Hello From Scotland

[lostlandsuk]

Hi Folks - excuse my ramblings, but I've never really done anything like this before!
Well after having had a look around the LF site for a whle, I thought it was time I removed the digit and got involved.
My name is Phil Rogers, I live in Dundee, and for the past year I've been hauling a battered but reliable Sinar F around as part of my LF learning.
I started out photographing at college (Duncan Of Jordanstone College Of Art) where I was fortunate to be tutored by the great Joseph McKenzie. He sort of nurtured me, so that by the time my degree show came around, I would say that at least half of it was decent quality black and white prints. I'd started off on an OM10, but soon felt more at home with a college Mamiya 330S. There was a Sinar there too, but the course wasn't really slanted towards LF and it was reserved for graphics students who wanted to do pack shots (this was in the early 80's).
After college I wanted to become a B&W printer, but there was no call for it up here, and I couldn't affrod to move to London, so I ended up working in music retailing which I still do.
Effectively I gave up photography too for roughly 10 years, until my brother happened to make a chance remark that I used to take good photos. It was weird, something just connected, and I diverted payments towards a personal pension to buying a 1965 Rolleiflex T and a Gossen Meter instead. From then on I was hooked again, and walked many many miles trying to capture the landscape that had always connected with me. Sometimes I was successful, others I wasn't, however I honed my skills, bought a Meopta enlarger and got back to trying to make expressive prints. It was a very steep uphill climb (and I'm still climbing).
From there I felt that 6x6 was not getting quite the detail I craved, so against my better judgement I bought a very knackered Pentax 67 - it was actually surprisingly great when it worked, but after you've walked 8 miles, tried to capture something, only to have the camera go belly-up, there's only one recourse - return to vendor!
However I was smitten with a larger neg size, so after much research the Sinar it was, along with a Symmar-S. From the start it felt totally natural, and I now find myself being satisfied by most of my negs. I also managed to get a DeVere 504 in brilliant condtion, so I can now print to my hearts content.
Most people say the Sinar F is bulky - IT IS, however it is also surprisingly transportable and rigid. I can squash it down onto the 6" rail and it reduces its size quite drastically - so much so that I can carry it, 8 DDS (in a clip top lunch box) the 12" rail, Norma bag bellows with monocular viewer, lens hood and lunch and water in a 15 Ltr rucksack! My tripod is a differnt matter - a Linhof Twin Shank pro (1970's . . .but perfect - £35 from Ffordes) and a Gitzo Series 5 head (overkill I know, but again, £35 from MXV) - requires a bit of manhandling, but for that price for complete rigidity (it gets very windy in the glens around here)I'm not complaining. So that's me really.
As I said before my aim is to make expressive prints - I work only 'wet' as it were, and haven't had any inclination to go to the Shop(s)
Anyway, thanks for having read the above waffle, nice to be here.
Oh, and I can only really access this from work at the mo, so excuse any breaks in replies etc etc.
Cheers everyone and have a nice weekend!
Phil

[PAUL O]

Welcome to the mad house

[lostlandsuk]

Hi Paul, thanks for that; having had a quick skeg at some of the stuff up here, surely that should be welcome to The Tearoom . . .

[Brian E]

Welcome from a local - PM me should you wish to meet up for a joint shoot

Brian

[Joanna Carter]

... surely that should be welcome to The Tearoom . . .

Now that the smoking ban is well and truly in force throughout the UK, we have even been found in pubs!!

Welcome amongst us; I hope you will find help and friendship here

[gari]

Hi Phil, I am on the west coast, again if you fancy a get together drop me a line.
This includes anyone else in these 'ere parts too.

good light

Gari

[Apple]

Hi Paul, thanks for that; having had a quick skeg at some of the stuff up here, surely that should be welcome to The Tearoom . . .

... or the Crafts and Things tearoom at Glencoe which tends to get a fair amount of trade if some of us are in the area...

[masch]

Phil,

Welcome. You'll soon regret looking in here...

I'm up in Dundee about 3-4 times a year, as I have some close friends up there... I'll drop you a line the next time I'm coming up... There may be a chance for a morning out shooting...?

Marc

[lostlandsuk]

Hi - Thanks for all the welcoming replies - nice to know you're not 'archaic' on your own (if you know what I mean)!
P