Don Lopp, a longtime member of the Puget Sound Stereo Camera Club, passed away this morning.

He was a master stereo photographer whose format of choice was medium format film. I can think of no-one who was a greater master of the medium.

Don began shooting stereo cha-cha in in 1948. In 1950 he got his first stereo camera, a 7-perf Iloca I. Through the 1950s he went through a succession of 35mm twin rigs, using Leicas, Canons, and Minoltas, with a large variety of lenses. I believe it was during this time that he was also testing lenses for a consumer magazine. It wasn’t until 1995 that he began shooting medium format film and never looked back. His preferred films were Provia 100 and Velvia 50, and he eventually built his own MF stereo camera.

Don Lopp had a tremendous amount of knowledge and technical expertise in photography. And as long-time readers of the photo-3d mailing list would know, he was highly opinionated and stubborn in his views. If there were a poster-child for the meme, “Someone is wrong on the Internet!”, it could easily be Don.

I met Don through the Puget Sound Stereo Camera Club nearly 20 years ago. When I became interested in moving from a dedicated stereo camera to a twin rig, someone suggested that I talk to Don Lopp. I had read some of Don’s diatribes on photo 3d but had no idea he was in our club. We talked, and soon he presented me with my first support for a twin rig. Was it pretty? No. Don was not about form; he was all about function. In time, he became my mentor, and finally, a great friend.

Don helped me in countless ways with my photography, and was always generous with advice and equipment. (I’m sure many people on this list have experienced that generosity). I know I’ll feel his presence when I’m out in the field trying to crack a technical problem. I’m going to miss him a lot.

Bob Venezia
Seattle, Washington

Thanks for lettings us know and rest in peace Don.

> Don Lopp, a longtime member of the Puget Sound Stereo Camera Club, passed
> away this morning.

I too have known Don for a long time. He built a modified Heidoscop for
me that you can see here:

http://www.dddphotography.com/Heidoscop/

He was always known for function over form and this camera really says it
all - looking like, well like it does, but taking incredible images. I
haven't taken an image with it for quite a few years but now I feel
obligated to go out and shoot some in Don's memory.

David W. Kesner
Boise, Idaho, USA
www.dddphotography.com

I'm sorry to hear this.  He was a wonderful resource; he refurbished my Sputnik for me maybe 15 years ago or so.

Yes, I’ve seen those images before and it’s wonderful to see them again. Just like an art historian would be able to spot a Vermeer or a daVinci, a camera expert would take one look and say, “most definitely a Lopp!”

Thanks for letting us know about this Bob, Don will be truly missed. He was incredibly generous to me with both information and equipment when I was first starting out with MF photography, as he was with so many others. Don had a lot to do with the fact that this obscure and challenging form of photography is still going strong in 2019.

Yes, Don could be a little opinionated in on-line 3D photography discussions, but his opinions were always founded on years of experience. He left the world a better (and better photographed) place.

Jim Harp

On 2/24/2019 1:22 PM, Bob Venezia bob@chairboy.com
[MF3D-group] wrote:

> Don Lopp, a longtime member of the Puget Sound Stereo
> Camera Club, passed away this morning.
>
> He was a master stereo photographer whose format of
> choice was medium format film. I can think of no-one who
> was a greater master of the medium.

I knew this day was coming, and am going to miss Don.

I came to stereo imaging from the digital world. I was done
with film, and never intended to handle another roll. Very
early in my stereo imaging explorations, Paul Talbot sent me
an "MF3D Care Package". He also wrote to some others and
asked them to send me a couple of views while I had his
viewer. A rumpled envelope arrived from Seattle, containing
three of Don's stunning images. Not to diminish anyone
else's work, but Don's images are those that had me staring
into the viewer saying, "For _that_?! I'll shoot film again.
Hell, yeah!"

It wasn't until I had corresponded with him for about a year
that I put two and two together, and recognized the family
name. Don father, Dwight, was born in Wales, Alaska. Don's
grandfather was Tom Lopp, who was an early educator in the
state. He was also a significant factor in the establishment
and success of the western Alaska reindeer herds. The
educational and economic legacy of his work is evident in
the communities today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Thomas_Lopp

Don's sister, Kathleen, wrote a magnificent book sharing her
grandparent's time and lives on cape Prince of Wales. Don
prepared the photographs for the book's illustrations. There
are no stereo images in it, but I still recommend you find a
copy of "Ice Window". http://icewindow.com/

Now I must, with heavy heart, step over to the web pages for
our folio and leave a note there :_(

--
John Thurston
Juneau, Alaska

Hi hope that the Lopp family will not begrudge me this: over the years I've been scanning some of my favorite of Don's MF3d slides.  

He usually amazed me with the technical perfection of his images: the perfect focus, the infinite depth of field, the exposures and tonality and color.  And not just that: usually a perfect mounting as well (though once a view came through the folio where the film chips had obviously come loose, and I remounted it).   Also, Don had a fine sense for composition and for selecting motifs especially suitable for 3d.  He shot mostly landscapes, but I appreciated his sometime inclusion of people (see the folks hiking on the far side of the lake in “Mt. Shuksan?”  They’re there!), and the rare action shot (Pike Place Market!).  And there was a sense of humor... one image showing a walking path towards distant mountains rewarded the careful observer with the discovery of a little chipmunk in the foreground (sadly I did not scan that one).

I remember Don being very opinionated and pulling no punches in arguments online.  That was in the late 1990's or early aughts.  We corresponded a bit back then, because I had a similar contrarian streak.  I was fortunate to meet him once at the Dallas NSA, and indeed he was most friendly and soft spoken in person.

Nothing can speak better for him than his own images.  I am posting what I have to this group.  I am posting in low resolution, so the image quality in terms of detail and sharpness cannot be judged/seen.  (If anyone wanted to pull together an article for Stereo World or Stereoscopy, I'd be glad to collaborate on the image selection/provision side.  Bob V. would you be in touch with the family for permissions?)

Don was an inspiration for me, and I will surely miss him!  Thank you, Don!

Boris

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MF3D-group/photos/albums/135763339

>>> Contemporary work in the Stereoscopic Arts:  www.patreon.com/retroformat <<<

I can't seem to upload the images into an Album that I created at MF3d group.  (the web page claims that I have uploaded them, but they don't show in the gallery/album)   If someone with experience posting images could contact me privately so I can get it figured out, I would appreciate that.  Thanks.  (e.g. Ian Andvaag)

I’m in touch with the family and I’m sure a tribute to Don will be no problem. Thanks for suggesting it. 

 

I can't seem to upload the images into an Album that I created at MF3d group.  (the web page claims that I have uploaded them, but they don't show in the gallery/album)   If someone with experience posting images could contact me privately so I can get it figured out, I would appreciate that.  Thanks.  (e.g. Ian Andvaag)

> I can't seem to upload the images into an Album that I created at MF3d

group.  (the web page claims that I have uploaded them, but they don't show in the gallery/album)


At my end, it says the folder is empty.  There is a button that says "add photos", I click it and it opens a browser on my computer so I can choose the pictures to upload.  It should work the same for you.  Try it again.

Francois

Attachments :

The uploader to "Photos" or "Albums" is not working.  I'll try attaching one image here:  

Olympic National Park.

It does not appear to have worked. I'm going to post onto my blog and then let you all know.  I feel I've tried my best here...

-------- Original message --------
From: "boris@starosta.com [MF3D-group]"
Date: 2/27/19 6:59 AM (GMT-07:00)
To: MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [MF3D-group] Don Lopp

It does not appear to have worked. I'm going to post onto my blog and then let you all know.  I feel I've tried my best here...

Bob Venezia had been submitting slides to the folios on Don’s behalf for the last little while. A few years ago Don moved to an assisted care home, and Bob had the task of finding homes for Don’s remaining homemade projects.

 

Ahh, that's too bad. I only met Don in person once, in Dallas in 2005 I think it was. But we shared photos and comments for a few years via the medium format folios that were passed around. It was always a good feeling to get a compliment from Don.

I have thought about him from time to time and noticed that he hasn't posted anything for a while now, maybe a couple of years. Knowing that he was in his 80's I naturally wondered if health issues played a part in his lack of postings here.

Thanks for lettings us know and rest in peace Don.

-Ted

I've made a small gallery of Don's pictures on my blog here:

Bob Venezia bob@chairboy.com [MF3D-group] wrote:

>
> Don Lopp, a longtime member of the Puget Sound Stereo Camera Club,
> passed away this morning.

I'm sorry to hear about Don passing away.

As others have said, he was an excellent photographer, and very
generous with both his knowledge, and building skills. I have a
collection of gadgets for my Sputnik that he sent me over the years.

He will be missed.

--
Brian Reynolds | "It's just like flying a spaceship.
reynolds@panix.com | You push some buttons and see
https://www.panix.com/~reynolds/ | what happens." -- Zapp Brannigan
NAR# 54438 |