John Hesselberth on thu 4 dec 03
>
I think what all of these threads on photography illustrate is that
there are more ways to take good photographs than there are to make
good pots--well, maybe not more--but just about as many.
If you are just starting out, my strongest recommendation is to start
as simply and inexpensively as you can. Whatever you do, don't buy
every gadget the photography magazines advertise. You can truly spend a
fortune and end up not using much of it--ask me how I know that. If you
are going to stick with film for the time being, 1) get a quality,
used, single-lens-reflex camera and lens (or, better yet, borrow
one--there are lots of them sitting unused in closets these days), 2)
pick a background from one of the choices discussed here in the last
few days, 3) get a decent tripod (used or borrowed also), 4) pick a
single lighting source from what has been described here (in 90% of the
cases a single light source is easiest/best to use--and cheapest too--I
can almost always tell a multiple-light-source slide from quite a
distance--and it is almost never because they are really great slides),
5) pick one of the films from what has been described here, 6) find a
good processor--the ones that the pros use in your area, and 7) spend a
few days over the next couple months experimenting and learning to use
your setup--or alternatively, get someone to show you how to use it if
they know what they are doing.
Then go from there and upgrade as you need to after you learn what you
are doing. You won't feel bad about upgrading one thing at a time if
you didn't spend much on it in the first place.
Regards,
John
http://www.frogpondpottery.com
http://www.masteringglazes.com
william schran on fri 5 dec 03
John wrote:>find a good processor--the ones that the pros use in your area....<
This is perhaps the weakest "link in the chain" of the process -
being able to produce quality slides.
I've had, what I knew were properly shot slides screwed up in the processing.
Many years ago my wife worked as a "production manager" in a
professional photo lab. She knows color. Can look at a slide and
instantly tell if it's color is off.
Their slide processing machine was a "dip & dunk", not the roll
processing. It was critical that the processor be all warmed up
(chemicals at correct temperature) and the chemicals fresh to get
quality slides. I'd take my slides in mid-day and ask: "how's the
line today?" - folks at the lab knew right away what I was talking
about - knew I'd come back to complain if images were not up to snuff.
I always shot a Kodak color swatch as my first slide so I could match
the image to the original when I got the slides back.
If you find a good lab - stick with them. Get to know them. Spend a
little extra to get quality work.
Bill in Frdericksburg, Va where we got our first winter storm
overnight - a dusting, now rain - expecting more snow tonight &
tomorrow - 70 miles north, they got 4" of snow.
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