New York February NYC Meet-Up/ Ninth Annual Camera Beauty Contest

MrFujicaman said:
Cal, you're learning my motto: "When in doubt..leave a body count"
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MFM,

I will say being an Asian that certain things are innate. I'm Cantonese and there is all this history exists of clannish feudalism that has a plot of revenge over and over.

After September 11th, my boss who is a Taiwanese immigrant, would rant "9 branches." One day I asked *** was he talking about, and he mentioned that back in the day when the Emperor would decree 9-Branches it meant not only you would be executed, but your wife, children, mother, father, aunts, uncles, nieces, nefews, and grand parents. In other words 9 branches of a family tree would be executed.

It seems it is innate that it is not an eye for an eye as in western culture: in Asian culture it is two eyes for an eye.

There is a Chinese expression: "Time is the best weapon."

I think westerners do not understand Asians very deeply at all. Huge mistakes are being made, and because of the culture of history and revenge the backlash will be severe.

You may not know it now, but we are in deep-deep trouble.

Cal
 
Last night 624K followers. This morning 625K.

I ordered the dampers Monday. Stated shipping was two days.

"Maggie" has been plugging me on her blog that I'll be doing something big soon. Yesterday she sent off a book proposal to her literary agent.

One thing about being a musician is that a unique voice or a development of "phrasing" happens that is kind of a signature. In my photography this "phrasing" seems to be present. Like my guitar playing, my photography is recognizable as being me.

Interesting to note how much time this takes to develop. I'm glad I was not impatient with myself and took the time necessary. So many people tried to push me to get my work out there ahead of its time. Right now I'm pretty confident that I'm ready.

Cal
 
New prizes for the February Beauty contest:

A Spartus "Full-View" Twin lens reflex camera, boxed with instructions. This is a 120 6x6 camera.

Yashica "Atoron" ultra miniature camera, "cartridge load" complete with instructions, flash, battery (for flash), Yashica cleaning cloth, strap, and case; boxed in a presentation case.

Both these additions were donated by Chris. Cameras need to be tested, but likely are working cameras.

Don't forget the working PEN-F donated by Philippe. The stipulation with this camera is whoever winns this camera must shoot and post pics taken with this PEN-F.

The Minolta 35 Model 2 seems to now be jammed. The second shutter curtain let go. Comes with a 50mm F2.8 Super Rokkor LTM lens.

Pretty much I'll be bringing a big blue IKEA bag full of prizes and free gear to this year's Camera Beauty Pagent.

Cal
 
**Gear Alert**

Okay so I was on ebay today going through what they had and I found a Nikon
F3 in near mint condition for $54.00 dollars but it's being sold in Japan, so I went
for it. The seller said everything works including the LCD screen, if it don't I'll ship
it back 30 day warranty!
 
Cal,
Is it a year already?
I'll be there.

Well worn category? I have an Apollo NikonFmotordrive that was from a newspaper staff pool. It was dumped when they converted over to Canon Eos gear in th 90s. It was so unwanted...it sat on a shelf for weeks, nobody could be bothered to take it home.
 
helenhill said:
Good Read... sounds like Fun
Portugal, Surfing, Lighthouse, Good Food, Gear.. all Yum ~
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Thanks Helen,

I really appreciate feedback, and the fact that you read it. I put a lot of effort in the whole adventure. Wish I could have shot film on the trip as well. But I plan on going back at some point.

D
 
Calzone said:
Snarky Joe, AKA Sneaky Joe, suggests that we should schedule the Ninth Annual Beauty Contest for Sunday the 24rd of February.


Cal
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This is from the first post on this thread. The location is "The Rochard" on Lexington and 97th Street.

M101, M102, M103 and M97 stop at 96th Street.

For subway riders the 6 train is closest and just down the block, but the brand new "Q" train gets you to 96th and Second Avenue.

I have a big blue IKEA bag full of camera gear to unload. Some are working cameras. Ignacio took a P&S Leica that Chris gifted him. Two cameras are even boxed.

In celebration of LTM's and Barnacks the grand prize is a working PEN-F half frame camera donatd by Philippe. The stipulation is that pics taken with this camera have to be posted.

The smut is that Snarky Joe seems to have a ringer. Also Jim from Philly, a big-time LTM Barnack shooter, will be attending. Bernard who has been around but is quiet (look out for the quiet ones) will also be attending. I ran in to Brian and told him to bring his crew.

I'll have on hand my Tower 45 that back when was sold by Sears that is LTM and yet has a rear door like a M3 for easy loading. This also is a rebranded Nicca that happens to be one of the last models and is kinda rare.

Don't forget Sam. He surely will be gunning for a prize.

Cal
 
MrBern said:
Cal,
Is it a year already?
I'll be there.

Well worn category? I have an Apollo NikonFmotordrive that was from a newspaper staff pool. It was dumped when they converted over to Canon Eos gear in th 90s. It was so unwanted...it sat on a shelf for weeks, nobody could be bothered to take it home.
Click to expand...

Bernard,

Definately bring that Nikon F. Joe will be green with envy. Suffer... LOL.

Cal
 
Range-rover said:
**Gear Alert**

Okay so I was on ebay today going through what they had and I found a Nikon
F3 in near mint condition for $54.00 dollars but it's being sold in Japan, so I went
for it. The seller said everything works including the LCD screen, if it don't I'll ship
it back 30 day warranty!
Click to expand...

Not so fast on this one I got a email from the seller that the price was in
error, so goodbye $54.00 and hello $354.00 NOT!
 
Range-rover said:
Not so fast on this one I got a email from the seller that the price was in
error, so goodbye $54.00 and hello $354.00 NOT!
Click to expand...

Bob,

Back when the market was flooded with Nikon F3's I owned three of them. One I bought for $75.00 and it was minty.

One of the reasons for the low price is that out of the about a million F3's ever built perhaps 3/4'ers of them still worked. F3's ended up being one of the longest Nikon production runs on a "Pro" level camera, and ended up being one of Nikon's most reliable cameras.

In talking with Nippon Camera Repair I learned that the F2 was continually updated, and the best F2's are the latest ones. They mentioned the later versions having a better shutter brake.

You know me: I'm a smut queen.

Cal
 
I have been aware of the "Big Wave Surfing" for about two decades. Recently they seem to be promoting BWS'ing, but it has been around for a while.

I watched a documentary called "Operation Black" that somehow amazingly happened when things all fell into place. First an underwater earthquake happened off the coast of Japan, and then the word went out to all the BWS'ers to converge on the North Shore of Haw-Y-EE for a BIG Wave Competition.

This film recorded in depth how deadly and dangerous this event was. The film got it's title because a "Condition Black" was declared, meaning that anyone on the beach would be arrested.

It just so happened that a helicopter rigged for IMAX filming and a crew somehow was available, and the pilot of the helicopter was an ex Vietnam War veteran pilot who was a bit of a wack job.

Recently they show surfers setting records of surfing 80 foot waves, but I tell you that this was done about two decades ago in this documentary. There was this shot taken from the beach where the helicopter appears and disappears behind a swell because the pilot liked getting in close.

There was an explaination of why jet skies were required: because the waves were traveling at 50-55 MPH. BTW 55 MPH is eighty feet per second.

There was this shot of a surfer not having enough speed to catch the wave and tonnes of water snapped his board like a stale bread stick.

They showed as a cutaway how BWS'ers train without big waves, and showed guys diving in Kelp beds picking up 100 pound boulders and running in the sea floor as for their anerobic conditioning and to prepare for being submerged violently by tonnes of water.

Only a handful of surfers were able to make it past the breakers, and the guys on the jet skies were also in peril. They showed one guy who caught the big wave that they claimed was eighty feet. The video footage was spectacular.

Really badass. Another cool surfing segment is fondly remembered from a Jimi Hendrix film called "Rainbow Bridge." Back in the 70's we would go to the "Mini-Cinema" in Uniondale, Long Island. Just pulling into the parking lot you would run over no less than a case of beer bottles, and every Wednesday at midnight they would have a Jimi Hendrix film festival where every single Jimi Hendrix film would be played, including the documentary "Woodstock."

Inside the place reeked of weed, and some stranger sitting next to me would pass me a joint that got passed to him. Pretty much going to one of these festivals was an all night event. The one rule strictly enforced is that you kinda had to try and hide the case of beer you were smuggling into the theater by putting it under your coat.

Me, a drummer friend and another guitarist were regulars, and perhaps we were known as the "Freak Brothers" because all three of us wore surplus WWII trench coats without bullet holes as our uniforms.

Back on topic: So in Rainbow Bridge there is this Badass Surfer who is kinda evil and he plays king of the wave knocking down other surfers with mucho style. The footage is in slow motion and Jimi Hendrix might be playing Voodoo Child.

So when I was a kid I had this ambition to race the Baja 1000 in the 250cc Motorcycle class, but that never happened. Basically I just wanted to finish, and decades later I would run the NYC Marathon "off the couch" (This phrase was coined by Scott Nichole, a Norba Trials Champion and owner of IBIS Cycles, in an E-mail I got from him.)

I think deep sea tuna and shark fishing are Hemingway like experiences, but even walking along a beach with a surf rod alone exploring the possibilities and the unknown is much the same.

I identify with these surfers for sure. "Crazy is good," I say. It is all about personal challenge though for me.

Cal
 
Range-rover said:
Not so fast on this one I got a email from the seller that the price was in

error, so goodbye $54.00 and hello $354.00 NOT!
Click to expand...



When looking for cheap deals, you are at a disadvantage looking for Nikon, because people assume it to be worth something. Who could have guessed that an OM3 Ti with a scratched lens is desirable, and worth more than $15?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Another show that caught my imagination was about this speargun champion, who shot at some dark shadow that darted by and would later learn that his target was an over 800 pound tuna.

So this guy has a snorkel and is relying on a GPS and a chase boat as a tuna does its sustained 45 MPH towing him for a Nantuket Slay-Ride.

"Much better than an "E-Ticket" ride at Disney," I say. Kinda like a modern version of "The Old Man And The Sea."

"I love it."

Cal
 
CNNY said:
When looking for cheap deals, you are at a disadvantage looking for Nikon, because people assume it to be worth something. Who could have guessed that an OM3 Ti with a scratched lens is desirable, and worth more than $15?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Hi Chris, yep he canceled the sale so I got my $54.00 dollars back
plus $10.00 for my troubles.
 
Range-rover said:
Hi Chris, yep he canceled the sale so I got my $54.00 dollars back
plus $10.00 for my troubles.
Click to expand...

Bob,

But Christian has that Olympus that he bought with no money that has all of us green with envey, even though we don't need another camera.

That Olympus has mucho "You suck factor."

Cal
 
Calzone said:
Bob,

But Christian has that Olympus that he bought with no money that has all of us green with envey, even though we don't need another camera.

That Olympus has mucho "You suck factor."

Cal
Click to expand...

He found a great deal on that camera, alas my Nikon F3 wasn't! :(
 
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