.... with a small wooden box, a piece of plywood and a rusty old adjustable set square from the junk box together with a camera and small 3-LED flashlight.
Nicely done, Thumbnail. My only negative comment is as a Fitter and Tuuner by trade the owner of this fine piece of marking out equipement needs a good kick up the arse for letting it get to this discraceful condition,
Thanks Craig and yes, there have been quite a few K.U.T.A in recent years.. My other hobby was woodworking and wood turning until arthritis in my hands set in and then losing my wife to cancer destroyed my world.. I locked up my workshop and threw away the key. Years later I gave my machines and store of fine timbers away but I have kept some items like this for personal reasons.
In some ways, I know how you feel, keith . I have 2 ex-wives and each time they pissed off I was left with little to nothing. Finally started to get ahead of my issues and suffered a medical issue due to the related stress of my grumpy second ex-wife. This left me unable to work and it took some years to get around with out a walking frame and later a walking stick. I hobbled around a bit now. Physically I exercise and my diet is needed to be controlled but mentally I Immersed myself in the local community by volunteering with Vinnies for the last 14 years. This is a couple of days a week and then Started a photography class on a volunteer basis, it was not easy at first but I pursisted and 10 years later I have a core group of 11 students and sometimes up to 14 on field trips, I still have my very first student who still regularly comes along. I am not saying it will suit you or it might but you have life skills that can be of use to others and we need a healthy mindset mentally , Photography is a great way to get there. I am lucky as I have a good relationship with my childrren and other family members.
I'm glad you found a solution Craig, for me it was 60+ years of photography that was my lifeline. I'm happy in my skin these days even though the organic machine contained within is gradually wearing out and needs constant repairs and maintenance so getting about can be a bit of a challenge. I've recently obtained a very old bare-bones Crown Graphic 5x4 camera that I have set up to use hand-held and preiliminay trials have ironed out a few bugs so I'm excitedly waiting for some decent weather days to get out and shoot some local stuff I've only ever done in 35mm previously.
I have a new camera system I am at present playing around with too. I purchased a Mamiya press 23 with a 100mm lens and a Mamiya universal with the hand grip and pair of 60 x 90mm medium format roll film holders with the objective ofdoning panaramas, I have just finished one roll of film so as soon as I develop it I will know how the new light seals are going, I used some 2mm sticky backed velvet felt used in jewery cases, if it works ok I have heaps of spare light seals for only 16 dollars Australian
I sold my Mamiya Universal in about 2016 and regretted it ever since. I've been tempted once or twice since but the today's prices don't come within my budget any more. I'm sure you will enjoy it Craig. One tip if I may be so bold - tie a bright streamer to the handles of the dark slides because they have this uncanny ability to escape from captivity and hide in the nearest long grass.
This is my hand-held modified Crown Graphic sat on a tripod just for the photo. and this is one of the first shots I took with it. I used Fomapan 400 film and pushed it to 800 ISO so that I could get a shutter speed of around 1/160th.
These images are what I like about large format photography I have a Toyoview 4x5 , this is more of a studio camera and Calamet C1 8x10, I have not taken any images yet as I need to get stuck into building my dark room. I have 4 photo enlargers but really need to get stuck into the building side of things, the next thing to be done is laying a cement layer over the floor area due to the constant damp to seal it off about 1/4 done so far. I can develop my 120 films in a Agfa Rondinax 60 daylight tank. I tend to grab what I can when I can and put it aside for when I need it. The Calamt C1 weighs a ton so any images will not be taken to far from my vechile.
Two great cameras Craig and just crying out to be used before you have to re-mortgage your house to buy film..
I know a guy that shoots 5x4 paper negatives quite regularly which he scans and processes in Photoshop and digitally prints some of them. The results are very nice but I have to stress that this chap is an Adobe Beta Tester for LR & PS and his B&W photo editing skills are amazing and I don't think anyone would guess that they were from paper negs so for him, at least, it's a cheap way to shoot LF.
Keith, I view film photography as a photographic adventure, it might not come out perfect but the challenge is part of the fun.
You have the same attitude as me Craig. From a 'box Brownie' in 1953, photo reconnaisance with the RAF in the 1970's to a dabble with photomicroscopy around 2010 it has been one fascinating journey. My times as a pro were to earn a living whilst my amateur journey in film is still purely for the wonderment and pleasure of seeing what can be done with a bunch of chemicals and other materials stirred together with a big dollop of imagination. Long live (cheap ) film and silver gelatin paper.
