rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
I am back home for a few weeks after spending my summer and early fall in the Adirondack mountains.
The job is great and I'll be going back.
The main things I learned:
1: Not to take so much gear next time.
I didn't take every thing I own but I did try to cover all my bases; I took RF, SLR, TLR, and a point n shoot. And the various accessories for each.
I wasn't living in a tent but it was still too big a pile. I did use all of them but would have been fine with a much simpler kit.
For example, I have the 500mm lens for my Arax 60 and an adapter so I can use it on my 35mm SLR. Used that perhaps three or four times. That one is not coming with me next time.
The kit for next time will be streamlined: two Rs with lenses, the SLR and a 28-105 zoom. And a 4 x5 Polaroid/Daylab pinhole camera.
2: Take more film. I have been using one color neg and one C-41 BW film for a while now. Works fairly well for me. So I brought 20 rolls of each with me. Plus some 120 film. And mail ordered more. When I go back I won't take a huge amount with me but I am bringing more and a bigger variety. Meaning slide and other BW.
3: I'm probably misquoting him, but I think backalley told me once; "to be a better photographer, be a better editor." Spot on, joe! I shot somewhere around 1400 frames over the 5 months and most of those will never be seen by anyone but me. I'm happy to have taken them and hope to find the area just as visually captivating next time.
4: There is a big difference between, "let's take the boat out" and, "so what if it's raining and cold, the food delivery is waiting and we have to go get it."
Rob
The job is great and I'll be going back.
The main things I learned:
1: Not to take so much gear next time.
I didn't take every thing I own but I did try to cover all my bases; I took RF, SLR, TLR, and a point n shoot. And the various accessories for each.
I wasn't living in a tent but it was still too big a pile. I did use all of them but would have been fine with a much simpler kit.
For example, I have the 500mm lens for my Arax 60 and an adapter so I can use it on my 35mm SLR. Used that perhaps three or four times. That one is not coming with me next time.
The kit for next time will be streamlined: two Rs with lenses, the SLR and a 28-105 zoom. And a 4 x5 Polaroid/Daylab pinhole camera.
2: Take more film. I have been using one color neg and one C-41 BW film for a while now. Works fairly well for me. So I brought 20 rolls of each with me. Plus some 120 film. And mail ordered more. When I go back I won't take a huge amount with me but I am bringing more and a bigger variety. Meaning slide and other BW.
3: I'm probably misquoting him, but I think backalley told me once; "to be a better photographer, be a better editor." Spot on, joe! I shot somewhere around 1400 frames over the 5 months and most of those will never be seen by anyone but me. I'm happy to have taken them and hope to find the area just as visually captivating next time.
4: There is a big difference between, "let's take the boat out" and, "so what if it's raining and cold, the food delivery is waiting and we have to go get it."
Rob
