Ed K.
4-Aug-2006, 16:34
We interrupt your favorite channel to urge you to do more of what you love, and do it now!
Alas, another lab, A.I.M. Pasadena bit the dust last month. They did black and white plus E6. No word of rats leaving the ship or anything like that. This seems to be the case with most operations going away - we just get the bad news, after the fact.
And sure, film is around to last 5 years more if they stopped making it today, provided someone pays the fridge bill. But whoa, I never thought that the labs would eat it so quickly.
While certainly, a few LF E6 shooters, making an exposure or two every three months won't make up for the trends of the time, if we all get out there and shoot more, or stay home and shoot, perhaps there will still be some labs that will find it worthwhile to develop color. It's true, one can do E6 at home ( but how long will those kits be around, eh? ), however a good lab does a good job. Perhaps we should as a group consider consolidating some lab services to ensure adequate cost benefit to keep a good line going somewhere?
If you've had your cameras idle for more than a month, get out and shoot some more! If you spend more time on this forum than you do shooting or making prints, or whatever - how about taking 1/5th of that time to capture more images? Been really into B&W lately? When was the last time you made a totaly juicey, E6 masterpiece to oogle over with your loupe?
How about an E6 LF shoot out? We could suggest a set of say, 7 themes, or to keep it simple, a very simple set of option themes, subject to the interpretation and expression of the LF user, who could use any LF camera they wish. How about a set of 7 colors, not nec. the primaries either, but nice to include them? A sort of "Iron Chef" shoot out, where the theme ingredient must be featured, yet it is okay to include other ingredients in harmony or contrast? ( fine with me if you include Uni too, but watch out on that squid! ). Hmmm, I've got two boxes of Fuji 64T Readyload 4x5, fresh enough, to pitch into the pot. Maybe we could have a donated set of prizes, from say 3rd to 100th place with no prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and a special prize for second to last place?
I'm headed up to the desert to take in big sky, deep earth, and gentle meditation plus a bit of Americana this weekend - that's going to zap a couple boxes of 8x10 color for sure, as well as put a small dent in the trusty Efke supply. And while I'm at it, What are YOU gonna do, sit here on this board and wax philosophical about the good ol' days - or make some good new days right now?
And shoot some color too! Ahhhh, that rich, juicey, razor sharp, fine grained image with the marvelous pop to it no digicam knows. Instead of blobs where there should be trees, lovely leaves.... or instead of pixels, smooth out of focus areas, or even marvelous bokeh for those with barrel repro lenses and all the iris blades. The poetry of it. Mmmmm tastes so good!
Ask not what LF can do for you, ask what you can do for LF. It's National Get Off Your Arse Shoot Film Now Weekend, starting at 1800 hours TODAY!!
Back to your regular channel...
Alas, another lab, A.I.M. Pasadena bit the dust last month. They did black and white plus E6. No word of rats leaving the ship or anything like that. This seems to be the case with most operations going away - we just get the bad news, after the fact.
And sure, film is around to last 5 years more if they stopped making it today, provided someone pays the fridge bill. But whoa, I never thought that the labs would eat it so quickly.
While certainly, a few LF E6 shooters, making an exposure or two every three months won't make up for the trends of the time, if we all get out there and shoot more, or stay home and shoot, perhaps there will still be some labs that will find it worthwhile to develop color. It's true, one can do E6 at home ( but how long will those kits be around, eh? ), however a good lab does a good job. Perhaps we should as a group consider consolidating some lab services to ensure adequate cost benefit to keep a good line going somewhere?
If you've had your cameras idle for more than a month, get out and shoot some more! If you spend more time on this forum than you do shooting or making prints, or whatever - how about taking 1/5th of that time to capture more images? Been really into B&W lately? When was the last time you made a totaly juicey, E6 masterpiece to oogle over with your loupe?
How about an E6 LF shoot out? We could suggest a set of say, 7 themes, or to keep it simple, a very simple set of option themes, subject to the interpretation and expression of the LF user, who could use any LF camera they wish. How about a set of 7 colors, not nec. the primaries either, but nice to include them? A sort of "Iron Chef" shoot out, where the theme ingredient must be featured, yet it is okay to include other ingredients in harmony or contrast? ( fine with me if you include Uni too, but watch out on that squid! ). Hmmm, I've got two boxes of Fuji 64T Readyload 4x5, fresh enough, to pitch into the pot. Maybe we could have a donated set of prizes, from say 3rd to 100th place with no prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and a special prize for second to last place?
I'm headed up to the desert to take in big sky, deep earth, and gentle meditation plus a bit of Americana this weekend - that's going to zap a couple boxes of 8x10 color for sure, as well as put a small dent in the trusty Efke supply. And while I'm at it, What are YOU gonna do, sit here on this board and wax philosophical about the good ol' days - or make some good new days right now?
And shoot some color too! Ahhhh, that rich, juicey, razor sharp, fine grained image with the marvelous pop to it no digicam knows. Instead of blobs where there should be trees, lovely leaves.... or instead of pixels, smooth out of focus areas, or even marvelous bokeh for those with barrel repro lenses and all the iris blades. The poetry of it. Mmmmm tastes so good!
Ask not what LF can do for you, ask what you can do for LF. It's National Get Off Your Arse Shoot Film Now Weekend, starting at 1800 hours TODAY!!
Back to your regular channel...