The digital camera also has the advantage of the lens being small enough to fit through a chainlink fence. Processing and purchasing film is not a problem in the San Francisco Bay Area. One of the local camera stores even offers classes in b&w film developing and enlarging. On my vacation to Australia's Outback this summer I'm taking both of my cameras (and film). Any P-netters along the Melbourne/Alice Springs route? --Sally

Thanks, Tom. I'll look up All Terrain Safari if I'm in Perth. I think, however, that this trip will be limited to the Melbourne area and the Outback. It's going to be l-o-n-g bus rides but I want to see the Outback countryside first-hand. Between Greyhound and Firefly bus companies, I'll be able to get to where I want to go. With SO much to do and see in Australia, I may have to plan a second trip. . . --Sally

Thanks for the link, Stephen. I like the photos. Maybe not each one individually and some I like more than others but together they show a distinct style and personality. I don't know if they're "good," only that I like them. --Sally

It just occurred to me that I would like to go to Australia this year, maybe July/August, later or earlier. The trip is still in the "thinking about" stages, I haven't dived into the wealth of information on the internet that is available. The trip will probably last around two weeks.<br> <br> Since Australia is such a big country, I'm open to suggestions as to where to go. Primarily the purpose is photography but I don't want to go to places that are traditionally "scenic." I don't like cities. I want wide-open spaces with possible day trips to local areas. I like deserts and places where there's "nothing to see." There's always something to see and to photograph. I also prefer cooler temperatures which is why I'm thinking about July/August.<br> <br> Ideally, I'd like to stay for a few days (or week) in an out-of-the-way town where I could hire a local driver/guide for day trips, then possibly move to another out-of-the-way town for another few days. I don't want to try to see "everything," that's impossible. Or I could just stay in one town for a couple of weeks, it's all up in the air.<br> <br> I travel alone with my Hasselblad, a couple of lenses, tripod, film, and a small digital camera. Being rather pokey, I prefer walking slowly through the countryside, possibly returning to the same location multiple times as the light changes. Since I don't drive, I'd need to hire a driver/guide. <br> <br> Like I said, the trip is in the thinking stage right now. I don't know if my ideal Australian vacation is possible so I have a lot of work to do, a lot of websites to check, a lot of information to gather. While I'm doing that, all suggestions / advice / information welcome. Thanks. --Sally

I just returned from my weekly jaunt to Mare Island, former Naval shipyard, where I've been photographing for almost 15 years. The shipyard was closed in 1996, de-commisioned a few years later, and turned over to the City of Vallejo. Pictures of Mare Island buidlings and other industrial stuff can be seen on my website under <a href="http://www.sallymack.us/portfolio/industrial/">Industrial</a>.<br> <br> Through the years, I've been stopped by security guards and Vallejo police many times. They warn me politely about safety and homeless people, I thank them, they go their way, and I go mine.<br> <br> Today, however, the security guard informed me that people "such as yourself" are not allowed on Mare Island. He specifically commented on the camera around my neck and my bicycle. I wore a bright green biking jacket, was walking my bike along side of a road on the outside of a fence surrounding a building. I was clearly not breaking in or even entering the premises through a large hole in the chainlink fence.<br> <br> According to the security guard, cars driving through Mare Island are okay, but it's private property. The City of Vallejo is trying to "clean out" the homeless people, it's for my own safety that people "such as yourself" are not allowed on Mare Island.<br> <br> I'm writing a letter to the City Manager asking for clarification as to whom is allowed on Mare Island. Does "people such as yourself" refer specifically to photographers? Bicyclists? Women? Is it extended to painters? What about people visiting the St. Peter and Paul Chapel which houses the largest collection of Tiffany stained glass west of the Mississippi? Or people at the Nature Preserve? How about bird-watchers who keep track of the ospreys who nest on the construction cranes? What about people who work there, some of whom I've seen walking to work? Are people allowed to visit Alden Park? Wichels Park where there are picnic tables? I see people walking their dogs out at Mare Island, are they considered "people such as yourself"? What about the people meandering around, looking at the dry docks and reminiscing about when they worked on Mare Island? I'd guess that people going to the golf course are not "such as yourself." What about the group of photographers from Santa Rosa I met a few months ago who were taking a field trip to Mare Island, would they be allowed, now? There's an annual Flyway Festival in the winter, celebrating migrating birds, I guess that will be cancelled, it consists of lots of people like me roaming around, taking pictures.<br> <br> Yes, Mare Island dangerous. There are decrepit buildings, tons of rust, PCBs, asbestos, and, in some places, live ordnance out by the golf course, but the worst I've experienced is a flat tire on my bike from riding over glass.<br> <br> So, I'm going to calm down to write a letter (not e-mail) for a definition of "people such as yourself." I will send a copy of the letter to the local newspaper (Vallejo <i>Times Herald</i>). All other suggestions appreciated. Thanks. --Sally