Matt, How about the four of us putting togethera book of a collection of our photos? We already have an inside connection in the publishig world. lol

LOL, great idea Tom!

\:D/

Tiff - You betcha I am happy I cancled the tour. I feel I will get a better sense of Italy going it alone. I have already, in my head at least, started planning my second trip so I can see the things that arent on this trip.

Tom

PS As you said once before ..TICK...TOCK...TICK..TOCK!!!

I have one very beautiful photo I took in Venice at sunset on the Grand Canal I can contribute. Probably the only perfect photo I have ever taken, LOL.

How would we decide which photo to put on the cover? If we're all using Tri-X, which just won't let ya take a bad photo, and we all have beautiful photos of great, exotic locations... it'll be tough, man!

OK mat003, I will be the stupid one of the group. What in the heck is Tri-X??? :-[

Type of film. It's cool, we'll still love you anyway ;)

Matt - I say a collage of one photo from each of us. No wait, it was my idea, so I get the cover!! LOL! BTW what camera do you use? My Oylmpus OM10 finally gave up the ghost after 25 years of faithful service. I thought about going digital, but I am old school. So I recently bought a Nikon N65. I am still learning all the bells and whistles.

LoveItaly - TriX is 400 speed b/w film made by Kodak. And as Matt said we still love you.

Tom-

Ok, ok, you get the cover.

When I go old school, I use a Canon Rebel... this is the part where I sound like a dweeb- I think 065 or X65, I can't really remember the letter (or really, the number, I just for some reason think it's 65). But, it's a Canon Rebel. It's a few years old.

When I want to feel all fancy, I use my HP PhotoSmart 5.0 MP digital camera. It's kind of sucky, b/c even w/o red eye reduction and on the fastest shutter speed, it's still super slow. I'm saving up to by one that I think it a Nikon and is just as nice/nicer than my Canon that is a 7.0 or 8.0 MP and is $1,500 from BestBuy.com. On top of saving up for a new computer with Windows Media 2005, because I hear that has really good photo editing capabilities.

Ok, 'nuff geek talk. Sorry.

Well, I love you guys too, honestly I do!!!

OK, I have a Yashica T3 Super with a Carl Zeiss Tessar lense. 35mm F2.8 A good camera I believe. What do you three think? At this point in life I am not interested in a digitel camera either.

So, to take b/w photos I should buy b/w 400 speed Tri X Kodax film. OK, that I get, LOL.

Any other instructions??

BTW, growing up my Godfather was a professional photogropher. And my uncle who was not a professional did have his own darkroom and taught me how to develop film. But that was quite some time ago.

I am going to go buy the TriX film and take some photos. I am really excited.

Oh another thing. Family was here last October and I took photos of them. Think they got a bit irritated because I said "no, move over a bit the shadow is in your face, no, more to the left etc. etc. I wanted some really fantastic photos of them. Well dear friends, when I got the photos I mailed them a copy and they on receiving them emailed me, phoned me and wrote me a thank you note because they said the photos I had taken were soooo much better then the professional photos they had taken a couple of years before. Excuse me for bragging, but just wanted to share that with you. And thank you so very much for your help and advice. I truly appreciate it!!!

Oh, can't I have just one photo on the cover of the book? Or maybe the back cover of the book? Per favore. Baci!

Maybe we can have Tom's on the cover, yours (ok, had a little debate with myself- should it be yours or your's? My brain hates me today) on the back, and then split the spine to have slivers of mine and/or Tiff's. Then, we could make a few different books, alternate the front and back cover, but then have that same person's (mine) on the sliver, so they'd have to buy all our books to see my full photo.

Eh? Eh?

(It's because of thoughts like that they banished me from the US of A.)

LoveItaly - How about we give you the inner sleeve and you can write the preface? Cool that your godfather was a professional photographer. When I deceided to go back to school 5 years ago, most of my family were sure it was to get a degree in photography. They were surprised(and supportive) when I told them it was in Culinary Arts!! BTW, the smartest choice I have ever made in my life. I mean, I GET PAID TO COOK!! HELLO!!

Matt - TOO FUNNY!!

Hey fellows, we are on a roll here!!!

Mat, love your idea (btw although it is midnight here I am almost certain the word is yours). I can't speak for Tiff but I will sure go along with your idea of alternating the front and back covers. I am basically very easy to get along with.

And Tom, what culinary school did you go to? I have a family member that is a chef too, in Portland. He just started a month or so ago at a restaurant outside of Portland. I think the family originally was not pleased with his career decision but he is so happy. He is a great chef. He made me the most fantastic crabcakes I have ever tasted.

BTW, here is a great idea. Travel & food. A book idea? We need Tiff's thoughts thrown in but think about it. Not a receipe book, just a great book on travel with a few great photos of food thrown in. You think????

You will have to put your thinking cap on Mat, this has potential I am sure.

And Tom, have you ever heard of Barbara Golini? She and Carla Geri Camporesi have receipe books. Barbara is a very close friend of a very good friend of mine in Florence. Barbara teaches at the Cordon Blu (sp?) in Paris. She lives in Italy. I have the English version that she and Carla wrote entitled "From The Art Of The Medicis To The Table of Today". Speaking of photographs, the photographs in the book are very beautiful.

OK fellows, put on your thinking caps. Cin,cin!

LoveItaly - Sorry but I have not have heard of either of those two ladies. But you have now piqued my interest and I must now check them out. As the first executive Chef I worked for once told me, "When you lose the desire to learn and expand your horizons in this business, it is time to get out".

As for my education, I went to Edmonds Community College here in the Seattle area. It will have been three years this June 14th that I received my degree. I have realised that it is the person, not the school that makes the Chef. I have met many graduates of the Culinary Institue of America (CIA), and IMHO, most have an air about them that I cant stand. They seem to think that since they went to CIA that they are far superior to everyone else.

I dont know if you watch PBS programing. But quite by accident last week I came across a show called "Cooking Under Fire". It is kind of like a "survivor" cooking reality show. I actually had the TV on as background noise when I heard a familar voice. Turns out that one of the participants, Autum Maddox, is someone I went to school with. Remember that name because this young lady has some serious talent.

Glad to hear that your family member loves cooking, it truly is an artform. I feel that if I can make someone happy from my cooking, than I am doing something right. Downside is, I feel the pressure to top myself whenever I family or friends over for dinner.

I like the idea for the book. How about I do the cooking and you and Tiff take the pictures and Matt does the publishing?

Now it is time to crash and burn. I will no doubt "talk" to you soon.

Tom

All I can say is this, for you all not knowing me that well, you certainly summed up things right by not putting me in charge of the cooking, LOL.

That is not to say I am bad, I'm just not a chef by any means. I could submit one or two of my favorites and call it a day.

Now my hubbie, he worked his way through school cooking and it VERY good, and he loves it, we make a good team.

I would like to apply for the position of "shoot assistant" which brings us right back to Matt's suggestion that we should always rally for positions that might take us abroad!

Tom can scout out locations for us this October!

Have a nice day! **== Tiff

Hi Tiff - You said that your husband went to cooking school. So, is he a Chef? Or a glorified line cook like myself? Dont get me wrong, I love what I do!! I still have so much more to learn before I can call myself a Chef.

Before I entered Culinary School, I thought that I knew what I was doing and all I needed was to work on my presentation skills. Boy was I in for a big eye opener!! As one of my roommates said at the time "Let the humility begin" Boy was she right.

Tom

As a commercial photographer for more than 30 years I strongly urge you to use TRI-X.

A Kodak rep once told me that more Pulitzer Prize winning photographs have been taken on Tri-X than all other types combined.

Of course he worked for Kodak, but it's one hell of a film and none of my high-dollar, high-tech digital camera's even come close.

Thanks DiAblo, good tip, TriX it is, we appreciate you input.

Hi Tom, No, what I said was he worked his way through school cooking, meaning he worked as a cook during his college days. I always say what a great chef he is, and he always looks at me and says, "Honey, I am a fry cook, not a chef." Ha, in my heart he's a chef though. :S-

Have a nice evening! Tiff

Yes, thanks DiAblo(interesting screen name, happens to be my dogs name too)
It has been awhile since I have shot b/w and just wanted some input.

Tiff - I reread what you wrote, must have been my inner blonde that read it the first time. LOL

Have a good night - Tom