New York January NYC Meet-Up

[Calzone]

Let's pick a Sunday.

In January I'll be 61. 2018 went by like a blink of an eye. At my age a decade is not that long a time. Pretty much like the Rocky Horror Picture Show: "Let's Do The Time Warp Again."

2019 will be a year where I print really for real in a fine art manner. I spent a few years developing skills and gathering equipment. I figure sometime mid year or so to have some kind of website or online presence, and I'll be putting my work out there.

Christian thinks because of "Maggie" that I have a jump start.

I have a concept of doing something about bikes, photography and guitars. The idea about riffing off of the release of "Welcome To Marwen" in that I build out a safe place for myself that is kinda like living in a sustainable self-contained bubble of sorts has its appeal.

Interesting to note that although I have been active in the arts for decades and have basically 3 art degrees that even includes the terminal degree of MFA, I have remained "under the radar." Not that I'm resentful, but at this point I sacrificed and sidelined my artistic career; and now I have a semblance of a secure future where I don't have to become a "Ho" and sell myself.

Like my old boss who was crazy use to say, "I don't mean to be nasty..." but I do kinda have a bad attitude. When I say that an art dealer would have to scrub my toilet to earn his or her 50% commission I kinda mean it. I don't do what I do for their sake: fug-em.

Looks like a new venture will be getting a GoPro Hero 7 and doing video. One of my Masters Degrees is in TV Broadcast Journalism, and I did TV news as a reporter, videographer and as a "one-man band" where I did both to cover stories that were broadcast on Long Island cable.

I'm sure some of my experience from the theater, performing off-Broadway, and under experimental theater like The Joseph Papp Public Theater will all be utilized of when I actively was a performance artist. You know me: I'm a drama queen. LOL.

Things are kinda converging in an organic manner. Pretty much anything could happen, and it seems so likely that something big is going on. I recently replaced a helmet that was over 20 years old and updated it with a Giro that has MPS as a safety feature. Of course I bought it during an end of season closeout that Joe had suggested, but it also has a mount for a GoPro.

Hmmm. What does all this mean? It does seem though that the time is right and that somehow divine intervention is taking place in a remarkable manner. I just have a feeling...

Cal

 

[Calzone]

In the December Meet-Up Chris brought a shopping bag of camera surplus.

Ignacio the lucky dog got a free working Leica film Point and shoot.

Joe took some odd lens.

I have an unopened can of 100 ISO Agfa 135 that is old, and some old 4x5 HP5. I also am keeping these LTM extention tubes that compliment and fit my Leica copy stand.

There is a Minolta 35 that is a LTM rangefinder complete with a 50/2.8 Super Rokkor that has a curtain that let go.

There is a Kodak Ektar 152mm F4.5 that has clean glass and when I exercised the shutter seems to be spot on. This lens was especially made for a Graflex Graphic Supematic.

There is a 127 Ektar F4.7 that comes with a Polaroid MP-4, but has no aperture. This is suppose to be a remarkable lens.

All kinds of retro stuff that requires deep forensics. Mucho conversation pieces. One is this Leica working flash that includes flash bulbs. Spares of cables and battery retainer included.

There is this brown leather Leica case that is especially configured for a three-4 lens M-body kit. There is this cool removable pallet that has three M-mounts and a holster for a M-body. Mucho retro and I never saw one like this before.

Anyways plenty of stuff to fight over. Some items I will reserve for prizes for the February Camera Beauty Contest.

I think the Grand Prize, donated by Philippe, is a working Olympus PEN EE-2. This is a mighty cool half frame film camera that is about the size of a pack of cigarettes, and basically is a point and shoot.

Sadly Philippe will be in France for 6 months, but happily he will return.

So now it seems we have some real prizes to fight over. Remember the only rule strictly enforced is :"No Biting."

Also know that Chris is going to add to this stockpile and will be bringing to work a box of other stuff. Chris and I work at the same "institution," a better word for a hospital full of crazy people.

So it seems that the January Meet-Up will have a give away because of an abundance of camera surplus. Also this could be considered a preview of some remarkable prizes.

I would not mind owning/winning the Olympus PEN F EE-2. It has mucho style.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The GoPro is smaller than I imagined: 2 1/2 Long x 1 3/4 Wide x 1 1/4 Deep. As a camera it is only 12 MP. Kinda funny but in comparing to my SL is is like having a half-frame digital camera. This thing is not small, its tiny. Weatherproof too; designed to be submerged up to 33 feet in depth.

$389.00 at B&H and currently there is that B&H $80.00 gift card rebate, so if you are a CF basically you can purchase it for $309.00. The accessories is where GoPro milks you. "Moo," said the pig.

Earlier reviews of the Hero 6 mentions that the upgrades over a Hero 5 are not that big a jump, but it seems the Hero 7, especially the "Black" version which is the most advanced version, is today a big deal.

It seems the image stabilization has evolved to the point that it approaches having and using a gimble. I also have the ability of voice commands.

In playing around last night I see how many of the default settings are pretty much what I would use for biking.

The FOV for me is 4/3rds and the default is like a 21mm FOV.

Of course shooting ultra wide is a certain specialization.

For me I wish it had a more elegant way to use external mikes and a mixer for better audio. The adapter they sell offers a limited flexibility and is not so small or ergonomic. The true benefit for me of a GoPro is for ENG (Electronic News Gathering) and having a tiny highly portable rig.

In my case I want to fill the function of a "one man-band" who works alone, is highly mobile, and is stealthy and low profile. Pretty much I regress back to the old days when I was in Grad school and doing Local News that was broadcast on Long Island Cable, except this time it would be over the Internet.

Seems like my retirement is about going back in time and regressing. Seems like I'll finally be fully utilizing my four year art degree, my Master's in Communication Arts, and my MFA in Creative Writing.

Kinda funny how I kinda had a high tech career in a Fortune 500 Company, two National Labs, and currently for a major Cancer Center, but I regard all this as being a poser, playing a part that society outlined for me, filling a role in an area that I was allowed to suceed, and most of all I feel that really it has been just one long performance as a performance artist.

Meanwhile in the art world I'm still under the radar and pretty much invisible.

The Chinese have this expression: "Time is the best weapon."

Cal

Post script: Imagine mountng my GoPro Hero 7 onto a baby Linhof cold shoe. There is this looping feature that kinda supports recording and over recording 5 minute segments as an interval. If a baby Linhof in NYC is not unusual enough, then add a GoPro. LOL.

 

[Calzone]

GoPro Update:

I learned from playing around that the optics on a GoPro 7 Hero Black has some serious wide angle distortion and is not like Leica wide angle lenses.

So now I am grounded that the GoPro is just basically a down and dirty video camera that offers compactness and IS for action. I'll reframe my thinking to exploit these features that might be limited to biking.

As a digital camera I have better choices.

Having a bike cam at all times is useful enough for me.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

582K followers.

Over the holidays I talked with "Maggie's" brother-in-law who is a big sports ad executive. This guy sells Superbowl commercials and gets free tickets to attend the Superbowl.

So I inquired about the timing of Maggie's big shoot in an L.A. studio that was a huge production, even for this big tech company that is a household name.

So I was told that about 2 months in advance is about the right timing for a Superbowl commercial, and of course there is all this secrecy.

I might be right about my suspicions...

Cal

 

[farras]

January meeting

January meeting

How does Sunday Jan 20 sound?

 

[Calzone]

How does Sunday Jan 20 sound?

Farras,

Sunday January 20th it tis.

Cal

 

[farras]

Farras,

Sunday January 20th it tis.

Cal

Usual place? What time?

 

[Calzone]

Usual place? What time?

Farras,

Officially around 1:00 PM, but I am there early to secure our table/spot.

The location is the Rochard on Lexington corner of 97th Street.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

"Maggie" has a literary agent as well as an agent and assistant agent.

586K Followers, and many included me in their best wishes for the New Year.

Maggie's assistant agent told her that since most of the photo's that will be used for the book she is proposing are mine that this will eliminate having to pay for permissions that will come out of her advance.

Now a days I'm told that book advances are rare, unless you are famous, well known, or established. Maggie told me that she will pay me for the photos.

Maggie also told me that she put out a "tease" to her followers and mentioned that I'm working on a project.

Sunday February 3rd is Superbowl Sunday. The timing is right. Could Maggie be in a Superbowl commercial for a tech company? How crazy is that?

Meanwhile I need to replace my 4 year old humidifier before I load my Jersey Barrier with inks.

Cal

 

[DennisM]

Jan Meetup

Jan Meetup

I marked my calendar: 1:00 Sun Jan 20 at The Rochard, NYC

 

[Calzone]

I marked my calendar: 1:00 Sun Jan 20 at The Rochard, NYC

Dennis,

I have to ask is the "M" for "Menace"? LOL.

Had a friend named Dennis back when I worked at Grumman. I'm in the shop when the phone rings and it is this girl Patty called looking for Dennis.

When I see Dennis I tell him that Patty called, and he says, "Which one?"

"How many girlfriends with the name Patty do you have?" I ask.

"Two," Dennis says. Then I watch him make a call. Pretty much the Patty that answers says "It was the other Patty that called."

Dennis revealed the truth in human nature: you always want what you can't get. I also learned how much you can get away with if you are honest.

Dennis was a hard core biker. Had a 1963 Harley "Police Special" that he had painted at Grumman: Midnight Blue.

A real fun guy. One day he told me that he pretty much/almost got fired. He had this midnight assignment where he had to be around on standby. He got bored, and it must of been a Thursday night because he decided to go to "Summertimes" for a while. He met a girl, and kinda smuggled her into the secure compound and our shop for sex.

Everything was cool until Dennis tried to smuggle her out. He was nabbed by a security guard who noticed the girl had no badge. Dennis was able to talk his way out of getting reported by the guard, but he decided that just in case he should come clean and tell our boss what happened.

"Better to hear from me rather than through security," Dennis said.

Pretty much Charlie, our boss, just laughed. At least Dennis was honest. LOL.

Cal

 

[finguanzo]

Im hoping to make this one, been a while.
Im slowly selling stuff I dont use anymore, If anyone is interested in a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Scan Dual IV 35mm scanner.. Let me know. Have'nt scanned in almost a year since setting up my ghetto darkroom.
Never noticed how much stuff I have until I moved. Sold 1 guitar, have another one listed, a bass, and maybe even my Leica stuff soon......GASP!
Been enjoying the Mamiya 7 almost exclusively for a while.

 

[Calzone]

Im hoping to make this one, been a while.
Im slowly selling stuff I dont use anymore, If anyone is interested in a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Scan Dual IV 35mm scanner.. Let me know. Have'nt scanned in almost a year since setting up my ghetto darkroom.
Never noticed how much stuff I have until I moved. Sold 1 guitar, have another one listed, a bass, and maybe even my Leica stuff soon......GASP!
Been enjoying the Mamiya 7 almost exclusively for a while.

Fidel,

Nothing wrong with culling down. The shopping bag that Chris filled has two enlarger lenses. I think one is a 100mm for medium format. Interested?

Lately I have been taking an electric guitar to our "Community Room" to woodshed without an amp. Things are advancing.

I guess I'll bring out my "Monster Workbook" to show you. Kinda crazy. Also I found some snapshots of my 84 Scrambler with the Corvette engine and a few of my 1980 Checker Limo with black vinyl top and opera window.

Read a review of the Audi RS3. Only 400 horsepower in a small car tuned for performance. Kinda designed for me in mind. Not bad for an old man car.

Cal

 

[finguanzo]

Hm.. let me think about the lens, wouldn’t mind printing tiny 6x7 prints. Not sure if 100 is enough..
And by the way, you need an rs6 wagon....

 

[Calzone]

Hm.. let me think about the lens, wouldn’t mind printing tiny 6x7 prints. Not sure if 100 is enough..
And by the way, you need an rs6 wagon....

Fidel,

Just a dream at this point. I'm fine walking to work.

If I ever get a car at this point, I'll hold out and wait till I have the extra cash to avoid buying a new car with a loan. Also will hold out and get something a bit crazy.

Perhaps a RS6 wagon is a better car for my bikes.

"Maggie" will retire from Fordham in May. I don't want to move to Beacon (lower Hudson Valley) just yet. A few more years of work. Like I say I want cash to purchase a new car or I don't want one.

A Hellcat has over 700 horsepower, but weighs over 4500 pounds. Would rather have a GT 350 with only 520 hp in a lighter car.

Kinda funny since I never-ever bought a new car, and I was the champion of the $300.00 cars and annoyingly to my neighbors would keep these old eyesores going for years.

Did you watch that DVD yet? Did you laugh when they played the beer commercial?

I think 100mm is where you want to be for 6x7. I believe 80mm is for 6x6.

Cal

 

[Dan]

He got bored, and it must of been a Thursday night because he decided to go to "Summertimes" for a while. He met a girl, and kinda smuggled her into the secure compound and our shop for sex.

Everything was cool until Dennis tried to smuggle her out. He was nabbed by a security guard who noticed the girl had no badge. Dennis was able to talk his way out of getting reported by the guard...

Is this the plot in a porn? 😀

 

[finguanzo]

Im Using a Nikon 80mm, covers 6x7, the only issue is that If I try to print to 5x7 paper, im like 2 inches off the easel... lol
Why I considered getting something to get me more height on the head.

By the way, RS6 is very expensive, 100kish expensive.... but, where else can you get an all wheel drive station wagon pushing above 600hp......... oh yeah.

 

[Calzone]

Is this the plot in a porn? 😀

Saul,

The story Dennis told was both funny and exciting.

Taught me why girls like "bad" boys.

I have a musician friend named Timmy. This kid can play every style of guitar with feeling. When I first met Timmy he was just a 15 year old and he explained to me that he was really a drummer.

The amount of talent this kid had made me want to go home and smash all my guitars.

So Tim does not really have any day-job and he calls himself a bum. Girls seem to love him, especially because he tells them he is a no good musician and a bum; and that they can do better and deserve more.

All these girls seem to dig in and hang on though. Seems they want the most what they can't have. Even when married or with other boyfriends they still keep in touch.

So one summer I keep calling and I get a recording that his message box is full. I begin to worry that some jealous husband or boyfriend killed him. In the fall I get a call from him and learn that he was in Belgium living in a tent with gypsies that were descendents of DJango Reinhart learning Gypsy Guitar.

How cool is that.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Im Using a Nikon 80mm, covers 6x7, the only issue is that If I try to print to 5x7 paper, im like 2 inches off the easel... lol
Why I considered getting something to get me more height on the head.

By the way, RS6 is very expensive, 100kish expensive.... but, where else can you get an all wheel drive station wagon pushing above 600hp......... oh yeah.

Fidel,

The little RS3 is only 500 horsepower and the cost is about $60K.

A GT350 with 526 HP is about $80K.

A RS6 has my style though.

A friend of mine went to Race Driving school in Conn. The bummer is he was looking forward to driving a Dodge Viper on a race track, but on the weekend of his class it rained and dampened the experience of going full on racing. Scott did autocross.

My friend Cris (the guitar builder) not only has a few vintage Harleys, but also a vintage funnycar that is kinda famous and historical.

My friend Steve was one of those illegal street racers that started on Deer Park Avenue out on Long Island, that kinda moved to Hempstead Turnpike by the Nassau Colliseum.

My own Smokey and the Bandit was Los Alamos New Mexico to Oakdale Long Island in 32 hours straight. My average speed was 65 mph and that included stopping for gas, food, and using the toilet.

Driving a raised Jeep at 100 MPH sustained drains a 23 gallon tank of gas in about an hour. Only about 4 miles per gallon. Drag is inverse square law so drag is four times the amount if you double the speed. Also the Jeep is not really on the ground and it is more like a hovercraft. Each expansion crack I would catch a little air.

Cal