Don't get me wrong on this. I would love to meet up with plenty people here, especially all the gorgeous ladies hanging out here.

But for now, the one's I would like most a meet up with are all the "Old Fart" photographers. Those who know the difference between a condensor lens and a portrait lens. Those who have "Old Fart" stories to tell that involve "Digital nothing".

There are a few on this board. They usually get crapped on by the "know it all" newbies that float in and out of here like floatsam. But with all that, they seem to keep their sense of humor (well, except Lowery, he has no sense of humor, but he's still on the list).

We need an "Old Farts" meet up sometime.

Application to the meet-up, you must know...

1) What a grain finder is

2) Have shot medium format and above

3) Know what the basic components are for an enlarger head

4) Used a GraLab mechanical timer or equivalent

5) Ruined countless shirts and pants with developing chemicals

6) Know what a film blower is

7) Must have opened the camera back only to find that the film roll was never wound back into the canister

8) Know what "spotting" is

9) Know the difference between standard paper and variable contrast paper

10) Must have use a loup

11) Must know what "emulsion" is

12) Still have "yellow fingers".

13) Must have used a "mechanical" light meter.

Ok, "Old Farts", raise your hands and let's see who you are!  

Kidding aside, yes, those are the folks I would like to have a meet-up with.

-Koa-

Boriken Warrior:

But with all that, they seem to keep their sense of humer (well, except Lowery, he has no sense of humer, but he's still on the list).

 I think I would qualify. Not really sure what a film blower is but everything else I've done at least once. I used to have my own darkroom in the basement. Didn't do a lot but got my hands wet. I had an old Beseler 23C enlarger I bought along with everything else to set up a darkroom for $300 back in 1989.

I sold everything about 3 years ago when I switched to digital.

Boriken Warrior:

Application to the meet-up, you must know...

1) What a grain finder is

2) Have shot medium format and above

3) Know what the basic components are for an enlarger head

4) Used a GraLab mechanical timer or equivalent

5) Ruined countless shirts and pants with developing chemicals

6) Know what a film blower is

7) Must have opened the camera back only to find that the film roll was never wound back into the canister

8) Know what "spotting" is

9) Know the difference between standard paper and variable contrast paper

10) Must have use a loup

11) Must know what "emulsion" is

12) Still have "yellow fingers".

13) Must have used a "mechanical" light meter.

Ok, "Old Farts", raise your hands and let's see who you are!  

Kidding aside, yes, those are the folks I would like to have a meet-up with.

 

I only know half of it so I guess I don't qualify as an Old Fart.....Guess I'll have to wait to be an old fart

The Old Man:

I had an old Beseler 23C enlarger I bought along with everything else to set up a darkroom for $300 back in 1989.

 I mostly printed personal work and newspaper photos for brides with mine. It was really more than I needed. I did play just a little with color processing but it was a little too involved for me. Still have most of my B&W's I printed. I never really liked Polycontrast RC, liked the graded stuff better,

I've never made it as a "full time" photographer, always used it to make extra money. I did 25 to 35 weddings a year for about 5 years back in the late 80's and early 90's, then backed off to 10 to 15 a year up till about 5 years ago. I never did really like doing weddings. Too stressful.

Although, I've shot one earlier this year and have two more scheduled. I have a hard time saying no.

I guess that counts me out Koa .... sniffle sniffle.. and just what I was warming up to the idea of meeting you! LOL!

EBP4:

I guess that counts me out Koa .... sniffle sniffle.. and just what I was warming up to the idea of meeting you! LOL!

Me too. Lowry and Randy lost me on this one. I haven't done any darkroom stuff since the mid 80's when I was in High school. It was a lot of fun.

I still have my Omega C-67 enlarger installed in my office. It's about 2 feet behind me. Full setup; 35mm and 645 condensors, red light, GraLab mechanical timer (thoe things are huge and I prefer them to the digital timers), full set of Kodak filters, a Delta 1 Black-out variable speed exhaust fan built into my office wall, Phototherm mini Processor and several metal film processing canisters (i hate those huge black plastic monsters..ugh!).

It's just that the digital folks know zip! about this stuff and it's always nice to talk to people who have experienced traditional photography. It's all Digital this and Digital that. I work digital but still....

*Sigh*

-Koa-

Nothing like the smell of Stop Bath and Fixer.

If anyone wants to be an "old fart", I have all that stuff required in a closet.

Spending hours in the darkroom, test strips, bottle openers, & film rolling - ugh. Yes, it has a certain "zen" when you're doing it for the art, but trying to do that commercially - sucks.

I don't miss the smell of vinegar, thank you very much!

 Ah, flashbacks to the darkroom days.

We had slate and stainless steel also.

Antonio -

 FWIW - our darkroom was an old coal bin in our basement. It was nice, we set it up very well, but it took WEEKS to seal every crack of light.

Cort - did you use the plastic film rollers with the ball bearing feeders? When they worked, they worked very well - no bending of the film (just twist the two halves).

So admit it - who processed that kodak color "b&w" as regular b&w (forgetting the bleach)? Yeah, in a moment of overlooking, we ended up with some seriously long printing times on a roll. Still got ok prints, but that was a lesson learned!

I'm with Toni.... only know half and only on a knowledge level as the people at the paper never let me "play".  Cut my film, shot alot, processed my film and that was about it.  I guess we will never meet Koa - JK!

The Nerd Husband:

Cort - did you use the plastic film rollers with the ball bearing feeders? When they worked, they worked very well - no bending of the film (just twist the two halves).

lphoto:

Yes, I started with the plastic rollers but after figuring out the "trick" to rolling them on a stainless roll, I threw the plastic ones away.  I could roll the stainless in much less time than the plastic.

Those plastic reels sucked!

They were made for both 35mm and 120/220 use but it was such a pain to compress and twist them open and closed. I hated them. It was much easier for me to just grab a steel reel for the proper size film.

hey, did anyone ever use those MASSIVE Gongonzilla metal containers which allowed you to process about, what was it, 15 or twenty 35mm reels at once? Man o man, now those were a pain to keep flipping over and over.

-Koa-

Boriken Warrior:

hey, did anyone ever use those MASSIVE Gongonzilla metal containers which allowed you to process about, what was it, 15 or twenty 35mm reels at once? Man o man, now those were a pain to keep flipping over and over.

Ok, I dont know alot of this stuff but so that I can feel a part of the club I thought I'd mention I was a Photog for Olan Mills back in 1989. lol  You know back when we had to use the bag to cut our film and tape it in the can.  Now, I never got the privelage of developing though.  We also had to actually focus our huge ass camera's too.  (it sucked) 

Ok, so I  am old and still a newbie at the same time.  Hmm... not sure if I should be proud of that or not   Haha

Bren:

Ok, so I  am old and still a newbie at the same time.  Hmm... not sure if I should be proud of that or not   Haha

That makes you a "wannabe"!

-Koa-

I guess I'm in.  I still have my 23CII enlarger, trays, tanks, timers etc.  I liked Ilford's pearl finish paper myself.  Never used on a professional level, just for fun,.......nothing like a round of "dippin and dunkin" eh fellas ????  Now my darkroom stores the seasonal stuff for the house.  I think if I looked long enough I could find the sign that used to hang on the outside of the door,you guys know the one I mean.  "DARKROOM - KEEP DOOR CLOSED - IF IT'S LEFT OPEN ALL THE DARK LEAKS OUT"

Mike

Boriken Warrior:

Bren:

Ok, so I  am old and still a newbie at the same time.  Hmm... not sure if I should be proud of that or not   Haha

That makes you a "wannabe"!

-Koa-

I guess your right.  LOL  

 

 

lphoto:

Boriken Warrior:

But with all that, they seem to keep their sense of humer (well, except Lowery, he has no sense of humer, but he's still on the list).

Oh, I have a sense of humor...... just ask a few that have met me in person.  I just don't show it often on here.

Okay, I don't qualify as an "old fart" (except in years) but I can vouch for Lowery's sense of humor, get him going and he is a hoot!!!

Boriken Warrior:

There are a few on this board. They usually get crapped on by the "know it all" newbies that float in and out of here like floatsam. But with all that, they seem to keep their sense of humor (well, except Lowery, he has no sense of humor, but he's still on the list).

We need an "Old Farts" meet up sometime.

Teehee... I think I named them "The Grumpy Old Men" last year some time... but I meant it in the sweetest of ways!


Oh and as to seeing you Koa... I gave up... heck you went and moved to Hawai when you heard I was coming to PR... and then moved back after I was there!  LOL... jk...


Enjoy the meetup...

Okk..... I just had a reallly funny visual...tee hee...

PR jungle... old farts club staging a Taiano indian photo shoot....with only club members as models...

Kara:

Okk..... I just had a reallly funny visual...tee hee...

PR jungle... old farts club staging a Taiano indian photo shoot....with only club members as models...

Gives new meaning to the term, "Just us guys hanging around".

-Koa-