[LargeFormat] Summer in the City

[tripspud]

Hi Dan,

       Gee, a large format street shooter!  You should carry a pocket
camera.  I tried several Olympuses, but prefer the basic screwmount
Leica camera with a collapsable lens.  Only weighs about a pound and
takes all the lenses, no batteries or electronics.  Gets the picture every
time (well, it works, sometimes I don't!).

      What are you doing carrying a large format camera without a tripod?

Cheers,

Rich Lahrson
Berkeley, California
tripspud@transbay.net


Dan Kalish wrote:

> >From: "Vincent Dobson" <manitec@bellsouth.net>
> >To: <largeformat@f32.net>
> >Subject: RE: [LargeFormat] Tips on Architecture photographs
> >Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 23:07:26 -0400
> >Reply-To: largeformat@f32.net
> >
> >
> >
> ><:)-----Original Message-----
> >
> ><:)Behalf Of Dan Kalish
> >
> ><:)Subject: [LargeFormat] Tips on Architecture photographs
> ><:)
> ><:)
> ><:)As I'm getting more experienced with Large Format photography, I find
> ><:)myself drawn towards architecture.  There are many such opportunities in
> ><:)New York City what with all the landmarks. I'm even developing a
> ><:)different
> ><:)outlook on the City: noticing the way buildings blend in and don't block
> ><:)the views.
> ><:)
> ><:)I can learn about the landmarks but want to get more proficient
> ><:)with this
> ><:)type of photography.  Any recommendation on books?  Organizations?  Is a
> ><:)Gandolfi Variant I with 210mm lens up to the task?  What about
> ><:)permission
> ><:)and permits?
> ><:)
> ><:)I can see myself ultimately picking a landmark, such as Grand Central
> ><:)Terminal, and doing a project around it.
> ><:)
> ><:)Dan the K.
> ><:)
> >
> >You will find yourself needing a much wider angle lens (unless you are
> >talking about an 8x10 or 11x14 camera).
> >
> >Permission and permits would be the stickler.  After 9/11 we are finding
> >more and more of our liberties eroding.  Homeland security regs. and
> >safeguards are doing the eroding.  You can be innocently taking a picture of
> >(for example) a pond and someone might call the law with a hint that they
> >fear you are casing the pond in your planning to add poison to the water
> >system - things like that.
> >
> >Many have reported being harassed for taking a picture of a bridge ---- and
> >more signs prohibiting said type pictures appear every day.
> >
> >As for me and my house - it's back to nature.  In the woods you are
> >basically left alone, and squirrels don't report you - hmm, maybe my hermit
> >side is showing.
> >
> >Vince Dobson
> >Visions In Nature
> >www.VisionsInNature.com
>
> Initially, I thought signs on bridges that say "no picture taking on the
> bridge" were silly.  You're driving a car, how are you going to take
> pictures of the bridge?  Maybe its not so silly: you can study the picture
> to get a better idea of how to bomb it.  And bombing bridges has always
> been a respectable activity for revolutionaries and anarchists.  <g>  Fritz
> the Cat got in on the act.
>
> Among the list of permits, there's also one from the Transit Authority,
> giving you permission to take pictures on the subway.  I've never been
> stopped, though, without the permit.
>
> More to the point, I have to find out what I like photographing and how to
> do it.  I'll deal with the permits when time comes.
>
> Thanks for all the tips.  I've ordered the McGrath book through Barnes and
> Noble: same story as Amazon.  Its out of print but they can get it.
>
> Getting a wide angle lens can be done.
>
> I had an interesting photography experience this afternoon.  I was on my
> way to Photo Gizzmo in Manhattan and while in Queensboro Plaza, had an
> accident with a semi-tractor trailer.  We waited around for the police to
> come and, I imagine, were the actual subjects of a radio transportation
> report, "Traffic is snarled at Queensboro Plaza due to an accident.  Two of
> three lanes are blocked."
>
> The truck driver pulls out a disposable camera and takes some pictures of
> the damage.  I, the serious amateur photographer, only have a Gandolfi and
> no tripod.  *Note* always carry a usable camera in the car.  After the
> police came and we disentangled our vehicles, I became determined to take
> some pictures.  Check the sun, look the opposite way, nice composition from
> under a subway station.  I rested the camera on top of my car, used maximum
> shift rise, and shot away.  BTW, would the lens tilt have been useful?  I
> tried it and it only made things worse.  Maybe its gotta be very very slight.
>
> Police?  My car was blocking one lane of a very busy road, Northern
> Boulevard.  A few drivers cussed me but no police could be seen.  Lesson:
> if you do something outrageously uncivil, the police don't want to get
> involved.
>
> Dan
>
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