Author Topic: Red Feb: Bleak (Read 5679 times)

02Pilot · « **on:** February 14, 2015, 03:29:49 PM »

I despise winter. It is a miserable, hateful blight on human existence. All the promises of global warming have proven a cruel tease. If I could hibernate through it, I would. But instead, I'm cursed with enforced consciousness, so I have little choice but to deal with it. So behold, a roll of photo-therapy: redscaled Superia 200 put through a Certo Super Dollina II. It doesn't get more bleak than an East German camera in February.

Indofunk · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2015, 04:39:04 PM »

Best intro ever

Also, great photos and toning! What ISO did you shoot at?

Ezzie · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2015, 05:50:43 PM »

I love winter, as long as it involves snow. Not like it has been here (in lowland Norway) lately, rain, slush, windy and just plain miserable. Elevated 1500ft at our cabin in the woods however, there is snow, and lots of it. Lubberly jubberly.

Nice series Pilot, just goes to show that red-scaling doesn't have to turn out red.

02Pilot · « **Reply #3 on:** February 14, 2015, 06:00:39 PM »

I'm not sure what the exact equivalent ISO would be. Basically, I shot at "Sunny-2.8" and went from there, so figure four or five stops over box speed at a minimum. There was a bit more of a yellow cast to most of these when the scanner first looked at them, but I tweaked it down a little, as I prefer the color-shifted (as opposed to color-washed) look. All I did after that was dust removal and the usual touch of post-scan sharpening - no toning or curve adjusting.

Oh, and by the way, it's snowing again, on top of the foot-plus already on the ground. It was 4degF here this morning. I think I remember there being a big fiery ball in the sky that made me feel warm once, but it's been so long I think I might have just hallucinated the whole thing. For any of you twisted deviants that actually enjoy this nonsense, I have but two words, the second of which is "off!"

Adam Doe · « **Reply #4 on:** February 14, 2015, 06:21:28 PM »

This is a great series. I hope Johnny and Crystal are happy, wherever they are. I love how the sky and mountains are almost monochrome but the leaves and scrub below the tree have a splash of reddish brown in the first shot.

02Pilot · « **Reply #5 on:** February 14, 2015, 07:16:04 PM »

Quote from: Adam Doe on February 14, 2015, 06:21:28 PM

I love how the sky and mountains are almost monochrome but the leaves and scrub below the tree have a splash of reddish brown in the first shot.

That shot is looking down the river at West Point. Years ago I was talking to an Air Force officer friend of mine who, upon learning that I lived near the Academy, said "I visited there once. It was in December. I can describe it in one word."

I said "Gray?"

Surprised that I had said exactly what he was about to, he followed (accurately) with "Seriously, everything's gray! The buildings are gray. The uniforms are gray. The landscape is gray. The river is gray. The sky is gray. A camo deuce-and-a-half was a spot of color!"

limr · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2015, 03:29:32 AM »

I forgive him for the comment about winter-loving deviants only because I am just as miserable in the summer as he is in the winter, and then it's his turn to talk me off the ledge.

I love winter. Oh, how I love it!

Late Developer · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2015, 09:39:28 AM »

02 Pilot, I share your pain with Winter. I have never been diagnosed but I'm convinced that I suffer from Seasonal Affected Disorder to some degree and the dark months and dank, grey British days have a tendency to get me down, big-time. However, I grab a camera, enlist the services of my trusty wife / tripod carrier

and head off in the general direction of anywhere that will prompt me to loosing off a few shots.

This tactic seems to be working in spades for you as that is a beautiful set (not that I'm suggesting that your missus is, or should be, your tripod carrier, of course).

ManuelL · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2015, 12:46:11 PM »

Great shots! I like the tones. It is red, but still reatains some of the other colors.

jharr · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2015, 10:54:42 PM »

Well writing from a place where winter is a mere 10F cooler than summer, I can't relate that much. I would love a change of seasons. However, I do like your shots and think they convey the "bleakness" of the NE winter very well. Thanks for sharing.

Ezzie · « **Reply #10 on:** February 16, 2015, 01:45:21 PM »

Quote from: limr on February 15, 2015, 03:29:32 AM

I forgive him for the comment about winter-loving deviants only because I am just as miserable in the summer as he is in the winter, and then it's his turn to talk me off the ledge.

I love winter. Oh, how I love it!

I suffer much more at 30C above, than 30C below. You can always put more clothes on, but when you are down to bare skin, and still overheating, you're up sh1t creek with no paddle. Having said that I have experienced 50C above in the Namib desert, and 45C below here at home, not sure which was worse.

02Pilot · « **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2015, 02:19:47 PM »

In this brief interlude between my rants, I should say that i appreciate all the kind words.

jharr · « **Reply #12 on:** February 16, 2015, 05:38:40 PM »

I'm with Leonore. When the house only "cools" down to 85F at night, you are pretty much hosed. Cold shower at 2am so you can sleep? Yep, I've done that.

Indofunk · « **Reply #13 on:** February 16, 2015, 05:49:19 PM »

Are there any people here of recent African or Indian origins?

No? I'll take your 50C and 85F weather (both those climes are dry, unlike Chennai ... try 40C and 99% humidity!

) and you take the damn winter from 02Pilot and me. Thanks. This morning my phone said it was 3F. I'm sure upstate it was well below zero

02Pilot · « **Reply #14 on:** February 16, 2015, 06:23:37 PM »

I've long contended that my love of heat and sun is because I'm actually part-reptile (lizard or turtle - I'm not sure which). The idea of spending a large portion of my life basking on a rock is bliss.

limr · « **Reply #15 on:** February 16, 2015, 06:29:17 PM »

Quote from: 02Pilot on February 16, 2015, 06:23:37 PM

I've long contended that my love of heat and sun is because I'm actually part-reptile (lizard or turtle - I'm not sure which). The idea of spending a large portion of my life basking on a rock is bliss.

Oh, you are so a snapping turtle

Quote from: jharr on February 16, 2015, 05:38:40 PM

I'm with Leonore. When the house only "cools" down to 85F at night, you are pretty much hosed. Cold shower at 2am so you can sleep? Yep, I've done that.

I've also been known to put a damp towel into the freezer, and when it's frozen solid, I crack it open and put in on my head and shoulders. When it thaws and gets limp and warm, I put it back into the freezer. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Quote from: Ezzie on February 16, 2015, 01:45:21 PM

I suffer much more at 30C above, than 30C below. You can always put more clothes on, but when you are down to bare skin, and still overheating, you're up sh1t creek with no paddle. Having said that I have experienced 50C above in the Namib desert, and 45C below here at home, not sure which was worse.

Exactly!!

mcduff · « **Reply #16 on:** February 16, 2015, 06:47:25 PM »

I love this insane cold. But I am the only one in the family that likes it. I was dragged out of upstate NY yesterday - ending a snowboarding weekend early - as my family went on strike for boarding in -25c/-15f? weather. (It was colder if you count that wind chill malarkey). :-(

But I also love it stinky hot and humid. It's the in between weather I have problems with. I know a lot of photographers love the fall, but it is my least favorite time - those "beautiful" red leaves are just corpses in my books ;-)

So Indo I will take your cold but I don't think I want you to take the hot weather* - will you take the dark soggy month of November from me??

But enough of this. It is a balmy -15c and my wife has agreed to XC ski with me today to stop me from sulking about the house haha.

*As an addendum, I would be willing to trade the +40C, humid Chennai-esque weather but I am not sure if you want that ;-)

Indofunk · « **Reply #17 on:** February 16, 2015, 08:13:18 PM »

It was "only" in the teens when I stepped out today to attempt a roll of Red Feb in my Grafelx Ciro. After about 15 minutes my gloved hands got so numb that I dropped the damn camera into the snow. Luckily, it's completely mechanical so I assume that after it dries out it'll be fine.

I got all of 2 or 3 shots on it and had to run back home. I've been inside for 1/2 hour and feeling has just begun to return to my fingers. My thighs are still thawing out. I am not built for this weather, is what I'm saying

Adam Doe · « **Reply #18 on:** February 16, 2015, 08:45:43 PM »

I've never been a fan of the cold, even being raised up north. The coldest I've ever been was skiing in the Laurentian Mountains of Canada as a boy. The temperature dropped to -40 (which oddly is the same in Celsius and Fahrenheit). You would dress in everything you had, making sure that everything was covered. Take a run down the mountain and then run inside to warm back up for half an hour and then repeat. The silver lining was the sort lift lines. It was miserably cold. Now I live in the south where the temperatures are milder, and the cold season shorter, but I decided this year that I would get used to being out in the cold and start trying to enjoy it. Partly so I can shoot outdoors in the cold and also because for the past two and a half years we've had a dog and I have to walk her whatever the temperature may be. Proper clothing seems to be the key, as well as having a camera along and not standing still for too long. I am starting to enjoy it a bit.

Bryan · « **Reply #19 on:** February 16, 2015, 09:03:03 PM »

Nice ones O2 Pilot, I like the John Crystal log and the painted rock. I'm surprised how much blue the rock is. \

If you want warm come out west, it's 60F in Seattle today and the cherry trees are starting to bloom. The down side is no snow in the mountains, ski resorts are shutting down.