Beyond LensWork #77

[Bruce Barlow]

Well, it was an honor and a thrill to have my article "Rigor and Surrender" printed in LensWork #77.

But it was over the top when I discovered that someone had actually READ it!:eek:

www.singularimages.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/head-heart-hand/.

Time for a beer.

[windpointphoto]

Why? You work hard and it shows. You deserve the recognition. Congrats and enjoy the fame!

[Capocheny]

Hi Bruce,

Congratulations... you've reached a milestone I'm sure most photographerw would aspire to!

Enjoy the accolades.

Cheers

[Kirk Gittings]

Congratualtions. Well deserved.

[Mike Castles]

Congratulations Bruce, as Kirk said 'Well deserved'/

[John Bowen]

Bruce,

Our next beer is on me!

[John Bowen]

If you liked the article, you should check out Bruce's Book "Finely Focused." It is available on Bruce's website. A wonderful book filled with interesting and useful exercises. There is something for every photographer.

And yeah, that's a plug for a friend's excellent book!

[MIke Sherck]

I appreciated the article as well, and wish I had the opportunity to participate in one of your workshops. Articles like this are the ones I read and re-read and think about: they're the reason I subscribe to Lenswork. I wish more venues would speak to the "why" part of photography, rather than the "how".

Mike

[Bruce Barlow]

Thanks for the kind words.

AND, I've got Eugene's permission to use Eugene Friesen's music in any videos I make. You may remember that we used variations on the Bach Cello Suites as themes and bridges in "Printing with Fred Picker before I became grey and fat.

John, as always, yer on for that beer, and thanks for the shameless book plug! Book sales are actually pretty good, and the nice words on other threads have contributed to that, methinks. The most exciting thing about the book, for me, is thinking of it as expanding my circle of friends. It doesn't, and never will, pay the bills (nor did I ever think it would).

The next LensWork submission is titled "Practicing Photography." Heh heh. You won't like that one, maybe. Don't worry, you won't see that one for a while - you need a rest from me.

Like Mr. Scherk, I can only get excited about "placing the high value on Zone VIII and making the picture" so many times. The "why" is much more interesting, and hard, to do and to write about coherently.

Thanks again for the kind words. I can tell that they came from your right brains.

[Mike Castles]

Another 'plug' for Bruce's book - "Finely Focused". Spent a good part of the weekend reading through the 'updated' version. I still prefer a hard copy book, but this is a very good reference, with bits of wit from Bruce. Worth more than he charges, and a great reminder of the things we know, but forgot we know them. ;)

[Bruce Barlow]

Mike said: "I still prefer a hard copy book"

Me, too, but it was unaffordable, especially when illustrations are considered, and the tiny print run contemplated.

Actually, the CD format has gotten good reviews - folks print what they need and keep it where they need it. Save a tree. I don't even have a full printed copy, but the darkroom exercises are in the darkroom, and the creative exercises are with my camera bags, ready to go.

Thanks for the kind words, Mike.

[Diane Maher]

Haven't seen the article yet, but have just purchased Finely Focused after reading the web sample.

[z_photo]

another sale due to a previous thread. looking forward to working with your CD. and maybe a workshop in the fall...

[ASRafferty]

Well, it was an honor and a thrill to have my article "Rigor and Surrender" printed in LensWork #77.

But it was over the top when I discovered that someone had actually READ it!:eek:

www.singularimages.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/head-heart-hand/.

Time for a beer.

Mazel tov, Uncle B -- heartiest congratulations! Being able to do it is a gift; being able to write it is a blessing... and the real reason that magazines that publish it are important to preserve. How wonderful that Brooks understands this!

[Mike Castles]

Mike said: "I still prefer a hard copy book"

Me, too, but it was unaffordable, especially when illustrations are considered, and the tiny print run contemplated.

Actually, the CD format has gotten good reviews - folks print what they need and keep it where they need it. Save a tree. I don't even have a full printed copy, but the darkroom exercises are in the darkroom, and the creative exercises are with my camera bags, ready to go.

Thanks for the kind words, Mike.

You actually got me with the section on portraits - like you, have not had much interest until recently and want to give them a go (hey how many 7x11 protraits do you see?).

[Bruce Barlow]

"hey how many 7x11 portraits do you see?"

Not enough, Mike. Go for it!

Yeah, in putting together my web site, I began to notice that while I like all the pictures on it, they're all basically similar. Time to shake the cage. Decided to do a portrait project: 8x10 (Alice!), 355mm lens, one negative per subject. Set up outside the bagel shop in town and do one day of portraits on each day of the week. They mount shows, and the name of the shop is The Works," so title the show "A Week at the Works." A show of 8x10 contact prints of images of, most likely, their more regular customers. I have yet to talk to them, but I'll bet they'd hang it. They can fit 40+ 8x10s on 14x18 mat board, so I have an incentive to do good work, and lots of it.

I think it would be fun, and valuable to my continuing development as a photographer. And with only one try per person, I have to get good at it real fast. Sounds like a project! And the folks photographed won't be rocks, water, or ice...

[John Bowen]

Bruce,

Do I sense covered bridges and lighthouses in your future? :-)

[RichardRitter]

Bruce,

Do I sense coverd bridges and lighthouses in your future? :-)

This quote must be the reason I heard a distance scream from the east earlier.

[John Bowen]

In the voice of Darth Vader.....

Bruce, come over to "The Dark Side"....go ahead Bruce, made a postcard...

[Bruce Barlow]

This quote must be the reason I heard a distance scream from the east earlier.

Richard didn't even need sensitive ears.

I happen to live in the town in New Hampshire that has the most covered bridges of any town in New England. Doesn't matter.

I have been looking at our four kitty cats...

And there's always Moses the gray parrot.

But with 8x10, roiling cats, an active bird, and slow shutter speeds would put me right back to abstracts... I'll stick with Jenna, Jane, Jennifer, and Rachel (new gallery on the web site), and setting up on the street.

Maybe I can get beloved Hillary to do the darkroom work?? She has recently re-emerged in my life, to my great joy. A former student and photography major at Bard College (Steven Shore). Richard and John, much to talk about on this subject.

Victoria's gardens look spectacular this year. Maybe flowers? She saves the dandelions for me in the grass. A dandelion series?

As always, guys, you are inspirations to the furthering of my artistic development.:p

[Blacky Dalton]

Well, it was an honor and a thrill to have my article "Rigor and Surrender" printed in LensWork #77.

But it was over the top when I discovered that someone had actually READ it!:eek:

www.singularimages.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/head-heart-hand/.

Time for a beer.


Mr. Barlow,

Just finished reading your article in LensWork #77. Interesting piece. I did note one thing that I question. Near the end of your article you note, “. . . Richard Ritter (designer and builder of the famed Zone VI Camera). . .” I thought that Ron Wisner designed the original camera, copying from a Deardorff?

There was a published article by Mr. Ritter in the Jan/Feb 2003 issue of View Camera Magazine, pp 34-37, titled “The Zone VI Camera-The Fred Picker Era.” Then there is a rebuttal published here by Ron Wisner;

http://www.wisner.com/history.htm

Seems there was a lawsuit over the ownership of the design. I once talked personally with Mr. Wisner about this and he told me he could not comment since the terms of the legal agreement did not allow him to disclose the details.

Just interesting that you say Mr. Ritter is the “designer” while Mr. Wisner claims he did the design. Guess we will never know the truth???

B. Dalton

[RichardRitter]

If you read the article in View Camera. I stated that Fred went to Deardorf first about 3 years before we ever hear of Wisner. Also we walked into Wisner office with a camera and rough drawings. To which Ron said we didn't.

Wisner also miss quoted himself in the rebuttal to the article. Ron said he was the one to come up with the removal bellows idea. If you read How to Build a Camera newsletter written by Fred Picker and proofread by Ron Wisner in the mid 80's in it said that Ron's shop foreman came up with the idea for the removable bellows.

I repair both Zone VI camera and Wisner's camera. I know how many of each brand was made. Based on the numbers I should see 3 to 5 times as many Zone VI camera. The facts are for one Zone VI camera I see 5 Wisner cameras. Most of the time with the Wisner cameras its to repair something that should of never left the shop.

[Bruce Barlow]

Mr. Barlow,


Just interesting that you say Mr. Ritter is the “designer” while Mr. Wisner claims he did the design. Guess we will never know the truth???

B. Dalton

I stand by what I said. And I was there.

Thank you for such a polite post in this thread.

[Alan Curtis]

It's interesting remembering that time period of Zone VI/Wisner. Late in 1986 I ordered a Zone VI camera after reading about it's design and construction in one of Fred's newsletters. At that point Fred Picker was real positive about his association with Wisner. My camera was scheduled to be delivered in June of 1987. About every 3-4 months I would get another we're so sorry letter from Fred. He mentioned supply and production problems that Wisner was having and Fred didn't seem to be placing blame on anyone in particular. Then in late 1987 I received the "were changing contractors and building them ourselves" letter. In June of 1988 my camera arrived assembled by BB and RR and know who they are. The camera has preformed perfectly for 20 years.
I had a number (meaning lots) of phone conversations with Bruce about the delays, I think Fred made sure Bruce took those calls and I see why is so respected, he was honest about the situation. Long time ago. Thanks for the camera Bruce and Richard and your continued involvement with LF photography.

[Alan Curtis]

After using my Zone VI 4x5 for several months I wrote Fred a letter, long before email, complimenting him on design and construction. His reply to me, even with his notorious ego was "it is really Richard Ritter's design with some improvements by me"

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

LenWork is one of the finest printed magazines in the world... they and Blindspot are the standards to which I strive to achieve. All magazines that exhibit photography or pretend to at least, should be printed on a sheetfed printer. When you look at magazines like LW and Blindspot, you are looking at some of the best printing in the world.

[John Bowen]

As an owner of a Wisner 8x10, a Zone VI (made in VT) 4x5, a Zone VI (made in VT) 8x10, a Ritter lightweight 8x10 and a Ritter 7x17, I can state without hesitation that Richard's latest designs blow the doors of anything designed by Wisner or Richard's previous designs.

Keep up the good work Richard!

[Bruce Barlow]

At the risk of being subversive, can we return this thread to all of you giving me effusive praise over the LensWork article? My already enormous ego needs continual feeding.

I'm happy to start another thread about Richard's new camera - which IS innovative and wonderful. Alice (my 8x10) is wonderful.

I'm not happy about reliving and rehashing Wisner vs. Zone VI here, which has been more than hashed to death, and no longer has any relevance in the real world other than to insure Richard's repair income stream.

[Morten]

At the risk of being subversive, can we return this thread to all of you giving me effusive praise over the LensWork article? My already enormous ego needs continual feeding.

OK, my contribution to Your ego Bruce ..

In between the printing sessions in this 3 day workshop (http://foto.no/cgi-bin/articles/articleView.cgi?articleId=40757) with Mike Crawford, I lent out my copy of Lenswork #77, pointing to your article as a MUST read!! They all where very enthusiastic about it!:cool:

PS I actually had read it (or parts) in Bruce's Ebook "Finely Focused" prior to the lenswork article, check out his website for more info.:)

Best Regards
Morten

[Bruce Barlow]

Thanks, Morten, I feel better already.

Yeah, it's adapted from "Finely Focused," but different, a little bit.

And it's worse than that. The stuff in "Finely Focused" is adapted from my piece in the Zone VI Newsletter Number...uh...48, I think. Written in 1985, it just goes to show that I haven't had a new idea since.

[John Bowen]

The stuff in "Finely Focused" is adapted from my piece in the Zone VI Newsletter Number...uh...48, I think. Written in 1985, it just goes to show that I haven't had a new idea since.

LOL

Or maybe it is just that the info in Newsletter # 48 is timeless....

[Morten]

Or maybe it is just that the info in Newsletter # 48 is timeless....

It is, to me at least... Just needs to be in your photographic bootsequence... just after "Camera Cuddle" and "Camera Set-Up with Kisses" but to me a bit before "Value Keys":)

[Bruce Barlow]

It is, to me at least... Just needs to be in your photographic bootsequence... just after "Camera Cuddle" and "Camera Set-Up with Kisses" but to me a bit before "Value Keys":)

It was during Camera Cuddle in Louisville that we had beautiful assistants blindfold the students while they cuddled their cameras. They learned to handle their cameras totally by feel.

Photography blindfolded. Now that was fun.