it's all crap!

[back alley]

Joe no worries, you'll snap out of it soon enough and get back into your groove. If it's of any consolation, the R-D1s I picked up from you now almost a year ago has only had maybe twenty or so shots added to it.

I seems as though I'm going for my longest funk record.

oh my...that is a long funk!
maybe if i get a better job i'll buy it back from you...

 

[cz23]

My standard prescription for the creative doldrums is to reread Bill Jay's Negative/Positive. It's all about values and purpose. To me, without that connection to our inner life, this photographic hobby won't sustain itself over time. Nor will we find it rewarding over the long haul or produce a meaningful body of work. If we can't find anything that deeply engages us, that's probably more of a life issue than a photography one.

I always liked this quote by HCB: "You just have to live and life will give you pictures." I think he meant LIVE!

John

 

[shadowfox]

in the most shallow of ways...to be discovered...as a talent, a maker of great images that are held in high esteem by the majority of viewers.

Joe, that is not shallow. That is your definition at *this* moment in time.

But I am willing to bet that the more you invest some time to think about that definition, and see if from different perspectives, bounce it around with some friends, you'll come up with a more concrete and realistic definition. One that is better suited for you, not anyone else.

Usually, we are prisoners of our own definition (or "box"). And a lot of times that "box" is either too vague, too big, or too small.

So the challenge is to keep working on the box, make it more specific, shrink it, expand it, and if necessary, build a new one.

 

[gb hill]

Just wondering how "your funk" is coming along Joe & how your dealing with it. Are you gaining any "New Inspiration" I find this thread interesting because I find myself going through the same funk sooo many times.

I think Chris Crawford has one of the best approaches to photography. His main interest is in making a photograph & the gear he uses are mearly tools. His surroundings are the places in his own county & hometown. I enjoy his on going photoblog here on RFF & think it a good idea. Might be a good idea for you to try. You are already discovered & are regarded as a good photographer here on RFF. Use this to your advantage.🙂

 

[back alley]

the funk is gone…thank goodness!

the x100 might have helped…no decisions to make…just grab the camera and go…now my regular kit is back in favour also.
waiting for my canon rf kit to arrive in 3 packages…
walked around today and everything looked like a possible good image, just shot away!

 

[DanielDuarte]

I feel you... me joining this forum and the RF world is partly due to that being a reality in my own creative life at the time.

I've been concentrating all of my creative forces (and income) on wet plate for the last year and I've been hitting a major funk. I'm running into issues where my plates are coming out with a great exposure and as I varnish them they're darkening up too much. I'm scanning (with NO editing) and the plates look great a week later they're dark due to the sandrac varnish. Major pain in the ass hauling around an 8x10 as well (especially one that doesn't fold!)

So I went down to 35mm and hopefully will enjoy just everyday image making.

 

[tktk]

I'm not a regular on this forum, but I did take a break for about 6-7 months. I think it's natural.

I have this comic posted on my wall.
What the Duck #551

 

[JoeV]

I feel you... me joining this forum and the RF world is partly due to that being a reality in my own creative life at the time.

I've been concentrating all of my creative forces (and income) on wet plate for the last year and I've been hitting a major funk. I'm running into issues where my plates are coming out with a great exposure and as I varnish them they're darkening up too much. I'm scanning (with NO editing) and the plates look great a week later they're dark due to the sandrac varnish. Major pain in the ass hauling around an 8x10 as well (especially one that doesn't fold!)

So I went down to 35mm and hopefully will enjoy just everyday image making.

Daniel, that sounds like a difficult process, which I've admired at a distance but haven't the wherewithall to get into.

I do, however, enjoy shooting both paper negatives and Harman Direct Positive paper, the latter which you might want to try your hand at, since the process yields a one-of-a-kind positive paper print, but is much more forgiving than wet plate.

Whichever, I do hope you enjoy your photography, as it should be a pleasure and not a chore.

~Joe

 

[DanielDuarte]

Daniel, that sounds like a difficult process, which I've admired at a distance but haven't the wherewithall to get into.

I do, however, enjoy shooting both paper negatives and Harman Direct Positive paper, the latter which you might want to try your hand at, since the process yields a one-of-a-kind positive paper print, but is much more forgiving than wet plate.

Whichever, I do hope you enjoy your photography, as it should be a pleasure and not a chore.

~Joe

Do you think Harman direct paper will survive, I've heard rumblings that product may go the way side. I want to pick up a Titan 8x10 pinhole and work with either positive paper or traditional film and make some huge van dyke browns.

I have photography ADD!

As for wet plate, it's a very rewarding process but like the RF world has a bit of a steep entry cost especially if you're looking to make ULF plates. 8x10 uses about 400 bucks worth of silver.

 

[goamules]

...

As for wet plate, it's a very rewarding process but like the RF world has a bit of a steep entry cost especially if you're looking to make ULF plates. 8x10 uses about 400 bucks worth of silver.

Well, not really. 100 grams of silver nitrate (less than 100 dollars) is all you need to make a silver bath. And then you can make dozens of 8x10 plates before needing to do maintenance on the bath. So the cost per plate, for 8x10 wetplates, ends up being cheaper than the cost per sheet of film.

How do I know? Been shooting wetplate for 6 years.