Feeling Crafty?

Is anyone else on NPN a craft enthusiast? Do you apply the craft to your photography?

Among my crafts, I'm a leather worker. This is a selection of the kinds of things I make and use every day in photography. Front row, left to right are a pocket camera case, belt case for filters, and utility box. Middle is my cell phone case, and back is my wife's small location bag and my belt case for a lens.

I'll attach another photo with them open for a better look.

Here they are again, opened and rearranged a little.

I'm not in the same craft league as you are Hank but this is what I call my "lensmobile". It's a modified pull-type golf cart that I use to haul my gear on longer walks. I have a bad back and can't walk very far hand carrying my heavy stuff without paying a price. It holds/carries my 500mm with attached body, a Gitzo tripod with full Wimberly and a variety of assorted gear. I even sometimes hang another body with attached 100-400 off of the pack. It took a couple of days of tinkering (wood and metal working) to get it modified and balanced properly but I'm very pleased with how well it performs in the field. Its wide wheels keep it from getting bogged down in soft stuff, it's very light and pulls like a dream.

That's terrific Ron! We have wheels on all our studio cases for location shoots, so wheels for field use make perfect sense to me.

BTW- I work with leather because I'm hopeless with metal, and not far behind with wood!

Anyone else building their own?

Hey Hank

Bear claws on the camera case?

Great work - I wish I could make something half as fancy. My craftsmanship is limited; I struggle to build a snowman.

Cheers

Carl

I was wondering if anyone would notice Carl. They're actually made of resin courtesy of Tandy.

And hey, I have about as much luck as you with snowmen. Something to do with 120" of annual precip, and darned little of it white and fluffy this year.

Hank, very creative work. It is really nice that you are able to integrate them into your photography. I am a woodworker and have a woodworking shop in my garage. I make a lot of different furniture but my photography related woodworking is making picture frames. Most of the images in my house are in frames made from different types of wood that I crafted in my shop. It is actually nice to be able to hang a print that I created in a frame that I made. Great work!

No kidding Bill!

Considering what we pay for frames in our studio, you're sitting on a gold mine!

Super craftsmanship.

I used to carve.. tackled one large project and really never carved much again. I moved and no longer had the workshop!
This is the beginning. White pine laminated by a boat builder... 11 ft tall, six ft across

Finished project. It was for our church (early 80s) and we all tried to contribute one way or another. I have no idea where it is now. After the permanent church was built... the had 'no place' to put it. I donated it to a female pastor who moved to... Okeechobee. Maybe that is where it is

Thanks Barbara.


How long did your carving take to complete, Barbara? It's incredible! I'd be tracking it down, for sure. I'm acquainted with an old time studio photographer/woodworker who made all his own furniture and sets for his studio, which went with the studio when he sold it. A year later he learned that the new owners disposed of all his handiwork. Made me sad to hear it, and he's still mad about it.

It was about 180 hours. I was surprised at that. The worse part was sharpening the chisels! Never could find material for leather work... do not have the patience, but sure admire it, especially when you make it so you can use it.. as you did. Hand or machine stitch. I tried to make some moccasins from a pattern and leather I bought locally. Getting that needle through was tough.

Mine is all done by hand with a 2-needle saddle stitch, Barbara, but there's a "secret." I use super-sharp awls to puncture the leather first, so sharp in fact that it's almost effortless. But hooboy, I most certainly keep my fingers clear of the back side!!!! I actually found this book to be much more informative than anything along the traditional Western lines from Tandy. He's one of the world authorities on antique shoulder bags, and I incorporate a lot of the 18th century techniques into the camera bags I make, large and small.

I was wondering if anyone would notice Carl. They're actually made of resin courtesy of Tandy.

Hey Hank

Bear claws, particularly grizzly claws, fascinate me - I hadn't seen those Tandy ones before, very cool.

Snow's turned to slush.

Cheers

Carl

There's nothing much wrong with my back, but sometimes I get the urge to carry ton's of equipment. I still remember just about killing my feet by hiking out to Hermitage point with too much stuff.

Ron's cart makes me think of the Sherpa Cart I saw one time. (I wonder if that company still exists?) It had bicycle wheels and was made for trail use. Unfortunately, many national parks prohibit wheels on hiking trails, so I never got one.

Oh yeah, the subject. Nope. Sorry, I don't really practice a craft, yet. I'll save that for when I'm in "the home."


Pete D.

I was wondering about wheels on trails in some parks. But we frequent lots of areas outside the parks, so it still appeals.

As for "the home," Pete, I can see knitted lens cases in your future! A break from caps and napkin holders. All kidding aside, I've volunteered in a number of senior facilities, and there's just a whole lot of talent and experience waiting there for anyone with an interest. I love talking to the folks I meet there! In fact, I learned how to sharpen an awl from one crafty old character in a home.