Huntington Library with the 6x17 Kraken

 Yesterday (June 4th), I went to the Huntington Library again. This is, I calculate, my fifth time in the past year of the pandemic. I was putting it off for a long time, since my last visit took place, as I recalled, in February. I try to space out my visits to each garden every two months, so I was overdue to return, but I just didn't want to do so. I knew that I was overdue to take more photos with the digital SLR so that I could complete a photo book I have been planning, but the thought of using the digital camera just saps the fun out of it. I love the mystery and expectation of film, not the speed and work of digital. I forced myself to do it because I said, this is a new season now (summer), and all the gardens are publishing updates to their social media accounts bragging about the flowers and roses, so this is when I would probably see a burst of color again, after the barren garden from last time.

I went yesterday and made an appointment for 11:30 a.m. I couldn't find an earlier one since, typically, I waited until the last minute (the night before) to purchase my ticket. The cost was, again, $25. I arrived earlier, though, betting they would let me in, and they did. I arrived at 10:45 a.m. and was ushered straight through. There were many visitors yesterday.

It was a great outing, although as indicated before, I took my Nikon D750 and was snapping away. I was there from 10:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., so that was a long visit. Even then, I only took 350 photos. That is a far, far cry from my dance photography days, when I would attend a two-hour event and have 3,000 photos. I am so glad I am not doing dance photography anymore. 

It was well visited yesterday, but I felt comfortable. I spent most of my time in the Chinese Garden. The colors were no match for what I saw in December of last year, many of the trees had dull green leaves, but there is so much artifice in the location that it was magnificent. There are many grizzles stones, not smooth, grizzled, with holes and indentations, that are set upright throughout the location. They reminde me of Salvador Dali stones.

Bucéphale

I was in the Chinese Garden for a long time. They are expanding it, and I am amazed to see how the new parts are taking shape. By the late summer it should, hopefully, be accessible to everyone. They had it closed off today, as they have in my past visits. (I wonder who is funding the expansion?)

Here are a few 6x17 images. As always, these are screen shots, so they are not full resolution. They were taken with black and white film, the old and reliable Ilford HP5+. I used f22 and a shutter speed of 1/125. I also used a red 25A filter taped to the front of the lens. The roll was developed today, Saturday.

I have more rolls with 6x17 photos. I took two color rolls that I will have to send out to the Darkroom to get developed. It was exhausting yesterday, but thankfully, the drive back home was not the martyrdom it has been in the past.