Catching up

[Ian Stanley <ian@mos.com.np>]

Hello to all,

        I just returned from three wonderful weeks in Thailand to find quite
an assortment of messages from the "group" and it was interesting to see
what patterns take place ove a period of time - it gives you a different
perspective on things from reading the messages daily.  It seems that some
people must spend a lot more time talking about cameras and stuff than they
do actually out photographing which I thought was all about.  I also noticed
that there is very little talk of the image - the finished product - as the
majority of the talk is about equipment.  I know that serves a very
important purpose and I have gained from this information myself and I know
that I will rely on this process for information.

        There was a lot of talk about the reliability and quality of various
pieces of equipment.  Living where I do now and have lived before and the
places that I travel to photograph I have become very equipment oriented.  I
have to choose carefully as I have no repair facilities, the climate and
travel is hard on equipment, and I am limited to what I can carry with me.
First and foremost I am a large format photographer and work with a wooden
field camera so the chances of anything going wrong with that are slim.  The
35mm equipment I work with is all Leica M and there has never been a problem
there.  The only thing I own that requires battteries is my light meter and
I always carry at least two of them with spare batteries.  I hesitate to say
that I have brand loyalties but I suppose I do - Leica, Zone VI, Tilley (you
get tired of the clothing long before it ever wears out) and Domke vests.
All of this stuff has proven itself over time and I will stick with it until
something better comes along.  But if something better does come along I
will switch as getting the image is the all important thing here not using a
specific piece of equipment.

        I feel the same way about developer and film combinations.  I shoot
TRI-X - 4x5 and 35mm - and develop it in HC 110.  I know the film and the
developer and what they are capable of doing.  I try new films and
developers all  the time and will switch when and if something better comes
along - it hasn't yet (for my work).  I probably shoot about 95% black and
white with the remainder shot on Velvia for commercial work.

        Oddmund was asking about Eric Valli and Diane Summers and are they
still in Kathmandu.  I do know them - I have talked with Eric a few times
but know Dianne better.  They still spend part of the time in Kathmandu.
They have some other books out (The Honey Hunters of Nepal, another on birds
nest gatherers in Thailand) and they also had some work in Leica - Magic
Moments.

        Well it's time to get back to work as I am now stocked up on
chemicals after my trip out so it is time to get caught up on my backlog of
developing.

Ian Stanley,

Kathmandu, Nepal