Maps the Photographer's Friend

I just finished listening to another podcast by Lens Work Editor, Brooks Jensen entitled " The Seduction of Maps".
http://www.lenswork.com/podcast/LW0461%20-%20The%20Seduction%20of%20Maps.mp3
I whole heartedly agree that looking at maps is very exciting as you plan a photographic trip to a new place. In fact that is one of the first things I do when I plan a photographic excursion.

Here's is an example. I have made many trips to Michigan's UP to photograph waterfalls. I have a very nice book by a photographer from the Detroit area of his black and white images of UP waterfalls. He included a companion book with directions to help you locate the waterfalls in his book. I used that but I also used a Michigan county map book, that I had for many years, for the greater detail. It made it much easier to find the location of the falls I was tring to find.
My daughter gave me a new map book last Christmas, updated information and in color. I should be al set, at least for the state of Michigan.

Two great resources for online mapping are Google Maps and Microsoft's online mapping site

http://maps.google.com/ http://maps.live.com/

Not only can you use them to plan a route to your destination, but you can see satilite images of the area you are planning to visit. I think that that is the best part. I can see what a place looks like before I go there. The Microsoft site even has what is called "Birds Eye View" for some locations.


Maps are a photographers best bud.

End of an Era

I read with a bit of sadness an AP article printed in our local on the paper on the probable demise of Kodachrome film. I have mostly been shooting digitally myself for quite a long time, so I guess I am a part of the reason for this happening.

I loved Kodachrome. I shot it exclusively for many years, even after the E6 films had improved to a point they rivaled Kodachrome quality.

About 25 years ago I was in the camera department of a local store and they had all of their stock of Kodachrome 25 marked down to a dollar a roll. Most of them were 36 exposure rolls.
It was close dated but I bought all they had and put it in the freezer. I think I ended up with about 50 or so rolls of the stuff. It lasted me about 10 months. I was sad to shoot the last roll of it. It was a very sharp film and I loved the colors that it gave me.

Even though Kodak hasn't officially announced they are ending the production of this great film, the current stocks of the film have a 2009 expiration date, and as of yet they haven't produced any more.

I'm sure that it will be a mater of time.

Maybe I'll get a few rolls and shoot them before this film goes the way of the Dodo. So I can say I shot it till the end.

Great Big Sea Part II

Here are the pictures I promised.

If you read my last post you know that I went to Ann Arbor, MI to see the band Great Big Sea last Wednesday night.

Well my wife and I went to see the band last Saturday night in Chicago at the Chicago Celtic Festival.

Our daughters got us a room at the Palmer House to celebrate our 30Th anniversary.
What nice kids.

We had a great time even though it rained the whole time we were there. We sat there watching the band from under our umbrellas, it was a grand adventure.

Even though we got quite wet, I think it was the best GBS show I have been to so far.

Seeing this band twice in less than a week's time was way cool.

Maybe I'm turning into a groupie.............

Great Big Sea

I know that this isn't the best image I have ever made, but since I took it with my cell phone I think it turned out ok.

Last night I went to see one of my all time favorite bands in the world, Great Big Sea. They hail from Newfoundland, Canada. I guess the best way to describe them is Sea Shanty meets rock and roll.

They haven't been close enough for me to go and see them in about a year and a half. So I had to go. Plus I was able to wrangle a seat in the front row, so it was imperative to be there.

In addition to the show in Ann Arbor, Mi last night, they are playing at the Chicago Celtic Festival this Saturday, so my wife and I are driving down to the windy city for the weekend and plan on seeing them play there.



If I get any better pictures I'll be sure to post them here.



Check the band out. http://www.greatbigsea.com/

I have a darkroom again (sort of)

Saturday my friend Steve invited me out to burn some 4x5 film.
We met at a restaurant in Grant, a small town about 10 miles straight north of where I live.
We shot all of the film we had loaded on the old grain elevator in town.

I decided to process my film that same day. It usually takes me weeks to get around doing it, but I changed my normal procedure and souped the film right away.

After they were dry and I looked at the images. I wished that I could make even just contact prints, so I went up to the barn dug all my equipment out of the boxes it has been stored in since I moved and set it up.
It's not as nice as what I had before I moved and there is no running water, but it will do the job until I come up with a better solution.

America's National Past Time

I Got a pair of tickets to the last regular season home game of the West Michigan White Caps. I took my brother's son and we had a nice time.
The seats were in the second row back right behind home plate so I brought a camera and long lens along.
The images aren't Sports Illustrated quality but I had fun shooting some of the game anyway.

Lawn Mower Races

I don't know if it's just an American phenomenon or if it happens everywhere on earth. If it has a motor on it they are going to race it.

July 20th Sparta Airport. Sparta MI.

Tiger Woods, Me and the Zone

This past weekend the village of Sparta had thier annual " Town and Country Days" event. It runs five days and there many things to see, do, eat and drink. But I couldn't get to any of the festivities until Friday night so there were a few image making opportunites missed to be sure.

Saturday night as I was roaming around the carnival trying to get some of that action, when I realized someone was trying to get my attention. My cousin Chuck who I don't see very often and his wife were leaving to go home, they saw me and called out. I didn't even notice them right away because I was in the "Zone".

I never noticed until this past weekend how oblivious I am to things around me while I am shooting, but still I am seeing the smallest details at the same moment. It's a bit freaky.

I'm sure this must be true for somebody like Tiger Woods, to tune out the rest of the world but be so into the shot or putt you are attempting.

The zone is a great place to be. At least for short amounts of time.