I am moving from my home town of Massachusetts down to Georgia.
In the process, I am leaving behind my one and only true joy in life.
I am leaving my darkroom. My plate burner, enlarger. Everything.
I was only able to pack my 4x5 speed and a 5x7 contact printing frame..
Along with a Uniroller and a changing bag. I'm going to contact print everything.

It's tough for me to imagine leaving behind something of which i've spent 8 years and most of my $$$ perfecting.

On the upside, my parents will take care of it for me.
Sorry for the rant, I just feel quite depressed and uncertain.
This is the only place where I feel that others would understand my pains.

:(

I'm sorry to hear that. :( Is it possible you can send for it all later and get set up again?

Aww men, quit your whining... :)

Dont look at it as loosing your DR, look at it as gaining a new place to photograph. Georgia is a beautiful state with many photo opportunities, and while having the right tool for the job is always best, you got your cameras and a printing frame, azo can be done with a light bulb and pt/pd with the sun....Go out there and photograph....and dont hink about it twice, in time you will have the money to move your stuff down. :)

Phillip just send me a note when you get moved in, you have a small group of enthusiasts waiting here for you.

Sorry for the rant, I just feel quite depressed and uncertain.
This is the only place where I feel that others would understand my pains.:(

Phillip,

It will all be ok. As Jorge says:
Dont look at it as loosing your DR, look at it as gaining a new place to photograph.
When I left home the first time at 17, I took what clothes I could carry in my packsack, hopped on my motorcycle and hit the road - it didn't hurt me any.
Later in life, when I realised that I wasn't cut out for university, I left my first year calculus exam, threw my texts in the garbage, put my packsack on my shoulder, cleaned out my bank account and didn't even bother to go home for my belongings - it didn't hurt me any.
Look at it as an life enrichening experience.

I left my home and most of my belongings and moved to LA in the 80s. Because of the move, I got laid more than I deserved, made some lifelong friends, met the love of my life, and now live in one of the best places on the planet.

Also I came here illegally. Everything always works out. Enjoy the experience.


Michael

After one of the longest car trips of my life, I have arrived in Georgia.
So far it is.. Hot. Very hot compared to living in New England.
I also ran over my first armadillo. It was pre-squished.
On a trip to five separate gas stations, I could not find any coffee creamer in a carton.
Try saying that to someone in So. Ga. with a very thick Cambridge accent.
'Eh you guys got any coffee creameh? In cahtons?'
No coffee milk but I managed to bring some coffee syrup to battle the homesickness.

Thank you Jorge, John and Michael. I feel better now and I truly appreciate the wisdom and good wishes.

Gary, anything good to shoot down here? That isn't an animal? :)

Yep! Look up Jekyll Island and Providence Canyon, theres a few plantations to tour and shoot, and several state parks, the Okefenokee Swamp, and so on. What city are you staying in, it'll make it easier to direct you to the sights.

Valdosta!

Due east of you is the Brunswick area, south of that is Jekyll Island (see my gallery for two shots from there) and south of that is Cumberland Island. The Islands are pretty interesting, especially Cumberland. Do a campout there and get some sunrise shots on the beach! It'll be easy to find lots of info on those areas. You are not too far from Tallahassee or Jacksonville Beach either. You'll just have to drive a bit.
Don't neglect the old buildings in the small towns around you, they can be quite intriguing.

Did you move to Valdosta?
Downtown Valdosta had a few old warehouses and buildings that were awesome to photoggraph. The small towns around it have personality ;)

Valdosta!

Thanks Gary!

There were a load of seemingly abandoned buildings along rt. 82 and rt. 84. I LOVE abandoned buildings! Back in New England, we had a huge number of abandoned mental institutions and tuberculosis hospitals.

I'm fixing to explore soon though i'm trying to find a job. Probably a one-hour photo job or something, who knows. I'm good at holding jobs but absolutely the worst at finding them. I was seriously skilled in Unix sys. and network administration (SunOS/Solaris and BSD) and dabbled a bit in network security. Then I worked for a company and became a 'grunt', or the 'lunch guy'.. Argh! Sorry for the OT.

I'm actually needing to compensate for the tap water being no colder than 74 degrees fahrenheit. Along with tailoring the development specifically for cyanotypes..

I visited the most popular (I believe) camera store around here, D&A's.. The salesperson looked at me and laughed when I asked if they had any 120 black and white film..
Then we both had a chuckle when I asked for 4x5 sheet film.
"Out here? What? No. No. Hahahah, no."

valdosta huh? i'll bet you're having trouble finding that stuff. I've got relatives in moultrie.....neat old towns, but pretty isolated.

your cold water--well, you're just getting started with summer, so it'll get higher. I turned the chiller on today where I work, because our incoming cold is hovering in the 80s. I process year around at 75 degrees. It's only when the water gets to be 80-90 degrees, that I use the chiller. Personally I wouldn't worry until you get up to 80+ degrees, but you might have to run a cold waterjacket or something to get your chemistry down to where you like it. just wait until august though....

Question: Why is the water so warm there? Is it stored above ground?

One thing the pipes are not buried deep like up north because the freeze line is much shallower and the ground warms faster there, second the water usually comes from above ground reservoirs that warm up with the summer heat, then they are pumped up into those huge tanks on stilts to pressurize and store water for the system. None of which contribute to making water cooler.

I ended up getting a job at D&A Camera/Camera America. I'm the lab slave.
As for the hot tap water, yes it really is that hot. I've been using a brita water pitcher and a bit of warm water to bring it up to temp.

I've taken a few pics at Banks Lake, also the location where they filmed a bit of the movie 'Deliverance'. It's right up the road from here. Very creepy!
Six sheets of film, all printed as cyanotypes. I'm enjoying this as I am currently living under the worlds most powerful plate burner, ie. Georgia. My cyanos print out in about 5 to 10 minutes compared to three hours in Massachusetts.


PS- what's in August? It gets cooler, right? Please tell me it gets cooler. :)

Well, Phillip, I can't say for certain about Georgia, but I've been here in North Carolina for about 9 months now. It was hotter when I got here, in early September, than it is now, though it's more humid now. And good luck with Arlene -- she won't cool you off, but she'll certainl wet you down some...

Har, boy it hasn't even started getting warm yet! Don't cool off till Thanksgiving! You'll get used to it. Put away your woolies, get out the cotton, wear a hat.

Non-photographic update: They sell beer at gas stations down here.
In Pennsylvania, I bought a six pack at a Pizza Hut. Life ain't so bad.

Non-photographic update: They sell beer at gas stations down here.
In Pennsylvania, I bought a six pack at a Pizza Hut. Life ain't so bad.

If all life's problems could only be dealt with so easily...

congratulations on surviving your move! Just say to yourself: things can only get better!