Weblog Entry - 07/07/2003: "lessons learned"

One hot, humid and hazy weekend here. Summer in spades. Energy sucked right out of me and not half the tasks I'd hoped to have done anywhere near finished.

It was a learning weekend, though. Spent the worst of the heat curled with books on alt-process, trying to arrange the preparations for gum bichromate printing. Scored the watercolor paper form Utrecht's, as well as some cool hake brushes. It's been preshrunk in hot water and is waiting for an application of gelatin sizing and then a glyoxal hardening coat.

Learned some lessons about pinhole shooting with a model on Sunday. I had way too many cameras and way too many ideas for one morning. On a hot day, with a long walk and rock climbing, seven cameras were probably 4 too many. "Not far from my house" turned out to be a 45 minute drive and a mile walk. At least I was smart enough to leave the view camera in the car, though the location is pretty enough that I may head back with it as my only burden. Lesson one: Travel light.

Photographers can do some funny dance steps while walking on slippery river beds. I managed to avoid any unscheduled immersion tests of my equipment but some better shoes might have helped. A pair of non-slip sandals will be on the list for next trip involving river wading. Lesson two: Watch your step.

Sitting on rocks in cold water is too much to ask of even the most patient and cooperative model, especially for IR pinholes. Ten minute exposure times are just too long for human subjects. Marion did a fantastic job, though, and cheerfully gave it her best. She was much happier when we switched to regular B&W film for pinhole work with shorter exposure times. They are developed and waiting for printing sometime in the next few weeks. Lesson three: Keep your model comfortable, don't ask the impossible.

We did manage some time for a few

digital IR (possibly NSFW) shots for that instant gratification.

I'll be heading back to this location soon. With another model, if I can scare one up, or without. I've been in touch with a photographer from the D.C. area who is looking to trade her modelling skills for pinhole instruction. I'll keep my fingers crossed we can work something out.