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Post by francisf on Jul 2, 2022 12:57:48 GMT -6
 ULF really is a journey. This journey took me to Bill Schwab's 2022 version of his Photostock Festival, held this year in beautiful Cross Village, MI. (Don't get confused, this event has nothing to due with the photostock industry) This is a semi-structured eclectic gathering of nice and people doing interesting work. And some of working in ULF. Stephen Takacs has been working his Brownie in Motion project for a couple of years now. He has created a portable ULF camera in the guise of a Brownie camera. Very nice work and the in situ photos of the camera in various locations are wonderful in themselves. stephentakacs.wordpress.com/Mat Marrash was there doing a color process demo and showing his mighty Canham 12 x 20. Nice guy and such a talent. He just posted a great overview of his new camera. He was also filming at Photostock so I suspect we will see him post something soon on on his site. www.youtube.com/c/MatMarrashMat was gracious and helpful enough to pose for me. Here is a ULF negative that turned out well. My living room picture window serves as light table. Hope my ULF journey eventually takes me to Tim's darkroom. Francis Fullam |
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Post by mjwellman on Jul 3, 2022 6:40:32 GMT -6
You're correct the ULF is a journey with a few people on the road. It's always nice to get together with fellow LF and ULF users. I would loved to have been able to go to this event. It sounded like it would be a fun event to attend. Is this the first time you have attended the event? I would love to hear more about the gathering. What did you like? Was there something that wasn't there or could have been better?
That's a great pic of Matt. Would love to learn more about you and your 20x24. Do you shoot a lot of portraits? Like you I hope to make it up to Bill Schwabbs event some year and meet up with Tim.
Thanks for posting.
Michael
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Post by francisf on Jul 3, 2022 7:21:39 GMT -6
What I liked about the event was the semi-structured format. There are things planned -- but not over scheduled. They happen when they happen. This gives a great deal of time "between things" to meet and talk to people. This is the greatest value. This was my first time and I knew no one. Many people have been coming for years but everyone was open to meeting new people and sharing. Bill Schwabb, the ringmaster, works tirelessly to make sure people have a good time.
This is the first year in a new location, Cross Village, and I could not imagine a more beautiful setting for such an event. Perfect weather so much of the activity was under giant trees. There were two indoor spaces for lectures and showing prints (and shelter from rain if need be ).
I built a foamboard and duct tape 20x24 in 2011. Very simple box camera - it was the film holder that was tricky! 30 inch Artar Red Dot lens. My guiding philosophy was that if I could not be good, I could be big. I now strive to do both. The challenge is to photograph something that "works" in ULF. Not just a big picture but something that is best rendered in ULF. Like Tim does with wild horses.
2014 I bought a 20x24 rear standard, bellows and 2 film holders from Filip Harbert of Prague. I cobbled together a camera with a 1210mm Nikor. This has now become a studio camera.
2016 I got a 20x24 from Richard Ritter and learned to use it from him at a workshop at Camera Commons in Dover, NH. I mainly use the 30 inch Artar Red Dot.
I originally planned to do landscapes but I also do portraits and still life. The Midwest Large Format Asylum has a been a real inspiration and great connection to very talented people. I look forward to the annual Inspiration Saturday event - a full day of print review and networking.
My current challenge is showing my work. It just does not come off well as a tiny digital image. Suggestions ?
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Post by mjwellman on Jul 4, 2022 7:22:20 GMT -6
Thanks Francis. Your description of the event has me even more excited to try and make next years event. One of the problems with ULF is finding like minded people that are doing this which is one reason this platform is so nice. But, it's even better when you can actually get together with people to talk, discuss and look at pictures like you did at Photostock Festival.
You have raised several good questions; Why are we using ULF? and how do we promote and get our work out into the world, especially today with social media and on-line venues which you really can't appreciate the image when it is that small.
I believe that some images are much better when viewed small (4x5, 8x10) while other benefit from being larger (20x24, 20x30, etc). For me that is the hard part deciding which format best fits the image I am working with and one that I am struggling with right now. Currently it's the old fashion trial and error method trying to learn what image will do better in ULF or LF. Too often I find myself forcing my will on a image instead of taking the time to look and listen to the scene and let it tell me what would be the best format.
As for showing your work I am facing the same problem. Not only is the work larger, but like most ULF photographers, I am often doing alternative techniques (salt, P&P or carbon but even silver chloride paper looks much different than a digital print) which means people need to see these images in person to appreciate them and to see image in the way you have chosen to create it. However, in today's world you can not discount the fact that you can reach more people, over a larger geographic region and it is more economical to have a digital presence. Meanwhile you can have shows and exhibitions in cafes, libraries, photo galleries, etc while promoting your work digitally with the hopes that it spurns interest that someone will purchase your image without actually seeing the real image. This is the direction I am leaning towards. To create a SM presence but try and get my work out in the physical world as best as I can. Which means I have to create a webpage and Instagram. Any suggestions on what's the best way to create a webpage?
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Post by francisf on Jul 5, 2022 14:37:17 GMT -6
Michael,
I am clearly in the right place if I have found others with the same challenges.
My best recommendation about webpages if to find someone who knows more than I do. I have looked into it a bit and there are many wonderful examples - Like Jim F. His site is well designed, shows off his work well and is a commerce site too.
There are a number of pretty slick services that will provide a template to show and sell your work - as well as providing the drop ship services to digitally print you work and ship it to your customer. But for people like us - where the print itself is special - this is not an option.
Clyde Butcher build his fame and empire on Art Fair exhibits. This sound grueling.
Perhaps a group show of ULF is the way to go. A theme that might get some attention. I have been talking to other ULFers about a group gathering - might take a few years to organize. After all 20x24 is the year of ULF
Francis
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