rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) (07/17/85)
The anglophile, cathedrophile photographer has returned from his 3.5 week
trip to England and Wales an enlightened and a wiser man. I thought that
those of you who suffered through my prejourney hand-wringing might be
interested in a preliminary summary of the results from a photographic
perspective. (Preliminary because I have yet to examine any of the approx.
1000 slides I shot.)
The wife and I visited 16 Cathedrals, 3 Abbeys and about 8 castles on our trip.
These included:
Bristol Bath Arundel
Canterbury Fountains "Booley"
Chester Westminster Caernarvon
Chichester Conwy
Coventry Dover
Durham Howard
Exeter Rochester
Lincoln Warwick
Ripon
Rochester Also a few plain old churches, like:
Salisbury Ludlow (Wales) and St. Mary's (Arundel)
Southwark
St. Paul's
Wells
Winchester
York
I lugged around with me about 26 pounds of gear, which did a lot to improve
my physical state, but much wasn't used at all.
A list of the major items with comments follows:
Nikon Photomic FTn (circa 1971) on strap supported from belt at back. The
workhorse. Hasn't missed a shot in 14 years without any paid service.
Nikkormat FTN (Circa 1970) on neck strap. Second string workhorse. Ditto on
reliability.
Olympus XA - Nice when no camera to be worn. - or when photos not allowed.
10 rolls Kodachrome 25 - Too much, had to force myself to use this.
10 rolls Ektachrome 100 - Not Enough. Bought 4 more but did not use.
10 rolls Ektachrome 400 - Somewhat wasted. My meters didn't go down to
low enough light levels to allow full use to be made of the speed. Many
shots taken by extrapolating exposure (i.e., guessing)
Vivitar 283 flash and power grip. Not used at all. Some places allowed flash,
some didn't, but I never had the time or the inclination.
Close up rings. Not used.
2x multiplier. Not used.
24mm lens. Not used. Intended for close work, but no time to change lenses.
35mm lens. Not used. (intended for backing up my Kiron. wasn't needed.)
Kiron 28-85 varifocal lens. Used on 3/4 + of shots. (Does it really vignette?
Does it really focus at infinity? I'm afraid to look and see)
Vivitar 80-200 Series 1. Neat but long and slow. Perfect for picking out neat
details on exteriors and in big glass windows.
Slik Monopod from quadropod. When I weighed up everything before leaving, I
decided the tripod (actually quadropod bought specially for the trip) had to
stay, but I took along the monopod. Didn't use it much because of great hurry
and I convinced myself I could hand-hold about as slow as I could go with my
meters. If meters had been more sensitive, I would have used it more where I
really needed a tripod. In a hurry was awkward to use, even with pan head.
Polar filter for Kiron. Only usable on west coast where air was clear.
Cable releases. Not used and always in the way.
Kodak mailers for all film. British P.O. wants 73 pence to mail film to US.
Post cards cost 26 pence (100 pence to the pound = $1.30 while I was there).
Sony WDM-6 recorder with two Radio Shack Lavalier mikes pinned to camera
bag. Recording on 8- 90 minute cassettes XLIIS. Batteries were some carbon-zinc
and three sets of NiCads with GE charger. Recorder carried in end pouch of
camera bag. I could turn it on and off by poking finger in top of pouch, but
more difficult to check LED level display and is tape running? Used about 6
hours apparently very successfully. Some overload. So far seems worthwhile,
but a medium amount of trouble. Since flash was unused, choice of nicads
was a mistake. Would have been less bulk and weight to use Alkaline AA
batteries. System worked well (recharged overnight from razor outlets), just
wasn't needed or cost effective.
All above carried in Lowe-Pro Magnum 35 bag which worked admirably. I could have
used something smaller if I had left the not-used stuff at home. Bag also had
room for documentation and a pocket that was used for guides, etc. Also took
padded envelopes to mail home tape cassettes, but stopped after the first one
cost ..I recall about 2.92 (pounds) for two cassettes. Bag also carried my
umbrella (a life-saver on occassion) and sometimes a jacket. A flashlight
(not used), a mark anything marker (used lots), and misc. small camera stuff
like lens tissue, set of small screw drivers, lens covers fore and aft, etc.
Most places did not restrict photography. Some asked you to buy a permit, but
fee was nominal (.80 - 1.20 pounds). Only two gave you a hard time (I am talking
about cathedrals, inhabited castles were off limits). Canterbury Cathedral
required you to get a permit from some high muckedy-muck whose office was
some distance away and besides he wouldn't be there. Funny thing is, they
were also out of stock on most of the slides they sold themselves.
Westminster Abbey only allows photography on Wednesday evenings between
18:00 and 19:30. But that opportunity was also cancelled indefinitely.
Photos were also ok in the British Museum, but I think you needed a permit for
a tripod. Some church busy-bodies got huffy if you tried to take a photo
while a service was going on (St. Pauls, Ripon).
My main problem was lack of time. Most of the cathedrals were seen while on
American Express conducted Bus tours. You were on your own in the cathedrals, if
you wished, but time was limited to one to one and a half hours - sometimes
two hours, once 45 minutes. You have to move out smartly to get anything at all
under those constraints. On the other hand, there is so much to see that a
couple of hours <is> about all you can put in at one time before sensory
overload, followed by burnout occurs. I got pretty proficient,if the
pictures turn out.
When under pressure, Murphy's law asserts itself constantly. Once it drove me
almost to tears. Worst disasters: One time perpetrated worst sin possible, I
didn't check the threading and film slipped off take-up spool, so I shot a
whole role with no film in the camera, then rewound film into cartridge. -Only
I couldn't be sure this had happened, so had to send film to be developed
thus wasting whole role. One another occasion, wanting to rewind after
taking 6 exposures on 400 film, goofed and rewound film into cartridge. Took
to camera store and folks kindly remounted film on new cartridge - only they
assempled the cartridge backwards. So had to take to another store to fix
again. Don't know if that abused roll will pan out. This is part of reason I
bought add'l roles of Ektachrome.(Price between 4 and 4.8 pounds for 36 exp
100 speed). Finally, near end of trip I "dropped" exposed roll of film in
its can into my pocket (the expert, by now). Must have missed pocket. Film
lost with irreplaceable shots of Lincoln and St. Pauls. (Sh*t)
At each Cathedrdal that I could, I bought as many slides as I could. They
take them under much better conditions, and I have found the quality of
English dupes is superb compared to those you buy in the States. I also
bought an inexpensive guide book. I never realized that in all
I was buying 529 slides. My wife never realized it either. (Sh*t) Oh well,
its only money.
Bristol was closed and locked when I got there. Photos outside only (sunset
after 9pm). Chester and several others were open but gift shops were
closed so no slides purchased. Some left out a pile of guides on the honor
system. Most asked for a donation from everyone on entry. Salisbury wanted 40
pence extra for you to see a copy of the Magna Carta. When I found out no
photography was allowed in the room, I got my 40 pence back.
It is probably obvious that I had a ball, even though I should have travelled
lighter. I don't know if cathedral hopping is an inherited or acquired
trait, (I never did it in the US) but the English cathedrals are something
else...I don't have them all sorted out, yet, but I can tell you this:
If I was God, I would like to live in Durham. In fact, not being God, it
was the one place I just wanted to sit and sit and sit (warning, infinite
loop blocked here) in.
I photographed a lot of other things, like mountains and glens, slate mines
and birds in chimney pots, ships and castles, but it was the Cathedrals...
After Durham, perhaps it was Canterbury. Now there is a place definitely
worthy of all the pilgrimaging. Still "the abbey" was also way up there on
the list. And crawling around in the ruins of "Fountains" I will never
forget - Wish I could have gotten over to Riveaux. etc.etc.etc.
I want to buy a second carousel and a dissolve unit. Otherwise I'll never
be able to project a sufficient sample of slides. I need second hand
stuff in good condition. I have a Kodak 860 and would like another.
Projector should have zoom lens. Would consider second hand Leitz, but
I don't believe there is any such thing.
In conclusion, let me say I would do it again, given half a chance, although
if i could I would change the things noted above. I recommend American
Express conducted bus tours. It's a good way to start if you've never been
there before. Next time I will probably rent a car and line up some B&B's.
I should be able to save about half by careful planning.
I will also try to line up Peoples Air Lines. British Airways was fine.
They had about double the personnel on board you will find on a long flight
in the states so the service was fast and friendly. They really do take
good care of you. But its not worth $600+ each way. For 5 hours one way and 6
the other one can endure a lot. - and the 747 seemed standard...how small can
they make the seats, anyway? Security was exemplary at NY before the Indian
disaster. Not quite as thorough in the reverse direction. (NY got down to
the steel arch supports in my shoes, Heathrow passed lots of metal that
NY picked up). Neither airport objected to my hand carrying film around
the xray machine. Heathrow did want a look in my camera bag after xray, NY
did not. Most people seemed to successfully lie there way thru American
Customs. We kept immaculate records and paid. You get $400 exemption each
person, then pay 20%. (None of this info apparently available <before> you
do it, so I have included it here.)
Dick Grantges hound!rfg
--
"It's the thought, if any, that counts!" Dick Grantges hound!rfgschuh@geowhiz.UUCP (David Schuh) (07/23/85)
[ much interesting stuff ...] > When under pressure, Murphy's law asserts itself constantly. Once it drove me > almost to tears. Worst disasters: One time perpetrated worst sin possible, I > didn't check the threading and film slipped off take-up spool, so I shot a > whole role with no film in the camera, then rewound film into cartridge. -Only > I couldn't be sure this had happened, so had to send film to be developed > thus wasting whole role. One another occasion, wanting to rewind after > taking 6 exposures on 400 film, goofed and rewound film into cartridge. Took If you do this kind of thing it is a must to always load the film in exactly the same manner. I always load my film until BOTH sides of the film are engaged in the sprockets, and always the same holes on each roll (I use the second sprocket holes as my origin) of film I load. This way I can accuratly (if I write down the current Exp # on the tongue) reload and be confidant that 1] I can get back to that place, and 2] I have NEVER (many many rolls) had a roll not go through the camera. > to camera store and folks kindly remounted film on new cartridge - only they > assempled the cartridge backwards. So had to take to another store to fix > again. Don't know if that abused roll will pan out. This is part of reason I > bought add'l roles of Ektachrome.(Price between 4 and 4.8 pounds for 36 exp > 100 speed). Finally, near end of trip I "dropped" exposed roll of film in > its can into my pocket (the expert, by now). Must have missed pocket. Film > lost with irreplaceable shots of Lincoln and St. Pauls. (Sh*t) > [ much interesting stuff ...] You might like to know that there is a nifty little gadget (distributed by KALT, if I remember from my professional days, your local retailer should know about them), about 3/4 inch wide, two pieces, tin, that is made especially to extract film accidentally rewound into the canister (at $$$ a crack who wants to let film go to waste). Its side view looks somewhat like this: -| I'll look at mine and post the product number. | | | / / __ With some practice it works great and can be a life saver, and none of this changing cassette stuff. I never go anywhere without it. happy photos to you dave schuh !uwvax!geowhiz!schuh