Just Got Back From Foto 3

[sanking]

[QUOTE=Eric Biggerstaff;357232]
I too would of liked to have seen more people, but to be honest the price of gas and the general state of the economy means many familes are setting different priorities this year so I didn't expect a huge turnout. In fact, had my friend Chauncey Walden not taken his RV up there I would not of been able to afford to go this year, and I live in Denver!

QUOTE]

I think you are right about the impact of the price of gas on this type of activity, especially for those who are more than one day drive away. Over the past several years I have made several extensive trips out west where I would up driving more than 10,000 miles over the course of 6-8 weeks. The first time I did this the price of gas was just over a dollar a gallon and the total cost of gas for the trip was less than $500. To repeat such a trip now would cost well over $2000 just in gas.
And things are not much better by air. Prices are up and many airlines are dropping routes.

Sandy King

[Mark Sawyer]

I'm still here at the hotel where foto3 was held, using the computer in the business center as my flight doesn't leave til this evening.

I suppose everyone will have their own experience at every event, and mine here was really positive. Some presentations were wonderful, some were a little clumsy as the speakers were nervous, but I can forgive that. John Sexton's keynote address was one of the better presentations on any aspect of serious photography that I've heard.

The trade show was a bit sparse, but I think that's the nature of the photography world today, unless you want a commercial event concentrating on technology, which is, let's face it, where the money is. Still, there was some great stuff going on there; Bostick & Sullivan had a booth and were making platinum prints every time I walked by, a sort of mini-workshop. A few people who were bright enough to bring along their own negatives went through the whole process and went home with several nice platinum prints of their own images. And it was great meeting and talking with Hugo and getting my grubby fingerprints all over his new Chamonix cameras. There were some new Canhams there too, and Midwest Photo had quite a selection of cameras and lenses, some at pretty strong discounts. And it was nice to hear from the fellow who owns Ries Tripods at his booth that my beat up old 1930's Model A is still covered under factory warranty! (Only problem is, I can't break it, no matter how many times I've tried...)

I had a really good half-hour portfolio review with Gordon Hutchings, very positive but with some good critical and technical insights. His presentations were all quite good too.

I had my doubts about the "Future of Film" panel discussion with the reps from Ilford, Kodak, and Fuji, but it was really pretty good, reassuring us in some areas, letting us know other areas were in trouble and why, and addressing some of their concerns (like grey market film).

But the best part came after the official events were over, and we'd just go out for dinner as a group or hang around the hotel bar swapping stories. Eric, Phil, Terry, Jim , Chauncy, Wayne, Diane, who else am I forgetting? It was good to just spend some time in person with a few of the people I've met and talked with here on the forum. And every night, John Sexton and his wife Anne would drop by the hotel bar and just chat informally for an hour or two with whatever little group was there.

So I'd have to say it was a good conference for me.

[Rick Russell]

On balance I thought Foto 3 was good, not great. My frame of reference in part is the fact that I attended the 2006 conference in Rockford, Ill.

It appeared the attendance over the weekend was less than two years ago. I do not wish to speculate as to the reasons why. Although I do not personally know many other large format photographers attended, I did sense that a number of folks who attended two years ago were not present this year. Frankly, this years conference did seem to lack some vibrance, as compared with that of two years ago; however, that may certainly be my own subjective sense. For example, I do recall having a great dinner with about ten other people in Rockford one night, most of whom I had not met until that moment. It seemed this weekend that the energy for a large spontaneous outing for dinner just wasn't there.

I'm a big proponent of the Large Format Conference. Just having the opportunity to interact with other large format photographers, and to attend seminars on large format photography is enough to justify my attendance. Visiting the Fuji and Kodak booths and coming away with free film also didn't hurt.

My plan of action for next years conference is then quite easy: I introduced myself to Steve Simmons, and offered to volunteer my assistance in organizing next years conference. I have no preconceived ideas at this point what, if anything, I can do to be of assistance, but I am willing to invest a part of myself to ensure that this very worthwhile conference gets better and better.

Rick Russell
richardrussell-1@ca.rr.com

[Howard Tanger]

...
I had my doubts about the "Future of Film" panel discussion with the reps from Ilford, Kodak, and Fuji, but it was really pretty good, reassuring us in some areas, letting us know other areas were in trouble and why, and addressing some of their concerns (like grey market film)...

Hi Mark: Could you possibly expand on the above info? This would be greatly appreciated. TIA Howard

[Mark Sawyer]

Hi Mark: Could you possibly expand on the above info? This would be greatly appreciated. TIA Howard

Just a few things off the top of my head...

Kodak Readyloads will be gone by the end of the year. They've given good notice so those who really depend on them can stock up. B/W films have a long life in the freezer, and one consideration if you're going that route is to buy an older freezer, as modern frost-free models have a defrost-cycle built in that may not be good for the film. (My own observation, fwiw, is that new freezers are much more energy efficient, so it may be worthwhile to buy one and have that cycle disconnected.) Readyload film is made by Kodak, but the Readyload packaging was subbed out, and was no longer economically viable, so it's just gone, period.

BTW, the Kodak rep said the photochemicals are still doing very well economically, and take much less overhead to produce, so those should be safe. He also said Kodak's standard sheet films should be around for years to come, (but then, in my mind, who knows...)

Ilford has no plans for a similar packaging of its films. And they aren't picking up on any of the discontinued Polaroid products. Their film and paper lines are doing well, and they're coating paper for Bergger under contract as well.

Fuji has some instant film products, but won't be introducing any replacements for the old Polaroid. It will continue with its Quickloads, so those may be an alternative for the loss of the Readyloads, but it won't be expanding the line.

There was a good discussion on a ressurgeance in interest in the darkroom among the younger crowd, and how some colleges that closed their darkrooms experienced quite a backlash and are re-opening some of them, and that when fine arts students consider which program to attend, whether there is an analog component is a big consideration with quite a few of them.

And all three reps said when the last film is made, it will be theirs. (Personally, I think if and when they go, there will still be a few little European film manufacturers celebrating their departure.)

There was quite a bit of discussion on other areas, too much for my head to hold it all in. But those are the things that caught my interest.

[roteague]

I think you are right about the impact of the price of gas on this type of activity, especially for those who are more than one day drive away.
Sandy King

You are right, of course. I had intended to go, I signed up and paid the event fee. However, since I'm currently between contracts (no job) at the moment, and the airlines charging ~$700 round trip from Hawaii to LA (not including that Hawaiian Airlines adds a $200 fuel surcharge on top of this), really meant that I was just unable to make it. I did have a friend call me last night from there and he really enjoyed it.

[Hugo Zhang]

I have just got back from foto3. The nicest thing for me is to see many smiling faces whose names were only familiar to me here. I have also met some new people. I didn't have time to go to different workshop, but I really enjoyed the keynote speaker presentation. The highlight for me at the conference was to meet and chat with Dick Phillips, such a wonderful gentleman who gave Chamonix people some very constructive ideas after spending his time playing with cameras borrowing from his ideas.

I have talked with a few trade show people and they were surprised and a little dismayed by the low number of participants. I guess the high gas price playing a role here.

[Don Hutton]

Anyone meet Bob Alden while they were there? Easy to spot because he has a Steve Simmon's disguise with a long Pinnochio style nose.

[Bill_1856]

Make sure you post this on APUG and let them know what they missed.

I don't understand what you're referring to. Could you explain it, please?

[David Luttmann]

Anyone meet Bob Alden while they were there? Easy to spot because he has a Steve Simmon's disguise with a long Pinnochio style nose.

One down, one to go......