Saturday, October 4, 2003
Wow, a second weekend in a row when I didn't go to work. Turning into a real slacker here. Well, I did go to work but only to sneak into the darkroom for about eight hours. I'd managed to knock out the contact sheets from last weekend at Seneca and got started on playing with a few prints. I don't think I even managed to touch any of the 
4x5s, spending most of my time and energy on the three rolls of 120 before the developer, stop bath and myself all became exhausted simultaneously.
One of the happy accidents from the weekend's shooting involved leaving the aperture in the shutter of the ArgoPinFlex close down to f-18. Instead of a full 6x6cm frame, I got a little round image in the middle of each frame. Not a disaster and actually kind of appropriate for a pinhole photograph. Most were still too wet for bringing home and scanning but one shot of the Southern Pillar with a scrumptious IR sky managed to dry down in time.
The pinClack did quite well on this trip. I think I'll be using it more in the future. One shot of a stream along Roy Gap Road ought to work well once I get a chance to print it with the care it deserves. I was also able to talk the demented fool who taught me how to rock climb into pausing long enough for a pinhole portrait by the river.
Posted by coldmarble @ 06:49 PM ET [Link] [blab]
Thursday, October 2, 2003
My hopes for some play time in the darkroom vanished yesterday evening as the new photography students started their evening lab hours. It was just too crowded to try any serious work, although I probably could have at least made contacts of the negatives from Seneca. I'll sneak in Saturday morning, bright and early, while the students are sleeping off their Friday night festivities. I promise some more scans soon after that.
It wasn't a day entirely without photo fun. One of the advanced photo students wanted to learn about Polaroid image transfers, so we spent a few hours with some of her slides and my Daylab printer. After a brief gooey start with some too old film, things went quite well. The transfer process is much easier and quicker with four hands to manage all the peeling and holding and paper scrap removal. Next week, we move on to emulsion lifts. More messy fun.
If I can sneak out of here a little early, I hope to swing by Lenox Laser in Glen Arm. I've left my prints cluttering up the place way too long since their 2003 competition.
Posted by coldmarble @ 01:18 PM ET [Link] [blab]
Monday, September 29, 2003
A few years ago, almost every weekend would find me loading the car, picking up my climbing partner and heading to Seneca Rocks, WV to test myself against gravity and fear. I'm a little older, maybe a little wiser, and the weekend trips have been reduced to an annual pilgimage on the fourth weekend of September. The rack of climbing gear and my rope have been replaced by my cameras and I spend more of my time discovering the hidden beauties of the river valley that I missed seeing all those years when I was too busy looking up to take the time to look around.
The cause of this annual trek, besides the beauty of Seneca, is a reunion of sorts with old climbing friends. For the past 17 years we have been meeting at Seneca for the Annual IMSAR Seneca SeaFest. Yes, I know West Virginia isn't the place that springs to mind when you think of good seafood, but we bring that with us. You can count on Mike Carroll to stir up a pot of his notorious famous clam chowder. It's my one big chance each year to splurge on a sushi spree. I had to snap the picture as soon as I opened the trays, hungry climbers show no mercy to yellowtail or tuna. There was jambalaya and salmon and shrimp and.. and.. and like that. There wasn't much leftover and no one left hungry.
More and better photos coming as soon as I can develop the rolls and sheets I blew through this weekend. And who knows, maybe this trip awakened those feelings of the past for this beautiful place. I just might find myself down there later this year, if I can swing the time off and find another photographer or two to share the joys of Seneca.
Posted by coldmarble @ 10:04 PM ET [Link] [blab]
