Originally Posted by rodney@theloughroad.com
Milwaukee on the West Coast? I was thinking East Coast and the commute would be atrocious!
The only reason I bring up religion is due to a thread in the Lounge. I personally think everyone has a right to their own belief system and hopefully that's non harming. I will probably come to your opening in S.F. There are a couple of images in your Sausalito gallery that are really nice.
Welcome to the Forum, and thanks for jumping in. It is always a pleasure for us to have a well-known and successful photographer join in the discussion. There are and always will be some critical comments, but I wouldn't worry about those, since overall I think you are a great role model for many.
Since you invited questions, I'll ask something of a more personal nature.
I noticed on your bio that you have a family of 4. How were you able to conciliate photography and family life ? At the level you practice travel is certainly very demanding. Does your family come with you when you photograph ? If yes, what arrangements do you make to be able to work ? If no, is the many days away a problem ? When you are at home, how do you manage the long hours that you must put in to prepare prints and to manage the business ?
Thank you for the welcome, I’m sure it’ll end up being a mutually beneficial exchange over time. As for the negativity, that’s just part of the game isn’t it.
Not a personal question at all. I don’t mind…..Since you invited questions, I'll ask something of a more personal nature.
I noticed on your bio that you have a family of 4. How were you able to conciliate photography and family life ?
My wife and I have 4 wonderful children (not kids), one is off to college, one is a senior in HS, another a freshman and our youngest (the OPPS – oh one more!) child is in third grade.
How do I consolidate photography and family? Wonderful question and I don’t know how to answer it.
All I could say is that over the years it’s just seemed to work out alright. For the most part I am actually at home more than most Dad’s that I know. I see my children off to school every morning and when they get home off the bus in the afternoon (when I’m here of course.)
Everyone understands that when “it” is in season, it’s time for me to go off to work. I fly about once a month to one of the galleries for a visit and then back home. So I’m really not gone for that long of a stretch at any given time.
Maybe I’m just getting used to it, because it doesn’t really seem all that bad. Do you ever just get that artistic bug, you can feel it in your bones. Every now and then, I go through these cycles periodically, I HAVE to get out there. The success, and I am both humbled by it and incredibly grateful for it, affords me the luxury of just going, when I want, where I want. There are sacrifices made, for sure, but overall, over the years, it’s been very nice.At the level you practice travel is certainly very demanding.
Absolutely they do. We have a 14 year old son who is testing for his 3rd degree black belt on Saturday – he’s like a human ant. He can carry nearly 40 times his own body weight – wouldn’t you want to have him along?Does your family come with you when you photograph ? If yes, what arrangements do you make to be able to work ?
They help carry gear, film, you know stuff – however over the years we’ve gotten very good at going light weight and can stay back as long as two weeks on a single journey no problem. The longest one I’ve done so far, by myself, was almost 150 miles round trip in the Wrangell St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska – one tough wild trip, but also so much fun. By having them along it’s been great to get to ‘know’ them over the years, not only are they our children, but they are our friends as well. They are wonderful people and great backcountry companions. Heck – I think I just said I love them.
Easy. Get up really early, work your tail off, take breaks when your mind and body tell you to. It’s a pretty simple formula. Oh and have a fantastic staff of about 7/8 people helping in the studio with everything from pushing paper to shipping packages.When you are at home, how do you manage the long hours that you must put in to prepare prints and to manage the business ?
Can’t wait until cloning is legalized!
Too bad you didn't bring it; there are only a few people here who shoot LF of any kind (I shoot 4x5). There are a few nice spots on this island, although it is getting harder and harder to find any place of solitude.
Haleakala is a great spot, I've shot it mainly with 35mm, but it would also be a great spot for LF as well. I'm not a big fan of Maui however - simply too touristy. I'm off next week to the Big Island (Kona side) and plan on doing some LF of some of the ancient places and lava flows. I haven't been there for a while.
Let me know if you ever come back, I'm sure I can show you some nice places to setup your 8x10.
For example:
(this is less than 10 miles from my house)
Thank you for the reply. I can see how this can work with grown up children and staff, but there was a time when your children were smaller and your business not yet large enough to support additional employees. How would the answers to my questions differ then ?My wife and I have 4 wonderful children (not kids), one is off to college, one is a senior in HS, another a freshman and our youngest (the OPPS – oh one more!) child is in third grade.
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Oh and have a fantastic staff of about 7/8 people helping in the studio with everything from pushing paper to shipping packages.
You just answered it for me. It was smaller, there was less to do, the children were easier to take care of, it took fewer people to do it.
After all that though, there is one constant that I could not have do any of this without. My wife of nearly 24 years. She has been my rock, she has kept things going at home while I was away.
So maybe the answer is to marry a good woman who will support you in all your foolish endeavors.
I went to Penn State as well. Imagine my surprise when I got to Portland and found both a Happy Valley, and a PSU. I'm wondering just how mant people on this site are from PDX. I bought a lens from a man from Gresham that I found here. Is there any interest in forming a group? Say, one that shares ideas, techniques, and maybe visits some of the exotic locations and / or physiques of the area?Hi Rodney, welcome.
Happy Valley = State College? I did my doctorate at Penn State.
Oh I just saw the post above and Oregon near your avatar; I guess there is another "Happy Valley"but that really is what State College, PA is called by most people.
--Gary
Gary,
The other night I got an invite to meet up with Kirk and a few other LF guys over dinner. It was very pleasant and they seem like a very nice group of fellows, with varied backgrounds. They meet once a month for dinner, show off prints and talk about life and photography, and I'm sure that Kirk would be happy to pass along the particulars if you'd like to attend. I think you'd enjoy it, I did.
I've brought my ultralight 8x10" Gowland to Hawai'i, and in many locations, it was more like a box-kite than a camera, and I always had to be sure to anchor the tripod to my camera bag or something heavy, and often had to hold out my darkcloth as a windbreak during the exposure. Now I usually travel with my sturdy 4x5" Technika.
8x10" and larger are more of an option, if you live there or have a long enough stay that you can take advantage of mild wind conditions when the light is also good. It looks like we'll be spending an extended period in Hawai'i in the near future, so I'm hoping to make more larger negs myself for what seems to be turning into a Hawai'ian portfolio.
You can always mount a Copal 3 counterweight to the front standard
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