Filmwasters
Which Board? => Photo Essays => : 02Pilot March 28, 2016, 02:05:22 AM
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Everyone has had those conversations where the participants start exchanging increasingly absurd ideas and exclaiming how good they are. Usually these end when everyone acknowledges the silliness of the discussion and moves on, or when they run out of beer. But once in a while the obvious stupidity of the idea in question is not sufficient to dissuade those involved from actually carrying it out. This is one of those times.
With spring coming, we were discussing the arrival of this year's crop of insects and how to most effectively exterminate them. Flashback to last summer, when we came upon handheld bug zappers in the shape of tennis rackets, which are both quite good at killing bugs and being utterly ridiculous. We found them while up in Maine at a local department store for the princely sum of $3. Unfortunately, buying them through various internet sources more than triples the asking price. Rather than shell out an extra $7 per racket, we thought it would make far more sense to drive up to Maine and buy more. All well and good, but the Maine state line is about five hours one way. We'd have to stay overnight, but then first thing in the morning, Tennis Rackets of Death, and home.
This still seemed like a good idea after we ran out of beer, so we found a hotel, booked it for Friday night, and we were off to Maine.
We left at 0530 and were up to Maine by 1100, having stopped for breakfast at a local spot in Massachusetts (I think - maybe it was New Hampshire. I had French toast.) along the way. We couldn't check in for several hours, so we wandered along the coast and stopped at a few spots for photos. After a long day of driving, we dropped the car at the hotel in the late afternoon and walked into town for dinner and beer, both of which were quite necessary by this time. We finished off with a nice long walk along the cliffs and past the local lobster boat anchorage.
Next morning I got up early (how I'm not exactly sure) and did the same walk as the night before, knowing that I'd have the low angle morning light of the rising sun to play with. The light was good, but I was dragging by the time I hauled myself back to the hotel. Off to breakfast and then to the bug zappers. We bought six, saving ourselves $42. Take that, internet price gougers! We then stopped in several antiques stores and spent all of our savings and then some. Our mission accomplished, we cruised south along the coast into New Hampshire and Massachusetts, stopping several times for more photos and walking, followed by a late lunch in Portsmouth, NH.
Finally, we hit the highway for the blast back home, pulling in around 2030. After some 39 hours and 700 miles, we got our Tennis Rackets of Death. Sometimes you just have to go through with a plan to see if it's as stupid as is sounds. It was, but it was also a hell of a good time.
So, the photos. I had two Canon LTM rangefinders - L1 and P - with two lenses - 35/2.8 and 50/3.5 respectively - and two different films - FP4+ and Ektar, again respectively. I only shot three rolls - two of color and one of B&W - but I still got some shots I was happy with.
Limr will chime in with her side of this little adventure I'm sure, and you've already seen her Polaroids, but for the moment here's selection of mine. Enjoy.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1460/26079937705_959415e3ab_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1714/25807096250_40b936c988_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1662/25987415772_bac1f29737_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1706/26054020696_e17d559cdf_c.jpg)
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(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1467/25477352493_4eed954bfc_c.jpg)
More to follow.
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Great shots and narrative!
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Great set 02Pilot! My wife has one of those bug zappers, it's her first line of defense against spiders. She bought it online but now that we know we can save a few bucks buying them in Maine we'll have to consider that when it wears out. I wonder how long it would take to drive there from Seattle?
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Thanks, Adam and Bryan. Google says it's 47 hours from Seattle to Maine. I guess you'll need an extra couple of days, but no big deal. When are you leaving? Maybe we can meet you up there. ;)
I'll be posting more photos shortly.
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The second batch.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1556/25475184654_0048607c29_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1672/26013598391_6d4b2f1339_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1711/26079943765_b8425b234b_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1484/25477351993_fd47ed1303_c.jpg)
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(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1696/26079943535_7b877fc877_c.jpg)
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[...]
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1714/25807096250_40b936c988_c.jpg)
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looks like a beautiful painting. Colours are fabulous.
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looks like a beautiful painting. Colours are fabulous.
Thanks. Ektar is a wonderful film (when I manage to get it right), and I was fortunate to be able to get that shot just as the sun peeked out for a few seconds and illuminated the sides of the buildings against the dark sky.
The coast of Maine has been the subject of several important painters, most notably Edward Hopper: http://www.bowdoin.edu/art-museum/exhibitions/hoppers-maine/ (http://www.bowdoin.edu/art-museum/exhibitions/hoppers-maine/)
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[...]
The coast of Maine has been the subject of several important painters, most notably Edward Hopper: http://www.bowdoin.edu/art-museum/exhibitions/hoppers-maine/ (http://www.bowdoin.edu/art-museum/exhibitions/hoppers-maine/)
very interesting link - I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for the explanation.
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To 02's narrative, I will add that these Tennis Rackets of Death aren't just "good at killing bugs." Some of you may not have to deal with stink bugs, but here in the Northeast, they've become quite the invasive pests over the past 5-6 years. In cold weather, they sneak into the tiniest cracks in houses and get inside to keep warm. Mostly they stay in their hiding places, but they are attracted to light and warmth, and in fall when they are just finding their hiding places, or in spring when they leave, you never know where you'll find them inside your house. One year, I had a whole fleet of them trying to get through the window jam in my bedroom. I had nightmares for weeks. And yes, I am a total child about these particular bugs. They freak me right the hell out.
They are also somewhat difficult to kill. You can crush them, of course, but then, true to their name, they stink. You can spray bug spray, but they rally over and over again and keep crawling and flying for several minutes. There's trapping them in a solution of water and dish washing liquid, which does work as well, but again, they'll swim around for 10 minutes before they finally go belly up. I've taken to trapping them under a glass, then using a piece of card stock to carry them to the toilet to flush them down before they can fly away. But they are sometimes in awkward places, and I also hate getting that close to them anyway.
The Tennis Racket of Death kills stink bugs instantly. IN.STANT.LY. 'Nuff said. I'll drive to the ends of the earth to stock up on these miracle workers. Good thing we are only a few hours from Maine and the end of this particular bit of earth ;) And I'm always up for a road trip! ;D
And now onto the pictures! I had the SX-70, as seen in the other thread. I also brought the K1000 because it was already in the bag. At the last minute when checking on something else, I happened to pick up the Holga and realize that she still had film loaded (Portra 400), so I threw her in the bag as well.
They came back from the lab with some shmutz on the emulsion side. I tried dealing with it in software but digital editing bores and frustrates me very quickly. And besides, it's a Holga, no? Doesn't the shmutz just add to the imperfect lomo charm? ;) That's my story for the moment, anyway. Here are 5 that I both liked and were all relatively shmutz-free.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1479/26039350761_6a9c5b277c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FF1tMt)
rDocked boat (https://flic.kr/p/FF1tMt) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1552/26039352641_6a7ba51e60_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FF1ukT)
rBoats (https://flic.kr/p/FF1ukT) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1546/25500955274_ac85b8864b_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ERr4yE)
rBoathouse (https://flic.kr/p/ERr4yE) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1640/25500956894_cf32a0c3ee_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ERr53A)
rWiggly bridge2 (https://flic.kr/p/ERr53A) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1608/25500958744_cc4c26f882_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ERr5Au)
rWiggly bridge1 (https://flic.kr/p/ERr5Au) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
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Excellent sets of photos, guys. I'm particularly drawn to O2's first B&W shot of the sand - which looks almost metallic.
My wife and I are equally impulsive when it comes to trips - not that the UK generally facilitates 700 mile / 2 day trips. However, we do tend to drive a few hours to visit towns and buy stuff when we know that we could get the same stuff locally. If you have the time and the spare cash, I can only encourage you (and anyone else) to do the same - particularly if you gat to see the sort of places you photographed.
I have no idea where you live but I'm assuming you're very familiar with the locale and the opportunity to go somewhere different is sufficient enticement. The bug zappers are a "foil" for the trip - even though you saved a few $ buying a few of them. I also hate spiders - but suspect that the ones we have over here aren't of the same scale as the ones you have to deal with in the US.
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Thanks, Paul. I was really pleased with the way that shot came out as well; FP4+ is my favorite B&W emulsion, and that shot is a great indication of why.
We often head off on longish day trips, as well as the occasional overnight excursion. We live north of New York City, so there are a fair number of possibilities within a day's drive. We have been up to Maine several times, so we are indeed quite familiar with it - it's one of our favorite places.
We do have some significant arachnids over here, but nothing on the South American or Asian scale. I'll let limr relate our most notable Euro-spider encounter, as she was more permanently scarred by it than I.
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Time for the last installment of my photos. Thanks for looking.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1558/26079943095_ca18b31279_c.jpg)
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(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1474/25477346723_bb20fd16a3_c.jpg)
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I'll let limr relate our most notable Euro-spider encounter, as she was more permanently scarred by it than I.
GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-scared007.gif) (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)
(It was in the shower. Covering the drain. The entire drain.)
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Leonore, the first shot of the docked boat is lovely. I like the colors on that one, schmutz and all. I also like that the names of the photos are very matter-of-fact until we get to "Wiggly bridge". I'm guessing there's a story there as well.
O2, the color shot of the leaf or kelp or whatever that green thing is in the sand is possibly my favorite of yours. Well done.
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I'll let limr relate our most notable Euro-spider encounter, as she was more permanently scarred by it than I.
GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-scared007.gif) (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)
(It was in the shower. Covering the drain. The entire drain.)
You most certainly do have some serious arachnids in the US of A as my wife and I encountered at a rodeo in Tucumcari during our Route 66 journey in October 2013. A hand-sized (but seemingly quite docile) Tarantula crawled out from under the seating area a foot or two from my wife's feet - just before the rodeo commenced. She nearly had a very major wardobe malfunction.
A couple of daft old biddies elderly local ladies commented that they used to play with the Tarantulas when they were kids and that the spiders won't hurt anyone. I don't doubt either of those assertions but the thought of "playing with" Tarantulas (whether safe or otherwise) struck me as sheer lunacy. Why not get a Barbie doll or a Meccano set? They didn't strike me as having come from a background so poor that creepy-crawlies were the only toys in town....
It takes all sorts to make up a world but these two were totally hatstand......
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I guess I should not mention the Wolf Spider.
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Leonore, the first shot of the docked boat is lovely. I like the colors on that one, schmutz and all. I also like that the names of the photos are very matter-of-fact until we get to "Wiggly bridge". I'm guessing there's a story there as well.
O2, the color shot of the leaf or kelp or whatever that green thing is in the sand is possibly my favorite of yours. Well done.
Thanks, James! As it turns out, the "Wiggly Bridge" is also a fairly matter-of-fact name, not just of my photo but of the bridge itself! :) http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/39037 (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/39037)
"Also known as the World's Smallest Suspension Bridge, it's limited to foot traffic only and does get wiggly when crossed."
I probably should have named it "Wobbly Bridge" though because I kept getting the name wrong. I lost track of the number of times I had the following or similar exchange:
Me: I got some Holga shots of the Wobbly Bridge
02: Wiggly.
Me: Yeah, yeah...
;)
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I guess I should not mention the Wolf Spider.
Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope *holds hands over ears and shuts eyes* LA LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU...OR LOOK AT PICTURES!
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My last batch, taken with the K1000, Agfa Vista 200, and either a Pentax 50mm f1.7 or Vivitar 35mm f2.8.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1550/25923456980_d5e41f23ac_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FuLuAQ)
rBeach house (https://flic.kr/p/FuLuAQ) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
On one of our stops to take some pictures. All I had to do was step outside of the car, and look first to my right...
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1635/26103866412_18e36a20e9_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FLH93h)
rTo the right (https://flic.kr/p/FLH93h) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
...and then to the left. I love Maine.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1708/26103866632_d3b8c7b7fd_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FLH975)
rTo the left (https://flic.kr/p/FLH975) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
This will be a familiar lighthouse by now. I became slightly obsessed with it and the birds that were hanging about.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1522/26196321505_4dc66f4d57_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FUSZHB)
rBreak in the clouds (https://flic.kr/p/FUSZHB) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1512/26196321365_4df6ba6452_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FUSZFc)
rCircling (https://flic.kr/p/FUSZFc) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1518/26170403606_56f2b872a0_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FSAaeh)
rTake off (https://flic.kr/p/FSAaeh) by limrodrigues (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51692918@N05/), on Flickr
Thanks for looking! :)
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Nice! Maine really has an amazing coastline.
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Yep, the Maine coast is really quite spectacular. It's always nice to go back and soak it in, even if it's only for a day. We're very fortunate to be close enough to do that from time to time.
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Hi!
Thanks for sharing this experience !!!
I've enjoyed both the photography as the narrative.
My favourites:
1.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1714/25807096250_40b936c988_c.jpg)
I've visited the link you recommended to Domingo. I really "knew" this place, but it was because a I've got two books of Hopper's paintings.
This is one of them ;-)
https://www.amazon.es/Edward-HopperS-Maine-Anglais-Salatino/dp/3791351281/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459711194&sr=8-1&keywords=hopper+maine (https://www.amazon.es/Edward-HopperS-Maine-Anglais-Salatino/dp/3791351281/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459711194&sr=8-1&keywords=hopper+maine)
2.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1717/25987410302_5e284bb735_c.jpg)
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(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1518/26170403606_56f2b872a0_c.jpg)
Wonderful coastline !! I hope a new series soon ;-)
Best regards from Spain.
Antonio