I had an hour to get all my stuff in from the car, up to the chamber, and set up before the people started at 5. It wasn't long enough. I needed longer, or a helper. But since this was for the glory, meaning free, paying someone was right out. In fact keeping costs down was darn hard for I wanted a good offering that would impress people. And yes I do think that worked. Very few print, nevermind print at A3 (12" x 17" ish; 297mm x 420mm). And since I was using a three flash array on one side and a single on the other side of the face I had full control of the light, giving well exposed and shaped images.
Yes, it would be great to have time to truly develop beyond the basics. But since I had just 10min per person I think things came out good indeed.
There was only one true catastrophe. I was shooting tethered to the PC. Meaning the image file moved seamlessly off the camera and into the PC's programme Lightroom. Now I was usually putting the camera on the floor. But once I left it on the table with the PC and printer, when moving over to the lightbox to adjust it a bit for one of the people. I hooked the tethering cable with my foot. CRASH, BANG. Bits of electronic guts scattered all over. The 6 Philippine nurses flew. My heart went into my mouth. But pfew, the camera, and the lense both were OK, it was only the $€60 radio trigger I was using.
Since I had a double for almost everything, I simply undid the corpse and replaced it. There was a heart-stopping moment right then when I fired the shutter and, only got a black transfer to the PC. But I'd forgotten to change the flash and rotate the controller unit on the flash.
All told the last print I did was well after 10pm. And by then I counted 33 people with 150+ files. And printed about 50 in total.
In conclusion. I was worried, but not. Like that idiotic film with the baseball playing ghosts, I could only build it. The coming in, that I had no control over. And I'd assessed that it would work, and I'd be busy enough. Or I'd be sitting on my folding chair for the 6 hours playing with Twitter and Facebook on my phone. But everyone from a baby to a grandmother and grandfather came.
Yes, it would be great to have time to truly develop beyond the basics. But since I had just 10min per person I think things came out good indeed.
There was only one true catastrophe. I was shooting tethered to the PC. Meaning the image file moved seamlessly off the camera and into the PC's programme Lightroom. Now I was usually putting the camera on the floor. But once I left it on the table with the PC and printer, when moving over to the lightbox to adjust it a bit for one of the people. I hooked the tethering cable with my foot. CRASH, BANG. Bits of electronic guts scattered all over. The 6 Philippine nurses flew. My heart went into my mouth. But pfew, the camera, and the lense both were OK, it was only the $€60 radio trigger I was using.
Since I had a double for almost everything, I simply undid the corpse and replaced it. There was a heart-stopping moment right then when I fired the shutter and, only got a black transfer to the PC. But I'd forgotten to change the flash and rotate the controller unit on the flash.
All told the last print I did was well after 10pm. And by then I counted 33 people with 150+ files. And printed about 50 in total.
In conclusion. I was worried, but not. Like that idiotic film with the baseball playing ghosts, I could only build it. The coming in, that I had no control over. And I'd assessed that it would work, and I'd be busy enough. Or I'd be sitting on my folding chair for the 6 hours playing with Twitter and Facebook on my phone. But everyone from a baby to a grandmother and grandfather came.
I'm glad this turned out to be a success for you, though you did have my heart skip a beat when you shared the "foot meets cable" incident. It sounds like something I'd do. Next time set up where you can tape that thing to the floor with some duct tape! (or have the passage too tight to tempt you crossing the cable)
ReplyDeleteYou need a friend who's willing to come along and help for payment of a pint or cuppa following the event.
Looks like a variety of fun offerings at the event. You may have said earlier and I missed it, but how did you get the invite to do this?
It was known 100 years and more ago that for Ireland to truly survive it needed a vibrant and thriving Arts. You see from that other creative endeavour bubbles up because people begin to see it's OK to think and realise something. Way back then we had Wilde, Yeats, Shaw, O'Casey, Synge. Innumerable writers. Few enough painters, but some. All of these I mentioned are world class, but you had people giving poetry a go and getting it in the local newspaper. And not just kids, nor the bigshots wife, but anyone.
DeleteHowever someplace along the line all this vanished in a mist of poisoned nasty freakish levels of control by anyone who thought they were entitled to an authority. Meaning people ceased to be adequately educated where art and maths vanished. Being seen as the tools for giving the underclass notions.
Now though someone has seen that continuing this policy will end the place. And with the UK gone from the EU who knows wha will occur.
Invited by the department, and given a grant (a tiny one, barely covered a quarter of the costs).
I had it set up so the cables issue wouldn't occur. But in a fit of something, during a lull, I moved things a bit and the table was moved. Ergo the crash.
I am insured. But the cost of the radio trigger isn't worth the bother.
Gah! The crash made me cringe too! But I am glad all was ok.
ReplyDeleteWere you taking the attendees photos? I know you had mentioned portraits awhile back, but had not realized you'd started working on that. I hope you share some.
Looks like a fun event. I like things like that - a lot going and everyone is usually in a laid back, good mood because it's art and fun.
Yep. Scary, for a bit until I settled that it wasn't an end with that camera. And yes, I'm planning a program that might take me to the US and Canada. Perhaps even Australia NZ and South Africa. I may send a proposal to a place south of you in the OC, but perhaps not having too much to do with LA. For most Irish moved to SF and Butte as well as Chicago, Boston, NY and for some reason utterly beyond me Atlanta and New Orleans. Something along the lines of the Farm Security Program, but connecting with the Irish, of today.
DeleteI'll see if I can post some. But I'm not certain just yet.
Yes, I was Portraits 100. They were coming to sit/pose for a 'real' portrait.
That is really a sickening feeling when you see some expensive electronic item slowly falling towards the floor and you are helpless to stop it. I've felt it with my phone a time or two but fortunately my case has always saved me.
ReplyDeleteMy camera is defined as Prosumer. Not as robust as a $5000 football sideline but still has a bit of bounce in it. But you are spot on.
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