the price of being a photographer

i've been really busy the last few months. i've been writing this blog, and reading other people's blogs, and working on some printmaking ideas, etc, etc. the one thing i haven't been doing is making pictures. that needs to change. i'm moments away from having a workable darkroom space (i told you i've been busy), although it doesn't have a sink, but that's a smaller problem than not having chemicals and a dust free space to hang my film and those last two are really quite attainable and afforable. but even more important, i'm still in need of a large format camera because who cares if i can process film if i don't have anything with which to shoot it.

i started pricing the behmoth beasts today, hoping that i would be able to find something for under $1000. i did. i found this field camera. but once i added in all of the "accessories" which should really be called "necessary accessories" or even better "essential pieces of equipment without which the camera is in effect a useless lump of metal" (for example a lens. or a tripod even. or a freakin' head to mount on the tripod, an accessory's accessory if you will), my total was much nearer $2000.

it's times like these i wish i had chosen a much more lucrative and much less expensive medium. but i guess photography chose me more than i chose it so i'll just have to deal. unfortunately there is no end in sight to this quest for more equipment. once i purchase the camera, i'll have to start thinking about a printer and after that i'll probably want yet another camera. and so it goes. for now i just need to take this one overly priced peice of equipment at a time. and in the meantime i should really start combing ebay for more affordable "gear" as the cool kids like to call it.