[LargeFormat] The Lost (Photo) Weekend

[LNphoto]

On Thursday, October 2, 2003, at 08:30  PM, Ronald Schilling wrote:

> Bring the 4 X 5 along. Better to have the extra weight than possibly 
> regretting leaving the camera behind.
> Ronald
>
>

Back when I was just starting to date my wife, she told me her work 
friends were going white water rafting and wanted to know if we could 
go.  This came out of the blue as her normal idea of extreme sports is 
antique shoping.  I said sure, where are they going?

"Some place in Pennsylvania, Ohiopyle river I think.", came the response

Normally I have some sort of camera surgically attached to my person at 
all times, but I figured a 4x5 might be a bit dangerous bouncing around 
in a raft, and I didn't have a Nikonos, so I decided for once to forego 
professional equipment in lieu of one of the new disposable cameras 
that had just come on the market.

And at first this seemed to be a good thing as I was the first to go 
overboard with the camera around my neck. the camera wasn't a bit water 
proof, but I figured that any effect the river water would have on the 
film would give it an authentic look to the prints, call it "fine art"

After the ride we are being driven back up to the parking lot in an old 
army bus, when I see a sign that says "Birch Run, Falling water, 5 
miles"  I made some snide comment about seeing enough falling water for 
a while when Janet's eyes went all funny.

"No dear, not a silly dam.  FALLING WATER, as in Frank Loyd Wright's 
Falling Water!  We've got to go see it!"

So here I am, an architectural photographer visiting one of the best 
known houses in the world, and all I have is a river soaked disposable 
camera!  A true low point in my photographic career!

Oh and the camera locked up as the water-softened emulsion dried out 
and stuck to the film gate. Most of of the pictures had a very orange 
cast with large water marks on them...sorta like looking at pictures 
through a lava lamp. Not one of the pics of Falling Water came out.