A Little Background

Young children begin exploring their surroundings as soon as they are mobile, and I was no exception. In an old cardboard box shoved way back in the corner of a closet I discovered photographic print trays, a film developing tank, a contact printing frame, and some yellow paper wrapped chemicals. I never did mess with the chemicals - the developing tank and the printing frames were enough to keep me busy. At this point in my life I can't recall what in my imagination those things were, but I spent hours happily playing with them. And the seed was planted.

Later my dad begin explaining to me shutter speeds and apertures on a Kodak "Pocket" folding camera, complete with bellows. I loved the aperture click stops and releasing the shutter with different shutter speeds and the remote shutter release cable. Composition was done via a tiny little viewfinder that you had to flip up to fold up the case. Dad let me load and unload the 620 film, making sure to get the tab all the way into the take-up reel, and then making sure to rewind the entire roll until you heard it flapping around inside before opening the back, and then carefully licking the adhesive band to make sure it didn't unroll on you.

In other words, I go way back.

I had my share of Brownie Hawkeyes growing up and I can remember having to buying flash bulbs (Sylvania Blue Dots). Just ask my mom! I have many great "candids" of her, with really nice surprised expressions on her face. In high school I negotiated a reasonable price on a Kodak Retina that the local drug store had in a display case for heaven knows how long, and I had my first 35mm camera.

After my son was born I thought the occasion warranted a "real" camera - an SLR. And, while writing this, the name of it popped into my head - a Petri FT, which can still be purchased on eBay for less than $50. I eventually bought an an enlarger and my own print trays and developing tank. I even loaded my own film for years.

Fast forward a few years and my wife and son and I have moved to Kansas City. The Mechanical Eye in Crown center becomes my favorite camera store and I go through a progression of Minolta and Nikon cameras. Joined the Wyandotte Camera Club. Joined the Photographic Society of America. Became President of the Wyandotte Camera Club. Assisted the Hallmark Photography Boy Scout troop. Started entering photo contests. Won a few (after many, many submissions). Sold all my SLR equipment (three Nikon bodies, multiple lenses) and darkroom equipment. Opted for a Pentax IQZoom while on vacation to Lake Tahoe and realized I have to have some kind of camera. Began the progression of digital cameras. Blah, blah, blah.

Which brings us to today. An Olympus OM-D E-M10 is on its way and should be here before next week. Which is a story all its own, and will be another post.

May the light always be at your back (unless you're taking silhouettes)...