The standard Large Format process...

[Francesco Gallarotti]

1. Wake at 3:00 AM.
2. Load 100 Lbs of gear into truck.
3. Go to 7-11, get coffee.
4. Curse.
5. Return home, get film off of kitchen table.

This is exactly where I burst into such a loud laugh at 1.23AM that my neighbors must have thought I am just going insane... Good thing I didn't read this one in the morning while drinking coffee or I would have coffee all over my monitor right now...

I haven't even got my first LF camera yet and I can totally see myself doing all this...

[Gary L. Quay]

I once drove for 3 hours to a location while my film bag waited patiently in the kitchen.

--Gary

[Dave Jeffery]

Wow! I guess I'm lucky that I haven't made any mistakes yet!

The people that process my film though - now that's another story! They send me back completely black transparencies as if they didn't even try, or the shots are completely washed out, or once it was the double image thing.

It's not easy being perfect when someone else develops your film : )

[rwyoung]

You could have saved a step and used a cow pie as your original marker...

[John Kasaian]

Roflmao!

[JOneZero]

Thanks for posting this. After reading the Official Process, I know that I have been doing it correctly! I follow all those steps exactly! W00t!

[Vaughn]

I must be a lazy bum.

8:00am -- think about getting up (the wife is feeding the troops, so I'd better hurry if I want something, too...she'll have already poured my tea.)
9:00am -- leave
9:15am -- stop at the University to grab my loaded 8x10 holders
10:30am -- arrive at the redwoods...running a half hour late, but that's okay.
10:00 to 2pm -- best light in the redwoods...wander around for hours looking at the light, set up the camera 3 or 4 times and expose some film.
2pm-4pm -- not the best light, but the best place to be.
4pm -- drive to Orick, buy a Moon Pie and a bottle of beer (lg economy micro-brew size)
4:15 -- arrive at beach, eat pie, drink beer on the sand. Think about getting the camera out, but don't.
6:00 -- arrive home in time for dinner.

Vaughn

Variations on a theme -- take the boys with me, answer "When are you going to be done" multiple times, take a photo of the boys amongst the redwoods, buy several ice creams at the store in Orick along with the Moon Pie and a regular size microbrew, and still stop at the beach on the way home.

[Colin Graham]

Sounds like a pretty sweet existence Vaughn! But moon pie and beer?

[tim810]

How about all thoes steps but add:
1. buy cheep tripod from wal mart so if it gets broken I don't worry (its also lighter than my majestic geared head alone)
2. 8 hour filght to Italy with just a 4x5 Crown Graphic and a 50 sheet box of TXP
3. 2hour train ride to first hotel
4. get to hotel sleep for 5 hours
5. go out in the morning to catch the sunrise that you where anticipating
6. learn that you forgot the tripod on either the plain or the train
7. shoot all 50 sheets hand held
8. Learn that shipping will be 100+ Euro to ship home
9. pray at the customs gate that they don't check the film box and expose all your film
10. drink beer and develop all film get 10 good shots and relax

[Drew Bedo]

Go on anniversary vacation

Set up at designated National Park over-look.

Answer questions from attractive young woman with squeaky-new Digi-Cam.

Explain to wife why :
1)I could answer questions because I was waiting for the light and,
2) why stop here to shoot when she just bought 20 or so post cards with the same( maybe better) views from the gift shop!