icebear
Veteran
Holy moly, that was a small crowd today in Harlem.
Definately the biggest draw, since I joined last year. Plenty of gear and lots of new & familiar faces. It was nice to see y'all.
I guess, it was the first time that someone from NJ actually walked to the meet-up, hooray Jean Marc !
Definately the biggest draw, since I joined last year. Plenty of gear and lots of new & familiar faces. It was nice to see y'all.
I guess, it was the first time that someone from NJ actually walked to the meet-up, hooray Jean Marc !
finguanzo
Well-known
Walked!!!! LOL
I didnt realize he walked..
He said he was leaving cause he had to walk home, I thought he was kidding..
I didnt realize he walked..
He said he was leaving cause he had to walk home, I thought he was kidding..
Particular
a.k.a. CNNY, disassembler
I hope he got some good shots from the GWB. The light was quite good.
macfiend
Established
Good place, great crowd, it was nice meeting everyone.
Thanks Cal for organizing and let me know when you head over to LIC.
Can't wait till the next one.
Cheers,
John
Thanks Cal for organizing and let me know when you head over to LIC.
Can't wait till the next one.
Cheers,
John
Yes, a fun meet-up. A cool alternate location too.
JMQ
Well-known
Thank you ringleaders John and Cal for organizing. Yes fun meet up, and I will never forgive Klaus for bringing his Monochrom. Now I want one! Look forward to seeing everyone in February.
I did get some good shots of the GWB and Ft. Lee Historical Park. Beautiful day for walking.
I did get some good shots of the GWB and Ft. Lee Historical Park. Beautiful day for walking.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Klaus,
We have had Meet-Ups where we had perhaps 35 people, and with a bigger crowd the group overall gets rowdy.
Also have had crazy amounts of gear. One time we had a total of 7 M9's.
The Beauty Pagant next month is usually one of those big turnouts, and now we are also enlarging the event to include a swap-meet. Next year when I begin the thread for the February Meet-Up it will be "GEARFEST 2014." LOL.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
John.
As you imagine, because I have to hibernate and can't shoot in the cold, I'm already planning to arrange some "shoot-outs" when the weather gets mild in the spring.
Likely in May, prepare yourself for a "LIC Death-March" where we will walk and explore the "Bowels of New York."
We will likely group up at the Court Square Dinner, but I will be there early eating breakfast if you want to join me. First stop will be right across Jackson Avenue to 5-Pontz to shoot this doomed landmark that will be replaced by luxury condos. Mucho Graph-eat-tee.
Then we'll cross the "Bridge To Nowhere" (Andre coined this term) into a non residential zone that spans inbetween Queens and Brooklyn following Newtown Creek (America's most polluted waterway) about 4 1'2 miles into Long Island into an industrially zoned area. On a subway map its this vacant area that divides Brooklyn and Queens that also offers no subway service that extends to Masbeth.
Eventually we will take the Grand Avenue Bridge into Bushwick to be able to grab, I believe is the fourth or fifth stop on the L Train. There's is no subway service for good reason, because this area is kinda not inhabited.
Years ago John and I did many foolish things like shooting when the heat index was over 100, and what compounded the term Death-March was that because of the recession there was literally no open stores or a source of water, and several times I could be accused of almost killed my friend John via heat stroke. Its basically hike in and hike out.
Some history. NYC started dumping raw sewage into Newtown Creek in the 1850's; Its been reported that an oil spill three times the size of the Exon Valdez spill has contaminated the water table from accumulated seepage from all the oil refineries; In the summer in some places you can smell the oil; today one third of NYC's garbage is processed on the Greenpoint side of Newtown Creek, and if you love urban decay this is a great-great place to shoot. I consider this area the A-hole of New York, and I know this area extensively because I lived in Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and pretty recently in LIC in Court Square where I lived right next to a terrorist target (the Citigroup skyscraper).
Anyways consider this first exploration a familiarity session, because I want to do extensive night shooting with a tripod, and because Maggie took a look at some of my images she yelled at me that I can't go shooting alone anymore because these areas are so desolate, especially at night. I kinda freaked her out.
If you want some of us can meet early before breakfast and shoot this industrial area just south of the Queensboro Bridge.
Cal
raphaelaaron
Well-known
it was good meeting up with you guys. felt great to talk cameras with people who actually know their stuff, also learned quite a bit. i'll look forward to the next one!
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Make sure you come the the big event next month at Puck Fair, where we will be having a camera beauty pagent, and a swap-meet. Generally this event draws the biggest crowds, and I expect perhaps 40-50 camera nerds to bring out their good stuff that's rare and retro.
For security we will take over the balcony that provides limited access because of the staircase, and the areas spread of tables ensures and encourages more social mixing. Also know that I have already been PM'ed about someone new who needs to book in the February Meet-Up so he can invite two friends from Philly. BTW these guys have very crazy retro gear and expressed concerns about security.
For you lurkers: It seemed that perhaps we had around 25 people at Harlem Public. In one way things got cozy very fast because Harlem Public was cozy and not really big, but this meet-up had two distinguishing elements: mucho gente from New Jersey; and many new people. I say it was like getting invaded by the Jersey Boys, and in another way it started to become like a flash mob as the crowd of camera geeks took over the place. Then the owner, Lauren, came over to inquire where all camera nerds were coming from. LOL.
Anyways, I made it a point that since we have so many people from New Jersey coming to New York, that we have to consider having some Meet-Ups in New Jersey. Hoboken, and Newark are pretty easy to get to. Also Arri mentioned that there's this ferry that goes to a State Park where we could even have an outdoor Meet-Up, and that Arri would invite his local camera club.
Anyways, I'm open to anything if it involves cameras, shooting or photography. Also know that I don't mind mucho walking, because I know the remote abandoned areas that I like to shoot are not not generally near mass transportation. Andre Dodd Santos once said, "The uglier the better." LOL.
Cal
macfiend
Established
Cal, that sounds good. I'm use to trekking long distances with heavy gear on my back and have also done some quick sprints thru train yards with nothing more that a back pack full of spray paint on my shoulder (my younger days) 
.
Although I'm not an adrenaline junkie, I admit I do like the rush I get from being where I really shouldn't to get the shot I have no business getting.
Well, you know what I mean....
. Although I'm not an adrenaline junkie, I admit I do like the rush I get from being where I really shouldn't to get the shot I have no business getting.
Well, you know what I mean....
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Cal, that sounds good. I'm use to trekking long distances with heavy gear on my back and have also done some quick sprints thru train yards with nothing more that a back pack full of spray paint on my shoulder (my younger days)
Although I'm not an adrenaline junkie, I admit I do like the rush I get from being where I really shouldn't to get the shot I have no business getting.
Well, you know what I mean....
From your days of painting I presume. Anyways its really important to get those shots of 5 Pontz before that place is gone. It's really a cultural center for Graph-feet-tee artists, and I know Meres. During the summer they have these parties and events.
Pro-Mone took some great action shots of this break dancing competion. If you love street art this is a great institution. I lived right down the block, I use to rent a rundown row house on 23rd Street where the Number 7 Train ran right in front of the house. It was like living in an Edward Hooper painting.
How are you with heights? I'm acrophobic, but I'll climb on rickety towers to get the shot/ aerial perspective. Too bad Maggie realized that I like shooting these desolate places, now she won't let me shoot at night alone comando style.
BTW John is kinda my regular shooting partner, and its cool that he's a wack job too. LOL.
Cal
Please don't tell me this is Liberty State Park? Too boring there for a meet-up.
finguanzo
Well-known
LOL..........
lamefrog
Well-known
Yes , thanks to Cal and John for organizing and to everyone for being so friendly and welcoming
I encourage anyone who's been lurking to go to these meetups
Philippe
I encourage anyone who's been lurking to go to these meetups
Philippe
It was good to see the new faces... hopefully some of you will make it back again.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Philippe,
Have a safe trip/adventure. Hopefully see you in March. Also don't forget the late spring "Shoot-Out" which is an additional event besides the monthly meet-ups.
Cal
JeffNYC
Well-known
Ok Cal..
I'm expecting to hear some news from you this week.. How long can you be #1 on the list? ;-)
just kidding............
I'm expecting to hear some news from you this week.. How long can you be #1 on the list? ;-)
just kidding............
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Jeff,
Yes, I an number one on the list and I'm expecting a call at any moment. Already I'm building up my digital studio, and last night I did a dumb thing and bought a Epson 3880 printer to take advantage of the $250.00 rebate offer on this "Pro" printer that will expire later this month. The dumb thing wasn't buying the printer, that was the smart thing, but dragging it home on the subway definitely was stupid. By the time I got home my arms were practically broken. LOL.
Perhaps Sunday I'll be getting a loaded Mac Book Pro. Don't tell Maggie yet but I already have a self set up for an external monitor. I'm looking into getting a "Color Munkee" so I can calibrate my printer and make/develop my own custom curves in anticipation of getting into Piezography. As you can tell I've been doing a lot of research at my boring day-job.
At home I've been busy remodeling the one bedroom that we use as a studio, and now have a pretty high tech work station that has both a sitting and standing desks. This workspace is very conducive to spending mucho time editing, proofing and printing. One day I imagine wanting a drum scanner. This is really a nice space with floor-to-cieling windows that overlooks some row houses on Lexington Avenue.
Anyways I'm excited like a little kid.
Cal
stompyq
Well-known
Thinking of a drum scanner?? I see large format in your future Cal. More specifically a Linhof Master tech with that wonderful grip............