Father to son.....

[Johno]

My first step into photography was innocent enough. I purchased a disposable camera on a road trip with friends a couple summers ago. Then a digital Point and shoot, soon a DSLR and the gizmos and gadgets to go with that. Now, A month past my 24th birthday, I've submitted my portfolio to gain entry into school where I hope to learn more about the hobby turned art that I would some day like to call my profession.

Months ago, as I sat up with my girlfriend talking about our childhoods, I brought out a photo album, Filled with picture of my earlier years. "Why are all the pictures square?" she asked. I'd never really put much thought into it before. It piqued my curiousity and I did a little research both into the cameras and into the man that documented my childhood, my dad and his Hasselblads.

He purchased his first hasselblad for aerial photography, mounted far in the back of his piper supercub it was impossible for him to frame the shot, trigger the shutter and fly the plane at the same time. He needed someone small ...... someone that never complained about tight spaces ........ me.

I don't think there are many photographers on the planet that can say that they're first experience with a one of the finest cameras ever made was at 3000 ft crammed in the back of a tiny airplane bouncing across the sky, I can. As I grew up I became more interested in Mountain Bikes, Cars and girls and less interested in photography. I regret that deeply. Now that I have found my passion, I wish I had that time back. More sunsets. More dewey mornings. More memories captured forever on film.

I've recently moved back my home town. The same town that my father stills resides in. Before now I never realized the scope of my dad's Hasselblad collection. Over the Years He's aquired two 500 EL/M's and an ultra Rare Mk70. I find comfort in the fact that regardless of how much I spend on my own lens lust that it will never even come close to the total cost of my dads hassy lens collection. Beyond the dollars and cents of it, My interest in his Hasselblads has sparked a new Common bond between us and ignited a new father/son spark.


I'm not a writer, Never have been, it's not in my blood. Photography on the other hand. Give me a couple years and we'll see.

1) My dad's first Hasselblad. (60mm Zeiss Lens)

2) The 100mm Zeiss lens that captured the majority of my childhood.

 

[markc]

Very cool! It must be great to be able to share that interest now.

 

[duncanp]

nice, im the only person i know in my family that really likes photography... the 500 series are really nice..

 

[Chase]

What a great read! It is amazing how something like this can create such a great bond between people and completely relive childhood moments and make you look at them in a whole new way.

Good luck with making a career out of photography and keep us updated along the way!

 

[omeletteman]

What a great story. I actually have only recently discovered that my grandfather was really into photography when he was younger. He even taught photography classes at some point (he is a teacher). The next time I see him we are gonna go out and shoot together, though I don't know when that's gonna be...

Do you get to shoot with your dads camera now? cause that would be SWEET.

 

[Johno]

Occasionaly. When I go back to school there is actually a medium format unit. So hopefully he'll let me dust the 500 EL/M he's got in the garage off and let me borrow it for a little bit longer than he does now!

 

[Jeepnut28]

where are you going to school?

 

[Big Mike]

That is really great.

I didn't have much photographic influence during my childhood. My step-dad had what I think was a Canon AE-1, or similar but I don't remember much about it. I remember a box of old flash cubes that I fired off on an older camera.

Later in life, I discovered that my father's father was quite a photographer. He lives in California while I'm up in Canada, so I didn't get much chance to spend time with him. He worked for California Fish & Game for many years...and was instrumental in developing and enlarging the Grey Lodge Wildlife Area near his home in Gridley. He took many photographs over the years and eventually published a book about Grey Lodge, featuring many of his photographs. Book here

Sometimes I wish I had had the opportunity to spend more time with him...learning about photography any anything else...but at least I will always have the book to inspire me.

Last visit down there, I came back with a few of his original photographs. One of which was an award winner because it was one of the first to capture the mating flight/dance of the Pin-tail duck.