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Old 9th November 2010, 08:44 AM
PavelDerka PavelDerka is offline
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Default Me, me, me!

Well I've been here about a week. I consider this site a great find despite being in the USA while most of the rest of you talk of stores in the UK that seem to have high prices.

I still remember a moment when I was aproximately five years old, standing straining to be able to look over the shelf in the dim red light and seeing the very first print of my life fade in. Magic, some people say, and a magic that stays with you. Those people would be correct.

It has been a long times since then. I've enjoyed photography in many guises, but not consistently. I came - I went - I came back ... many times. Life gets busy sometimes doesn't it?

But photographs have always been something that makes me think and makes me feel. I value the history of mine and others moments. Photograps make me feel the passage of time and my place in it.

I jumped on the digital bandwagon early. 97 in a small way and 2002 in a big way. I have nothing against that tidal wave except now perhaps the fact that it is a tidal wave. It seems to be eroding our ability to chose! It was fun and it is easy. Much easier, than film is (well, in my hands anyways )

But where is the craft? Easy ... after a while made it feel like there was no merit to it - for me. I work a a pro photographer for North Carolinas department of Education. I think it is one of the last three salaried photographic jobs left in this state. I do like my job, however I get peeved how on some forums people are so busy trying to pretend they are "pros". The fact of the matter is that as a pro you are doing mediocre work for someone else. It is in the serious amateur ranks that I see all the fantastic meaningful work being done. That ability to decide what to shoot and to shoot for the Art of it ... is what photography was once to me. It is what makes it worth while.

So in that vein I have come back to film. My hobby. Back again.

I have to admit that film kicks my butt ... and quite often. I find it challenging, I find I make many unrecoverable errors. But once in a while I get it just so, just right. And then there is no satisfaction like it. I don't want to preach - to each his own - and I have nothing against digital (I'm darn good with it) but re-discovering film has been like an infusion of new blood for me. It is bringing the passion back.

You will probably find most of my posts in the darkroom section. That is the current challenge. Yup ... I'm confused about much there in the darkroom, so expect many questions and possibly some dumb ones too. Let me thanks you all ahead of time now so I don't have to keep repeating myself! THANKS for the advice you are about to give. So much to learn and so little time when you've hit 50. And so little money too! Couldn't they, shouldn't they ... give a paper and developer discount to senior citizens? For the sake of mental health?

So that is my little intro ... about ... ME! Good to be here.
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Old 9th November 2010, 08:53 AM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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Hi Paul and welcome to fadu, Richard
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Old 9th November 2010, 09:02 AM
Dave miller Dave miller is offline
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Thanks for a very comprehensive intro Pavel, your experiences with digital mirror my own to a large degree.
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Old 9th November 2010, 09:10 AM
Neil Smith Neil Smith is offline
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Hi and welcome, I can empathise with your comments on being a pro and agree with the comments on the "Serious Amateurs" as a pro you often have little time for personnel work and experimenting.
I too like you have switched back to film for personnel work and rebuilt my darkroom, though after years of using pro labs for commercial work, I have noticed that my darkroom work has suffered, and I would say I was a better printer when I was a student printing every day.


Neil
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Old 9th November 2010, 09:17 AM
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B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
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Hello Pavel and welcome to FADU. The magic is still with me as well

Neil.
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Old 9th November 2010, 09:29 AM
paulc paulc is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PavelDerka View Post
Couldn't they, shouldn't they ... give a paper and developer discount to senior citizens?
You have a long way to go before qualifying for wrinkly discount

If they did, I'd send elderly family members out to do my shopping, although they would probably complain about the weight.
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Old 9th November 2010, 02:13 PM
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Bill Bill is online now
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Welcome to the forum Pavel.

Looking forward to seeing your work in the future.

Bill
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Old 9th November 2010, 02:23 PM
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Miha Miha is offline
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Hi Pavel, you've sure found the right place!
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Old 9th November 2010, 06:57 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Welcome Pavel.

Mike
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Old 19th November 2010, 07:10 PM
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Leo Stehlik Leo Stehlik is offline
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Hi Pavel, welcome to FADU ... great story. Is it the NC State University in Durham you work for? Reason I ask, I spent ... months if not years between 2000 - 2005 in the Raleigh / Durham area when writing technical books for ...ehm... my employer. It it was there also where I jumped temporarilly one the digital bandwagon ... so I can blame now the NC environment :-)

Would you mind if I ask you..., your name sounds quite of a Czech / Slovak origin, rather than traditional anglo-saxon ... where are you from originally?
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