View Camera conference

[Kirk Gittings]

Though I spent most of my time filling in for Steve (as did Ted Harris and Michael Mutmansky, Steve was unable to travel because of emergency eye surgery), what I did manage to get to was very useful and informative, Cone's representative, Michael Collette/Betterlight, the keynote speakers, Jet Lowe, Kerry Thalman on backpacking, Peter LeGrande on the figure, Alan Labb opn inkjet etc. There were many others that I wanted to get to but could not because they conflicted with my own presentations, but I heard they were great, Gordon Hutchins/Alan Ross, Hutchins/Sullivan on pyro, Ted Harris and Michael Mutmansky on scanning, etc. All went very well except for Liverpool refugy, Mike Walker, who was flooded out of his room and couldn't find the soccer games he wanted on the cable channels. The lack of portfolio reviews, I think was an oversight that should be reinstated, but overall it seemed first rate.

There are many people who I only see there every year and it is always great to see old friends in the business and catch up.


I am still in favour of Louisville. It was clear to me after some in depth discussions with Paul Palleti at the conference that his committment to the event and his connections in the Louisville art community will make for a memorable conference.

[Tom Westbrook]

I just got back home, so here are some random comments on the parts I participated in.

I think it went quite well. Ted Harris and Kirk Gittings (and maybe others) are probably worn out since they had to run the thing. Steve Simmons couldn't attend. Rockford has some nice urban decay, old factories and interesting old architecture that proved to be nice to photograph in the off hours. The seminars that I attended were uniformly informative and the presenters were all well prepared. I wish that a better sound system had been available so you could hear some of them better. The hotel was adequate--their wireless network didn't relaly work in the room I was in, so I had to schlep my laptop closer to the front desk to be able to use it--annoying. The trade show was great with a nice selection of vendors. It was good to meet various people that I hadn't before. Kirk Gittings and George Lambros presentation on architectural photography was very informative--their approaches are quite different but both had some really beautiful images to show. Kerry Thallman brought his spanking new custom built 7x17 for show and tell--it was a beautiful thing to behold. He actually intends to backpack the thing, which I find completely insane, but I'm sure he'll figure out how to do it if anyone can. His backpacking with LF presentation was also very good. There were a number of digital seminars, but probably still more traditionally oriented ones. One theme I noted in a few of the seminars was the observations about archiving digital images and the problems still to be worked out. I particularly enjoyed Gordon Hutchings beginners quickie course on lenses. The Better Light presentation on their scanning back was nicely done, and didn't shy away from discussing the shortcomings of a scanning back (motion in the subject can have some surprising effects in the image!). One really interesting talk was by Jack Boucher, a photographer with Park Service's HABS project, who showed some really cool images, including some of Kalaupapa the leprosy quarantine site in Molokai, Hawaii. He said that while they didn't have money any longer to farm work out to photographers, you can go to your state or local historical preservation agency to see if you can get work from them. Probably the most surprising session was the final one where Fuji, Bergger, Kodak and Ilford (in that order) sat at the same table and echoed the same thing: use film or lose it, use your favorite lab or see it disappear or quit processing film. All those guys agreed that film would be around as long as we kept using it. They were seeing declines, but not as bad as had been expected, so there is a bit of good news there.

All in all, it was worth the fee and the gas to get there. I really appreciate that it was relatively close to home so I could justify going. I might actually go to the next one.

Has a trip report from the most recent LF Conference been posted yet?

I'm curious to hear how it went.

[Joseph Kayne]

I had a good time for the short period that I was at the conference. All the participants in my presentation on Photographing the Midwest Landscape were egaging and a tribute to the large format arena. Good image making to all!

Thanks.

Joe Kayne
www.josephkaynephoto.com

[Mary Yates]

To those of you who don't like Louisville - You obviously haven't been here in awhile. Louisville rocks! We've got a wealth of artists, musicians and other cultural fascinations. Ok, so the humidity is bad in the summer - turn on your ac and have a Mint Julip!

[Mark Carney]

What Mary Says!
1 Hour away from Louisville is the heart of the world's horse industry. Well worth a daytrip over. A bit over from that is the Red River Gorge, a fantastic place for a more rustic time. It's know the world over for it's climbing.

Besides, with my schedule, there is almost no way I could get to any other location.

Mark

[Diane Maher]

I had a blast while I was there. I got to meet and put faces to so many names including Kirk Giddings, Michael Mutmansky, Keith Canham, Tom Westbrook, Jim Andracki, Kerry Thalmann (only at a distance, I didn't actually get to speak to you), and many others. I took both the wet plate and the portraiture/figure workshops and got to meet some new people. I even managed to run into some LF shooters from St. Louis, one of whom works in the building across the street from where I do! The other one shoots 12x20.

It was delightful to be around so many people who shoot LF and the trade show was like a candy shop (okay, an expensive candy shop ), but well worth the trip to see everything in person. You can only get so much from an image on a computer screen. I thought the trip to Rockford was well worth it.

[schvetybetty]

Louisville's Fine Art scene is getting tastier and tastier by the minute. There is amazing cuisine (yes, I said cuisine) by local talent, music to suit everyone. Downtown suprises me every time I'm there because there are people walking around everywhere shopping, eating, touristing, you name it. 20 minutes in any direction and you can be in the woods, you can see rolling hills of farmland. You can drive a little while to Bourbon County and sample the goods. I moved here in 1994 from LA, and although I'm originally from the South (Charlotte), Louisville's version of South is weird. And I mean that in the most complimentary way. It's so weird that I stayed. I don't usually stick around anywhere for long, but this place keeps me interested. It's not too big, not too small. I love it here, and the View Camera Conference-goers will find plenty to love, too.

[John Flavell]

Louisville is a great place for a conference. The National Press Photographers Association has held several seminars there. Great food. The best BOURBON. Fine airport. The best hourse racing, if the seaon is on. Also, many great places to make pictures. If we have a conference there, I'm in.

[jshanesy]

The best BOURBON. Fine airport. The best hourse racing, if the seaon is on.

I'll take Belmont or Saratoga over any track in Kentucky.

But you're definitely right about the bourbon, and the best ones aren't available outside the state. (Having said that, I should also state that they're also not available for more than about a week after being released every year. They get bought up the instant the bottles hit the shelves. But I'm sure Paul will be willing to pull the cork on some of his small batch bourbon collection as a further inducement to a Bluegrass Large Format Conference.)

[steve simmons]

As is probably known I was not able to attend my own party. I had a retina repair on my left eye the Friday before the conferecne and I was told not to get on an airplane. The worst part about missing the party was that my frriend Susan Goldman, who is a food photogrpaher and spoke Friday evening. told me I missed the most amazing game of volleyball on horseback Thursday evening

I do want to thank Andrea Miles, my office manager, for doing such a great job. I talked her into going three weeks before the conference because I wanted her help and then 5 days before we would have left I had to cancel. I have to admit that she looked at me a little askance when I told her I couild not go. Ted Harris also took over in my absence as did Michale Mutmansky, Kirk Gittings, Kerry Thalmann and many more I am sure and we all owe them a big thanks. 95& of what I've heard was complimentary and they should get the credit.

steve simmons