[LargeFormat] Rites of passage

Sat Nov 8 14:36:36 2003

Yes, DO post it if you can. I wasn't going to ask since it's been too many
years!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brock Nanson" <brock@nanson.org>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2003 2:23 PM
Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] Rites of passage

> That's what we call them around here - not sure if they have a 'real'
name
> or not!  They do stand for a long time however...
>
> No picture of the old guy or his sons.  They're known around here
however
> - they've been the root of many stories.  Or perhaps 'butt' of many
> 'stories'! ;-)  One of the sons actually is a photographer now.  Or
> at least I've seen his name associated with photography - I don't think
> it's his day job.
>
> The final print I made of the fence included a full moon from another
neg.
> Handy having several enlargers at your disposal (university photo club
> darkroom).  Haven't seen it in years... if I can find it I'll scan and
> post it on my website.
>
> Brock
>
> On Sat, 8 Nov 2003, stuart phillips wrote:
>
> > You had me rolling around with that story.
> >
> > BTW: thanks for telling me what that kind of fence is called. Saw some
in
> > New England a while ago.
> >
> > BTW: any pics of the old coot?
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Brock Nanson" <brock@nanson.org>
> > To: <largeformat@f32.net>
> > Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2003 1:59 PM
> > Subject: RE: [LargeFormat] Rites of passage
> >
> >
> > > This is something I suppose we all face at one time or another.
Often,
> > if
> > > we're like U.D. and enjoy stirring the pot!
> > >
> > > A friend and I went out into the country one cold and dark February
> > night
> > > about (Aaack!) 16 or 17 years ago.  It was 35mm equipment, but that
> > > doesn't really change the thread any - we'd have used LF if we'd had
the
> > > gear at that time.
> > >
> > > The goal was to mess about with long exposures and paint with flash.
We
> > > set up on an old snake fence next to the road (the zig-zag fence
made
> > from
> > > small logs commonly used in this area before barbed wire).  Wide
angle
> > > lens, shutter on B, I walked down the road and popped my flash at a
few
> > > points to light the fence.  A few minutes after the first exposure,
a
> > 4x4
> > > came careening out towards us from a farmhouse at the far side of
the
> > > field.  The old coot and his two grown sons (apparently home from
> > > rocket-science school for the weekend) were wedged across the bench
> > seat,
> > > with a rifle between one's knees.
> > >
> > > 'Whadya think YOU'RE doing out here?', in full view of the camera on
> > > tripod.
> > >
> > > 'Building a piano, what does it look like?'... We were still in
> > university
> > > at the time and cocky... besides which, the gun wasn't leveled at us
and
> > > only served to egg us on.  The intimidation was having the opposite
> > effect
> > > to what they had anticipated.
> > >
> > > One of the sons was evidently a photographer because he figured out
what
> > > the camera and tripod was for.  'What are you taking pictures of?'
> > >
> > > 'The fence.'
> > >
> > > 'What speed of film are you using?'
> > >
> > > '100 speed TMax'
> > >
> > > 'That'll never work, it's too dark out here'.  Real stretch to work
that
> > > out... 11PM in the dead of winter, no moon, out in the country.  It
WAS
> > > dark.  No question, this guy was bright!
> > >
> > > 'Well, I guess we're just wasting our time and film then.'
> > >
> > > Old Coot: 'You guys better clear out of here - this is private
property'
> > >
> > > 'That side of the fence might be, but not where we're standing.
We'll
> > > leave when we're done.'
> > >
> > > 'You better move out now, I'm calling the cops'.
> > >
> > > 'Tell them to hurry, we'll likely be done within a half hour.'
> > >
> > > Off they went in a cloud of dust and a spray of gravel.  We hung
around
> > > for longer than a half hour hoping the police would show up so we
could
> > > casually mention these guys were driving around with a rifle.  No
luck.
> > >
> > > We got some great shots that night as it turned out.  I guess it
wasn't
> > as
> > > dark as they thought ;-)
> > >
> > > -- Brock Nanson
> > > Kamloops BC Canada
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> >
> >
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>
> -- 
> Brock Nanson
> Kamloops BC Canada
>
>
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