[LargeFormat] Moving to 8x10 (was Re: Bergger 200 Film Speeds)

[rstein]

Dear Gregor,

     It is nice to think that I am driving you to the poorhouse. Too often
we do not take sufficient notice of our fellow creatures and leave them to
languish in perfect happiness and security. With a little effort we can
blight them forever. Thus my posts on the larger large format camera.

     I shall play it carefully - any setbacks will be either hidden or
minimised and any successes, no matter how undeserved, will be trumpetted. I
have a book written by Robin Perry and I am confident that I can adopt as
high a tone as he can, provided I can find a beret to wear for the dust
jacket picture.

    Occasionally I will drop in tanatlizing hints of fabulous new
equipment - the TTL meter for the 10 x 12 camera that runs on a tea candle -
the ex-Soviet machine gun mount that serves as an automatic tracking sysytem
in the studio - the girl oiler installed in the corner of the studio. This
will create in you the simultaneous desire to own it and the horrid
realisation that you have no idea what it is or where to get it. I shall pay
others on the list to agree with me and further pique your curiousity.

    Of course I shall observe the niceties of family social behavoiur - you
mentioned that you will be going to the point of divorce. Whether this is
because of the expenses of the art ( What? You want food again, Wife? This
is the second time this month.) or little indiscetions in the studio
 Honest, Dear, I just fell on her accidently. 84 times.) or even artistic
matters ( See how big this new lens makes your butt look, Dear? Dear?) is
irrelevant. Divorce is a perfectly healthy and natural state for a large
format photographer. Quieter than its cousin, Murder, and more socially
acceptable. Try to get custody of the enlarger, if you can.

    No need to thank me for any of this. No need at all. I see it as my duty
to Art. I just hope Art don't find out who did the duty on him....

     Uncle Dick