New York August NYC Meet-Up 2021

Nokton48 said:
Being a Time Life Guy (like Fred DeVan) we should ask Bill Pierce about Harvey's 777.

BTW the stuff at Photographer's Formulary worked per TomA (looked luscious) but it is not the real deal. They are the only ones allowed to sell it as they hold that patent on it. If remember correctly they sell it in ten gallon plastic bags. The dev and they also sell the 777 Replenisher. 5 gallons on the replenisher. Plenty enough for deep tanks
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Dan,

Seems like Harvey's 777 is a secret weapon of sorts.

Then there is a silver cloride paper and Amadol as a developer that is favored by the bigs in large format.

Right now I have a frig at work loaded with film for storage, but when we remodel the kitchen I'll have a dedicated fridge/freezer for film.

Time to get crazy.

Cal
 
Dan,

The compensating effect I get from Diafine I exaggerate even more by minimizing aggitation. Harvey's has a similar look with fluffy highlights.

Cal
 
Nokton48 said:
Yep. I like it Highlight values are fluffy as you say

Mucho highlight compensation :)
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Dan,

Also with Diafine I get enhanced shadow detail. I would expect the same with Harvey's.

In a way you kinda get HDR except with film. With compensating developers you can't really blow out the highlights, you get enhanced shadow detail, and really all one needs to do is to dial in the mids.

Something I learned from printing mucho is that increased contrast can give a perceived enhanced sharpness. I wonder how much really sharper a Zeiss lens is say over a Schneider lens say in a Rollieflex.

Most say the Zeiss is sharper, but is it really just higher contrast?

Anyways when one tries to emulate the big boys (large format) the tonality is really about how vast the mids are. I see in a lot of prints an abundance of blacks, but the mids kinda get sucked out.

The above is best displayed in large prints. "Big prints don't lie," I say, and old man Steve one said, "You can't print what's not there."

For me the compensating developers have something to offer. Also I tend to favor strong developers and minimizing aggitation to enhance a compensating effect, although I have not explored stand development.

Cal
 
I should be getting the "Booster-Shot" soon because it just got approval by the FDA. Also at my hospital I get a free Flu shot.

Yesterday "Maggie" had two more interviews with editors interested in her book proposal (numbers 3&4), but they were kinda heavy handed in re-thinking who to write to as an audience and what kind of book should be published. Basically they wanted to put their spin on a book that they wanted to publish and sell.

This is a problem with "gate-keeping."

Good thing is that another editor joined in and two more editors will be interviewed today (numbers 5&6). Then there are the two editors from earlier in the week (numbers 1&2) that are favorable.

Let's see how this all pans out, there could be a bidding war...

Yesterday I used expired coupons to buy skin cream for my dry skin that is a result of aging. This Neutrgena Sheer Oil-Lotion is not so easy to find, but Bed Bath and Beyond carries it.

I ran down my previous stockpile of over a dozen 32 ounce bottles, and now I have to rebuild. So don't tell my boss, but I took a break and went to Chelsea to the downtown BBB and bought seven bottles that were on the shelves.

I saved about 20% off the full price using expired coupons, but the price increased about 10% since the last time I stockpiled. This kind of inflation bothers me and makes me worried.

I confess because I grew up poor that I carry the mark of poverty by being a hoarder, and my instinct is telling me to load up the truck. For me this cream is a critical commodity because my dry skin can get inflamed and itchy to the point where I loose sleep.

A shortage of this product would have me resort to buying an expensive medicinal cream that is sold in small bottles that kinda gets expensive. Meanwhile the non medicinal cream actually works the best, and it was initially recommended by my dermatologist.

Time to load up the truck.

In my looking into Nikon F2's with DE-1 prisms, there is a great disparity between stock F2's and F2 Titans (F2T). The premium is rather stiff where I say the huge premium suggests that the F2T is a collector's camera. Hard for me to justify since I just want a shooter.

To me I want a black paint F2 with a late serial number as recommended by Daniel, my friend at Nippon Camera Clinic, for the latest improved version.

Because I have the cool data-back that imprints the date in between frames and a rare aftermarket grip for a F3, I still want a second F3P. Would be great to get a clean one with little wear to contrast with my war worn F3P that experienced Operation Desert Storm.

As far as cameras go I have a really great stockpile. At this point I can be honest and say I'm just being greedy.

So I'm writing off a F2T.

Cal
 
Morning Cal,

You like Leicas and 8x10 so check this original first version Tiltall.

8x10 Sinar Norma Julius Shulman Titlall Setup 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here is the 8x10 Sinar Norma Julius Shulman inspired Leitz Tiltall Tripod. Believe it or not solid as a rock and WOW portable. Love it and I think I will buy another old old Leitz Tiltall to dedicate for this camera and quick location jobs. I do have other half of the block of aluminum which I can utilize. The Norma Tripod Clamp is locked onto the tripod and simply unscrew to mount and remount different cameras. I will prolly add a little loctite maybe. People find these wonderful tripods in dumpsters LOL BTW this is an original Norma lens too; 121mm F8 Super Angulon. Like a 20mm on 8x10 so uber wide. Planning to shoot 18x24cm XRAY and this lens just covers the smaller format full circle. Feeding this camera is why I need to get the 8x10 basket line going. BTW I have 12 gallons of DK50 and equal Replenisher which is Kodak's go-to deep tank developer and an old personal friend of mine. Used to use it for news photography and it is awesome. Lasts a very long time in the deep tank too. I'm thinking use the floating lids and cover the tanks with plastic wrap tightly keep out air and crap
 
Dan,

I found a Leitz tripod on Broadway very near the old Leica Gallery on the curb as garbage. Our friend Sam, a crazy collector, is the new proud owner that won it as a prize at one of our camera beauty contests.

Not so long ago I found a Monfrotto light stand on Third Avenue and 97th. I figure some hipster was in a rush loading rental gear into an UBER and somehow left behind a really nice light stand. BTW it had some markings from a downtown equipment rental. I figure some NYU film student who can afford to replace the lost light stand.

If I run into a Tiltall I'll send it your way.

I think I found a mucho clean F3P. Kinda funny how I have all the accessories to fully rig it out. Back in the day I use to carry two fully rigged F3's with motor-drives. How annoying is that?

The Noct-Nikkor makes me do crazy things. I like the heft of a F3P with a motor-drive as ballast. "Sniper rifles are heavy for a reason," I say. Also makes for a great weapon if I need one. There is a reason why my right arm is an inch longer than my left arm: carrying heavy cameras.

Because I'm a lazy-slacker I need a second F3P because I don't like breaking down a rig to remove a MD-4 motor-drive. Also I don't want to waste frames or fog film. Best is to just move the Noct-Nikkor to another F3P.

Then I own a black 45/2.8P this tiny flat pancake lens that has close focusing, a fast focus throw, and is Nikon's most contrasty lens because it that the advanced multicoating and very few optical elements.

This helps aleviate the GAS that Devil Christian gave me from his tiny Pentax SLR's. "Christian is no good," I tell you. He is the source of "Linhof Disease."

Now I want to get a Nikon 28/2.8 AIS. This lens has close focus abilities, low distortion and is one of Nikon's most optically corrected lenses, and can be secured for almost no money (about $250.00 for a minty like new).

The idea is to at times carry two F3P's: one rigged with a Noct-Nikkor and equipt with a MD-4 motor-drive; and a more compact F3P with the 28/2.8 AIS.

Cal
 
002 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I have moved these into the studio and am testing them now. Two matching Minolta SRM's, this is how I became friends with Fred De Van, very little to not like these are tanks equal to F2 but different as being intergral. Simplified SRT interior for robust performance during heavy pro use.
 
Went on my first trip to NYC on Saturday went to Comic-Con, it was great everyone had to wear mask, have their
Vaccine card. They did a great job and of course took a more than a few pictures, great event.
 
**Gear Alert**
I have this great Canon EF 24mm f1.4L II lens that I rebuilt awhile ago and it's good, so went on the
good old ebay and bid on a Canon eos1ds full frame 11.1 megapixels camera and won it for a hefty
sum of $124.00 dollar. I got it on Saturday and it is indeed a beast but the pictures at times are really
something to look at, not a bad deal.
 
Cal, do you have your pictures up anywhere online? I read posts in this thread salivating over what your work must be like.
 
Judge Holden said:
Cal, do you have your pictures up anywhere online? I read posts in this thread salivating over what your work must be like.
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Judge,

Some of my work is online at www.AccidentalIcon.com. This is "Maggie's blog that has over 750K followers, but know that I'm not really a fashion photographer.

I do little to promote my work, mainly because I'm a self proclaimed "lazy-slacker" who pretty much rejects commercializing my art. My experience with the art world as formally a fine art painter, a performance artist, and a writer has shown me how the gate-keeping works.

Also I'm like John Goodman who when asked after the Roseann scandle if he was disappointed that the scandle would ruin his chances of ever winning an Emmy Award. His response was that he has been nominated 7 times, and if he didn't get one by now he never will.

Like John Goodman, I give up, even though I'm a delusional artist. LOL.

Also know that I consider myself a fine art printer, and the Internet is not the best way to represent my work.

My gal Maggie is a celeb, and being a public figure is a difficult role to have. Being famous and well known is actually a hassle and a responsibility. Not for lazy slackers like me.

Calvin-August
 
Sorry for my long absence.

This new site hurts my eyes and is difficult for me to figure out. To be honest I like the old retro site better. The difficulties made me stay off for a while.

Been mucho busy getting ready for retirement. By Wednesday November 24th I'll be somewhat retired because effectively that will be my last day of work-work. On Wednesday December 22d is my official last day where I basically go to work to say good bye after 22 years.

In the meantime I have had to get lots of stuff done to prepare including training two chemists how to run a cyclotron. One PhD chemist who is my age (63) is a rigid thinker and a bit of a numb-skull; the young girl seems to have all the right stuff and is way ahead of the old man. Still I expect the smallest problem or glitch to trip them up because they don't have the proper background or enough experience to figure things out.

My cyclotron is 20 years old, and the rebuild/overhaul/upgrade was suppose to happen the summer of 2022, but now it looks more like September 2022. A year without problems is unlikely, and also within that year maintenance has to be performed to keep things operational. If anything goes wrong there is no one to fix the machine.

Oh-well. I find the sich-E-A-tion amusing because the future is so fraught and fragile.

We signed a contract with a GC to remodel the kitchen and kitchen bath. A solar array evaluation canned any likelyhood of a solar array on a hundred year old house. The curb appeal would of been destroyed of an otherwise cute old house. What a "spackle-job" was being proposed.

One good outcome though is saving money by installing a natural gas 18 KW generator instead of having a solar array and battery backup like say a Teslar Power Wall. The pergola is still not installed and I only got as far as setting the footings. A building permit cost me $335.00 and took a month to get. "Moo," said the Pig.

So planning out the next 40-50 years is fraught with details, and I have been dealing with all of them. That is how I'm explaining my absence.

Know that I have a very strong sense of achievement because of my retirement. I know I am financially secure, and that I have too much money as far as taxes go. Rich people say, "No one ever got rich by paying taxes." I have spent much of my time crunching numbers trying to figure out the best strategy to keep my savings, pensions and Social Security. Of course this gets complicated fast, and all the tax laws are rather tricky with thresholds and trip wires to basically hose you.

I feel kinda smug going to work now because the end of my working life will be over. Next year the house will get transformed, first the kitchen and kitchen bath will get done, then there is the garage/studio...

The new ideas is to divide the garage in half. One section as a utility area and a place to park the Audi, the other half will be my "clean room" (10x20), and off the Clean Room for my music gear and digital printing will be what the British call a "Conservatory" which will be a second room (10x20) that embraces a wall of windows overlooking the lawn of the back-backyard (second building lot), the cliff where the steep roll-off begins, the 40 acres of marsh grass (frog ghetto), and then a forest hillside. The idea for the conservatory is to have one long shelf as a deskspace that embraces the panoramic view. There likely would be some plants, but only for decoration, this is not a greenhouse.

I changed my mind again and will build a wet darkroom in the basement proper. Originally I thought the "porch basement" would be good, but I don't want to be limited of constrained.

The Baby-Victorian with the new enlarged front stoop, custom wrought iron railings, new sidewalk made of pavers, as well as a new patio of pavers now are making the once run down hill-billy house look rather cute with some sparkle.

Next year a lot of things will get built out, and then the fun begins with photography again.

I should be biking again and getting mucho fit and hard-bodied because I'll have the time.

Lately I've bee playing guitar, and I have GAS for an expensive Santa Cruz acoustic. I already have a crazy good Santa Cruz OM with Brazilian back and sides and an old growth Adirondack Spruce top that basically is a modern recreation of a 1930's Martin. Something is happening in my playing because I play every night, and a very different style is happening. I kinda do pick and fingerstyle at the same time and my approach and sound is more like a piano.

Maggie got a book contract. Instead of doing a "Round-Robin" which would of been a bidding war, her literary agent did a "best bid" where Maggie selected the publisher/editor she liked. Her book will be titled "How To Get Old."

She is leaving the world of fashion behind. This makes me happy-happy. Less work for Calvin. You know me: I'm a lazy-slacker.

Augie
 
Hill Billy news is that my next door neighbor bought a 1969 VW bug off of EBAY and the delivery truck kinda trashed the lawn on my side yard. I just had to lay about 5 bags of topsoil to fill in the gullies left by the truck tires, and then I threw down some seed. No big deal.

I remember when we were kids we would drive to the 5-Towns area where the lawns on the upscale homes were the size of football fields and we woud do burnouts, figure eights and doughnuts just for fun. We were rather evil. Never got caught. LOL.

I collected some acorns from a white oak (leaves are rounded on a white oak, red oak leaves are pointy). Being a lazy slacker I sealed them in a zip lock bag and left them on my enclosed porch, then about 2 weeks later I noticed that they sprouted and are germanating. According to a landscaper I know I have to now keep them alive over the winter. Oh-well an unintended research project.

So I planted about 60-80 spouted acorns into two IKEA deep plastic trays. I figure I'll have some thinning and transplanting to do. They are still on the front enclosed porch, but I figure that I'll have to bring then indoors at some point. "Don't tell Maggie." I will try to keep enough white oaks alive to give them a head start will before spring. My idea is to create/establish an oak grove on the dead end.

A friend from the train station has red oaks on his property. Tomorrow he will be bringing me some acorns. Out of all species of trees it seems that oak trees offer the most biodiversity, and on top of that their deep root systems are great for stabilizing the slope in my back-backyard towards the frog ghetto.

I have owned the Audi A4 for 11 months and now I have 20K miles on the care of which I put on 5K. Originally Maggie gave me a dirty look when she saw the car, and then she said, "You bought a new car," but the A4 is a 2015 not only was gently used but also garaged.

A friend just sent me two weather predictions for my area. Peekskill it seems skirts an Atlantic/Gulfstream climate and a different reagion of the Hudson Valley. Interesting to note that I am right at the entrance to the Lower Hudson Valley Highlands. While the mountains are only 600 feet one of them is inland from the Hudson River, but is only about 4 blocks away. I'm on the very southern edge of Peekskill, and most say the northern end of Peekskill is the "Gateway" to the Hudson Highlands.

On my train ride home yesterday I could see the clouds lowering until they became a ground fog over the Hudson. The train climbs steadily higher as we head up river.

Smug was once a very rude comment I was called by some that had Leica envy, but now I take smug as as a good way to describe my situation. Covid caused three things: I bought a house; I lost 20 pounds due to combating Knotweed and working on the house; and I'm retiring early since my hospital stopped adding to my pension. I feel mighty smug.

Cal
 
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