8/27/2005

Leica M3 Spools

Man... I do love this camera (except for the loading). Anyone know where I can get additional takeup spools for this baby? I know there is also a quick load kit, but from what I've read it's actually faster to keep a couple of pre-threaded rolls in your bag.

You would have all had a good laugh if you could have seen me sitting on a bench in Central Park tonight loading the camera. I was tempted to call this post: TO THE VICTOR GO THE SPOOLS but if the title is too long it messes up the blog layout.

Summer of '05

- The Mets are in the hunt for the wildcard. Today they are only 1.5 games out.

- Started but didn't finish several projects:
adding other photographers to the site
The 11th Man Book (text and images). AG has supplied the text which needs some editing.

Seven Chapters of Photographs (I designed the template for the book with InDesign) but haven't put the images in yet.

Same for the Bronx Book - perpetually unfinished.

Didn't raise the prices on prints or add as many as I wanted for sale.

I got involved in the switch away from digital which was unexpected and not on the list as the summer began.

Didn't send out the CD with images from relatives' party. Some sort of mental block going on here that

On the done side:
- upgraded to the Epson 4800.

- got to a good point with my film / developer combination

- made the switch back to film without any excessive expense. Sold off several items privately and the rest to B&H. Went through the camera testing phase and emerged with the R2A and the M3 double-stroke. (The M3 is actually easier to focus than the R2A, though it is a minor difference). Did some low-light tests in the house with focusing and the R2A and M3 agreed on the distance - exactly. It's just that it was quicker to focus with the M3, maybe because of the longer Effective Base Length.

- cleaned out the bathroom and organized it nicely for film development; ie. lots of room for storing the various gadgets.

- Finally, after many years, got a quick response thermometer

- Totally did away with the notecard option which was a pure money loser

- Began vacuuming almost everyday - which gets rid of most of the cat hair.

- Switched blog formats from RadioLand to Blogger which I think has some benefits.

- Solved the USB problem with One Touch drives by switching to firewire and installed a second 250 GB One Touch Drive. The whole freakin' system is stable.

- Sales were much higher in August than any other previous August. All but two orders are shipped.

- Did two complete laundries. Time for another one.

- Answered lots and lots of e-mails. Ah, where is the form letter I need for when people write that I've inspired them. Something along the lines of what you get when you write your congressman / woman / person / idiot. On the plus side - lots of good advice from blog readers. Maybe it evens out.

- Didn't post much about my politics and stuck to photography.

- After many years in this business - didn't make a business plan. All the books I read about starting a business insisted that the business plan was critical to success.

- Made inkjet business cards which weren't very impressive. Yesterday ordered more professional looking cards.

- Learned a tremendous amount about Photoshop (nobody ever knows everything they need to know since it is a bottomless program; but I know what I need to).

- Designed website for another photographer.

- Made a couple of good images.