August 20th Dallas / Fort Worth LF outing

[msk2193]

On Saturday, August 20 we will head east to meet Ty Guillory out on his ranch in Mineola.

Ty is one of only two craftsmen still making wet plate cameras.

Although there will not be time to see him mix the chemicals and prepare the plates, we will see how the camera is used to capture a couple of images and how the plates are then developed and varnished.

Once the demo is done and we have spent time in the workshop learning about the wet plate camera, we will enjoy burgers and hot dogs and then have an opportunity to photograph on Ty's 25 acre property.

Ty would love some of us to photograph his family on Large Format as this has never been done before. Consider this our contribution to a fun-filled outing.

Ty's cameras are historically correct, built from plans from the George Eastman House Museum of Photography. Many of us saw the special on PBS a few months ago about Ty and his studio.

Mineola is about 2-1/4 hours east of Fort Worth, 1-1/2 hours from Dallas on US 80.

We are limited to 12 photographers due to the size of the studio where Ty builds his cameras. Please RSVP by e-mailing me directly at: michael@kan.com.

As soon as we reach 12 participants, I will place additional names on a waiting list in case there are any cancellations. Again, RSVP only through e-mail not by posting on this thread! Directions (and caravan point of departure for those who want to ride in a group) will be e-mailed to you closer to August 20th.

Here are some great links that JB Harlin found of photographer Luther Garlach using wet plate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JuuCDXR6-I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-d89SSKedA&feature=player_embedded


Two more gatherings are in the planning stage - stay tuned.

For our Pilot Point, July 30th get-together see this page:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=76413

[J.B. Harlin]

Looking forward to this one Michael. . . I want to see his wood working shop and I am very curious about wet plate. . . this will be fun!!!

[msk2193]

JB, you guys aren't the only ones looking forward to this!
Nine of the spots have been reserved in this short time!

[Jeremy Moore]

Ty is one of only two craftsmen still making wet plate cameras.

Very cool, I'm in if I can be. Maybe I can demo wet plate for you guys before we go out if I get around to mixing up chems.

I am curious about this, though:


Ty is one of only two craftsmen still making wet plate cameras.

I can think of 3 off of the top of my head (in addition to Ty).

[msk2193]

Jeremy,

These were not Ty's words, they were grabbed from some site. Could be he is one of two who build to the old designs?
In any case, he's the only one I know to host us in the Dallas area!!!!

[8x20_Pano_Shooter]

Jeremy,

These were not Ty's words, they were grabbed from some site. Could be he is one of two who build to the old designs?
In any case, he's the only one I know to host us in the Dallas area!!!!
. . .and we appreciate him doing this!!!

[Jeremy Moore]

Oh, I didn't think Ty said that based on everything I've read related to him and his cameras - sounds like PR speak :)

[msk2193]

Maybe I can demo wet plate for you guys before we go out if I get around to mixing up chems.


That would be cool!

[Barry Young]

Hello Texans:

I will be visiting my children in Texas from 8-18 to 8-20. I have RSVP'd and hopefully there is room for a yankee among you.

For those of you who do not know me, I am a camera maker like many of you. For the last twenty plus years, I have been educating myself on how to manufacture ULF and panoramic photo equipment from raw materials. Eventually, the plan is that some of the things I am making will be for sale. Currently (and for too many years) I am building a 7x17 wooden field camera. This sounds like a pretty easy thing to do, unless like me, you decide to start by becoming a machinist. Making photo gear was definitely on my mind when I chose to go to school for four years to become a Journeman Machinist. Then, it takes longer still if you design and build your own CNC milling machine just to make camera parts. Starting from scratch, building a wood and metal working shop on a tight budget also takes time. A couple of years went by trying to make film holders which are light tight. I now have 18 finished film holders except for a truly light tight, not light resistant, light trap. Life has happened a lot. Now I am in the right place at the right time with the right technology to make something happen.

Some of you may have heard of my books. I wrote Modern Bellowsmaking and 8X10 Camera Plans while babysitting a huge 4 axis CNC horizontal milling machine making the forged titanium aft booms and side of bodies for the F22 fighter jet.

Now I teach the Machinist program at Bates Technical College here in Tacoma Washington.

Hopefully there is room for me at your meeting since I would really like to meet others who build cameras.

Barry Young
Tacoma, WA

[8x20_Pano_Shooter]

Hello Texans:

I will be visiting my children in Texas from 8-18 to 8-20. I have RSVP'd and hopefully there is room for a yankee among you.

For those of you who do not know me, I am a camera maker like many of you. For the last twenty plus years, I have been educating myself on how to manufacture ULF and panoramic photo equipment from raw materials. Eventually, the plan is that some of the things I am making will be for sale. Currently (and for too many years) I am building a 7x17 wooden field camera. This sounds like a pretty easy thing to do, unless like me, you decide to start by becoming a machinist. Making photo gear was definitely on my mind when I chose to go to school for four years to become a Journeman Machinist. Then, it takes longer still if you design and build your own CNC milling machine just to make camera parts. Starting from scratch, building a wood and metal working shop on a tight budget also takes time. A couple of years went by trying to make film holders which are light tight. I now have 18 finished film holders except for a truly light tight, not light resistant, light trap. Life has happened a lot. Now I am in the right place at the right time with the right technology to make something happen.

Some of you may have heard of my books. I wrote Modern Bellowsmaking and 8X10 Camera Plans while babysitting a huge 4 axis CNC horizontal milling machine making the forged titanium aft booms and side of bodies for the F22 fighter jet.

Now I teach the Machinist program at Bates Technical College here in Tacoma Washington.

Hopefully there is room for me at your meeting since I would really like to meet others who build cameras.

Barry Young
Tacoma, WA

What part of Texas are you coming too?

[msk2193]

Barry, I have not received an e-mail from you to register. You are more than welcoem to join us. Except for one in the party we are not camera builders; just going to visit one!!
Please e-mail me so I can add your address to the list. I will communicate through e-mail so not to bore the whole forum with the details of the meet-up.

[Barry Young]

Hi Susan:

My kids live in Plano. I will be staying near Dallas Fort Worth International Airport about an hour and a half from Mineola.

[Barry Young]

Hi Michael: Email is on its way. Thank you. I am also looking forward to seeing some other large camera users. There aren't many up here in the frozen white wasteland. I will try to bring what I have done on the 7x17 I am building.

Thank you very much.

[J.B. Harlin]

Looking forward to meeting you Barry. . . this should be an interesting and fun outing. . .

[Mike Castles]

Barry, nice to hear you will be in town for this. I can't make it, but hope to hear many good things from everyone.

Are you still making the filmholders, Barry?

[Barry Young]

Looking forward to meeting you Barry. . . this should be an interesting and fun outing. . .

I am also looking forward to meeting you J.B. I have been an admirer of your verticals for a long time.

[Barry Young]

Are you still making the filmholders, Barry?

Hi Mike:
That is the problem, I am STILL making them. They should have been done years ago, but life got in the way. A lot.

Perhaps someday they will be finished. The next batch will go much much faster.

[msk2193]

We have reached the ideal count for attendees at this point.
Any further interested members will go on the waiitng list and will be notified in case another person has to cancel their "reservation".

When e-mailing me, please put "Ty Guillory" in the subject header. This will force an automatic forward to JB Harlin who will keep the headcount going in my absence through te end of July.

[Ty G]

Hello,

Man, I am excited about the trip out here to the house & shop. The response is humbling; as I don't see myself as very exciting nor entertaining.

Feel free to bring along any cameras, LF or digital. I live in the "boonies" and I have a cool little building that is neat to take images by. I can drag out a few other things that may be "still-life" worthy. This trip may a nice time for you guys to swap out images of each other posing with your LF cameras; since it's a bit hard to take a picture of you and your camera by yourself....I know at least half of us have tried; using a mirror and looking like a big "goober" to your neighbor watching over the fence. Just a thought.

I'm guessing a few of you have seen the Texas C. Reporter thing. But, there is a super super cool video that the Longview News Journal did along with write-up a while back. It might be neat to watch. It shows our place here and the shop really good. I dare-say, it might be better than the TCR one. I love it because it shows my 3 year-old on the drill press. This is the link to the article; scroll down a bit and on the left side is the video thing. http://www.news-journal.com/features/local/article_1a9b59b7-e696-5a15-82fb-12b5c3d601e4.html If any of you "tech. guys" know how to burn that to a DVD, I would love to get a copy.

I want to draw attention to the guy who did the write-up. He lives here and works for the local paper, but does AP stuff and has been out here numerous times for various papers. He is a semi-retired AP photojournalist who is simply an awesome sports photog. Originally using a speed graph. He was nominated for the Pulitzer for the shot of Jack N.'s winning shot at the masters (golf). I love it when he comes over; I bug him about jobs he has done. He did a messload of superbowls (14) starting with the first one, a few olympics, he's credited as being the first guy to use tele lens at pro basketball. For kicks, check out his little site on local things in east Texas; it also gives a good bio of him http://www.easttexasreflections.com/ If you shoot him a note, tell him I sent you. Our little Mineola paper has the best sports shots of any newspaper I've seen.

When Michael gets back from hopping around airport terminals and riding zebras, I'll send him the directions that he can forward to the attending. I'll actually be out of state the last week of July into early Aug. Heading to Virginia to learn a little more on woodworking. Life has taken me into building early Am Period furniture. I am going to do some extra learning from a guy who actually has stuff in the White House.

Anyway, just figured I'd drop in. I didn't think I would end up dictating a thesis. Need to get some sleep and head back into the shop in the morn. I've got three cameras that need to get done.

Ty

[J.B. Harlin]

Hello Ty,

We are really looking forward to meeting you and seeing your cameras, shop and photos. Susan and I will be bringing a couple of ULF cameras. This should be a fun gathering for everyone.

JB

[msk2193]

Hello,


When Michael gets back from hopping around airport terminals and riding zebras,

:D :D :eek: :D

[msk2193]

Good morning all,

This event is a few weeks off, but I want to make sure we still have everyone who e-mailed me on board. At this point the event is "sold out", but if there are any cancellations we can add others.

[J.B. Harlin]

This should be a fun and educational gathering. Looking forward to seeing everyone in east Texas! Don't forget to bring your camera and a few of your photos to show.

[Barry Young]

I am very excited about this meet. My first with a group of phogs from other states. Sadly, all I will be able to bring is photos of my workshop. This despite the fact that I am terrified to show this group any of my photos.

A couple more years and the cameras will finally be ready.

[J.B. Harlin]

We do not bite Barry. . . no need to be traumatized by any of us. Your art is your art and we do not judge anyone. We bring photos to show each other what we do. . . this is not a contest and we do not award ribbons. We get together to talk shop and have fun. . . and we are known to have a lot of fun!

Looking forward to meeting you!

[sdenman]

Barry, Saturday I went out with this group. I had no earthly idea what I was doing. It was the first time I had used a LF camera. I had four of them that did not even make photographs so that they could help me.
Yes there are some amazing photographers in this group but there are not any egos.

[Barry Young]

We do not bite Barry. . . no need to be traumatized by any of us. Your art is your art and we do not judge anyone. We bring photos to show each other what we do. . . this is not a contest and we do not award ribbons. We get together to talk shop and have fun. . . and we are known to have a lot of fun!

Looking forward to meeting you!

But I was SO looking forward to a ribbon.

My friend and great photographer Ben Hopson told me that he wished he were going on this trip. If Ben wanted to go, then this must be a good group.

I will bring photos of my shop and the foundry I am building.

Thanks for the reply.

[Barry Young]

Yes there are some amazing photographers in this group but there are not any egos.

Thank you for the report. I really am looking forward to this trip.

[msk2193]

Barry, don't let JB kid you.... Susan bites!
:D :D :eek:
Just kidding, we just love to have fun together -- and eat!

The only fee we will have for you is to bring some of that weather down with you. We're at 33 days over 100 degrees with humidity.

[Barry Young]

The only fee we will have for you is to bring some of that weather down with you. We're at 33 days over 100 degrees with humidity.

I wish I could bring it with me. I detest hot weather. It is supposed to get a totally unreasonable 80 here today and that is WAY too hot for me. Photo chemistry, precision measuring laboratories, and Barry are all best at 68 degrees.

Barry

[J.B. Harlin]

I wish I could bring it with me. I detest hot weather. It is supposed to get a totally unreasonable 80 here today and that is WAY too hot for me. Photo chemistry, precision measuring laboratories, and Barry are all best at 68 degrees.

Barry

At 10:28 am it was 100.6F. . . now at 2:09 pm it is 107.4F. . . I measured the cold water faucet yesterday in the darkroom and it was 91F, instant bath water. . . I agree, 80 is way to hot for humans to survive. ..

[Ty G]

Has all attending been forwarded directions? I emailed directions, etc to Michael to send out a couple weeks ago. Tomorrow (Sat), I've got to japan some plates so we'll have something to shoot on.

What do you guys estimate as an arrival time?

I surely hope this proves to be a worth-while trip for you all. I don't really have a "lesson plan" or anything. I am not the best impromptu speaker either. So, please come with plenty of questions and conversation. Any woodworking conversation is welcome as well. We'll shoot a few images, hopefully getting good ones. I have my own camera and a 5x7 here along with some images and of course, my shop. Oh, and a miniature highboy I've started out of curly maple.

I am a bit worried about the trip being "dull" to some. I truly want everyone to leave feeling it was a 2 hour drive worth taking. I am excited about meeting people and hearing about what other people do.

[J.B. Harlin]

Do not worry Ty. . . there is nothing 'dull' about this group, we always have a good time when we get together to talk photography! We are all very much looking forward to meeting you, seeing your work, your cameras, and hearing about what you do. I have never seen the wet plate process in person, though I have seen the images, and I know this will be extremely interesting. I will see Michael today and I will be sure to remind him to contact you so you two can work out the final details.

Again, we are all very excited about this gathering. . . this is going to be great!

[Barry Young]

At 10:28 am it was 100.6F. . . now at 2:09 pm it is 107.4F. . . I measured the cold water faucet yesterday in the darkroom and it was 91F, instant bath water. . . I agree, 80 is way to hot for humans to survive. ..

Sorry J.B., I should not have complained about the weather, I know you are experiencing record highs right now. So if I cannot bring cool weather, is there something else that would be appropriate? I was thinking one of the film holders I make.

[Barry Young]

Has all attending been forwarded directions? I emailed directions, etc to Michael to send out a couple weeks ago.

Hello Ty:

If I was emailed directions, I no longer have them.

Thanks for asking before I had to.

[msk2193]

Everyone will be mailed directions, etc. the week before we head east. I have experience with too many people losing things this far out!!!

[msk2193]

Good evening all,

We have two spots opened up due to cancellations. If you are itnerested in this outing, please let me know by emailing me directly at michael@kan.com.
I will send you directions etc.

[J.B. Harlin]

ROAD TRIP! Is everyone ready for this weekend?

[msk2193]

All, I just had one spot open up, if anyone else is interested ,please let me know

[Barry Young]

Ready, received the instructions (Thank you Michael) and will see you folks on Saturday if the GPS steers me in the right direction for a change. The only fear is the heat. 105 or so is way more heat than I am used to. Hope I don't have a stroke. My wife would be pissed.

Barry

[msk2193]

Barry, we will only reach a cool 102 on Saturday! Not to worry, at 102 no cooking of internal body parts will occur! Now if we reach 103, then..... :eek:

[8x20_Pano_Shooter]

Just bring plenty of water to drink. . .Looking forward to it!

[J.B. Harlin]

They have those little chemical hand warmers. . . do they have hand coolers????

[Mike Castles]

They have those little chemical hand warmers. . . do they have hand coolers????

not quite the same, but they do have those neck wraps that you drop in the ice chest and then they swell up and help keep you cool. Susan has it though start to hydrate now, and keep drinking lots of water (no soft drinks or coffee) you will be fine. Sorry to miss you Barry, hope everyone has a great time (Mike who had more oral surgery today...ugh)

[J.B. Harlin]

Hope you have a speedy recovery Mike! Just wish it were a little cooler.

[msk2193]

Not only am I looking forward to the visit with Ty, now I am looking forward to coming home with a 5x7 half-plate camera which I will not be using until after I attend a weekend seminar with Wil Dunniway (http://www.dunniway.com/)in California.

[Mike Castles]

Thanks, JB - just one of those things! Cooler and a little rain on my wish list too!

+1 Michael, congratualation on the new camera.

[J.B. Harlin]

Tomorrow is the day everyone. . . up early and off to east Texas. . . hope to see everyone there!

[8x20_Pano_Shooter]

Tomorrow is the day everyone. . . up early and off to east Texas. . . hope to see everyone there!

. . .Have we left yet?????

[msk2193]

Early? Come'on JB. There is plenty of time to sleep in. You don't have to leave until after 7. I'll have been up for at least a couple of hours by then ;-)

[8x20_Pano_Shooter]

Early? Come'on JB. There is plenty of time to sleep in. You don't have to leave until after 7. I'll have been up for at least a couple of hours by then ;-)

On Saturdays. . .anything before 8 o'clock is considered early. . .

[wfrascher]

Daylight is burning, so I guess it is time to leave. A big orange ball just cleared the trees. :-)

[J.B. Harlin]

This was fun today everyone! Just need to drop 50 degrees out of that temperature.

[msk2193]

Ty,

Thank you for your and Tina's wonderful hospitality yesterday.
Your worries about not being a great teacher proved to be wrong!
I think we all learned quite a bit about the wet plate process and had a ton of fun on top of that.
Again, thank you very much for a great day.

[RmFrase]

Ty,

I'd also like to thank you and Tina's for having all of us over at your place, and for taking time to show us your craft. For me, it definately had the "Wow" factor.

Thank you again!
-Robert

[Barry Young]

The meet was fantastic. Thank you Ty and Tina for hosting this event. Seeing JB and Susan Harlan's photographs alone would have been worth the trip. The opportunity to see the craftsmanship in Both Ty and JB's camera making was also worth the trip by itself. The best part though was meeting all of you. I am so sorry I had to arrive late and leave early but my kids come first and my daughter needed a car because she will be commuting to UT starting next week and with the goofy car lot laws in Texas I only had a couple of hours to do what should have taken a week. Also, the heat was really bothering me. It is 63 here this morning and I again feel normal. I would have enjoyed a whole day with all of you.

I was amazed at the quality of joinery that Ty has been able to achieve. Next time you look at one of Mr. Guillory's cameras, take a peek at where the frame members join. There are absolutely no voids, out of square conditions, gaps, gouges, dents or anything beside square, tight fitting and accurate hairline glue joints. And I saw zero evidence of filler of any kind. This is truly world class woodworking. Being a serious woodworker, the first thing I look at is the joinery. I have seen work from many famous woodworkers including Duncan Phyfe, Sam Maloof, Roy Underhill and many others. None were superior to what I saw in Ty's joinery on Saturday. Mine certainly is not even close.

Susan, your vision is incredible. I was moved over and over again as we looked through your photographs. Same with JB. You are both a national treasure. Thank you for bringing your albums. I am ordering the stuff to start making Pyrocatechol developers next week. The beautiful tonal range you two have attained is something I aspire to. And such blacks! I swore up and down for decades that there was no reason to ever switch from D76 and Dektol which I mix from bulk chemicals, but by the third of Susan's prints I knew that was all over.

Thank you for allowing me to visit your group.

[Ty G]

Thanks all for the kind words and emails since the meet. I'm glad all had a good time. It was a blast meeting and visiting with everyone. Kyle had a blast as well. And, yes those images that JB & Susan brought were amazing.

Mike, hey nice avatar !

[msk2193]

Ty,
Nice camera!!!!

[J.B. Harlin]

Barry, thanks for the nice comments. . . now I have to live up to all of those kind words! It was a pleasure meeting you.

Did you get a new camera Michael????

Ty, you should have a package in your mailbox Wednesday or Thursday. Sorry for the mix up there.

[Bob McCarthy]

It was a good time for everybody. You can tell it is hot when a native texan/floridian turns white as a sheet and damn near goes into a heat stroke. Little scary.

Ty, I really want to express my appreciation to you and your family for your hospitality and for me a wealth of new information. This was the first time I've been exposed to the older processes. JB even caught me taking a swig of silver nitrate. I swear he even has a picture.

thanks again,

bob mccarthy

[8x20_Pano_Shooter]

The meet was fantastic. Thank you Ty and Tina for hosting this event. Seeing JB and Susan Harlan's photographs alone would have been worth the trip. The opportunity to see the craftsmanship in Both Ty and JB's camera making was also worth the trip by itself. The best part though was meeting all of you. I am so sorry I had to arrive late and leave early but my kids come first and my daughter needed a car because she will be commuting to UT starting next week and with the goofy car lot laws in Texas I only had a couple of hours to do what should have taken a week. Also, the heat was really bothering me. It is 63 here this morning and I again feel normal. I would have enjoyed a whole day with all of you.

I was amazed at the quality of joinery that Ty has been able to achieve. Next time you look at one of Mr. Guillory's cameras, take a peek at where the frame members join. There are absolutely no voids, out of square conditions, gaps, gouges, dents or anything beside square, tight fitting and accurate hairline glue joints. And I saw zero evidence of filler of any kind. This is truly world class woodworking. Being a serious woodworker, the first thing I look at is the joinery. I have seen work from many famous woodworkers including Duncan Phyfe, Sam Maloof, Roy Underhill and many others. None were superior to what I saw in Ty's joinery on Saturday. Mine certainly is not even close.

Susan, your vision is incredible. I was moved over and over again as we looked through your photographs. Same with JB. You are both a national treasure. Thank you for bringing your albums. I am ordering the stuff to start making Pyrocatechol developers next week. The beautiful tonal range you two have attained is something I aspire to. And such blacks! I swore up and down for decades that there was no reason to ever switch from D76 and Dektol which I mix from bulk chemicals, but by the third of Susan's prints I knew that was all over.

Thank you for allowing me to visit your group.

Barry, it was a pleasure meeting you. Glad you could make it. Bummer the weather didn't cooperate. Maybe you can come back sometime when it is cooler. I appreciate your kind words. I always enjoying sharing my photographs with anyone that I can corner. :)

[8x20_Pano_Shooter]

Thanks all for the kind words and emails since the meet. I'm glad all had a good time. It was a blast meeting and visiting with everyone. Kyle had a blast as well. And, yes those images that JB & Susan brought were amazing.

Mike, hey nice avatar !

Ty, thanks for providing us with an opportunity to meet you and your family and see your work. And thanks for the kind words.