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Archive | February, 2010

Taking off…

By on February 28, 2010 in Uncategorized

I leave town for the next leg of the Great Adventure on Tuesday, a countable set of hours from now.  I am excited to be going, and very nervous.  I suppose I could look at these three classes as ‘workshops’ but they are really college courses that I will be attending with other students, many of whom will be a good deal younger than I.  I hope that I am not the eldest, but if I am I will try not to be the “weird old guy” and just be a student.

My backpack and camera bag are both packed.  Yesterday I took all the clothes out of the pack and re-evaluated my belongings.  I made a couple of changes and then threw everything in the wash.  Then I dried and folded it all again and re-packed.  All set.  The only thing I have left to do is go to the bank tomorrow and take out some traveling cash.  I’ll use my ATM card most of the time, but having some hard currency is always handy.

I went to the doctor on Friday and had a full physical.  I’m looking pretty good and I should have no problems while I am away.  My innards are working alright as is my noggin.  I will probably be eating more fish and veggies  and also hiking/walking a lot, so I’ll probably shed some weight–no great loss.  I could drop 7-8 pounds and not worry too much.

I am taking 5 rolls of Kodak 100ISO with me.  I can buy more there (probably Ilford), but I would like to have some with me when I arrive in Athens.  I’ll buy more the next day.  I have checked the situations with labor issues due to the economy and all seems to be working alright with few, if any, disruptions. What were reported here in the US last week as “massive strikes” were, according to all my friends in Athens little more than “worker’s holidays”, a common affair in places like Greece, Italy and the Balkans and nothing to worry about.

So now I just sit around and wait…

JDCM

One week and I’m off…

By on February 23, 2010 in Uncategorized

I am beginning to feel the tug and draw of the traveling jones.  I fly from JFK next Tuesday, non-stop to Athens and my next great adventure.  I have been reading a lot of photographic philosophy on the Webb’s photo blog and this is all good food for thought.  Things I need to remember–the sudden flow of geometry, the instance of emotional capture in the viewfinder and a need for patience.  I need to wait and see what happens.  I need to relax.  I am pretty hyper.  There has been a lot on my mind lately that does not feel so good, mostly to do with family and their emotions.  Nothing I can do about that except step back and let things happen.

I would like to have at least three new prints to add to the portfolio I am bringing with me.  I have been taking pictures of the interior of my home–bureaus, mantles, doors, windows, clocks…all very intimate and full of humanity.  If I can glean something from them, I will be happy.  Then I can finish packing on Monday night and go to sleep knowing that all is taken care of and well in hand during my absence.

I purchased another digital camera.  I decided to bring my 50D with me so I needed a smaller digital point-and-shoot for street work.  I chose the Canon G11.  It’s a great compliment to the Voigtlander, I feel.  I like that I can shoot in full manual and adjust my shutter and aperture like the Rebel.  I can also adjust the film speed from 80 to 3200ISO.  It fits in the palm of my hand.  Lovely, and not too dear.

More to come…canon_g11_front1JDCM

15 days to go…and packing…

By on February 14, 2010 in Uncategorized

I’ll be back in Greece in just over two weeks, providing the river don’t rise and the airports don’t close.  I have begun to pack, if only to feel my way for this trip, which has some additions to my backpack.  I have some bulky stuff I am bringing, mostly art supplies.  I have not traveled as much in colder weather, even though the high temperature in Athens is currently 65*F.  I am bringing a couple of fleeces and some long-sleeved shirts, which all add to the bulk.  I also have a box of 8.5×11 Hahnemuhle printer paper that is in there, as well as my portfolio.  I have packed my small camera bag, stuffed with vine charcoal, pencils, and so forth for the drawing class.  It’s easier to get that stuff here than in Athens apparently. I will buy film there…Ilford is pretty easy to find.  My camera bag is all set as well.  It has all the electronic stuff I’ll bring and I will be carrying that on the plane.  My only regret is that the bag looks too new…maybe I can wash it so it fades some…that would be good.

JDCM

Greek update…

By on February 3, 2010 in Uncategorized

It is February, the month of my birth, as well as my father.  His birthday is today and he is 82.  I am heading into NYC tomorrow for lunch with him and two of my half-cousins from my grandfather’s first marriage.  They are very nice and we all get along just fine.  I am taking MetroNorth from Wassaic which puts me in to Grand Central.  Then I’ll walk uptown to the restaurant on Broadway and 105th.  Quite a hike, but I can take pictures along the way.  Maybe I’ll get two rolls done but three would be very cool indeed.  I could use some more urban images fro the portfolio.

In regards to that, and Greece, if the river don’t rise I’ll be flying off to Athens in 29 days.  I am very excited and have begun to do some test-packing.  I packed my camera bag once and will do so again until I get the optimal set-up.  I am taking my Canon 50D and the two L-series lenses I have for it.  I am also taking my Voigtlander with the 35mm lens I bought with it and a new 21mm lens that is arriving today.  A light meter, some lead film bags, batteries, etc…all round out the gear.  There is plenty of room for my notebook, documents, a book, pens and pencils, and some other odds-and-ends.  I’ll re-pack the night before I leave, I am sure.

I am going to buy a small refrigerator for my darkroom. This way I can put all my chemistry, paper and film away safely before I leave.  I have looked on-line and I can get a good one for less than $300 new from Lowes.  I can also get one locally from Campbell and Keeler in Millerton for a little more and support a local business.  I think I will do that.  Maybe even today!

Below is a new image.  I used Efke (ADOX) CHS 100 with my Voigtlander R4M.  For printing I used Edwal Platinum II for the soup on Fotokemika paper at f/16 for about 3 1/2 minutes.

rhinecliff-station-2