Basically, I will go along. My concern is that we choose an option that works even in bad weather. Why don't we do the Fleischfabrik and I will chip in 150€. That way, the 4 of you need to pay a bit less than 40€ each, not far from the original, acceptable 30€. That way we will have a place to ourselves, new for all of us, with lots of possibilities, even if it rains.
Deal? If not, I am quite happy with all other choices that conform with the bas weather requirement.
I have asked if we could have tickets for the Fleischfabrik for 30 Euro per person. Let's see how they respond to that first. They may also have some other possibilities open:
Rudi and Heinz, are you interested in the Fleischfabrik at 30-40 Euro? I could also chip in 50 Euro. A few of my stock options just vested
If we choose Tempelhof or something else, we don't actually need to choose in advance, and can wait and see what the weather is like. Maybe if we don't choose one of the tours, we can choose an indoor and an outdoor event, and let the weather decide.
Heinz, in general the museums and art galleries do allow cameras, but do not allow tripods. Bring a good high ISO camera
Keep also in mind that even if we do choose one of the tours, that only takes 4 hours out of our day. There is still time for food and something else.
Honestly I never did serious "indoor" photography, I feel more comfortable outside. So I am quite new to this and inexperienced. Don't know if I would bring a flash or if I just use a tripod for available light only. I am ready to learn by copieng your techniques.
If we do decide for the Fleischfabrik, I would suggest we share the fee equally. I do not think that Rudi or me had a problem in paying 60 Euro in general, but both of us - and Carsten - felt slightly ripped off by the total fee.
I am too old to think in terms of "ripped off" or not. Is it worth 150€ to have a great shooting session at a great location and with great guys to learn from? Especially considering that I already invest in a place ticket and two nights at a hotel? Yes, definitely. That said, I repeat that I am comfortable with any choice you make. I am trying to make matters easier, not more complicated...:-)
Okay, well let's see what the tour group answers to my question, and if there are some other alternatives. If not, then we could think about proceeding, and maybe I can get the price down a little. Jonas, are you in with this plan? A bit more pricy than expected, but on the other hand, we have a cool place to ourselves for four hours, which could also be worth something. I might bring a laptop, so that we could go to a cafe afterwards and try doing some processing.
I would think that tripod is the way to go. I could share mine with someone, or even bring two tripods and lend one, if the borrower will take good care of it. I could even bring three, since I am trying to sell one, but didn't yet get a buyer.
We could play a bit with HDR, both realistic and fantastic Close-up panoramas would probably also be an option, which is also interesting.
I'm in Carsten, for anything basically. As I said I'm not difficult, meeting you and visiting Berlin as a package has more weight to me than what exactly we aim at with our cameras. But, I love decay and will pay my part of the event, no problems.
Maybe I sounded a bit reluctant in my last message? No biggie, I'm just not used to the kind of guided and charged for decay tours as the guys at go2know offer.
As mentioned I'll bring a tripod, absolutely. I recently bought a new head and am again happy to carry the darn thing.
Philippe, I'm thinking along the same lines as you. Flight, hotel and extras sum up. A visit at the Kingdom of Pork is not a problem. And of course I expect us all to share the fee.
I doubt anyone can learn anything from me.
I'll go update my profile with a Berlin section mentioning what I intend to bring.
Okay, well it seems we all have our own tripods, and in spite of misgivings, are all interested in the Fleischfabrik tour after all. So let's try to make that happen, and I will see if there is any room for haggling in the price. There may not be, since a security guard has to escort us, and the location doesn't belong to the company doing the tours, but I will try.
Philippe, do you have an Arca-compatible plate for your 5DII? If so, don't bring your big tripod, I can bring mine. It is a lot easier for me to bring a large tripod that for you!
After the four hour tour is over, we still have time, either morning or evening, so we could easily add a second location. Alternatively, we could sit down somewhere, chat, and discuss processing. What would be best for you guys?
When I was in Toronto, I was also vegetarian, but when I moved first to Montreal, and then to Berlin, I found it too hard to find good vegetarian food, and gave it up. I still eat very little meat though.
Depending on what "early" means, I might be game, in case you are going somewhere interesting to me, and don't mind me tagging along. If you are afraid of it getting in the way of good photography to be too many people, we could have no-talk rules, with every-20-minute pauses
Saturday morning? At what time are we planning to meet? I'll arrive Berlin Friday and have no other plans for the Saturday but our meeting. If all of us are in town I don't mind an "early" start of the day. Maybe breakfast first, but right after that?
You veterans, do you have a regular time for these meetings to take off?
The "regular" times were around 11 or later so far, in our long and venerated history of Berlin meets, i.e. two. We could easily meet earlier. 6.00 is very early for me, considering that it is a struggle for me to get to sleep before midnight, but I will do my best and may make it by 8.00 I will SMS when I am up and ready to meet. Rudi, when are you up and about?
I do need to find out when the Fleischfabrik tour would be, in case it is indeed still available.
