Freecycle

Freecycle is an amazing thing.  Erica and I have used it to get some interesting stuff, like a basket for her social sorority and me for some film.  

I’m amazed that I have been able to acquire so much free film.  In the lot today I got two rolls of Fuji Velvia 50, one roll of Kodak Portra 160, a roll of Kodak Supra 800, and a roll of generic ISO 400 from Dollar General.  Evidently the roll of Kodak Supra I got doesn’t exist anymore.  I was shocked that I got two rolls of Velvia as I’ve heard it’s amazing.

In other news, I’ve decided to not use Target anymore for my film processing, the negatives weren’t cleaned properly, the scans weren’t that great (but better than Sam’s), and they weren’t cut.  Not having them cut meant I couldn’t get them easily rescanned by a friend from work who has a flatbed scanner with negative scanning ability.  I think I’m going to wire up some white LED’s and make my own top light to try and scan my negatives on our scanner.  My next developing job will go to Hy-Vee Drugtown and if they suck, I’ll put the money into the photo club from work and get a discount from the camera stores in town.

I have gotten my photo workflow a little more organized.  When I finish with a roll, I input the shot data into a file template I created for a script I wrote.  This particular script, written in Python, sets the EXIF data of the film scans using the shot data I recorded put into the file.  I need to polish it up by adding some error checking and working out the code being called from a different directory than the one you have your pictures.

A New Toy!

It’s amazing what you can find at garage sales.  Erica’s mom picked up a Kodak Duaflex III for me while I was sitting in the car watching Lilly.  Can’t beat a $1 camera.

Look at how cool it is.  I cleaned it off and removed all the dead bugs. 

It’s not the Lubitel 166 that I want, but it’ll do as a first TLR and medium format camera.  The only thing I have to do is try to find some 620 film spools and get some expired 120 film to re-spool or mod the spools.

How many clubs should I join?

This is the burning question in my mind right now, mainly due to the announcement by the Cedar Amateur Astronomers that their new observatory is completed and a grand opening will be had this Saturday from 1-4pm.  The reason I would consider joining is the ability to use the facility to take star rotation pictures, the place is out near Mount Vernon, Iowa and is surrounded by trees.  This would keep me from worrying like I did taking the two pictures Sunday night right on the side of a road north of town.  I was planning on going to their open house and working out a deal where I could take pictures whenever I wanted, but I read through their site and figured that they’d probably want me to join ($20).

I have yet to pay my dues and license fees for the model airplane club, yet I’m still the webmaster.  The club is cool, but there is no dedicated flying field and I don’t have a plane to fly or money to fix the one I have.  That’s $20 for the club and another $58 for the AMA insurance.

There is the Linn Area Photo Club that would be cool to join, since it’s a big club and they do lots of stuff together, but that’s another $20 initially and then $15 every year after that.  I think this club would be beneficial due to the ability to learn from a lot of other photographers.

I haven’t forgotten about the work photo club, but their website is ancient.  The regulars in the work photography newsgroup aren’t even in the club yet.  We have made up our mind and decided to go to a meeting, but that’s another $16 dollars.  The one plus about the work photo club is the ability to use a dark room for the 3 rolls of non C-41 black and white film I have.

If I joined, or refreshed my membership) all the clubs, I’d be spending $125 a year at worst case.  That’s almost double what it costs Erica for her service sorority; then again I’d try to get her into the photography clubs also because she would probably enjoy them.

Decisions, decisions…