I took my brood to the Fresno State/Boise State game tonight, sat in the rain, drank beer and watched two good teams play a great football game. The marching band was very good too, and during the pregame show I had a thought I wanted to share with you.
Watching the sousaphone players (17 of them!) and the bass drum players (I lost count) strutting their stuff in the rain I thought to myself 'Why would anyone want to march around with such a big, heavy, and unwieldy instrument compared to the clarinets, trumpets, flutes, saxes and cymbals, trombones and field snares?
ThenI heard the music! Certainly the other instruments were sweet sounding, but the Sousaphones were powerhouses, and the bass drums were like thunder. Why would anyone want to mess with a big, heavy, unwieldy instrument? Because the results are worth it! The music was dynamic and agressive on account of those 'big guns' The musicians themselves practically danced across the gridiron (really) not staggering under the wieght of their instruments as one might expect. The burden was well worth the effort. The performance spoke with such energy it shook my fillings!
I kind of feel that way about 8x10s. I wonder how passionate other 8x10 shooters are about the format? I ask because I'm contemplating taking my 'dorff sking this year instead of the 5x7 Speed Graphic....why? Because the conveniece of a lighter hand held camera just dosen't seem to match the "sound" I'm looking for that the 8x10 delivers. I need a sousaphone or bass drum!
What are your opinions/ thoughts?
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