Trees and Boxes

I finally got to fly my kites Friday at lunch, and got what I hope is a decent picture of this tree. Since it's less than a ten minute walk from my work, it's a subject I've photographed dozens of times, usually with less than favorable results. This time I think I bagged it. The light was a little too soft for my taste, but the angle works. Unfortunately the very weather that gives me a line angle to get this shot is the same one that makes the clouds that killed my light. So I don't know if I can really get this in better lighting. Ah well, c'est la vie.

On another note I started work on the 4x5 box camera. The box from the hardware store is easy to cut and sand, and the lensboard end is more or less finished. I still need to add the t-nuts and anchor points for the lens board clamps, but the hole and baffles are done.

The film holder end is another story. I got everything laid out in CAD, printed the drawings 1:1, and found out my can of Super 77 adhesive is kaput. So I need to pick up new glue before I can cut out the parts. Cutting them is no problem. I've been making the lensboard parts on the scroll saw all morning. But without the glue I can't stick the drawings on, so I can't get their shapes cut out. Ah well, c'est la vie.

I still think I can finish the woodworking for the camera this weekend. Painting the inside and the light traps should be pretty quick, too. But I'd like to take a few days to get the finish on the outside just right. Hey, it is a wooden large format camera. I have to at least try to make it look good!

But the real test will be a landscape ground shot from a tripod. So it'll have a traditional 1/4-20" tripod socket stuck in the bottom of the camera. That's the only way I can get the lens really dialed in and at good focus. Besides, if I make it right it should actually be a pretty pleasant camera to use for field work as well as for KAP. But there's no provision for focus at all once the lens is set. It's strictly for long-distance shooting unless I make a set of spacers for it.

I'm excited. I just hope I can characterize it in time for the archaeology trip!

Tom